Mershon Nets Milestone as Dragons Down Penn, 77-50

Friday, December 21

Daskalakis Athletic Center

1:00 p.m.

Drexel University

7-2

Penn

4-4

Penn

Drexel

Photo by: Greg Carroccio

Mershon Nets Milestone as Dragons Down Penn, 77-50

12/21/2012 3:15:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

PHOTO GALLERY

PHILADELPHIA - Drexel senior Hollie Mershon became just the 20th player in program history to reach 1,000 career points as she led women's basketball to a 77-50 victory over Penn on Friday afternoon. The Dragons (7-2) won their third straight game after not playing since December 1. Mershon finished with her second-career double-double, scoring 23 points and pulling down 14 rebounds, one shy of her career best.

Drexel never trailed in the game, the sixth time the Dragons have accomplished that in their seven victories. The Dragons have not trailed in regulation since November 17 at La Salle, a game they would ultimately win 56-53.

After nearly three weeks of practices, Drexel looked like a team eager to get back on the court early in Friday's game. The Dragons jumped out to an 11-4 lead. They were able to work the ball inside to Nicki Jones and Taylor Wootton, with Mershon also contributing five points.

Mershon's three-pointer to make it 11-4 marked the final points Drexel would score for 4:20, as Penn clawed their way back into the game behind six points from Keiera Ray. Ahead 11-10, the Dragons got a turnaround jumper by Jones to get back on track. Jones would finish with 10 points and two blocks.

With 11:01 to play and the Dragons up 13-10, Drexel worked the ball around to Mershon, left alone in the left corner. She took the feed from Renee Johnson-Allen and stepped into the three-pointer, giving her eight points on the game and 1,000 in her career. Finishing the game with 1,015 total points, Mershon now sits 18th all-time at Drexel, having passed Gina Miniscalco (1,000 from 1985-88) and Steph Frysinger (1,005 from 1999-03) during the day.

Penn hung tough for the next several minutes, knotting the score on a three-point play by Katy Allen with 8:17 to go in the first half that made it 18-18. On the next Drexel possession, however, Fiona Flanagan spotted up from the corner and drained a three-pointer. Mershon then hit two straight buckets to push the Drexel lead up to 25-20, and the Dragons never looked back. Another three-pointer from Mershon and the subsequent steal and lay-up by Johnson-Allen gave the Dragons a 34-24 lead with 2:29 to go in the first half. Their lead would not dip below double digits the rest of the way.

Taylor Wootton had a big hand in keeping the Drexel lead safe in the second half, scoring 11 of her 15 points after intermission. Wootton, who added three assists and three rebounds, has now scored 15 or more points in two of the Dragons' last three games.

Drexel shot a season-high 63.5 percent (33-52) from the floor, including 47.4 percent (9-19) from three-point range. Leading by 16 going into halftime and firing at a 61.5 percent clip, the Dragons saw their shooting percentage improve in the second half, going 17-of-26 from the floor after halftime (65.4 percent). Drexel also had 23 assists on 33 made baskets. Fiona Flanagan led the way there with six, against just one turnover. She added six poitns, two steals and five rebounds.

The Dragons will now have another seven days between games as they celebrate the holidays. They will remain at home for their next game, on Friday, December 28 at 4:00 p.m. when they host American.