Drexel’s NCAA Tournament hopes dashed after upset loss to Hofstra in CAA semis

Drexel was on the verge of taking down Hofstra in the Coastal Athletic Conference semifinals Saturday afternoon. The Dragons held a two-point lead and possession coming out of a timeout with just nine seconds left.

But a nightmare scenario unfolded for Drexel on the inbounds. Guard Laine McGurk couldn’t find anyone open and threw the ball away, leading to a game-tying layup for Hofstra forward Sandra Magolico with three seconds on the clock. The Dragons could not find a game-winning shot, and the teams headed to overtime to decide a winner.

The extra period saw Drexel completely unravel. It made just two shots while the Pride used a seven-point run to take control. The third-seeded Dragons (21-10, 13-5) did not have another run in the tank and were upset by No. 10 seed Hofstra (11-21, 6-12), 53-49, in overtime.

The Dragons’ season is over, barring an invitation to the Women’s National Invitation Tournament or Women’s Basketball Invitation Tournament.

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Guard Amaris Baker was a rare bright spot for Drexel’s offense, finishing with 19 points on 8-of-18 shooting, while also grabbing nine rebounds. Forward Deja Evans chipped in with a double-double, adding 15 points and 11 rebounds. Drexel’s offense struggled throughout the afternoon, shooting just 35% from the field and 4-of-15 from three-point range.

Hofstra did not fare any better shooting the basketball, making 33.3% of their field goal attempts. Guard Ema Karim led the Pride with 17 points and three made threes.

Drexel’s offense struggled to crack Hofstra’s defense throughout the first quarter as the Dragons made just one of their first seven shots. However, their defense limited Hofstra by forcing three first-quarter turnovers. Neither team could find an advantage until guard Sana’a Garrett gave the Pride a 10-7 lead on a three-pointer with just under four minutes to play in the first frame. Drexel was forced to play catch-up for most of the first half after that as its offense remained stagnant.

Hofstra took a 14-11 lead into the second quarter and scored the first five points of the frame to push its lead to eight. Baker ended Drexel’s 3-minute, 18-second scoring drought with a three-pointer which helped the Dragons refocus on both ends of the floor.

Drexel held Hofstra scoreless for the final 7:05 of the first half while its offense chipped away at the deficit. A layup from Evans put the Dragons back on top 20-19, and despite not scoring for the last two minutes, Drexel held a 22-19 lead going into halftime.

The Pride momentarily ended their scoring struggles as guard Micaela Carter made a three to tie the game at 22 in the first minute of the third quarter. However, Drexel’s defense locked back in after that. Hofstra missed its next four shots and two consecutive threes from Baker gave Drexel momentum and helped it build a 32-25 lead. However, the Dragons could not sustain it and made just one shot in the last four minutes of the quarter.

The Dragons entered the fourth quarter leading 34-31 but needed a spark to solidify their spot in the championship. They could not find it as both teams traded baskets for the first seven minutes of the fourth quarter. Drexel took a 44-40 lead with 1:56 left, but poor late-game execution allowed Hofstra to tie it at 44 with three seconds left and force overtime.

Drexel forward Molly Rullo got the first bucket of overtime, but Drexel did not score again for the next four minutes. Hofstra took advantage with a 7-0 run that gave it a comfortable lead it did not relent.

While Drexel’s offense struggled, its defense kept giving it chances to win. However, when it finally faltered, it put a win out of reach for the Dragons.

The Pride only led by two with less than a minute remaining in OT when Magolico got free near the basket. She made the layup and was fouled by Evans for an and-1. Magolico converted her free throw to put Hofstra up 51-46 with 44 seconds left.