Mershon's 26 Leads Women's Basketball Past UNCW, 64-51

Sunday, January 13

Wilmington, N.C.

1:00 p.m.

Drexel University

10-4 (3-0CAA)

UNCW

2-12 (1-2CAA)

Drexel

UNCW

Photo by: CAA/Rafael Suanes

Mershon's 26 Leads Women's Basketball Past UNCW, 64-51

1/13/2013 2:41:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

WILMINGTON, N.C. - Days after a thrilling, come-from-behind victory at James Madison, the Drexel women's basketball team needed no dramatics to win their third-straight game, 64-51 at UNCW. Hollie Mershon led the Dragons with 26 points, one shy of her career high, including a career-best six three-pointers. The Dragons moved to 3-0 in the Colonial Athletic Association for the first time since 2007-08.

Drexel (10-4, 3-0) also got 12 points from Nicki Jones as they won in Wilmington for a second-straight year.

Mershon knocked down the first of her six three-pointers with 17:05 remaining in the first half, giving the Dragons a 9-8 lead. They would never relinquish the advantage, building as much as an eight-point cushion in the first half. Taylor Wootton followed with a jumper, and after a Seahawks bucket, Fiona Flanagan drained a three-pointer to put Drexel up 14-10.

Despite the Dragons' lead, UNCW did not go quietly. With the Dragons holding a 28-20 lead with 4:32 remaining in the half, the Seahawks got two buckets from Karneshia Garrett and free throws from Jessica Freeman to slash their deficit to just two points. In the second half, UNCW got it to four early on, and six with 5:38 remaining.

Each time, however, the Dragons had an answer. After the Seahawks cut it to four with 16:43 remaining, Meghan Creighton hit one of two free throws, then followed with a three-pointer to push the lead back up to eight. Mershon then sunk a 10-foot jumper to push the lead back to double digits.

Mershon shot 6-of-8 from three-point range, including 4-of-6 in the first half. The senior hit 10 field goals altogether, adding two assists and five rebounds.

Flanagan, who finished with eight points, set a career high with eight rebounds, including five offensive boards. The Dragons pulled down 15 offensive rebounds altogether, and outdid UNCW in second chance points 18-8. Flanagan also had four assists. Renee Johnson-Allen led the team with a career-high six assists.

Drexel will now return home for its next game, on Thursday evening when they host Hofstra. That game is set to tip off at 7:00 p.m. Tickets are still available, and can be purchased by visiting www.DrexelTickets.com.