CAA Tourney: Drexel Moves to Semis Against Upset Winner Northeastern

By Mel Greenberg @womhoopsguru

NEWARK, Del. — For the second straight year in the Colonial Athletic Association women’s basketball tournament enhanced opportunity has knocked for Drexel but it is up to the Dragons to finish the deal to take care of their own business after getting a helping hand.

Several hours before taking the floor here late Thursday afternoon at the University of Delaware’s Bob Carpenter Center in the third quarterfinal of the day, the all-time shocker in the 36 years of the tournament occurred when ninth-seeded Hofstra eliminated No. 1 seed James Madison.

The win came a day after taking down eighth-seeded Elon, the defending champs.

But you might say, where have we seen this before.

Well in terms of the No. 1 seed knocked out in the quarterfinals, never.

But in terms of the Dukes, which would be the favorite in any matchup, just a year ago Elon, then a three, took out JMU in the semifinals at Drexel but then the Dragons fell to the Phoenix in the championship.

So that history was enough to give Drexel fans a bit worry considering that the opponent No. 7 William & Mary squad split with coach Denise Dillon’s bunch — Drexel winning at the finish 62-58 in Williamsburg, Va., but the Tribe rallying for a 77-72 triple overtime win at the Daskalakis Athletic Center in West Philadelphia.

Well, even as temperatures warmed somewhat in the area, for something different, it was a no-sweat affair on the Dragons side after an early five-point deficit as they took control and rode to a 71-60 victory that wasn’t that close.

Then after Drexel (23-7) was done collecting tickets to another semifinals appearance, No. 6 Northeastern completed a bookend of upsets in the four games, ousting No. 3 UNCW 75-64.

Following the 1 p.m. opener when Hofstra meets Towson, then the Dragons and Huskies will tangle at 4:30 p.m., the games on CAA.TV.

Friday’s winners move on to the Saturday championship at 1 p.m. on NBC Sports-Philadelphia.

After seemingly like no one from the Philly Six was going NCAA this season, it could be those neighborhood rivals who have been the best of the half-dozen all season Drexel and Penn — the Quakers are two wins away in he Ivy tourney Saturday-Sunday up at Yale in New Haven, Conn. — may get to the main dance hall.

If you’re looking for some CAA karma, Drexel’s only conference crown came a decade ago when the Dragons were led by player of the year Gabriela Marginean in 2009.

Well, for the first time since then another player of the year has been claimed by the program — Bailey Greenberg.

In the two Northeastern games, Drexel did another escape act beating the improved Huskies 61-59 in Boston before cruising at the DAC with a 76-45 rout.

But as Hofstra is showing, anything can happen once the regular season becomes the postseason.

So you say, they gave up over 60 for the first time this season after leading the country in low defensive yield, yes but the game was never in doubt after the first few minutes.

From a 9-4 deficit, a flurry of three-pointers carried Drexel on a 14-5 run to lead 18-14 at the end of the first.

It got to 43-30 at the half and then a margin as much as 21 points near the end of the third before the Tribe (15-16) chiseled into it, but never dangerously the rest of the way.

Niki Metzel had a near career-high with 20 points, shooting 7-for-10 from the field, while Greenberg was 4-for-4 on the way to 11 points and a game-high nine rebounds and Keishana Washington, an all freshman team pick, had 11 also and Aubree Brown scored 10.

Hannah Nihil again keyed the defense with four steals.

Bianca Boggs had 18 points for the Tribe, Victoria Reynolds scored 17, and Eva Hodgson had 12.

“We’re obviously pleased with the effort and energy of our team, which showed up with a plan, stuck to the plan, and got the job done,” Dillon said afterwards. “I thought they played really good team basketball.

“We shot the ball well today. We took 31 more shots than they did at our place and obviously missed a majority. So I was just talking to (her team) about the ball movement, player movement, and that was on us at our place.

“I just felt today the rotation was much better.” 

As for the outlook of the rest of the tournament since the Dukes’ ouster changes the complexion of the four remaining teams, Dillon observed, “It still looks the same to us. It’s been Northeastern or UNCW so that’s our focus, we got one, and all we’re worrying about is number two.”

As for the team’s start observed on the floor, Washington said, “It felt good. Just hitting shots like ‘coach said. Just being confident taking those shots, pushing the ball in transition, looking for each other, knowing where are options are in the offense, I think we took advantage of everything we had today.”

At the time of the postgame, the Dragons’ opponent for the semis had yet to be determined, but Dillon put it all on her group.

“I think it’s going to come down to defensive mindset. Both teams can score the ball. Northeastern, similar to what we just saw in William & Mary. They’re disciplined. They move the ball nicely. They have the three point shooters. They can do a little bit of everything.

“Again, you’re playing teams you’re familiar, players resetting their minds for what the next game plan is.”

From the Tribe’s side, coach Ed Swanson said of the Dragons this time around, “Just a buzzsaw. I thought at the beginning of the game we had great energy and then Drexel, who hadn’t been shooting the ball great from three-point range all year, but they were 6-for-8 in the first half and that took us out of what we really wanted to do.

“I thought that our pressure was keeping them off rhythm a little bit but I thought they hit big shots and really knocked us back on our heels. So a lot of credit to Drexel. It’s been a great year all year in CAA women’s basketball 1-through-10. It’s as competitive as it’s ever been. 

“I’d like to give a little shout out to my senior class. They tied a school record for most wins in a four-year career. Bianca Boggs broke the single season program scoring record in terms of 530 points,” he said.

“But Drexel’s a great team. Denise does a fabulous job and every mistake you make on defense they hurt you.”

Northeastern Upsets UNCW

After the third-seeded Seahawks had been the other surprised improved conference team alongside Towson, the sixth-seeded Huskies, which also had progression, controlled almost the whole game in landing a 75-64 win.

Northeastern (20-10) built a 20-point lead by the fourth quarter before UNCW (18-12) carved away some of that in the closing minutes.

Jess Genco had 22 points for the Huskies, primarily helped shooting 13-for-16 from the line, while Shannon Todd scored 16 as did Alexis Hill. Another player in double figures, Gabby Giacone scored 11.

UNCW’s Ahyiona Vason scored 24, shooting 5-for-8 from beyond the arc, Lacey Suggs scored 13, and Shrita Parker, a transfer from Rutgers, scored 11.

“Our kids came out and played a fantastic team game,” said Northeastern coach Kelly Cole, a former Harvard assistant. “This is what we have been working for all year long, we’ve certainly had our ups and downs, but this is what it’s all about. 

“At this time of the season you want it all coming together and that’s exactly what they’re doing.”

Of the 10-1 game season start, she said, “It was a different feel. It kind of took us a while to understand expecting to win, and to be still on the attack and going after it still. This is really a team that’s grown into what we want to become.”

Of Drexel, “It is a great matchup. I think we play similar styles and she’s been there longer than I have here, and she’s got some tradition going, but it’s going to be a great matchup and one we look forward to going to all the time.”

Seahawks coach Karen Barefoot made major strides in the two seasons coming from Old Dominion.

“It’s hard to put into words what I feel for this team. It’s been an awesome year and we really fought our butts off all year to come back in games and do some special things.

“I just wanted it so bad for them. Give credit to Northeastern. We started off strong and then they got more aggressive. We didn’t respond. We didn’t get to the free throw line. And they outrebounded us.

“I was talking about those things at halftime. It was like we were trying too hard and we lost sight of the game plan.”