Is Drexel already on a mission to run wild in the Big 5? Against Penn, it certainly appeared so.
The Battle for 33rd Street stayed even for all of five minutes before Dragons guard Amaris Baker decided enough was enough. Her game-high 18 points fueled the win as Drexel improved to 3-0.
Drexel took to heart just how important first impressions are in its Big 5 opener on Wednesday.
The Dragons (3-0) took a 30-point lead into halftime and beat Penn, 72-55, for the first time since 2015. A dominant defensive performance limited Penn (2-1) to 14 first-half points, and Mataya Gayle (13 points, seven assists) and Katie Collins (12 rebounds) failed to turn the tide for the Quakers.
Penn gained no traction on offense until late into the third quarter — but it was too late.
“It’s so important for this team to establish ourselves early,” Drexel coach Amy Mallon said of Big 5 play. “I love what I am seeing so far.”
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Lacking upon arrival
Penn, which easily defeated its first two opponents this season, looked lost against Drexel.
The Battle for 33rd Street stayed even for all of five minutes before Amaris Baker decided enough was enough. Baker, the Dragons’ graduate guard, powered an eight-point swing in under a minute of first-quarter action. She poured in five points of her own before assisting a Grace O’Neill three-pointer to turn a one-point advantage into a 18-9 lead with 2 minutes, 59 seconds to go in the period. Baker finished with a game-high 18 points.
“Everything just fell into place for the whole team,” Baker said with a grin. “So that’s nice.”
Laine McGurk (12 points), who recently eclipsed 1,000 career points, joined Baker and O’Neill in the fun. The trio each notched two first-half threes against Penn’s slow-to-rotate zone defense.
The Dragons also controlled Penn’s passing lanes, particularly in the first half, and forced 16 turnovers. The Quakers failed to make a field goal in the second quarter and trailed, 44-14, at the break.
“Their two-three [zone] gave us a struggle,” Gayle said. “We weren’t really getting into action. We slowed down; we were definitely disrupted by their matchups.”
Missing from deep
While Drexel lit up the court to the tune of 9-for-18 shooting from beyond the arc, the Quakers found themselves hitting everything but the net.
As Penn committed to passing the ball around the horn, tight defense from the Dragons prevented clean looks, leading to six made threes on 28 attempts.
Shooting historically has been a strength for Mike McLaughlin-led teams. In all, it was a rough performance, one the Quakers — a team with Ivy League title aspirations — surely hope is an outlier.
“I’m really disappointed,” McLaughlin said. “The first half really got away from us. … Just didn’t perform. They made some shots, and we just didn’t respond.”
Struggling stars?
Gayle was inefficient, despite leading the team in scoring with 13 points.
McLaughlin has been hoping for a breakout season from the third-year guard.
“We need one of these wing players to alleviate pressure from her,” he said. “To be able to get into a spot on the floor, come to a two-foot stop, and make a play for someone else.”
Co-star and reigning Ivy League rookie of the year Collins also struggled, with just five points while playing alongside starting center Tina Njike.
“I think one of the challenges you have is that Tina takes up space on the floor Katie needs,” McLaughlin said. “... Katie is still [trying to] figure out what that looks like.”
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