Drexel University Athletics
Drexel University
Delaware
Delaware Outlasts Drexel, 65-53, in CAA Opener
12/3/2006 3:53:17 PM | Women's Basketball
Philadelphia, Pa. - Drexel (2-5, 0-1 CAA) stayed within striking distance of its conference rival Delaware (6-1, 1-0 CAA) for the majority of the contest. Freshman Nicole McCombs worked hard in the post and helped to keep Drexel in the game while scoring a career-high 20 points, including four three-point plays. But costly turnovers by the Dragons proved to be their undoing as Delaware pulled away for a 65-53 victory.
Despite committing 27 turnovers and putting Delaware on the line for 39 free throws, the Dragons found themselves very much alive in the contest with seven minutes remaining. Delaware shifted to its vaunted trapping zone, which it had used sparingly in the game, at the 7:30 mark. Drexel was prepared for the aggressive defense and moved the ball quickly around the perimeter to avoid the two-player traps near the sidelines. Delise Johnson hurled a skip pass over the zone to find Narissa Suber in the corner. Suber, who finished with 15 points, nailed the three-pointer before the defense could shift to cover her, making it a 52-46 Delaware advantage.
But Delaware surged back from that point, taking advantage of their speed to draw fouls that resulted in 15 free-throws in the final seven minutes. While the Blue Hens did not shoot particularly well from the line, 53.8 percent, a season low for a Drexel opponent, they got to the stripe enough to negate the shoddy shooting.
Chrissy Fisher led four Blue Hens in double figures with 15 points to go with a team-leading eight rebounds. William & Mary transfer Kyle DeHaven added 14 points and Tyresa Smith put in 11 despite playing just 24 minutes.
The Dragons got off to a slow shooting start, going 4-for-14 from the field on their first 18 shots and falling behind by as many as 15 points. A three-pointer by Narissa Suber ignited a 13-4 Drexel run to close out the half, however, as the Dragons went on to make four of their final five shots in the period. McCombs bowled her way into the lane for a pair of layups, both of which drew fouls from hapless Delaware defenders. She knocked down free throws after both buckets for her first two three-point plays.
Alison Lupariello knocked down a three from the corner to cut Delaware's once formidable lead to just five points at 30-25 with 1:30 left in the first half. A pair of free throws by Fisher pushed the lead to seven points, giving the Blue Hens a 32-25 advantage at halftime. Despite a 14-turnover performance in the first half, Drexel remained close because it made just over 42 percent of its shots from the floor, while Delaware went 10-for-27 and shot just 61 percent from the free-throw line.
Drexel shot a season-best 40.5 percent from the field and won the battle on the glass, 36-28. But Delaware took advantage of 27 turnovers to score 20 points in extending its winning streak over Drexel. McCombs went on to convert three more three-point plays in the second half to give her five on the game. Freshman Gabriela Marginean, who was hampered with foul trouble and played just 20 minutes, scored eight points, missing double figures for the first time this season.
The Dragons are back in action on Saturday, Nov. 9 at 1:00 p.m. when they travel up Broad Street to take on their Philadelphia rival La Salle at the Tom Gola Arena.
