Women's Basketball Falls Short at No. 24 South Carolina in OT, 58-55

Wednesday, November 28

Columbia, S.C.

7:00 p.m.

Drexel University

4-2

RV/24 South Carolina

8-0

OT 1

Drexel

South Carolina

Photo by: Greg Carroccio

Women's Basketball Falls Short at No. 24 South Carolina in OT, 58-55

11/28/2012 9:05:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

COLUMBIA, S.C. - After building a 14-point halftime lead, the Drexel women's basketball team could not hold on down the stretch as No. 24 South Carolina forced overtime and edged the Dragons in the extra session, 58-55. Drexel never trailed until the extra session, getting the first-career double-double from senior guard Hollie Mershon, who had game-highs with 19 points and 15 rebounds.

A matchup of two of the top defenses in the nation lived up to its billing, as both squads held each other down for long stretches that proved crucial to the outcome. In the first half, the Dragons held the Gamecocks at bay early on, using hot starts by Fiona Flanagan and Taylor Wootton. Leading 20-18 with 5:40 to go in the half, Drexel went to work. Mershon and Rachel Pearson nailed back-to-back three-pointers, followed by two straight buckets by Wootton to complete a 10-0 run. After a short jumper by South Carolina's Tiffany Mitchell ended that streak, Flanagan answered by stepping into a three from the top of the key. Mershon would close the Dragons' final possession of the half by banking in a three-pointer from the left wing, helping Drexel close the half on a 16-4 run and sending them into intermission up 36-22.

Using their trademark physical defense, South Carolina clawed its way back into the game in the second half. They started the period with two quick buckets, but Drexel maintained a double-digit lead for the first eight minutes of the period. However, the Gamecocks forced 10 turnovers by the Dragons after halftime, and began to assert themselves on the boards after Drexel outrebounded them in the first half, 19-10.

With 6:34 to go and the Dragons clinging to a three-point lead, Flanagan once again had a big bucket, knocking down a three-pointer to push the lead back to 50-44. She finished with 11 points. Renee Johnson-Allen, who matched a career high set last weekend against Colgate with five points, did all of her scoring in the second half. With just 1:36 to go and a shot clock winding down, Johnson-Allen calmly sunk a 12-footer from the left elbow, giving Drexel a 55-52 lead.

South Carolina responded, though, nailing a three-pointer on the other end to tie the score at 55 with 1:03 to play. It was the first time the game had been tied since it was scoreless.

A Dragon turnover gave South Carolina a chance to take its first lead in regulation, but Drexel forced a turnover on the other end to get the ball back with 12.7 seconds remaining. Aleighsa Welch reached in to stop Mershon from driving to the hole, committing the Gamecocks' sixth team foul and forcing Drexel to take the ball out of bounds underneath the basket. They got the ball into Mershon, but with swarming defense all over her, her turnaround scoop rimmed out as time expired.

In overtime, the Dragons managed to create several good looks for themselves, but in the face of the intensely physical South Carolina defense and weary legs after a 3:00 a.m. arrival in Columbia early Wednesday morning, they were unable to put points on the board. Still, their defense did not falter, allowing just one field goal and one free throw to South Carolina.

With 8.4 to play, Drexel had the ball and a chance to tie, but a three-point attempt by Pearson was blocked and South Carolina got the rebound. The Dragons got one last chance when both of Ashley Bruner's free throws bricked off the iron, and managed to get the ball downcourt to Meghan Creighton for a look as the horn sounded, but it was just long as Drexel fell in its bid for a second win over a ranked team under head coach Denise Dillon.

The Dragons will continue this weekend when they take part in the TD Bank Classic at the University of Vermont. After winning the LIU Turkey Classic last weekend, Drexel will attempt to get another title under its belt when it takes on Rhode Island on Friday at 5:00 p.m. and the host Catamounts on Saturday at 4:00 p.m.