PRINCETON, N.J. (AP) -- Drexel dominated inside and got 18 points

from Dominick Mejia to beat Princeton 54-41 Monday night in a

Preseason NIT first-round game.

Having lost four starters off a team that won 17 games last

season, the Dragons were an unknown quantity entering the contest.

They started slowly, but picked up steam quickly, relying on

Mejia's timely outside shooting and a 46-17 rebounding advantage to

gain the victory.

The turning point came midway through the first half after a

3-pointer by Princeton's Harrison Schaen gave the Tigers a 16-9

lead. Drexel reeled off the next 17 points, with Mejia accounting

for 10 of them.

Princeton didn't snap the run until Noah Savage's 3-pointer

brought the Tigers within seven at the 47.6-second mark. But Randy

Oveneke drained a pair of free throws to send Drexel into

intermission ahead 28-19.

The Tigers closed to within four, 36-32, on a shot by Kyle Koncz

from beyond the arc. But Drexel quickly regained control as Bashir

Mason (10 points, five assists) and Chaz Crawford (13 points, nine

rebounds) asserted themselves. Oveneke led Drexel with 14 rebounds.

Savage scored 15 points for Princeton, going 5-for-8 from beyond

the arc.