Drexel University Athletics
Drexel University
Penn State
Dragons Come Up Just Short at Penn State, 66-60
11/25/2007 4:24:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Philadelphia, Pa. - Freshman Jasmina Rosseel scored a career-high 16 points in her first career start at point guard, including 12 of 14 in a second-half run that cut a 10-point Penn State lead to just four with 32 seconds remaining. But time ran out on Drexel's rally as the Dragons fell short 66-60 against a Lady Lions team that is among the top programs in the nation.
Gabriela Marginean led all scorers with 25 points. The sophomore forward scored 16 of Drexel's 28 first-half points and helped the Dragons enter the locker room nipping at the Lions' heels 30-28. The teams played to a dead heat in the first 20 minutes. Both squads shot 45.8 percent from the floor, but the difference was Penn State's 4-for-8 shooting from deep in the period.
The Dragons did not let up in the second half, as they opened the period with an 11-6 run to take a three-point lead, 39-36, three and a half minutes into the half on a tough layup by Delise Johnson. Penn State ratcheted up the defense, going to a full-court press. Rosseel, who was at the helm of the team for the first time as a Dragon, handled the pressure well, but it was disruptive enough that Drexel was forced to rush through a few offensive sets, allowing Penn State to get stops on plays that had been effective in the first half.
The Lady Lions twice built a 10-point lead in the period and each time Rosseel answered with a three-pointer to bring the Dragons back. She cut what had been a 56-46 lead to five points in an instant with a three-pointer and a clean poach on Penn State's next possession, sprinting down the court for a layup.
Marginean hit a pull-up jumper at the foul-line with 32 seconds left, completeing a 7-2 surge for the Dragons that made it 64-60, quelling the crowd of nearly 4,000 assembled at the Bryce Jordan Center. Penn State hit one of two free-throws on the other end and Drexel set up a play with 22 seconds remaining. Rosseel drove to the left and put up a shot, but Mashea Williams swatted it away for the Lions, signaling the end for Drexel.
Tyra Grant led the scoring charge for Penn State with 16 points, including seven straight in the Lady Lions' initial run in the second half. She was joined in double-figure scoring by Brianne O'Rourke who had 12 points in the first half, Mashea Williams and Kamela Gissendanner. Rosseel ended the game with four steals and two assists for the Dragons. Narissa Suber dished out a career-high tying five helpers in the game and Nicole McCombs cleaned up a team-high seven rebounds for Drexel.
The Dragons return to Philadelphia to take on Siena on Wednesday, Nov. 28 at 7:00 p.m. Junior Nicole Hester will be presented with the Randolph Inspiration Award by CAA Commissioner Tom Yeager at halftime of the contest.
