Greenberg Notches Double-Double as Drexel Downs Niagara, 69-57

Tuesday, December 13

Daskalakis Athletic Center

5:00 p.m.

Drexel University

5-2

Niagara

4-6

Niagara

Drexel

Photo by: Ryan Samson

Greenberg Notches Double-Double as Drexel Downs Niagara, 69-57

12/13/2016 6:45:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

PHILADELPHIA – Playing its first game in 10 days, the Drexel women's basketball team experienced some rust on Tuesday night against Niagara, but was able to shake it off enough to pull away for a 69-57 win to improve to 5-2 on the season. The Dragons overcame a lackluster shooting night by controlling the boards, valuing possessions and locking down defensively as they led most of the way.

Bailey Greenberg scored 11 points and grabbed a career-high 12 rebounds for her first-ever double-double as a Dragon. She added three assists, two steals and a block in her all-around effort. Kelsi Lidge nearly notched her first double-double as well, settling for 12 points and eight boards to go along with six assists. The latter two numbers tied her career bests. Meghan Creighton scored 24 points, including 21 in the second half to lead the Dragons, adding six rebounds of her own. Sarah Curran made it four in double figures, netting 14 points and six rebounds. It was Drexel's first game with four players in double figures since Feb. 5, 2016 when the Dragons won at UNCW, 71-57. Jessica Pellechio added eight points and four rebounds as the starting lineup accounted for all of Drexel's scoring.

Creighton was 6-for-8 from long range to spark Drexel in the second half. The Dragons hit 11 three-pointers as a team, matching the season high set in the opener against Penn State. Drexel also outrebounded its opponent for the first time this season, pulling down 41 boards to the Purple Eagles' 35. The Dragons' seven turnovers were a season low, and they turned 18 offensive rebounds into 18 second-chance points.

After Niagara opened the game with a quick bucket off the jump ball and Jessica Pellechio answered with a three-pointer, the game settled into a defensive struggle for most of the first half. Drexel led much of the way and used a 10-0 run sparked by a pair of three-pointers by Kelsi Lidge to turn a 16-13 deficit into a 23-16 lead.

That run spanned just under two minutes, and while it looked like Drexel might be heating up, the Dragons were then held off the scoreboard for the next 4:59. The defense did not let up, however, as Niagara trimmed the lead to one but could not tie or take the lead. Sarah Curran knocked down a jumper to end the drought, and after Lidge weaved her way inside for two, Curran drained a three-ball to send the Dragons into intermission up 30-24. Bailey Greenberg had seven points and six rebounds in the first half as Drexel outdid the Purple Eagles 18-14 on the glass to help overcome a slow half offensively in which Drexel shot just 11-for-31 (35.5 percent).

In the second half, Drexel led by three, 40-37, with 3:23 to play in the third quarter before the seniors keyed an 8-1 spurt that gave the Dragons their largest lead to that point, 48-38. Curran started it with a bucket, followed by three-pointers from Creighton and Pellechio to stretch the lead to double figures.

The Dragons were once again up by 10 with 6:15 to play in the game before Niagara made one final push. Victoria Rampado, who finished with a game-high 25, scored five as the Purple Eagles scored 10 of the game's next 13 points to make it a 60-57 contest with 1:29 remaining. Creighton, whose trey provided the only Drexel points during that stretch, was fouled on the next possession and hit both free throws to make it a five-point game. After she grabbed a rebound on the defensive end, she would again hit a free throw to push the lead to six with a minute remaining.

Another defensive stop by the Dragons left Niagara needing to foul to extend the game. Pellechio, Curran and Creighton hit six of eight from the line down the stretch to build the final 12-point margin, the Dragons' largest lead of the night. Greenberg, who finished with seven offensive rebounds, had five of them in the second half as Drexel extended possessions and overcame its shooting woes. In total, 12 of the 20 rebounds pulled down by Greenberg and Lidge were offensive boards.

Drexel will return to action on Sunday afternoon as part of a doubleheader with the men's team at the Daskalakis Athletic Center. The Dragons will host Saint Joseph's at 2:00 p.m., followed by a matchup with Kean University for the men. Drexel will be looking to complete a perfect 5-0 record at home in the non-conference season.