Drexel University Athletics
Drexel University
Delaware
Dragons Begin New Chapter in Old Rivalry With Delaware Today
1/17/2010 8:55:44 AM | Women's Basketball
Philadelphia - Drexel and Delaware will tip it up for the 58th time in the Div. I history of the I-95 regional rivalry today. Gabriela Marginean and the defending CAA Champions will get their first look at freshman stand-out Elena Delle Donne and the 2009-10 version of the Blue Hens in today's 2:00 p.m. contest at the Bob Carpenter Center. The game is also a match-up of two of the four teams currently tied in second place in the CAA standings with 3-1 records in conference play.
Drexel is coming off a 51-41 victory a Hofstra in one of its top defensive performances ot the season. The Dragons held Hofstra to just 41 points and 27.8 percent shooting, while pulling away a season-high 12 steals. Marginean led the team's efforts on both sides of the court, scoring 24 points, grabbing 11 boards and snaring five steals. Marginean and Marisa Crane combined to knock down 7-of-8 free throws in the final minute and Tyler Hale came up with a timely steal to seal the comeback win for Drexel. Marginean's 24-point effort leaves her just 17 points away from matching Micheal Anderson ('88) as the all-time leading scorer in Drexel Basketball history (2,208 points).
The Fighting Blue Hens won their last tussle, 63-59 over UNC Wilmington on Thursday. Delle Donne, a two-time CAA Player of the Week this season, led Delaware with 29 points and 10 rebounds for her seventh double-double of the season. The rookie, who was a Naismith High School Player of the Year, is leading her team in every statistical category this season. Her decision to play basketball this year, after spending a season on Delaware's volleyball team following her transfer from UConn last season, has elevated the Blue Hens' level of play this season. They come into today's game with an 11-4 overall mark and winners of 10 of their last 11 games.
Delaware leads the all-time series with Drexel 37-20. But the Dragons, who snapped Delaware's 17-game winning streak against them in 2008, have now won four straight over their reginal rival. Today's game, which features two of the two of the Top 20 midseason candidates for the John R. Wooden Award in Maginean and Delle Donne, can be heard live on www.drexeldragons.com with Pat Delsi and Mike Mazzeo calling the action.
