Seven Second-Half Threes Deflate Idaho

Saturday, December 3

Greenville, N.C.

Drexel University

Idaho

12/3/2005 12:00:00 AM

Greenville, N.C.- Nicole Hester (Waldorf, Md./Westlake) recorded her first career double double, putting in a dozen points and grabbing 10 boards to lead Drexel (2-2) past Idaho (3-3), 64-44, in a game that saw eight Dragons get in the scoring column. The team hit a season-high 11 three-pointers, including seven in the second half to deflate the Vandals. Narissa Suber (Mechanicsville, Va./Atlee) went 4-for-5 from deep to match Hester's 12 points. Drexel's triangle and two defense held Emily Faurholt, the nation's second-leading scorer last year, to a season-low 11 points and just one in the second half.

Suber nailed a pair of three-pointers to open the second half, taking the wind out of the Vandals' sails and setting up what would be the Dragons' best long-distance shooting performance of the season. Two minutes later the Dragons would stifle a five-point mini run by Idaho by canning triples on three-consecutive possessions courtesy of Hester, Catherine Scanlon (Drexel Hill, Pa./Cardinal O'Hara) and Jackie Falson (Carol Stream, Ill./Glenbard North) take a commanding 50-34 lead.

Anna Karlsson-Gonzalez (Madrid, Spain/International College of Spain) and Anora Suber (Mechanicsville, Va./Atlee) recorded their first points of the season, both on three-pointers. Suber's gave the Dragons their biggest lead of the game 64-22, with just over two minutes left to play, to close the door on the Vandals.

Drexel shot a season-best 54.3 percent from the field and a sizzling 61 percent from beyond the three-point arc, coming up just two treys shy of the team's single-game record. Drexel's motion offense baffled Idaho for much of the first half as the team first found open shots down low from screens on the blocks. Once Idaho adjusted, Drexel opened outside shots by driving down the lane. Suber's second three-pointer of the game capped a 16-4 run and gave Drexel a 24-14 lead at the 4:34 mark in the period.

The Dragons got off to their best start of the season, shooting 56 percent from the floor to take a 31-21 lead into the locker room, the first time this season that Drexel has led at halftime. Kira Karlstrom (Clarkston, Mich./Clarkston), starting for a second consecutive game as Drexel tried to match up with a relatively small Idaho team, led Drexel with nine points in the first half and finished with a season-high 11 in the game.

On defense the Dragons' hybrid zone forced nine first-half turnovers and pestered Faurholt and Mitchell into missing some open shots. The Vandals' top scoring duo accounted for 16 points in the first half but the rest of the team was limited to just five points. In the second half Drexel packed the lane to keep Faurholt in check. Mitchell, who led all scorers with 13 points, found some success scoring off the dribble and also played solid defense, snaring four steals in the contest.

Hester's 10 rebounds and six assists were both career highs. Freshmen walk-ons Lindsay Woods and Kelly Golden saw their first action as Dragons in the final minutes of the contest.

With the win Drexel advances to play the host East Carolina, who defeated Southern, in tomorrow's championship game at 3:00 p.m.