Women's Basketball Advances with 60-55 Win Over Hofstra

Friday, March 14

Upper Marlboro, Md.

2:30 p.m.

Drexel University

(15-15)

Hofstra

(14-15)

Hofstra

Drexel

Photo by: Greg Carroccio

Women's Basketball Advances with 60-55 Win Over Hofstra

3/14/2014 4:50:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

UPPER MARLBORO, Md. - Meghan Creighton matched her career high with 20 points as the Drexel women's basketball team used two significant scoring runs to knock out Hofstra in the Colonial Athletic Association quarterfinals on Friday, 60-55. Drexel never trailed in the game after opening on an 18-3 run over the first seven minutes of the game.

The Dragons (15-15), seeded fourth in the tournament, moves on to face top-seeded James Madison in the semifinals on Saturday.

After falling to the Pride twice during the regular season, both times by two points, Drexel came out firing on all cylinders to open Friday's contest. The Dragons scored the game's first 10 points, with Creighton and Tory Thierolf each netting five, before Hofstra got on the board 5:29 into the action. The three-pointer by Hofstra's Alexis Carter was met with eight more Dragon points as Drexel climbed to an 18-3 lead at the 13:08 mark of the first half.

Over the rest of the opening stanza, the Dragons' offense stalled. Drexel netted just five points over the remainder of the half, going nearly seven minutes without a field goal as the Pride crept back into it. Hofstra did not shoot much better during that stretch, though, shooting just 7-for-24 (29.2 percent) from the field in the first half. At the break, Drexel held a four-point cushion, 23-19.

The second half once again saw the Dragons start quickly, netting eight points in the first 3:38 to build a 31-21 lead with 16:22 to play. Thierolf, who finished with nine, worked inside for four more, with Abby Redick and Rachel Pearson each adding jumpers.

Hofstra was not about to roll over, though, and once again buckled down on the defensive end to slow the Dragons. After Thierolf's layup at 16:22, Drexel would not get another field goal for 4:50 until Jamila Thompson knocked down a 12-footer. By then, the Pride had caught up, momentarily tying the game at 34 on a Carter jumper with 12:30 to play. Thompson's bucket eased the Dragons back in front, a lead they would not relinquish down the stretch.

Up by two midway through the second half, Fiona Flanagan stepped up and drained a three to make it a five-point lead. That opened a barrage of threes for the Dragons, aided by Sarah Curran and Creighton. The Pride were held down during that stretch, an 11-0 Drexel run that culminated with Creighton's three with 7:01 to play.

Hofstra tried to claw its way back into the game, but the Dragons knocked down 14 of 17 free throws in the second half to help ice the game away. Creighton in particular was efficient at the line, hitting nine of her 11 attempts. She netted the final seven points of the game for Drexel at the free throw line over the final 1:05 to thwart any last-minute Hofstra comeback.

Drexel now advances to take on James Madison, the top seed, in the semifinals. That game tips off at noon at the Show Place Arena. Madison, which went 15-1 in league play, defeated Drexel both times the teams met. The Dragons have CAA Tournament history with the Dukes, however, knocking out JMU in the semifinal round each of the last two years. In both of those games, Drexel was the No. 3 seed defeating the No. 2 seeded Dukes. Drexel also topped JMU on the Dukes' home court to capture the 2009 CAA title.