Drexel vs La Salle
Another year, another fifth-place game for the Drexel Dragons, and for the third straight season, it is against a new opponent. This time, Drexel draws La Salle, a team whose record does not quite tell the full story of how competitive they have been through the early part of the year. The Dragons enter at 4-4, handling business against weaker competition but falling short when it mattered most, dropping both of their pod-play games. La Salle, at 3-6, has taken its own big losses, particularly in double-digit losses to both Temple and Villanova. Yet despite the setbacks on both sides, these programs match up far more evenly than their resumes may suggest.
Drexel Dragons:
The Dragons’ identity remains firmly rooted in their rebounding and defensive prowess, and both have been critical to staying afloat during inconsistent offensive stretches. Drexel averages an impressive 40.8 rebounds per game and owns a +6.8 rebounding margin, one of the highest marks in the Big 5. Those extra opportunities have often kept them competitive on nights when the offense sputtered. Defensively, Drexel is active and disruptive, generating around 7 steals and over 4 blocks per game, though their overall effort and consistency are questionable at times.
Offensively, the Dragons do not rely on a single star but instead operate through a balanced scoring committee. Shane Blakeney leads the team at 12.4 points per game, giving Drexel a confident, high-volume perimeter threat shooting 36.6 percent from deep. Kevon Vanderhorst follows with 10.4 points on an efficient 50 percent shooting, while Josh Reed has emerged as the spark plug off the bench, averaging 10.3 points as a physical, high-energy finisher. Eli Beard rounds out the group at 10 points per game, adding another reliable shooting option at the same 36.6 percent clip from three.
The issue for Drexel is not scoring – it is stability. They average 72.5 points per game, but the shooting percentages, 41.7 percent from the field and 33.5 percent from deep, swing wildly from game to game. When the ball is moving, the floor is spaced, and all five players are involved, Drexel can look dynamic and difficult to guard. When they fall into stagnant, perimeter-heavy, isolation basketball, the opponent does not have to do much other than step aside and let Drexel beat themselves.
If the Dragons are going to win this one, they must lean into what they do best. This means they need to control the glass, get meaningful production from their bigs, and, most importantly, avoid their patented long scoring droughts.
La Salle Explorers:
La Salle, meanwhile, arrives with a record that undersells how competitive they have been. Four of their six losses have come by single digits, and even when they lose, the Explorers have shown extended stretches of balanced, cohesive basketball. Much like Drexel, their statistical profile points to streaky shooting, rebounding strength, and occasional turnover issues,
However, what sets La Salle apart is their depth. They may not have one dominant scorer, but they boast one of the more evenly distributed offenses in the city. Jaeden Marshall leads the team at 11.2 points per game and is nearly automatic from the charity stripe at 92.9 percent. Jerome Brewer Jr. adds 9.4 points as a physical, slashing wing, while six different players average between six and 11 points. On any given night, the scoring can come from just about anyone.
The Explorers shoot 43.1 percent from the field, slightly better than Drexel, though their perimeter shooting continues to lag behind at just 30.9 percent from deep. The real concern for La Salle is ball security. They are averaging 13.7 turnovers per game, and against a Drexel team with active hands and pressure at the point of attack, those giveaways could quickly become the deciding factor. La Salle will need solid perimeter output from players like Ashton Walker, Marshall, and Damon Strand to avoid the cold shooting nights that really sunk them in their pod-play losses. They also have to find ways to keep Drexel off the offensive glass. The Dragons have logged 121 offensive rebounds in just eight games, an incredibly high number, and second-chance points could tilt the game dramatically.
La Salle might not match Drexel’s top-end scoring options, but possession to possession, they are the steadier team. Their depth, poise, and ability to withstand swings give them a real chance to exploit Drexel’s inconsistency. But to do so, they must keep the rebounding battle close, protect the ball, and knock down enough perimeter shots to stretch the Dragons’ defense.
On paper, this is as close as it gets. Drexel brings the rebounding advantage and more proven scorers. La Salle counters with depth, balance, and more comfort in tight games, even if the wins have not always followed. The matchup may come down to which team can finally put together a complete 40-minute performance.
Prediction: Drexel edges out a tight one, 70–66.
The Big 5 Men’s Classic is this Saturday, Dec. 6, at the Xfinity Mobile Arena. The fifth-place game will begin at 2 pm where Drexel will take on La Salle. The third-place game will begin at 4:30 pm where St. Joe’s will take on Temple. And finally, the championship game will kick off at 7:30 pm, where Villanova will take on the University of Pennsylvania.