Offensive Breakout Lifts Women's Basketball Over Charleston, 76-53

Friday, January 25

Daskalakis Athletic Center

7 p.m.

Drexel University

College of Charleston

Col. of Charleston

Drexel

Offensive Breakout Lifts Women's Basketball Over Charleston, 76-53

1/25/2019 9:37:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

PHILADELPHIA – The Drexel women's basketball team has done much of its damage away from home this season, but on Friday night the Daskalakis Athletic Center was once again a friendly home for the Dragons, who never trailed in a 76-53 romp over the College of Charleston. Drexel (12-5, 4-2) knocked down a season-high nine three-pointers on its way to its highest scoring game of the season.

Despite foul trouble which kept her on the bench throughout the second quarter, Bailey Greenberg led all scorers with 18 points. She went 7-for-11 from the floor and a perfect 4-for-4 from the charity stripe. Maura Hendrixson netted 15, knocking down five threes on six attempts. Aubree Brown poured in 14 points, her highest total since a 15-point effort against Wright State on Dec. 8. She also dished out four assists to move into sole possession of 10th place on the Dragons' all-time leaderboard with 312 in her career. Hannah Nihill added 10 points and a career high eight assists while turning the ball over just once.

Mariah Leonard joined Hendrixson in providing an offensive spark off the bench. She scored nine, a career high, going 5-for-6 from the line. Niki Metzel chipped in four points in limited minutes due to foul trouble, as did Ana Ferariu. Kate Connolly scored two with an assist and a rebound in her first appearance during Colonial Athletic Association play.

Aubree Brown scored the game's first five points, setting the tone for the evening with a three-pointer just over 90 seconds into the action. Bailey Greenberg and Niki Metzel added buckets to make it a 9-2 game, and after the Cougars cut the lead to 9-6, Drexel closed the first quarter on an 8-0 run powered by a pair of Maura Hendrixson treys to take a 17-6 lead after one.

The College of Charleston quickly scored the first five points of the second quarter, pulling to within 17-11 on an Ericka Broughton bucket with 9:02 remaining before halftime. That would prove to be the last Cougars field goal of the quarter, however, as Drexel rattled off a 17-0 run to turn what had been a six-point game into a 34-11 cushion.

The run featured another two three-pointers from Hendrixson after a triple by Brown had started the Dragons' rally. Mariah Leonard also contributed three points, one of which came at the free throw line, during the push, which was capped by a Brown lay-up with 2:50 to go in the quarter. Charleston got back on the scoreboard by going 5-for-6 from the line down the stretch, but would ultimately go a full 11:43 between field goals before Arryn Eady made it 41-18 with 6:51 to play in the third quarter.

By halftime, the Dragons had already ensured themselves of some noteworthy stat lines. The team was 7-for-15 from three, already just one shy of the season best for threes made. Hannah Nihill had handed out six assists, which had already tied her career high. As a team, the Dragons moved the ball fluidly, recording assists on 11 of their 12 field goals. Hendrixson had knocked down four of five from beyond the arc, and Brown had 10 points to ensure her second consecutive double figure game.

Released from foul purgatory, Greenberg shouldered the load in the third quarter, going 3-for-4 from the floor for eight points. She assisted on three other buckets as Drexel extended its lead with what proved to be its highest-scoring quarter in conference play and second-highest of the season at 23 points. Drexel went 9-for-12 from the floor as a team and took a 57-34 lead into the fourth quarter.

The only drama remaining was whether the Dragons would reach 70 points for the first time this year. The answer came back in the affirmative with 4:23 still to go when Leonard knocked down a pair of free throws to make it a 70-45 game. Though Charleston would knock down all seven of its attempts from the line in the fourth quarter to keep pace, it was far too little, too late as Drexel remained unbeaten at home in six games against the Cougars since Charleston joined the CAA in 2013.

Drexel will now prepare to take on UNCW on Sunday afternoon at 2 p.m. The Seahawks, who fell on Friday at Delaware, were coming off an impressive weekend last week when they handled league-leading Towson and James Madison at home. UNCW is a perfect 8-0 at home this year, but is just 3-6 away from Trask Coliseum.