COLLEGE BASKETBALL SCOREBOARD

For the Daily News

BOSTON - Drexel's two-game tour of Boston began in slow fashion when the team was delayed for more than four hours at Philadelphia International Airport Friday.

However, not even a slight loss of sleep or the frigid Boston air could chill the Dragons' shooting.

Last night, after shooting 63 percent from the floor in a 77-68 victory at Northeastern two days earlier, Drexel took its 11/2-game America East lead into the Case Gymnasium and defeated Boston University, 69-57, to clinch at least a tie for the league regular-season crown.

As they have all year, the Dragons (18-6, 15-2) won with a tenacious defense and a balanced offense that featured four starters scoring in double figures. The team shot 49 percent from the floor for the game and 56 percent for the trip.

"I think this team deserves a tremendous amount of credit for coming on the road at this time of the year and winning two basketball games," Drexel coach Bill Herrion said.

"These kids keep responding to the challenge. And that challenge is once you put yourself in position of competing for a regular-season championship, every night you step on the floor, you're going to take everybody's best shot."

After taking a 7-6 lead early, the Dragons scored 18 of the next 24 points en route to building a seemingly comfortable, 34-20 halftime advantage.

However, the Terriers opened the second period with a press that baffled the Dragons and battled back to tie the score at 49-49.

"We told the kids at halftime, `It's a 40-minute basketball game,' " Herrion said. "We knew they weren't going away, they've got too much pride, they have too many upperclassmen that have been through this before."

The Dragons' backcourt was most responsible for the victory. Senior shooting guard Mike DeRocckis showed his experience by nailing four three-pointers to finish with 14 points. Junior point guard Bryant Coursey scored 13 of his team-high 16 points in the second half. Together, they combined for 21 points after intermission and engineered a 15-6 run as the Dragons pulled away.

Drexel starting forward Mike Kouser, who leads the conference in rebounding (8.5), pulled down nine to go with his 11 points. Center Joe Linderman added 15 points and nine rebounds.

DeRocckis attributed the win to experience.

"All year, we haven't handled pressure that great." he said. "We are used to giving up leads, but we didn't panic. A couple of times after we settled down, we attacked the pressure and we got easy baskets."

BU (8-16, 4-12) became the seventh America East team Drexel swept this season.

"This loss was frustrating," Terrier coach Dennis Wolff said. "They do a very good job of executing their stuff and we didn't step up."

Drexel can clinch the top seed in the conference tournament with a win at Hofstra Sunday.