Dragons defeated Old Dominion 64-50 at the DaC.
The Dragons lost 53-50 Jan. 31 to Old Dominion in a game they thought they should have won. Feb. 10 saw the Dragons not only get off to a fast start, but they were able to maintain a lead and defeat ODU at the Daskalakis Athletic Center by a resounding 64-50 score.
It was the seniors who carried the team in this game, led by Hollie Mershon, Nicki Jones and Taylor Wootton. Mershon had 19 points, to lead all scorers, along with six assists and seven rebounds. Jones had an impressive offensive night, adding 15 points, but as usual was a defensive presence with three blocks and five rebounds. Taylor Wootton, who also played a great game defensively, added 12 points to go along with five rebounds.
The key to the game was sharing the basketball, as 17 of the 25 field goals made by the Dragons were assisted. But it was the Dragons’ starting five that led the way all through the match, as they scored 59 of Drexel’s 64 points. Freshman Meghan Creighton added seven points, while junior Fiona Flanagan chipped in with six.
Getting back to their winning ways was key for the Dragons because it shows that the adjustments they have been making throughout the season to get better have been working. Early on, the team relied heavily on Mershon to carry the scoring load. Lately, however, it’s been an all-around team effort as evidenced by this game.
“To get back on a winning streak, we have been really focusing on allowing our offense to create scoring opportunities. We’ve been working on running it efficiently. It has also been important that the five players out on the court are all capable of scoring at any given time. We have stayed focused on the defensive end and limited second-chance opportunities for our opponents,” Mershon said of their latest winning streak.
While the Dragons got their revenge against Old Dominion earlier in the week, Hofstra also got a little bit of revenge as well. It was a poor offensive night for the Dragons, as they shot 17 percent from the field in the first half and 24 percent as a team for the whole game. Mershon led the way again for the Dragons with 12 points, and Wootton poured in 10.
Dillon’s team kept itself in the game thanks to its suffocating defense. They pressured Hofstra into 20 turnovers. Unfortunately, they could not capitalize on those turnovers. The Dragons scored just 11 points off the 20 turnovers. This game, while damaging for the Dragons, helps them prepare for their upcoming three-game homestand at the DAC. Next is a game Feb. 19 against the University of North Carolina Wilmington. The Dragons already defeated UNCW earlier in the season 64-51.