Women's Basketball Cruises Past UMKC, 76-40

Friday, November 23

Brooklyn, N.Y.

4:00 p.m.

Drexel University

3-1

UMKC

2-4

UMKC

Drexel

Photo by: Greg Carroccio

11/23/2012 6:08:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

BROOKLYN, N.Y. – Using their best offensive attack of the young season, the Drexel women's basketball team took care of business on Friday night against UMKC in the first round of the LIU Turkey Classic, 76-40. Drexel scored 38 points in both halves as their well-balanced offense put the Kangaroos away early and kept Drexel out in front from start to finish.

Freshman Rachel Pearson led the Dragons with 19 points on 7-of-9 shooting, including 5-of-6 from beyond the three-point arc. Senior Hollie Mershon added 14 points, seven rebounds and five assists, while junior Abby Redick tied her career high with 10 points, adding six rebounds and a career-best five assists.

Although the Dragons did not get off to a torrid start, they were getting several good looks. Their first three possessions resulted in three-straight open three-point attempts, with Fiona Flanagan connecting on hers. Drexel never trailed, using a 12-2 run midway through the first half to push out to a comfortable lead.

The Dragons, who continued their outstanding defensive start to the season by allowing just 16 first-half points by the Kangaroos, ran its offense efficiently, shooting 16-of-28 in the half including 5-for-10 from three-point range. Nine of the ten Dragons who played in the period scored, led by eight by freshman Rachel Pearson, who was a perfect 3-for-3 from the floor in the half including both her three-point attempts. Abby Redick added six of her ten points. Carrie Alexander, making her first collegiate appearance, worked free underneath for a lay-up as the half wound down to give the Dragons a 38-16 advantage, her first Drexel points. She would finish with six.

On top of the gaudy point totals, Drexel's success could be seen in its 13 first-half assists on 16 buckets. They also outrebounded UMKC 19-9 in the frame, allowing just one offensive board to the 'Roos. By the time the game ended, Drexel would have 25 assists, their most of the year and just seven shy of a program record. They also outrebounded UMKC, 41-21.

After intermission, the Dragons kept up the pressure. They opened the half on an 11-2 run which ended any realistic hope of a Kangaroos comeback, punctuated by four points from Nicki Jones. Jones, who had a double-double in the Dragons' last outing against La Salle, kept up her strong rebounding with six boards, a steal and a block to go along with six points on Friday.

Drexel shot 30-for-58 from the floor for the game, a .517 percentage that was their best since the regular season finale last year when they shot 27-of-52 (.519) in a 73-63 win over VCU.

The Dragons will now play for the LIU Turkey Classic championship on Saturday afternoon. Drexel, which has not won an in-season tournament since the Big Apple Classic in December, 2000, will take on Colgate at the Wellness Center on the campus of LIU Brooklyn at 4:00 p.m.