Women's Basketball Survives Scare at Towson, 62-54

Sunday, February 25

Towson, Md.

2 p.m.

Drexel University

22-6, 14-2CAA

Towson

9-18, 4-12CAA

DREXEL

Towson

Photo by: Greg Carroccio

Women's Basketball Survives Scare at Towson, 62-54

2/25/2018 4:44:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

TOWSON, Md. – Less than 48 hours after an emotional double-overtime victory at home against first-place James Madison, the Drexel women's basketball team found itself in another, less expected battle. Visiting eighth-place Towson, the Dragons came out flat and trailed at the half before re-focusing in the second half and pulling away late for a 62-54 victory.

Kayla Bacon scored a career-high eight points, all in the fourth quarter to help assure a Drexel victory. She also had a steal and played all-around impressive defense down the stretch. Bailey Greenberg finished with 12 points and 11 rebounds for her second double-double of the year. Aubree Brown led all scorers with 16 points and dished out five assists. Hannah Nihill aded eight points, three rebounds and two assists in a solid all-around performance.

The win improved Drexel to 22-6 on the season, a new program record for regular season victories. The previous record had been held by the 2008-09 team, which went 21-8 in the regular season en route to Colonial Athletic Association regular season and tournament championships. This year's Dragons remain a half game behind James Madison for first place and even with the Dukes in the loss column with two games to play.

Offensively, it was not a banner day for the Dragons, particularly in the first half. Drexel was just 3-for-13 from the floor in the first quarter. Both teams started slowly in the first five minutes, but the Tigers built a 13-4 lead before Hannah Nihill knocked down a late three-pointer to make it 13-7 at the end of one.

Though the defense improved in the second, the shooting did not. Drexel went into the locker room having hit six of its 30 attempts from the floor, and trailing Towson 23-18.

Having gone 6-for-30 in the first half, a re-ignited Drexel team went 6-for-6 to open the second and retake the lead less than 90 seconds into the third quarter. The Dragons' lead was three after Brown found Lidge cutting to the hoop for a bucket with 5:31 to play in the third. She was fouled and finished the three-point play to make it 32-29.

Towson would not go quietly, however. The Tigers ripped off eight straight to take a five-point lead before Sara Woods scored four points sandwiched around a Hannah Nihill lay-up to put the Dragons on top by one, 38-37, heading into the fourth quarter.

The fourth quarter opened with Towson on a 6-2 spurt to take a 43-40 lead with 7:24 to play. Needing a bucket, the Dragons turned to Brown, who had willed them to victory on Friday night in double overtime. Brown drove down the right edge of the lane, scooped up a lay-up and drew a foul. Her free throw tied the score at 43 and set up Bacon to take over down the stretch.

Playing in front of a large contingent of family and friends, the Owings Mills, Md. native put Drexel back on top with a long two-point jumper. The basket also provided the first bench points of the day for Drexel after the five starters had scored the team's first 43 points.

Drexel led by four with just under four minutes to play when Bacon began a 6-0 Dragons run with another mid-range jumper. Then, as part of the Dragons' pressure defense, she forced two straight Towson turnovers, deflecting the ball away the first time to Lidge, who passed ahead to Brown for an easy lay-up. The second time, she scooped it up herself and scored to make it a 55-45 Dragons lead with 2:46 to play. After Towson ended the Dragons' run, Bacon drove to the hoop and scored again, giving her eight on the day and putting Drexel back up by double figures.

Greenberg also had a significant hand in the Dragons' composure down the stretch, pulling in three defensive rebounds that denied Towson second opportunities with the game still tight. The Tigers had 10 second-chance points overall to just six for Drexel, but none of those came in the fourth quarter.

The win capped a 6-1 February, coming on the heels of a 6-1 January and a 7-1 December. It is the first time in Drexel women's basketball history that the Dragons put together three calendar months with no more than a single loss.

Drexel remains in position to ensure itself at least a share of the CAA title with victories in its final two games. The final weekend of the regular season begins on Thursday when the Dragons visit Delaware for a 7 p.m. tip off. The regular season will then conclude on Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m. as Drexel hosts the College of Charleston for Senior Day.