Missed Opportunities Plague Women's Basketball in 83-62 Loss at Syracuse

Tuesday, December 29

Syracuse, N.Y.

7:00 p.m.

Drexel University

4-7

Syracuse

8-3

Drexel

Syracuse

Photo by: Greg Carroccio

Missed Opportunities Plague Women's Basketball in 83-62 Loss at Syracuse

12/29/2015 9:00:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – An early 15-point lead did not hold up as the Drexel women's basketball team was pressured into too many mistakes on Tuesday night at the Carrier Dome and the Dragons fell to Syracuse, 83-62. The Dragons turned the ball over a season-high 25 times and allowed Syracuse 28 offensive boards, the most by a Drexel opponent this year and more than the Dragons' overall total of 26 rebounds on the evening.

Rachel Pearson scored 22 to lead the Dragons a season high that included 18 points in a blistering first half. The Dragons led by 13 after the first quarter and as many as 15 early in the second before the Syracuse pressure and size began to wear down the hot-shooting Dragons. The team knocked down 13 three-pointers, their most since hitting 14 against Mount St. Mary's on Jan. 3, 2008, but were able to connect on just three after halftime as the Orange pulled away.

Jessica Pellechio added 11 points including three treys of her own. She also had a pair of steals, giving her 100 in her career. That makes her the first active Dragon with at least 100 steals in her career. Sarah Curran and Jackie Schluth each added eight points, with Schluth pulling down six rebounds to lead the team. She added three blocks and a pair of steals. Meghan Creighton dished out eight assists, matching her season best. Kelsi Lidge knocked down a pair of threes for six total points and five rebounds. Carrie Alexander added four points and a pair of rebounds. The Dragons shot 46.7 percent from the floor, their third-best percentage of the season, and were 13-for-25 from long range, their second-best mark of the year.

The Dragons came out of the gate doing just what they wanted to do against the Orange. Drexel hit six three-pointers in the first quarter and shot 50.0 percent from the floor (8-for-16) while holding the Orange to just three field goals on 20 attempts. Syracuse went without a field goal for 6:23 in the middle of the quarter.

Jackie Schluth was particularly impactful on the defensive end against the bigger Syracuse post players. She had four points, four rebounds, a block and a steal in the opening period. Rachel Pearson nailed all three of the long balls she attempted in the opening frame as Drexel built a 22-9 edge.

With Pearson draining another pair of three-pointers early in the second quarter, Drexel built its lead to 15, leading 28-13 with 7:15 remaining before halftime as the Orange called timeout. That seemed to calm the home team, who responded with a methodical 13-3 run over the next 4:15 to cut the lead to five. Syracuse would even the score with a free throw in the final minute, and the teams went into the locker room even at 34. Pearson had 18 points in the first half to lead the Dragons. Jessica Pellechio added six, with Meghan Creighton dishing out six assists. Sarah Curran and Jackie Schluth each had five first-half rebounds.

Syracuse scored 29 points in the third quarter, taking advantage of its size advantage down low to dominate the offensive glass. Nevertheless, Drexel hung with the Orange. The Dragons knocked down three more from long distance, giving them a season-high 13 with a quarter still to play. Kelsi Lidge drained a pair of those, the first time in her career she had multiple three pointers in a game.

The fast, physical third quarter may have taken all the remaining energy out of the Dragons. Syracuse pulled away in the fourth, outdoing Drexel 20-7 in the fourth quarter. It was the first period Drexel did not manage to score at least 10 points since the second quarter at Hampton, a stretch of 17 quarters.

Briana Day led the Orange with 26 points and 13 rebounds, including six off the offensive glass. After starting 3-for-20 from the floor, Syracuse was 28-for-57 (49.1 percent) the rest of the way. The Orange also hit seven of their final 23 from long range (30.4 percent) after missing their first 14. Syracuse scored 38 points in the paint to Drexel's eight, and outdid the Dragons 22-1 in the second-chance category.

With non-conference action now in the rearview mirror, the Dragons turn their attention to the Colonial Athletic Association schedule. Drexel, which was picked second in the preseason poll by the league's coaches, will open CAA play at home on Sunday, Jan. 3 when it hosts the College of Charleston. That game is set to tip off at 2:00 p.m.