Women's Basketball Captures Third CAA Title in Program History; Down Stony Brook, 68-60

Sunday, March 17

Washington, D.C.

2 p.m.

Drexel University

19-14,10-8CAA

Stony Brook

27-4,15-2CAA

Drexel

Stony Brook

Women's Basketball Captures Third CAA Title in Program History; Down Stony Brook, 68-60

3/17/2024 6:50:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Drexel women's basketball team captured the program's third CAA title after defeating the top-seeded Stony Brook Seawolves, 68-60. With the victory, Drexel earned the Coastal Athletic Association's automatic qualifying bid to the NCAA Tournament.

BY THE NUMBERS
Amaris Baker, Chloe Hodges and Brooke Mullin were all named to the 2024 CAA Women's Basketball Championship All-Tournament Team for their performances in the tournament. In addition, Baker was named the Most Outstanding Player of the tournament after scoring 19.8 points per game in the four-day stretch.

Three Dragons reached double-digits in the finals. Baker scored 19 points, while Mullin and Sweeney each scored 16. Baker was 4-for-5 from behind the arc. Mullin also had four 3-pointers, while Sweeney had her career-high in the game and was 5-for-10 from the floor. The Dragons shot 50 percent from the field and held the Seawolves to 31 percent from the field.

Drexel never conceded the lead, nor was Stony Brook ever tied with DU besides when the game was tied at 0-0 for the first 16 seconds of the contest.

The Dragons are the second seventh-seeded team to clinch the conference title in conference history.

HOW IT HAPPENED
The Dragons opened the game with a 16-point quarter and led 16-9 after the first stanza. The Drexel defense was tough on SBU early, holding them to just 3-for-16 shooting and 0-for-5 from far. Five of the seven Dragons who played in the first quarter checked in with points. Mullin led the Dragons with five, while Baker scored four.

Drexel extended its lead in the second quarter by three after outscoring Stony Brook again, 20-17. Charged by Mullin, who scored eight points, the Dragons shot 7-for-14. On defense, Drexel held SBU to just 4-fo-13 from the field. However, the Seawolves cashed in on seven free throws.

Stony Brook pulled within three in the third quarter, but a pair of 3-pointers by Erin Sweeney and Grace O'Neill put Drexel ahead by nine going into the final quarter in regulation. Sweeney carried Drexel in the third quarter, scoring nine of the team's 15 points.

Drexel shot the lights out in the second half as they opened up a double-digit lead in the fourth quarter. The team made their first six 3-pointers in the second half. The Drexel fans knew it could be there day early in the fourth as the offense was clicking. Mullin banked in a 3-pointer to put DU up by 11. Victoria Keenan came down and answered right away for Stony Brook. Whatever momentum the Seawolves had was erased when on the next possession, Baker drilled a 3-pointer from the corner. After a pair of Stony Brook free throws, the Dragons scored five straight. The first three came on a Baker trey and when Hetta Sattman scored, the Dragons lead swelled to 14.

Stony Brook wouldn't go quietly as they started pressing Drexel as they tried to get back in the game. The Seawolves pieced together a 10-point run and trailed by just four a 64-60 with 1:10 to play. O'Neill was fouled and made a pair from the line, making it a six-point lead. Chloe Hodges iced the game with 17 seconds to go when she made two from the line as the Dragons won their second CAA Championship in the last four years.

For the game, Drexel was 11-for-19 from behind the stripe, just one 3-pointer off its season-high.

UP NEXT
Drexel will play at Texas in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament on Friday in Austin. Game-time is set for 3 p.m.