Drexel University Athletics
Drexel University
Delaware
Dragons Fall Short to Rival Blue Hens at the Last Second
1/20/2006 12:00:00 AM
The Dragons led by as many as five points midway though the first half. Drexel used good ball movement to create open shots outside and the team's long-range shooters hit three of their first four three-point attempts in the first four minutes of play against the Delaware zone. Suber, who finished with 15 points, made three triples in the opening minutes of the game. Scanlon knocked down a pair of threes in the first half as well, the second of which gave Drexel a 17-12 lead with 12:20 on the clock.
The Blue Hens, who have now won the last 15 games in a rivalry that had its 50th installment tonight, closed out the period with a 12-point run. Reigning CAA Player of the Week Melissa Czorniewy scored 12 of her 18 points in the first half and hit six of her eight field-goal attempts.
Drexel opened the second half with a 6-0 run, led by a pair of layups by Candice Williams (Beverly Hills, Mich./Birmingham Groves) in the post, to draw the Delaware lead to 30-27 just 1:14 into the second half. Hustling to grab offensive rebounds on consecutive possessions, Drexel took advantage of Delaware's defense being out of position to score two quick baskets. Suber hit her fourth three of the game off the dribble, from the right side to close the lead to one point. Delaware scored on a jumper by Czorniewy on the subsequent possession, but Suber answered with her fifth three from the top of the arc to tie the game at 55-55.
After shooting just 29 percent in the first half, Drexel bounced back to make 45 percent of its shots in the second stanza. Delaware outrebounded the Dragons 37 to 28. In a matchup of two of the CAA's top defensive teams, Drexel held Delaware six points below its season average while Drexel scored four more points than Delaware's defense allows on average.
Nicole Hester (Waldorf, Md./Westlake), who had not scored in the last two games, regained her touch to score six points, grab seven rebounds and dish out a team-leading six assists. The last time Drexel defeated Delaware was Jan. 27, 1999. The Dragons are on the road again at George Mason on Sunday, Jan. 21 at 2:00 p.m.
