Drexel claims tournament berth; first time in 25 years
Mate Okros scored 14 points with four 3-pointers and sixth-seeded Drexel is headed to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 25 years after defeating eighth-seeded Elon 63-56 in the championship game of the Colonial Athletic Association tournament on Tuesday night.
The Dragons, whose last NCAA appearance came in 1996 as a member of the America East Conference, were 10 of 17 from 3-point range and went 29 of 51 in their three wins.
Xavier Bell added 11 points, and was one of three players with two 3s for Drexel (12-7), which played four games at James Madison’s Atlantic Union Bank Center this season and only two at home because of COVID issues.
Hunter Mcintosh scored 19 points for Elon (10-9), which had its seven-game winning streak end in a bid to be the first team to win four straight in the CAA tourney.
Ikenna Ndugba added 16 points for the Phoenix, who have never been to the Division I Big Dance.
At Indianapolis, Torrey Patton had 23 points and 10 rebounds, Tre Gomillion added 16 points and 13 rebounds for the Vikings Horizon League championship for the program’s third NCAA Tournament berth. Jalen Moore scored 22 points with seven assists for the Grizzlies.
At Sioux Falls, S.D., Max Abmas scored 23 points, Francis Lacis made a game-saving block and steal to seal the Summit League tournament championship for the Golden Eagles. Rocky Kreuser scored a career-high 34 points to lead the Bison.
At Smithfield, R.I., Damian Chong Qui scored 21 points and Malik Jefferson scored 10 with 15 rebounds for the Mountaineers in the Northeast Conference tournament championship game. Charles Pride scored a career-high 33 points and finished a point away from scoring half of the Bulldog’s 68 points.