Flint's encouragement not enough to lift Drexel over JMU

HARRISONBURG, Va. - Drexel coach Bruiser Flint referred to the remaining Colonial Athletic Association slate as being "survival of the fittest."

In snowy Harrisonburg last night, Denzel Bowles flexed his muscles for James Madison.

After a scoring drought that spanned both halves, the 6-10 senior exploded for 13 of his 19 points after intermission, including two thunderous dunks, as JMU defeated Drexel for just the third time, 60-52, in front of a small crowd at the Convocation Center.

And the Dukes did it without a single three-pointer - a first for JMU since 1997.

"We kept them off the glass and that's what we wanted to do," Bowles said of JMU coach Matt Brady's game plan. "And Chad [Jackson] took some tough steals . . . [Depth] helped us tonight. We just wanted to play D, and he's going to rotate guys in."

Flint was called a the technical with 1:57 left. He said he simply told the ref, "That's a foul." Devon Moore sunk both free throws, giving JMU a 48-43 lead.

"We had our chances," Flint said. "We had three turnovers in a row, missed foul shots . . . then they called a technical, and that was it."

Sophomore Chris Fouch hit a three-pointer with 1:33 left to bring Drexel back within three, 49-46. But Bowles kept driving and finishing late. JMU's prized NBA prospect finished 5-for-6 at the foul line.

"He made tough shots," Flint said.

The Dragons, who ended up stranded here last night, nearly did something they've done only once before this season - come back to win after trailing at halftime.

Looking to get off a three-game slide against CAA teams, JMU jumped out to a 12-3 start behind Bowles' six points, prompting a Drexel timeout with 13:53 left in the first half. During a pair of Drexel free throws, Flint re-emphasized his message to the team, calling Gerald Colds, Derrick Thomas and Fouch over for an animated chat.

The Dragons picked up the pace and held Bowles scoreless the rest of the half. Meanwhile, Colds got hot, going 4-for-8 and hitting three three-pointers.

Despite shooting 28 percent, with eight turnovers, Drexel trailed by only one at halftime, 22-21.

"We knew if we played good defense, no matter how bad [our] offense . . . we'd be in the game," Colds said.

Thomas used his first field goal of the game give the Dragons their first lead of the game, 25-24, with 16:18 left. The Dragons maintained a slim advantage, even after a thunderous, one-handed dunk by Bowles with 8:41 on the clock.

Two minutes later, though, JMU's defense, Bowles and the lean Harrisonburg crowd came alive. After a Bowles fadeaway, JMU substitute Chad Jackson finished on the break for a quick four-point swing, and a 40-39 lead. The Dukes never trailed the rest of the way.

"We had some bad turnovers and they scored off them," said Colds, who led Drexel with 16 points. "We also missed some layups. If we had made those plays, the game would've turned in our favor."

Fouch added 12 points. *