Women's Basketball Sees Late Comeback at ODU Fall Short, 53-50

Thursday, January 31

Norfolk, Va.

7:00 p.m.

Drexel University

Old Dominion

Photo by: Greg Carroccio

Women's Basketball Sees Late Comeback at ODU Fall Short, 53-50

1/31/2013 9:12:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

NORFOLK, Va. – The Drexel women's basketball team has completed comebacks from double-digit deficits twice already this season in building a 6-1 Colonial Athletic Association start. They could not replicate that on Thursday at Old Dominion, however, as they fell just short, 53-50. Drexel (13-6, 6-2) was done in by a cold-shooting first half that saw them hit just one field goal during a nine minute stretch and shoot just 21.2 percent from the floor for the period.

Hollie Mershon finished with 22 points, including 15 in the second half. It was her ninth 20-plus point game of the season. Taylor Wootton added seven points, including a late three-pointer that cut the Dragons' deficit to one, and a team-best eight rebounds.

Drexel came out of the gates playing tremendous defense, holding the Lady Monarchs without a field goal for the first 7:27 of the contest. Leading 10-3 at that point, the Dragons saw Old Dominion go on a 12-0 run that turned that lead into a 15-10 deficit. Drexel was held scoreless for 6:12 of gametime before Mershon knocked down a three-pointer to end that drought.

That field goal would remain the Dragons' only points for a prolonged stretch of 9:22. Old Dominion employed an aggressive press that flustered Drexel, and while they did not force a significant amount of turnovers, they did keep the Dragons from getting into their offense comfortably.

Drexel went into the break down 26-18. After cutting the Old Dominion lead to four early in the second half, Drexel allowed a 9-0 Old Dominion run that gave the Lady Monarchs their largest lead of the night, 35-22 with 15:54 to play.

The Dragons kept fighting back, with Mershon taking over. The Drexel senior was 5-for-8 from the floor in the half, hitting two of her three treys.

Drexel fought all the way back from the 13 point deficit, taking a brief 47-46 lead with 3:32 to play when Mershon hit both ends of a one-and-one. Jackie Cook, who finished with 14 points to lead the Lady Monarchs, had an answer just over a minute later, nailing a three-pointer to put Old Dominion back on top. They would not trail again.

With seven seconds to play and the Dragons down by four, Wootton launched a rainbow three-pointer from the right corner, nailing it to cut the deficit to one. Old Dominion hit both ends of a one-and-one, however, and the Dragons could not get a final shot off to try to tie.

Drexel will return home on Sunday, when it takes on Georgia State at the Daskalakis Athletic Center. The Dragons will be looking to snap a brief two-game losing streak when it welcomes the Panthers in at 2:00 p.m.