Women's Basketball Edged at Hofstra, 60-58

Sunday, March 2

Hempstead, N.Y.

2:00 p.m.

Drexel University

13-15, 8-7CAA

Hofstra

12-14, 7-8CAA

Drexel

Hofstra

Photo by: Greg Carroccio

3/2/2014 4:18:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. – Twice in the final seconds of play, it looked like the Drexel women's basketball team would have a chance to take the lead and come back for a critical late-season road victory in Colonial Athletic Association play. Both times, the Dragons did not get the chance they thought they had as late calls sealed their fate in a 60-58 loss at Hofstra.

Fiona Flanagan had 11 points to lead the Dragons (13-15, 8-7), including 3-of-3 from long range. Tory Thierolf and Jackie Schluth added 10 points apiece. For Schluth, the total was a career high. Anma Onyeuku led Hofstra (12-14, 7-8) on her Senior Day with 12 points.

With 31 seconds to play and the score tied at 58, Flanagan took a pass on the left wing and shot faked her defender into the air. The senior stepped in and nailed a long two-pointer that appeared to give the Dragons a lead, but it was disallowed on a controversial double-dribble call. After Hofstra hit one of two free throws on the other end, Meghan Creighton drove to the hoop and drew significant contact, but despite a tightly-called game both ways throughout, no foul was called. Hofstra got the rebound and once again hit one of two free throws to seal the victory.

The loss eliminated the Dragons from potentially earning the No. 2 seed in the upcoming CAA Tournament. Drexel can still finish anywhere from No. 3 to No. 6 based on the results of play on Wednesday, the final day of league competition. The Dragons can earn the No. 4 seed at worst with a victory over Towson that night.

Tory Thierolf, who had matched a career high with 16 points in each of the previous three games, got off to another strong start on Sunday when she scored the first five points of the afternoon for Drexel. Meghan Creighton added a bucket that made it 7-4 Drexel, but Hofstra responded with an 11-0 run that allowed the Pride to take control for most of the first half.

An Alexis Smith jumper ended Hofstra's run with 12:23 remaining in the half. Buckling down on defense, the Dragons inched their way back towards the Pride, getting within three when Fiona Flanagan nailed a trey with 8:19 remaining in the period.

Hofstra led 21-16 with 2:08 to play when Jackie Schluth drained a short jumper to slash the lead to three. After two Pride free throws, Schluth knocked down another shot, this one a putback of her own miss from the right corner. A Rachel Pearson three-pointer pulled Drexel even at 23 with just over a minute to go, and after Hofstra momentarily took the lead back, Schluth drove inside and got fouled, knocking down both free throws with 31 seconds remaining to ultimately send the teams into the locker rooms deadlocked at 25.

Out of the break, it was Flanagan who had the hot hand. She hit the first five points for Drexel in the second half and gave them a three-point lead just 2:21 into the period.

Hofstra once again had a response. The Pride went on a 10-2 run over the next 3:50, building a 37-32 lead with 13:49 to play.

From there, a three-point barrage began. Meghan Creighton opened it by pulling the Dragons within a bucket. Flanagan was next, putting the Dragons back on top. After Krsytal Luciano answered by banking in a three-pointer, Alexis Smith stepped into a trey from the left wing, leaving the Dragons up by one with 11L38 to play.

As it had twice before, the Pride answered with a crucial run. Hofstra scored the game's next eight points, taking a 48-41 lead with 9:21 remaining. Up stepped Schluth, who knocked down a bucket and followed that with a lay-up to give her 10 points and pull the Dragons within three.

Drexel trailed by six with 3:28 to play when Rachel Pearson beat the defense and scooped in an easy bucket. Pearson finished with nine points, one of seven Dragons to tally at least five points on the afternoon.

With 1:36 remaining, Carrie Alexander drained a short jumper to close the deficit to two. After Hofstra inbounded, Creighton stole the ball away from Luciano, giving Drexel another possession with just over a minute remaining. The Dragons made the most of it, knotting the score at 58 with 59 seconds to play on a midrange jumper by Pearson.

The closing seconds ensued, costing Drexel a chance at a comeback win that would have left them in prime position heading into the season's final game. The Dragons would still have needed help beyond just a victory on Wednesday to lock up the No. 2 seed, but could have controlled their own destiny for the No. 3 seed. As it stands, Drexel will need a win to lock up a top-four spot in the tournament, and need UNCW to knock off the College of Charleston on the road in order to move up to No. 3.

The Dragons will wrap up their regular season on Wednesday when they host Towson at the Daskalakis Athletic Center at 7:00 p.m. The game will be preceded by the annual Senior Night ceremony, where seniors Fiona Flanagan, Abby Redick and Tory Thierolf will be recognized prior to their final regular season games with the Dragons.