Drexel University
Northeastern
Marginean's Double-Double Leads Drexel Past Northeastern, 61-51
1/22/2009 8:51:14 PM | Women's Basketball
Philadelphia - Gabriela Marginean scored 17 of her game-high 24 points in the first half as Drexel defeated Northeastern, 61-51. The Dragons held the Huskies to just 33 percent shooting as they improved to 9-8 overall and 4-2 in the CAA. Marginean, who compiled her 18th career double-double with 10 rebounds to go with her game-high 24 points, scored the Dragons' first 12 points of the game. Jasmine Crew paced the Huskies (6-11, 3-3) with 21 points, 19 of them coming in the second half.
The Dragons also received significant contributions from senior forward Brooke Cornish, who swatted a career-high six shots to go with six points and four rebounds. Jasmina Rosseel chipped in nine points, five boards, two steals and a block to go with her career-best six assists. Andrea Peterson added 11 points and shot a perfect 7-for-7 from the free-throw line.
Marginean scored the Dragons' first 12 points of the game, deftly reading screens and making back door cuts for five straight layups on five attempts. She hit a mid-range jumper, her sixth bucket without a miss, to give Drexel a 12-5 lead just under five minutes into the game. The Dragons never looked back and Northeastern never got closer than four points for the duration of the contest.
The Dragons shot a sizzling 52 percent from the floor in the first half led by Marginean's 8-for-10 performance. She finished the period with 17 of her team's 30 points. Northeastern used the outside shooting of Ashlee Feldman and a series of driving layups by CAA Rookie of the Week Brittany Wilson to stay within five points at the break. But the Dragons would use an early 9-3 run to open a comfortable lead and hold on for their fourth conference victory of the season.
Cornish's defensive play in the second half helped set the tone for the Dragons, who did just enough to maintain their double-figure lead. The 6-foot-4 senior rejected three shots and knocked down two shots in a span of four minutes midway through the half to help stave off a spurt by the Huskies that trimmed Drexel's lead to nine points.
Following Cornish's lead, freshman Kamile Nacickaite helped pick up her team with hustle plays on both ends of the court. She came up with a steal in transition and, following a three-pointer by Feldman that made it a nine-point game at the 6:10 mark, muscled down an offensive rebound and connected with a three of her own. Nacickaite would finish the game with eight points and five rebounds. Peterson and Marginean combined to makde six straight free-throws down the stretch to erase any thoughts of a Northeastern comeback.
Crew was the only player in double figures for the Huskies, who shot just 19-for-47 in the game. Crew made seven of the team's nine baskets in the second half. Drexel outrebounded Northeastern 34-30, but the Huskies pulled down 13 offensive rebounds to Drexel's eight. The Huskies also forced 20 Drexel turnovers and converted them for 17 points on their end of the court. Much Northeastern's offense came off the bounce as Crews and Wilson found their way to the hoop on several driving layups. As a result, the Huskies had just two assists in the game.
Marginean's 24-point, 10-rebound double-double was her fourth of the season and second in conference play. Cornish's six blocks is the most for a Dragon all season and came just three short of Drexel's all-time single-game record held by Joyce Moffett with nine on Feb. 17, 1989. The Dragons return to action at home on Sunday Jan. 25 with a 1:00 contest against Towson. The game will be aired live on The Comcast Network.
