Women's Basketball Snaps Delaware's CAA Home Winning Streak, 61-52

Sunday, January 19

Newark, Del.

2:00 p.m.

Drexel University

3-08-8 | CAA

Delaware

3-211-5 | CAA

Drexel

Delaware

Photo by: Greg Carroccio

Women's Basketball Snaps Delaware's CAA Home Winning Streak, 61-52

1/19/2014 4:01:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

NEWARK, Del. - Just because the Delaware Blue Hens lost a rare game at home doesn't mean they need to close down the place. With Meghan Creighton going to the line and the Drexel women's basketball team up by six with 2:18 to play, several of the lights at the Bob Carpenter Center unexpectedly shut off, delaying the free throws by several minutes. That did not faze Creighton or the Dragons, as she hit both free throws following the delay and the Dragons pulled away for a 61-52 victory.

The win was Drexel's first in eight tries over the Blue Hens, the team that defeated the Dragons (8-8, 3-0 CAA) in each of the last two Colonial Athletic Association championship games. For Delaware (11-5, 3-2), it was the first home loss in league play since February 20, 2011, snapping a 20-game winning streak. Drexel improved to 3-0 in league play for the second-straight season and just the third time since joining the CAA 13 years ago, and won in Newark for the first time since January 17, 2010.

Sarah Curran led the Dragons with 19 points, including the first 10 that Drexel scored as they built an early lead out of the gate. Drexel led for most of the contest, but had to withstand several Delaware charges as the teams traded leads 12 times and were tied five times on the afternoon. Rachel Pearson added 12 for Drexel, with Meghan Creighton notching 10 of her 11 points in the final 9:39 of play as Drexel did not trail in the final 10 minutes of play.

Abby Redick chipped in six points and three assists for the Dragons a game after registering the first triple-double in program history. Alexis Smith scored five and added five boards in her return from injury that had sidlined her for the first two CAA games, while Carrie Alexander and Jackie Schluth each contributed big minutes off the bench, adding four points apiece.

After the teams traded baskets to open the game, Drexel went on an early 11-2 run to build a quick 16-8 lead and prompt a timeout by the Blue Hens. At first, it was all Archbishop Carroll grads doing the scoring for the Dragons as Curran was deadly inside and out, hitting two three-pointers, a lay-up and a jumper for the first 10 Drexel points. Her high school teammate Pearson added the next five, including a putback that forced the timeout.

Delaware had a quick response, a theme that would play itself out repeatedly for most of the game. Just three minutes after the Dragons had gone up by eight, Delaware's Joy Caracciolo got a lay-up to tie things at 20.

The Blue Hens and Dragons seesawed back and forth for the next several minutes, with Delaware grabbing a 25-24 lead with 3:25 remaining in the first. The Dragons clamped down, though, and scored the half's final five points as they went into the break up 29-25.

Rachel Pearson quickly made it a seven-point Drexel lead with a three-pointer to open the scoring in the second half. Once again, though, Delaware surged back. This time, they methodically worked to an 8-0 run, putting the Blue Hens on top by one with 14:04 to play. After Carrie Alexander answered with a bucket to get Drexel the lead back, Delaware scored four straight, matching what would prove to be their largest lead of the day with a 36-34 advantage at the 12:34 mark.

After a Drexel response, the Blue Hens took what would prove to be their final lead at the 10:45 mark when Erika Brown drained a three-pointer to make it 39-38. The Dragons answered right back, again going to Curran with a long jumper that made it 40-39.

From there, the sophomore point guard Creighton took over. She sank a three-pointer from the top of the key for her first field goal of the night at 9:39, giving Drexel its first two-possession lead in over eight minutes at 43-39. With the defense clamping down, the Dragons held Delaware to just two points over the next three minutes. Jackie Schluth had two free throws followed by a baseline jumper to put Drexel up by eight, 49-41, with 6:10 to play. When Akeema Richards hit a shot for Delaware, Creighton responded with another three to make it a nine-point game.

Delaware's last push had the Blue Hens down by four with 3:57 to play. The Blue Hens forced a Drexel turnover – one of just eight on the day for the Dragons, against 17 assists – but the Blue Hens could not convert and Abby Redick's bucket made the score 54-48 with 2:48 to play. This time, the Blue Hens had no response. They would not score again until the game was all-but decided, cutting a 60-48 Drexel lead to 10 with 26 seconds left to play. In the meantime, Creighton's clutch free throws and a lay-in by Pearson had assured Drexel of the victory.

The Dragons will now look to move to 4-0 later this week as they play their third straight road game, this one at James Madison on Thursday night. Tip off will be at 7:00 p.m.