Drexel University Athletics
Drexel University
Penn
Penn Pulls Out a Nail-Biter Over Dragons, 60-57
12/21/2006 3:30:10 PM | Women's Basketball
Philadelphia, Pa. - #Gabriela Marginean# tipped in a rebound with eight seconds remaining to bring the Dragons (3-7, 0-1 CAA) within one point at 58-57, dispersing what had been a five-point Penn lead at the 1:35 mark. But the Quakers did not miss from the line in the final seconds. A last-second three-point attempt by Alison Lupariello narrowly missed tying the game, but the shot caromed just long off the backboard giving Penn (4-4) a 60-57 victory.
Marginean led the Dragons with 18 points, including person 8-0 run against the Quakers midway through the first half, which helped Drexel recover from a six-point deficit. Kira Karlstrom led the team with 12 rebounds, seven of them on the offensive glass. In her Drexel debut, Andrea Peterson scored 11 points including a clutch three-pointer with 35 seconds remaining which helped trim a five-point Quaker lead to just one in the waning ticks of the contest. Joey Rhoads used her speed to get into the lane for a team-leading 28 points for the Quakers.
The Dragons took a while to find their shooting groove at the Palestra and fell behing 12-6 early. After entering the game at the 17:25 mark for her first playing time as a Dragon, Peterson knocked down her first three-point attempt at the 10:09 mark to make it a three-point game. Two minutes later Marginean would embark on her eight-point run which gave Drexel its first lead of the game 19-16 with 6:26 left in the first half. Drexel held on for a 26-25 lead at the half, despite shooting 32 percent in the period.
Penn pulled ahead on a 9-3 lead to open the second half, taking a five-point advantage after three layups by Joey Rhoads. Lupariello staved off the rally with a driving jumper in the lane and Marginean followed with a long three-pointer to make it a 40-39 Penn lead at the 10-minute mark.
The tide turned for the Quakers when Rhoads drove in for a layup with 3:19 on the clock and drew a foul, the ball hung on the front rim then obliged the home team by falling through the net. The senior guard converted the three-point play to give her team a five-point lead.
Lauren Pears missed the front end of a one-and-one with under a minute remaining. Coming out of a timeout, Marginean drove to the right side of the lane and hoisted up a hook shot which banked hard off the backboard. Karlstrom tipped the ball away from a host of Quakers and then turned to grab it in the lane. Karlstrom shovel-passed it to Peterson who put up a three from the top of the arc. The ball hit the front rim bounced up and rolled in to make it a 54-53 game with 35 seconds left, setting up the dramatic conclusion. Penn went on to make all six of its free throws from that point to close out the game despite Drexel's best efforts.
The Dragons hit the road after the holiday for games at Mount St. Mary's on Dec. 28 at 5:00 p.m. and at American on Dec. 30 at 2:00 p.m.
