Yale's Draughan hopes to lead squad to NCAA Tournament

Nobody on Yale's roster was alive the last time the Elis played in the NCAA Tournament. Not even head coach James Jones.

As this year's team aims to make the Big Dance for the first time in 42 years, they have junior Edwin Draughan to thank.

"That would be amazing for our team," Draughan said on the eve of his team's first meeting with defending Ivy League champion Penn. "Some of the guys on our team have been dreaming about playing in the NCAAs since they were little kids. For some of them, it's their last chance. It would be great for our team."

In Draughan, Yale's gifted shooting guard, the Elis have one of the most athletic players in the Ivy League -- and, now, an experienced veteran capable of leading a team through the demanding conference schedule.

In fact, the Lakewood, Calif., native can boast one accolade that many Ivy players cannot: a victory over the two-time defending champion Quakers.

Draughan, who has started every game since he arrived at Yale, was a freshman when the Elis surprised the Quakers, 83-78, at the John J. Lee Amphitheater on Feb. 8, 2002.

Playing 32 minutes -- mostly as the focal point of Penn's defensive strategy -- Draughan scored eight points on 4-for-7 shooting, adding four assists and three rebounds.

Both Yale and Penn went on to share a tri-championship with Princeton, but Penn won the three-team playoff to advance to its 19th NCAA Tournament -- while Draughan and his Elis settled for an NIT bid.

Despite missing the NCAAs, it was a historical season for the Elis -- and the wiry frosh led the way, averaging a team-best 11.2 points per game and wowing Ivy League enthusiasts with his audacious, slashing style of play.

Yale's NIT win at Rutgers secured the program's first postseason tournament victory in its 107-year history, and it seemed the Draughan-led Elis were poised to end the Penn-Princeton stranglehold on the league.

But in the two years since Yale's win over Penn, the Quakers have rattled off 24 straight victories over Ancient Eight opponents.

Meanwhile, the Elis finished an unimpressive 14-13 last season, barely breaking .500 in the league.

This season, hoping to harden his young team, coach Jones stockpiled his team's schedule with a number of national powers. Draughan found himself up against some of the nation's elite guards.

Yale opened its season against intrastate rival Connecticut, then the nation's top-ranked team.

The Elis also met Wake Forest and South Carolina, who have both spent time in the top 25.

"It definitely helps for us to play tougher teams," Draughan said. "They help us become a lot tougher for the Ivy League games in terms of play down low. They're tougher down low than any of the teams in the Ivy League."

"In theory, it should help us win more league games."

So far, the baptism-by-fire hasn't worked. Despite some respectable outings against its top-tier opponents, Yale's performances against weaker teams have ranged from mediocre to abysmal.

Draughan struggled during Yale's six-game slide throughout December and January, which included losses to Saint Peter's and Niagara.

He mustered a mere three points in a 73-59 loss to Rhode Island on Jan. 7, incurring the ire of the Yale faithful.

All told, the Elis have dropped eight of their last nine contests, including a pair of early hiccups in the Ivy League -- they've already lost twice to Brown.

Draughan and the Elis, already, find themselves behind the eight-ball in their quest for an NCAA Tournament berth.

"We're not playing well as a team right now," Draughan said. "We have a couple of issues on our team that we need to resolve."

Draughan has been criticized for his complacency, often settling for a long jump shot rather than driving the lane.

His three-point percentage has suffered dramatically from last season, plummeting from 39.3 percent -- which placed him in the top tier of the Ivy League -- to a lackluster 28.9 percent.

But all that could change this weekend. The Elis host Penn on Friday and Princeton on Saturday.

A pair of victories would thrust the Elis right back into the thick of things, and make quite a statement to the league.

While Draughan's spark has caught some opponents off guard, the Quakers have learned from their five previous meetings what to expect from Yale's difference-maker.

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