Women's Basketball Eliminated in Quarterfinals, 55-48

Friday, March 13

Upper Marlboro, Md.

5:00 p.m.

Drexel University

(20-10)

Delaware

(15-16)

DELAWARE

Drexel

Photo by: CAA/Rafael Suanes

Women's Basketball Eliminated in Quarterfinals, 55-48

3/13/2015 7:33:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

UPPER MARLBORO, Md. – Twice in the regular season, the Drexel women's basketball team built big leads only to hold on late to defeat their archrival Delaware. On Friday in the Colonial Athletic Association Championships quarterfinals, Delaware had its turn. Drexel trailed by as many as 14 early in the game and by 10 in the second half, but nearly battled all the way back as they trailed by just two in the final minute of play before falling, 55-48.

Sarah Curran led the Dragons with 12 points. The First Team All-CAA selection was the only Dragon in double figures. Jackie Schluth and Rachel Pearson each added eight, while Alexis Smith had seven to go along with five assists. Kelsi Lidge chipped in six. Jamila Thompson had two points and four assists, along with a pair of blocks and a steal.

The Dragons (20-10) were eliminated before Saturday's semifinals at the CAA tournament for the first time since 2011. They will now await word of their matchup in the WNIT. The field for that tournament will be revealed late Monday night.

There were definite signs of rust for the Dragons in the first half as they were getting their first game action in nine days. Drexel started the half hitting just four of its first 21 field goal attempts. They trailed 20-9 when Alexis Smith drove to the hoop and scored from the left side, drawing a foul in the process. After a media timeout, Smith hit the free throw to complete the three-point play.

Delaware led by as many as 14 points in the half, 28-14, after back-to-back Blue Hen three-pointers prompted Denise Dillon to call a timeout with 3:55 to play. The Dragons responded by tightening up on the defensive end. The best defensive team in the Colonial Athletic Association during the regular season, Drexel did not allow another point over the rest of the half. The Dragons scored the next six points to go into the break down just eight, 28-20.

In the second half, the Dragons appeared to have shaken the rust off. Though they were trading baskets with Delaware, the Dragons were hitting their shots and keeping the score manageable. With 13:45 to play, having trailed by six or eight the entire half, the Dragons got the deficit to one possession when Rachel Pearson nailed her second three-pointer of the evening, making it 34-31.

Delaware responded quickly, scoring six straight to take a 40-31 lead. With 9:54 to play, the Hens expanded it to a 10-point lead, 45-35, when Hannah Jardine sank one of her three long-distance buckets. She finished with 13 points. Courtni Green had 16 to lead all scorers.

Still, Drexel did not go quietly. The Dragons held Delaware without any points over the next four minutes, whittling the lead down to four. Delaware responded with five straight, making it 50-41 with just under five minutes to play.

Jardine's three-pointer that made it a nine-point game would prove to be the Hens' last field goal of the game. The Dragons' last and best push started when Jackie Schluth knocked down a jumper. After a pair of missed free throws by the Hens, Florence Ouattara took advantage by calmly knocking down a trey from the left wing, making it once again a four-point game. It got even closer when Sarah Curran worked her way inside for a bucket with 2:08 to play, making it 50-48.

The score would remain that way over the next 1:38, though Drexel had two opportunities to tie the game or take the lead. They got a pair of good looks, including one Curran shot in close that appeared to draw contact, but no foul was called. Delaware hit five of six free throws in the final 30 seconds to seal the game away.

Drexel was plagued by missed opportunities all night. Though they forced 25 Delaware turnovers and committed just 10 themselves, the Dragons too often were unable to take advantage. They finished with 20 points off those 25 Delaware turnovers, while the Blue Hens converted Drexel's 10 miscues into 14 points. Drexel finished with 12 steals, including three each from Schluth and Lidge.