Drexel University
Hofstra
Dragons Hit Their Stride For 66-51 Win at Hofstra
2/3/2008 4:00:14 PM | Women's Basketball
Hempstead, N.Y. – Drexel dropped nine three-pointers on the Pride in the first half and after building a lead as large as 20 points, the Dragons never looked back in a 66-51 victory over Hofstra (4-16, 2-7). Narissa Suber hit five three-pointers en route to a 16-point performance. Gabriela Marginean scored 18 in the second half and finished with a game-high 20 points to help Drexel (11-9, 6-3) put the skids on a three-game losing slide.
After making just 1-of-16 attempts from deep in a tough loss to Northeastern on Thursday, eight of Drexel's first nine baskets were from distance against the Pride. Suber's third trey of the game opened up a 26-6 lead for Drexel at the 9:52 mark in the first period. The Dragons held on to a 33-23 lead at halftime courtesy of 21 points off of 10 Hofstra turnovers. Four of Suber's five threes came in the first half.
Marginean had just two points at the break, but at Hofstra's defense adjusted to take away the outside shot, the sophomore forward was able to find her shots on the interior. She scored 16 of Drexel's first 18 points in the second period. She also displayed her propensity to knock down the three-pointer, as two of the team's three triples in the second half were off the hand of Marginean.
Playing in front of many home-state friends and family, Queens native Delise Johnson completed the revamping of her personal record book which began at Northeastern. The senior, who set career marks for scoring, rebounding and field goals against the Huskies, set new standards with five assists and six steals against the Pride to go with six points and six boards.
Hofstra cut Drexel's halftime advantage to six points early in the second half, but Marginean steadied the Dragons with a pair of layups and two free-throws on inside cuts to the basket. She hit a long three-pointer from the corner as the shot clock expired at the 7:52 mark to keep the game in hand at 51-38.
The Dragons played aggressively on defense through the majority of the game and reestablished that intensity with 4:45 left when Alison Lupariello dove on the floor to knock free a loose ball, rolling it to Suber who picked it up and called a timeout. Lupariello was rewarded for her efforts when she knocked down the team's 13th and final three-pointer of the game to give the Dragons a 13-point lead with four and a half minutes left.
Johnson led Drexel's defensive efforts in the post, denying opposing forwards the ball and challenging entry passes throughout the game. Johnson, Hester, Jasmina Rosseel and Anora Suber also recorded a block each in the win.
Hofstra scored first in the game on a three-pointer by Niki Williams, but Stacy McCullough promptly answered with a three of her own for the Dragons. Drexel's second three-pointer came from the same spot on the floor, but this time Hester recorded the hoop to give Drexel a 6-4 lead, Hofstra never regained an advantage in the contest. Drexel's defense held the Pride without a point for a span of seven minutes and 43 seconds in the first half. By the time Amira Terry's jumper splashed the net at the 6:51 mark, the game was well out of hand with Drexel leading 26-8.
The Pride closed out the half, outscoring Drexel 17-7, but the Dragons' relentless play in the second half proved to be too much for Hofstra. Drexel's victory gives the Dragons a season sweep of the Pride for the first time since the 2000-01 season when both teams were members of the America East Conference.
Drexel returns home to play Georgia State for the first time this season on Thursday, Feb. 7 at 4:00 p.m. in the front end of a doubleheader with the men's team.
