Women's Basketball Runs Past Delaware, 57-40

Sunday, January 13

Newark, Del.

2 p.m.

Drexel University

Delaware

Drexel

Delaware

1/13/2019 4:14:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

NEWARK, Del. – In search of their first win in Colonial Athletic Association action, the Drexel women's basketball team got production from all over the roster, including another stellar defensive performance on Sunday afternoon as the Dragons defeated Delaware in Newark, 57-40. Freshman Maura Hendrixson had a career day to lead the way, scoring 16 points including 14 in the second half as the Dragons stymied Delaware at every turn.

The win was the eighth in a row for Drexel in the series with Delaware, matching the program's longest win streak against the Blue Hens. Drexel had also won eight in a row from Feb. 18, 1996 through Jan. 27, 1999. Drexel has now won six consecutive games in Newark, and is also 5-0 on the road this year, the first time a Dragons team has won its first five road games.

Hendrixson went 4-for-6 from beyond the arc in the second half to fuel the Dragons. She added five steals as Drexel forced 16 Delaware turnovers and held the Blue Hens to a season-low 40 points. Aubree Brown put together her second career double-double, scoring 12 with 10 rebounds and six assists. Mariah Leonard also netted a career high with eight points, adding a pair of steals and four boards. Niki Metzel scored eight with five rebounds, Bailey Greenberg added seven with four assists and Hannah Nihill chipped in five points, four assists and two steals. Keishana Washington added a point with five boards, her personal best.

The Dragons trailed 6-2 early on, but Aubree Brown nailed a three-pointer from the top of the key that opened a 9-0 Drexel run to make it 11-6. Four different Dragons scored in the run, capped by a short jumper by Maura Hendrixson with 2:50 to go in the quarter.

As has been the case most of the season, though, the Dragons' strength in the first half was its defense. Drexel forced 11 turnovers by the Blue Hens and, after allowing Delaware to convert on three of its first six attempts from the floor, held them to just 3-for-24 the rest of the half. Hendrixson got in passing lanes and came up with three steals, while Hannah Nihill and Mariah Leonard added two apiece. Delaware went 0-for-7 from long range in the first half and did not get to the free throw line in the opening 20 minutes. Meanwhile, Brown's six points and seven rebounds led all players in both categories. The Dragons were not at their sharpest offensively, but nevertheless carried a 21-12 lead into the half.

In the third quarter, the Dragons' long distance shooting re-emerged. Hendrixson nailed three of her four treys on the afternoon, matching the highest total any Dragon had knocked down in a full game all season to that point. Though Delaware briefly slashed what had been a 16-point lead down to 10 with just over a minute to play, the O'Hara duo of Hendrixson and Hannah Nihill added threes in the final minute, Nihill's coming at the buzzer, to extend the lead back to 41-25.

Another three from Hendrixson opened the fourth quarter, and Drexel hit its high-water mark when Niki Metzel worked inside for two with 8:16 to go, making it a 46-25 game. Delaware got back within 15 at various points during the fourth quarter, but never mounted a serious threat to the Dragons, who took Act I in the annual home-and-home rivalry series.

Drexel and its undefeated road record will stay on the road next weekend when the Dragons head north to Boston and Long Island. The Dragons take on Northeastern on Friday night at 7 p.m., then visit Hofstra on Sunday at 2 p.m. for their first full road weekend of the conference season.