Balanced Effort Leads Women’s Basketball Over Hofstra, 74-54

Sunday, January 12

Daskalakis Athletic Center

2 p.m.

Drexel University

10-6,3-1CAA

Hofstra

3-11,0-3CAA

Hofstra

Drexel

Photo by: Gavin Baker

Balanced Effort Leads Women’s Basketball Over Hofstra, 74-54

1/12/2020 4:36:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

PHILADELPHIA – The Drexel University women's basketball team (10-6, 3-1 CAA) used a balanced scoring effort to get a conference victory over the Hofstra University Pride (3-11, 0-3 CAA) by a final of 74-54 from the Daskalakis Athletic Center on Sunday afternoon.

HIGHLIGHTS
* Five Dragons finished in double scoring figures for the first time this season.
* Drexel's 74 points were tied for a season-high (W, 74-63 vs. Davidson on Nov. 9)
* The balanced effort led to 23 assists on Drexel's 29 makes. The assist total was the second most on the year behind 24 against La Salle on Dec. 17. It marked the teams fourth time in 2019-20 with at least 20 assists as a team.
* Sophomore Keishana Washington led the Dragons with 14 points with five field goals, two three-pointers and two free throws.
* Senior Mariah Leonard scored 10 of her 12 points in the first half. She also tied her career-high with six rebounds and added three assists and two steals.
* Senior Bailey Greenberg finished with 12 points behind an efficient 5-of-7 from the floor including 2-of-2 from deep. She also recorded four rebounds and two steals.
* Sophomore Kate Connolly hit three three-pointers and finished with 11 points, four assists, four steals, three boards and a block.
* Junior Hannah Nihill scored 10 points on 5-of-8 shooting with a game-high five assists along with two steals and two blocks.
* After scoring 50 points against Northeastern on Friday, the Dragons put up 41 points in the first half to own an 18-point 41-23 advantage at the break.
* Though Drexel had a slow third quarter, Washington scored eight points in the second half while freshman Hetta Saatman added five points late, the first of her collegiate career.

GAMEPLAY
Q1 /
Drexel went on an early 8-0 run to take a 10-4 lead after three-pointers from Greenberg and Connolly. The Pride coughed it up six times over a five-minute stretch as the score held at the first media timeout with 4:24 to play. Drexel connected on its final six shots of the quarter, adding a 6-0 run in the final minute to take a 23-11 edge. Greenberg was 3-of-3 from the floor while Nihill was 3-of-4.

Q2 /
Hofstra started the second quarter on a 6-0 run to make it 23-17. Leonard found her groove, making three-straight shots for the Dragons which turned into a 12-2 run to end the half. Washington converted a three-point play into a media break, 34-21, with 3:33 on the clock while Connolly made another trey. Drexel held an 18-point 41-23 edge as the teams went into the locker room. Leonard led all scorers with 10 at the break.

Q3 /
Following a Greenberg trey in the opening seconds of the second half, Hofstra put together a little 6-0 stretch to get within 15 points before a jumper from Washington. DU had a bit of scoring drought and then sparked back with a 6-0 run to go up 50-29. The Dragons brought in some fresh legs off the bench as Hofstra closed the quarter on a 9-2 run. Drexel took a 52-38 advantage into the fourth quarter.

Q4 /
Back-to-back three-pointers from Connolly and Washington led to an 8-0 run as the Dragons took another 20-point lead, 60-40, as Hofstra called it third timeout with 7:38 to play. Saatman made five-straight points for Drexel, which included the first of her career and a three-point play, as the Dragons held a healthy 71-47 lead with 3:07 on the clock before holding on for the 20-point home win at the DAC, 74-54.

NOTES
* Drexel shot 46.8% (29-of-62) from the floor, 35.0% (7-of-20) from three-point range and 90.0% (9-of-10) from the foul line.
* Hofstra shot 51.1% (23-of-45) from the field, 27.3% (3-of-11) from deep and 55.6% (5-of-9) from the free-throw line.
* The Dragons' 29 field goals were tied for the second-most on the year behind 30 against La Salle (Dec. 17) and tied with 29 against Maine (Dec. 30).
* Drexel forced 25 Hofstra turnovers and capitalized by scoring 28 points off those miscues.
* Drexel also had a season-high 20 fastbreak points due in part to the team's press and 14 steals.
* The Dragons also got 34 points off the bench with Washington and Connolly combining for 25 on 9-of-20 from the floor with five three-pointers.
* DU notched a season-high four blocks on the day, led by Nihill (2), Metzel (1) and Connolly (1).

NEXT UP
The Dragons host the University of Delaware Blue Hens next Sunday, Jan. 19 on Homecoming Week. The rivalry game can be seen on NBC Sports Philadelphia+ with tip set for 2 p.m.