Women's Basketball Sees Season End in 45-42 Loss to Hampton

Thursday, March 19

Daskalakis Athletic Center

7:00 p.m.

Drexel University

20-11

Hampton

19-12

Hampton

Drexel

Photo by: Greg Carroccio

Women's Basketball Sees Season End in 45-42 Loss to Hampton

3/19/2015 9:36:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

PHILADELPHIA - The Drexel women's basketball team had its season come to an end on Thursday night as the Dragons fell to Hampton in the first round of the WNIT, 45-42. The Dragons led by as many as seven in the second half, but were done in by 29 total turnovers as the Lady Pirates scored seven of the game's last eight points to claim the victory.

Sarah Curran had eight points and 11 rebounds for the Dragons, who finish the season 20-11. It is the fifth 20-win season in Drexel women's basketball history. Jamila Thompson, playing her final game in the blue and gold, finished with seven poitns and seven rebounds to go along with five blocks - which tied a career high - and four rebounds. Jackie Schluth added eight points and five rebounds, along with two blocks. A fifth-year senior, Schluth is petitioning to return for another season after missing to previous years due to injury. Word on that petition is still pending. Rachel Pearson chipped ins even points, while Carrie Alexander had five in her 17th start of the season.

As a team, Drexel put together an excellent defensive effort, and rebounded the ball well. The Dragons outdid Hampton on the boards 39-34. Malia Tate-DeFreitas, who came in as the 12th-leading scorer in the nation, was held to 13 points. That total was eight below her average on the season, and came on 4-of-16 shooting.

The Dragons got off to a good early start, leading 9-6 before Hampton knocked down consecutive three-pointers to take a 12-9 lead. They would prove to be the only long balls of the night for the Lady Pirates, who finished 2-for-13 from long range. Nevertheless, the lead would hold up for the Lady Pirates thanks to the Dragons' struggles with ball control. Drexel turned the ball over 13 times in the first half, and though the Lady Pirates could only manage six first half points off those turnovers, the giveaways cost Drexel possessions and prevented the Dragons from getting going on the scoreboard. Drexel shot 40.0 percent from the floor in the half, but went into the break trailing 25-21.

Coming out of the break, the Dragons appeared to have righted the ship. The started the half on a 10-1 run, taking a 31-26 lead with 15:17 remaining. It was a balanced offensive effort to get to that point, with four different Drexel players contributing to that 10-1 spurt.

Rachel Pearson hit the Dragons' lone three-pointer of the evening with 11:38 to play, putting Drexel on top 34-27. It was their largest lead of the night. Hampton did not get its first field goal of the half until more than 40 seconds later, when Ryan Jordan worked herself inside for a lay-up wth 10:51 to play to get the Dragons' lead back down to five.

Though the Lady Pirates were slow to get going offensively, Drexel continued to have troubles with turnovers. The Dragons also were uncharictaristically inconsistent from the free throw line, hitting just 9-of-15 from the charity stripe after coming in as the national leader in free throw percentage. As a result, Drexel scored just two points over a span of 4:07 after Pearson's three-pointer, allowing Hampton to crawl back into it.

Drexel continued to hold a slim lead until Brielle Ward hit a shot high off the backboard to put the Lady Pirates up 42-41 with 1:27 to play. Drexel missed a pair of free throws on the other end, and though the Dragons twice forced Hampton into shots that were off the mark, they could not come up with the critical rebound. Eventually forced to foul, Drexel was down by three before it got the ball back with 15 seconds to play. They converted one of two free throws on their end, but again couldn't get a rebound and saw the Lady Pirates eke out the victory.

Hampton will advance to play West Virginia in the second round. The Mountaineers defeated Buffalo on Thursday night, 84-61.