Drexel University Athletics
Drexel University
Boston College
Drexel Ruffles Eagles' Feathers Before Falling In Final Minutes, 51-44
11/11/2005 12:00:00 AM
Catherine Scanlon led all scorers with 16 points, a dozen of which came in the first half when Drexel pulled away to 30-22 lead. Nicole Hester grabbed eight rebounds and keyed the Dragons first-half runs by defending well and slashing to the basket to open up outside shots for Scanlon and Narissa Suber.
Hester made a tough layup after grabbing an offensive rebound among Boston College's pair of 6-foot forwards to give Drexel its first lead of the game. Scanlon and Suber helped the team pull away by canning back-to-back triples with 13:45 on the clock, forcing the Eagles to call a timeout to readjust their defense.
Boston College's defense had difficulty adjusting to Drexel's motion offense, allowing the Dragons to get open shots on the perimeter and pull ahead to an 11-point lead on a baseline jumper by Kira Karlstrom with 4:22 remaining in the first half. The Dragons held the Eagles scoreless for a four and a half minute stretch until the three-minute mark in the period.
In the second half Boston College challenged Drexel inside, forcing the ball to its forwards Kathrin Ress and Lisa Macchia and driving to the basket to draw fouls. The Eagles shot 11-for-15 from the free-throw line in the second half while the Dragons went 3-for-8. Boston College cut the lead to 41-40 on a pair of free tosses by Aja Parham but Drexel answered with a Jackie Falson three-pointer, which proved to be the Dragons' last bucket of the game.
The Eagles tied the game at 44-44 on two more free throws by Parham and a Ress layup put Boston College on top for good. Ress hit an interior layup and a pair of free throws on consecutive posessions after Drexel turnovers and Brooke Queenan closed out the game with two more free tosses to make it 51-44.
After hitting for 44.8 percent from the field in the first half the Dragons cooled off scoring just 14 points on 25 percent shooting. Boston College scored 30 second-half points led by Queenan, who led the Eagles with 15 points, and Ress, who came one rebound short of a double-double with 10 points and nine boards. Despite being outsized at every frontcourt position Drexel's forwards, Scanlon, Candice Williams, Delise Johnson and Anora Suber defended well inside and were only outrebounded by five caroms, 35-30.
The Dragons return to Philadelphia next weekend to take on no. 20 Temple on Saturday, Nov. 19 at 7:00 pm. at the Owls' Laicouras Center. Boston College advances to take on Richmond in the second round of WNIT play on Sunday.
