The Guru’s Local NCAAW Roundup: Drexel Takes First CAA Win Routing Hofstra Like Villanova Does in the Big East at Providence But Rutgers and Penn State Are Still Winless on the Big Ten Slate

 By Mel Greenberg @womhoopsgurux

PHILADELPHIA – Drexel finally broke into the win column in Coastal Athletic Association competition Sunday afternoon after two early losses beating Hofstra 67-38 at home here at the Daskalakis Athletic Center while up north in the Big East Villanova avoid a thorn experience in the long-running series with Providence picking up a lopsided 85-55 road win on the Friars to ensure staying in second place through the Wildcats’ Thursday trip to No. 1 and defending NCAA champion UConn.

Things did not go as well for the two other locals, the Big Ten duo of Rutgers and Penn State who did not have to deal with ranked opponents in the conference and still failed to pick up wins against league rivals.

Rutgers (8-9, 0-6) trailed Northwestern (7-10, 1-5) by only nine at the half in the road game in Evanston, Ill., but then the host Wildcats surged the rest of the way to a 73-54 victory as the Scarlet Knights dropped below .500 overall at 8-9.

Penn State (7-10, 0-6) meanwhile at home using the larger Bryce Jordan Center rather than the throwback to Rec Hall being used a large portion of the season, was down just a point at the half at 21-20 to Illinois (14-3, 4-2) but then the Illinois also powered away gaining a 92-76 victory.

The two outcomes enabled Northwestern, whose longtime coach and Father Judge grad Joe McKeown announced his pending retirement ahead of the season, to climb out of the conference basement leaving Rutgers and Penn State tied at the bottom where they were most of last season.

In the game here Drexel (8-6, 1-2) coming off a narrow loss Friday night at Stony Brook jumped out to a 12-1 lead on Hofstra (8-6, 1-2) and cruised the rest of the way.

Deja Evans tied a season-high with 20 points also achieved in Friday night’s loss to the Seawolves along with seven rebounds while Amaris Baker scored 14 and Grace O’Neill dealt six assists.

The Pride’s Sandra Magolico with 10 points and 111 boards was the only opponent player reaching double figures.

The differential was the largest for Drexel against a CAA opponent in close to four seasons dating to February 2022.

“Today we came back ready to show what we’re capable of doing,” said Drexel coach Amy Mallon. “Getting 40 points in the paint (40-18) and 19 off the bench is going to be really important for us.”

Drexel next off to a two-game weekend road trip starts with a visit Friday at front-running Charleston (12-3, 4-0) at 7 p.m. Friday night (FloCollege) before stopping at UNCW next Sunday.

“We’re only going to get one shot at Charleston,” Mallon said of the importance needing to keep Friday’s opponent close to the rest of the CAA pursuers.

Evans, an Archbishop Wood grad and native of Conshohocken, who came back from UAlbany by way of the portal, said of her weekend outbreak, “Honestly, just all the confidence my teammates and coaches have instilled in me.

“And also playing defense.”

Villanova (14-3, 7-1), meanwhile, following last weekend’s stumble at Marquette, has put together consecutive high-octane efforts beginning with last Thursday’s home win over Xavier leading to Sunday’s rout of the Friars (9-9, 2-5).

The Wildcats brought the pressure early jumping to a 9-0 lead, getting 11 points off seven turnovers by the opposition, and finishing the period up 24-14 helped by shooting 4-for-8 from distance.

Brynn McCurry, the MVP of the Big 5 Classic championship won by Villanova at home over Saint Joseph’s early last month, scored 20 in this one, shooting 9-for-11 from the field, while Jasmine Bascoe scored 19 points and dealt seven assists, Ryanne Allen scored 14 points and Kelsey Joens scored 11 points.

Thursday’s game at Connecticut on campus tips off at 7 p.m.

Back in the local portion of the Big Ten, Rutgers, which was outscored 34-23 in the second half by Northwestern, got 11 points each from Lauryn Swann and Faith Blackstone, while Nene Ndiaye and Zachara Perkins each scored 10.

Antonia Bates grabbed nine boards.

The winless conference drought among the two longtime conference rivals dating back to membership in the outset of the Atlantic 10 will end for one of them with Rutgers next traveling to Penn State on Sunday at 1 p.m.

The Nittany Lions first have to deal with a Wednesday visit to No. 19 Ohio State at 6:30 p.m. on B1G+.

In Sunday’s loss to the Illini, a 24-point, seven-rebound effort from Gracie Merkle off shooting 8-for-12 from the field went to waste, while the same was likewise for Rutgers transfer Kiyomi McMiller, who scored 19 points.

Moriah Murray got all nine of her points off a trio of made 3-pointers.

Illinois was able to negate most of the production as Berry Wallace was 11-for-13 from the field, including 3-for-4 from deep, for 28 points and off the bench Maddie Webber, a transfer from last season’s Villanova team, sizzled going 5-for-8 from distance and 10-for-15 overall to collect 26 points.

The local schedule is dark Monday and the only game among the 13 D-1 group Tuesday has Temple trying to bounce back from Saturday’s loss at Tulsa, hosting Tulane in an American Conference game at the Liacouras Center at 7 p.m.