The Drexel University women’s basketball team has shown again that they are on a roll, as they picked up another win at home Jan. 25 against big Colonial Athletic Association rival University of Delaware. The win takes the Dragons to a record of 7-1 at home and 12-7 overall.
While the Blue Hens had the first bucket of the game, a three pointer from Rachel Pearson put Drexel up 3-2 in the first two minutes of the game.
After another bucket from each team, with the score 5-4, Drexel took off and controlled the lead for the rest of the game, even though the game became tight coming down the stretch.
Drexel’s lead in the first half can largely be attributed to the balance of scoring by seven different Dragons and their high shooting percentage. The Dragons went nearly 40 percent from the floor, 50 percent from behind the three-point line, and an impressive eight for eight from the foul line.
Drexel also kept the Blue Hens’ offense in check in the first 20 minutes of play, limiting Delaware to just 21 points in the first half with their tenacious defense.
Going into halftime, the Dragons had built themselves an 11-point lead, outscoring Delaware 32-21, leaving them some room to breathe before entering the second period.
As in many other games this season, their first-half lead would prove important, as the Blue Hens did not go down without a fight. During the second half, Delaware outscored the Dragons by six, with Drexel only picking up the win with a five point scoring deficit. With less than two minutes to play in the game, the Blue Hens cut a 12-point lead to a 3-point one, going on an uncontested nine point run.
Drexel somewhat lapsed on both ends of the floor in the second half. Offensively, the Dragons still shot 53 percent from the floor in the second period and went eight for nine from the line. However, they weren’t taking care of the ball as well as they normally do, committing 13 turnovers in comparison to Delaware only committing four.
On the defensive end, they couldn’t seem to stop Erika Brown and Courtni Green, two Blue Hens that each added double figures in the second half alone (13 and 11 points respectively).
On the other hand, Drexel had one of their best rebounding games of the season, grabbing 39 boards while Delaware only had 22.
Major contributions for Drexel came from usual standouts Sarah Curran and Pearson. Curran netted 14 points and seven rebounds for the game, while Pearson added 17 points and six rebounds. She also went four for four from the free throw line. Freshman Kelsi Lidge also added eight points to help the Dragons win.
Their win in the homecoming game matchup against the Blue Hens, alongside a Hofstra University loss against The College of William & Mary, has definitively put Drexel in the second place spot in the CAA with a record of 6-2. The Dragons are only following rival James Madison University, who is 8-0 in conference play.
In order for the Dragons to maintain their winning streak and successful position in the conference, it will be important for them to tighten up their second-half performances. In closer games, the second half will be imperative to grab wins.
The Dragons return to play at home Friday, Jan. 30 against the College of Charleston (2-6 in CAA, 4-15 overall).