March 10, 2005

Box Score

FAIRFAX, Va. - Third-seeded Drexel University topped sixth-seeded George Mason University, 53-49 on Thursday in the nightcap of the quarterfinals of the Colonial Athletic Association Women's Basketball Championship at the Patriot Center.

The game was tight throughout and featured six ties and eight lead changes. No more than three points separated the two teams in the first 14 minutes of play. Mason's Keyhana Wakefield knotted the score at 16-16 with a pair of free throws at the 6:25 mark. Freshman Narissa Suber, a CAA All-Rookie performer, connected on her third three-pointer of the half to give Drexel a 22-18 lead with 3:23 to go. A basket by Jen Daniels reduced the margin to 22-20 with 2:27 remaining. The Dragons closed the half on a 10-4 run.

First Team All-CAA performer Catherine Scanlon was held without a field goal in the first 20 minutes of play while fellow first-team selection Katrina Martin was just 1-of-8 from the field in the opening half. Scanlon converted 4-of-4 free throws in the final 1:30 of the half to give the Dragons a 26-20 lead at the break.

Scanlon got on the board with a couple of field goals early in the second half as the Dragons led 36-24 with 15:16 remaining. Mason mounted a comeback with six unanswered points over the next minute and a half. A layup by Drexel's Candice Williams halted the run but a Wakefield trey got the host team to within 38-33 with 10:11 remaining.

A Martin basket pushed the Drexel lead back to seven points before Wakefield converted a pair of free throws to make it 40-35. Williams nailed a 15-footer to give the Dragons a seven-point cushion with just under five minutes to play and followed with a driving lay-up a minute later to make it 44-35 and force the Patriots to call a timeout.

Wakefield was fouled as she knifed to the basket, slicing the lead to 44-37 with 3:28 to play. She converted the three-point play but it was only Mason's 10th conversion in their first 22 attempts at the stripe. Scanlon hit a leaning jumper from the wing as the shot clock expired to make it 46-37 with 2:53 left, but the Patriots would not quit.

Wakefield converted a pair of free throws to pull Mason within 46-40 before Martin countered with a bucket for Drexel. An off-balance hoop by Wakefield made it 48-42 with 2:01 remaining. Lauren Hediger then hit a trey from the top of the key to close within three at 48-45. Drexel's Kira Karlstrom hit the first of two free throws before Wakefield made an acrobatic runner to bring Mason within two at 49-47.

After a Drexel turnover, Daniels found freshman Moni Akintunde underneath to knot the score at 49-49 with :36.9 remaining. After a timeout, Martin scooped up a loose ball in the paint and banked in a three-footer to give the Dragons a 51-49 lead with :07 remaining. On the ensuing inbounds play, Hediger hit a streaking Wakefield on a long pass who then slipped as she tossed up a wild shot that hit the underside of the rim. Karlstrom was fouled on the rebound and knocked down both free throws to give Drexel a 53-49 win.

Wakefield led all scorers with 16 points and was a perfect 7-for-7 at the free throw line while the rest of the Patriots were just 5-of-17. Despite being held scoreless in the second half, Suber paced the Dragons with 11 points while Scanlon, Karlstrom and Williams each chipped in 10. Hediger was the only other Patriot in double figures with 10 points while Akintunde added a game-high 11 rebounds.

The Dragons improve to 19-9 while Mason concludes the season at 12-16.