Women's Basketball Grinds to 58-46 Win Over St. Bonaventure

Saturday, November 21

Daskalakis Athletic Center

5:00 p.m.

Drexel University

2-1

St. Bonaventure

1-2

St. Bonaventure

DREXEL

Photo by: Gavin Baker

Women's Basketball Grinds to 58-46 Win Over St. Bonaventure

11/21/2015 7:59:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

PHILADELPHIA – Sarah Curran scored 23 points and Jessica Pellechio netted 10 in her first start with the Dragons as Drexel women's basketball defeated St. Bonaventure in the third game of the Preseason WNIT, 58-46 at the Daskalakis Athletic Center. The Dragons took the lead late in the first quarter and never looked back as they avenged a loss to the Bonnies last season and earned their second victory of the young season.

Curran was just two points shy of her career high, going 7-for-17 from the floor and a perfect 9-for-9 from the charity stripe. That nearly doubled her most prolific outing from the free throw line. She added a team-best seven rebounds. Pellechio's 10 points were her most in three games with Drexel since transferring from VCU. Kelsi Lidge, who had started the first two games of the year, embraced a new role coming off the bench in reserve. She finished with eight points, four assists, three steals and three rebounds in 29 minutes, all season bests. Meghan Creighton chipped in six points and five assists, while Alexis Smith contributed seven points and five rebounds.

The Dragons (2-1) got off to a slow start offensively and never truly found their rhythm, but buckled down defensively to get the job done. St. Bonaventure (1-2) shot just 30.8 percent for the game and 11.1 percent from long range. The Bonnies turned the ball over 17 times, compared to 10 giveaways by the Dragons. After giving up 13 points to St. Bonaventure in the first quarter, Drexel did not allow more than 10 points in any of the ensuing periods.

The Bonnies led by as many as five early on after Mariah Ruff knocked down a jumper with 4:44 to play in the first quarter to make it a 9-4 St. Bonaventure edge. On the other end, the Dragons immediately responded when Lidge found Pellechio for a three-ball from the left corner. She would add a pair of free throws after another Ruff bucket, and Smith pulled Drexel within a point with a three-pointer with 1:56 to play in the first quarter. After a stop on the other end, Creighton stepped into a three of her own to put Drexel on top, 15-13. They would not trail again.

Drexel did not allow a St. Bonaventure field goal over the first 4:55 of the second quarter as they extended their lead out to as many as nine points. A balanced scoring attack saw six different Dragons knock down field goals in the period, with Creighton helping facilitate the offense with three assists and no turnovers. With 32 seconds to play in the quarter, Lidge knocked down her first points of the season on a lay-up assisted by Creighton. She was fouled on the play and sank the free throw to make it a 29-20 Drexel cushion heading into halftime.

Free throw shooting was a major asset for the Dragons on Saturday. Drexel got to the line 17 times, matching their most trips this season. They were 15-for-17 (88.2 percent), while St. Bonaventure was just 12-for-22 (54.5 percent). The Bonnies had opportunities to close the gap at the line, but could not take advantage where Drexel capitalized.

In the third quarter, Sarah Curran began to take over. After just six points in the first half, Curran accumulated eight in the third period, including four free throws in as many attempts. Drexel led by 10 with 2:33 to play before the Bonnies mounted their best comeback attempt of the evening, going on a 7-0 run over the next 1:59 to slash Drexel's lead to three. Drexel missed three from long distance during that stretch and fouled the Bonnies twice, but Curran got herself to the free throw line with just five seconds to play in the quarter, knocking down both to push the lead back out to five.

It was defense and Curran's offense leading the way in the fourth quarter. The Bonnies managed just five points over the first 6:27 as Drexel pushed its lead out to 11 points. Curran scored nine, once again weaving her way inside and getting to the line five times. Lidge also added five points including her first three-pointer of the year, taken just in front of the Drexel bench in the deep right corner. That bucket, with 3:47 to play, put the Dragons up 11 and prompted a St. Bonaventure time out. The Bonnies could not mount a serious comeback, however, and a pair of free throws from Curran with 1:36 to play provided the final margin.

Drexel will now face its first city rival of the season, though it will not do so in Philadelphia. The Dragons will take on Villanova on Saturday at 2:00 p.m. in the first round of the Lehigh Tournament, to be played on the campus of Lehigh University. The winner of that game will face off with the winner of Lehigh and Montana on Sunday in the tournament final.