Drexel University Athletics
Drexel University
Holy Cross
Dragons Fall 63-58 to Holy Cross Despite Furious Second-Half Rally
12/28/2008 5:22:32 PM | Women's Basketball
Philadelphia – Drexel came all the way back from a 16-point deficit to take a lead on Holy Cross seven minutes into the second half. But the Crusaders (2-9) converted a flurry of free-throws down the stretch as Drexel (4-6) fell in painful fashion 63-58. Gabriela Marginean scored 22 points and grabbed nine rebounds before fouling out in the final seconds of the game on a charging call. Sophomore Jasmina Rosseel posted career-highs of 19 points and eight rebounds, including five three-pointers, but the Dragons fell just short in the opening game of the Saint Joseph's Hawk Classic at Philadelphia University.
Kamile Nacickaite scored 12 points and shot 2-for-5 from deep, giving the Dragons three players in double-figure scoring for a second straight game. Senior Andrea Peterson dished out a career-high-tying seven assists without committing a turnover.
Holy Cross' Briana McFadden led all scorers with 24 points and she came up big from the foul line in the second half, converting 10-of-11 attempts from the stripe. Drexel's defense held Holy Cross to just 13.8 percent from the field in the second half (4-29), but the difference was made at the free-throw line where the Crusaders made 21 of 24 in the second half.
Drexel outshot the Crusaders, despite shooting 20 percent in the first half. While neither team shot better than 30 percent in the contest, both made more than 80 percent of their free throws. Holy Cross outrebounded Drexel 47-38 and 15-10 on the offensive glass, converting the boards for 15 second-chance points.
Drexel's guard tandem of Jasmina Rosseel and Marisa Crane spurred a 17-4 Drexel run five minutes into the second half that breathed live into the Dragons. Crane pulled down a rebound and started a fast break by speedily navigating her way down the court and finding Andrea Peterson on the wing. Peterson drove the ball to the baseline where she slid a pass across to a wide open Rosseel who drilled a three-pointer to make it a 38-33 Holy Cross lead.
Crane would tie the game minutes later when her offering from long range bounced on the rim three times before nestling in the net to not the game at 40-40 with 11:37 to play. Rosseel gave the Dragons their first lead of the second half when she dropped another three-pointer from the wing to make it 43-40. She would go on to victimize the Holy Cross zone for a career-high five three-pointers in the contest.
Holy Cross made just one field goal in the final five minutes of play, but knocked down 14 free throws during that stretch. A Kamile Nacickaite three-pointer and a pair of Marginean free throws preserved a slim 53-51 margin for Drexel in the final two an a half minutes. But McFadden and Kathy Gruzynski found their way to the charity stripe on the next two possessions to put their team ahead by two. Marginean re-tied the game at 55-55 with 1:02 on a pair of free tosses.
On the next trip down for Holy Cross Guzynski scored a back-breaking bucket after snaring an offensive rebound for the Crusaders' only field goal in the final five minutes. The Dragons set up a play for Marginean with 22 seconds left. As the forward took the ball at the top of the key and drove to the right side, she was met by a host of Holy Cross defenders. Bodies flew upon contact and Marginean was whistled for an offensive foul, her fifth of the game. The call took the wind out of Drexel's sails and allowed Holy Cross to take a four-point lead as Elizabeth Campbell converted two from the line. Nacickaite hit a long three-pointer with 6.6 seconds left to halve a six-point Holy Cross lead, but it was not enough as time ticked out on the Dragons' tough loss.
Holy Cross took advantage of a chilly first half for the Dragons' offense. The Crusaders led 32-20 after an opening period in which Drexel shot just 20 percent from the floor (6-30). Marginean led the team with nine points going into the break, but was largely neutralized by the Crusaders' collapsing defense. Briana McFadden led her team into the locker room with 14 points.
The Dragons are back in action tomorrow at the Saint Joseph's Hawk Classic when they take on former America East rival Maine 4:00 p.m. at the Gallagher Center on the campus of Philadelphia University.
