UM aim vs. Drexel is to make history

Philadelphia is steeped in history. Within its boundaries, the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States were signed during the birth of this nation.

In keeping with Philadelphia’s tradition for playing host to famous events, the University of Maine men’s basketball team hopes to make a little history of its own there Wednesday night.

Coach Rudy Keeling’s record-setting Black Bears will try to win UMaine’s first North Atlantic Conference title and earn an unprecedented trip to the NCAA Tournament when they take on host Drexel University in the NAC championship game.

Tipoff is set for 9:30 p.m. The game will be televised live on ESPN. Top-seeded Drexel takes a 24-4 record into the game, while 20-8 Maine, the No. 2 seed, looks to extend its nine-game win streak.

Maine faces a big challenge against the Dragons, who are playing in their third straight NAC title contest. The Bears have the satisfaction of having beaten Drexel, 79-73 in overtime, at the Physical Education Athletic Center on Feb. 27.

“I think we’re 40 minutes away (from the NCAAs) and it’s going to be a tough 40,” Keeling said. “We’ve proven we can beat Drexel at Drexel. We just have to go down and do it one more time.”

Drexel is expecting a sellout crowd of 2,300.

Seniors Francois Bouchard, Deonte Hursey, and Ed Jones and junior Ken Barnes were on the last Maine team to play for the NAC championship in 1991. They lost to Northeastern. They don’t plan to be denied their place in history this time.

“We’ve already been to that last game,” Bouchard said. “Kenny and I and Ed and Deonte, we’ve been there. We’re not going to be satisfied with that, we’re going to have to go one step higher.”

Keeling has faith that his seniors have the talent and fortitude to take Maine the next step.

“These seniors are not letting us lose,” Keeling said. “They’re doing everything that they possibly can to make sure that we win these games.”

Motivation won’t be a problem for Drexel, which hopes to avenge its only home loss of the season. Coach Bill Herrion’s Dragons, who beat Maine 72-68 in Orono on Jan. 14, also want to alleviate the frustration of losing back-to-back league title games.

“Our experience the last two years playing in championship games, I’d like to think that’s going to help us,” Herrion said. “There’s not going to be a hell of a lot of motivating to do. They just beat us and, more importantly, we’re playing for a championship.”

Keeling admitted that dealing with the championship hoopla could be tougher for the Bears.

“ESPN is here. They want to take pictures and do interviews,” Keeling said. “That won’t be as distracting to a team that’s been here the last two years.”

Achieving balance between the inside game and perimeter attack, cutting down on turnovers, and playing aggressive defense are considered keys for both ballclubs.

Maine is most successful when it can rebound and run, and the Bears must keep the pace brisk with their full-court presure. Hursey, Arena, and Ramone Jones are the defensive catalysts.

Forcing the tempo is pivotal to Maine’s chances of beating Drexel.

“They just ran up and down with us last time,” Keeling said. “It came to a point where they physically got tired and didn’t want to continue to run. We thought we wore them down.”

The Bears must assert themselves on the boards and limit second shots. That duty falls to Bouchard, Barnes, Ed Jones, and Terry Hunt, who picked up the slack against Hartford.

Drexel also likes to feed off its preferred man-to-man defense. The Dragons have a force underneath in 6-foot-7, 250-pound powerhouse Malik Rose, but they are perimeter-oriented. Mike Wisler and Brian Holden provide plenty of punch from outside.

“We’ve got to limit their easy baskets that come off defensive pressure,” Herrion said. “They broke out and got some easy buckets that hurt us.”