Colgate Raiders vs Drexel Dragons Prediction, Odds, Best Bets - Week 1

Both teams lost their openers on the road against bigger programs, and both showed a scorer who could carry a night. Saturday in Philadelphia is close to a pick'em, with the visitor's best player arriving in form.

The Matchup

Colgate visits Drexel on Saturday afternoon at the Daskalakis Athletic Center in Philadelphia, on FloSports, with Drexel a 1.5-point favorite and a total of 146.5. Both teams are 0-1. Colgate comes out of the Patriot League, Drexel out of the Coastal Athletic Association, and both spent their openers taking lumps at power-conference opponents to find out what they have.

Last season Colgate went 18-15, scoring 76.4 points a game and allowing 74.6, while Drexel went 17-16, scoring 68.1 and allowing 67.3. Drexel was the slower, more defensive team, and Colgate the more willing scorer.

The openers ran against stronger opposition: Colgate lost 90-76 at Washington, and Drexel lost 89-60 at Virginia. With one game played on each side, the team numbers here still lean on last season, and the specific caveat for this game is how much Colgate's opener revealed about its new centerpiece: Andrew Alekseyenko put up 25 points and 11 rebounds at Washington, a performance that changes how every Patriot League opponent, and Drexel first, has to guard the Raiders.

Alekseyenko shot 9-of-18 at Washington, Parker Jones added 17 with 3 threes, and Sam Wright scored 15. Drexel's opener at Virginia was rougher going. Latief Lorenzano-White and LaDricus Pittman scored 11 each, Dillon Tingler added 10, and the Dragons committed 21 turnovers against Virginia's pressure.

Key Factors

Alekseyenko is the difference in a near pick'em. A big man who scores 25, rebounds 11, and passes for 4 assists on the road at a power-conference opponent is the best player in this game until Drexel proves otherwise, and Colgate can run its offense through him for forty minutes. Drexel has no single answer of that size: the Dragons spread their opener scoring across Lorenzano-White, Pittman and Tingler, none of whom reached 12 points, and a committee offense is a hard way to win a close game late.

Ball security is the second edge. Drexel turned the ball over 21 times at Virginia, and while Virginia forces that on a lot of teams, Colgate only gave it away 10 times at Washington against comparable pressure. Extra possessions decide one-possession games, and the total of 146.5 says this should be played at a pace where each empty trip stings. Colgate also shot its way to 76 points on the road, well above what Drexel managed, which matters when the spread is a single basket.

The counterpoint is Drexel's defense and the building. The Dragons allowed only 67.3 points a game last season, the best defensive number in this matchup, they are home, and Colgate committed 23 fouls at Washington, a habit that puts a thin road rotation in trouble. If Drexel slows this into a half-court grind, gets Alekseyenko in foul trouble, and defends the way it did last season, the Dragons win a tight, low game and the short home number covers.

Every pick is published with its line before the game. Odds via consensus sportsbooks at time of writing and move constantly. Must be 21+. If gambling is a problem, call or text 1-800-GAMBLER.