Drexel

Hollie Mershon scored 15 points Thursday night as Drexel opened play in the Women's NIT with a 59-50 victory over Iona (20-13) at the Daskalakis Athletic Center. Taylor Wootton scored 13 points and Fiona Flanagan 11 for Drexel (23-10), which will host Harvard on Saturday at 7 p.m.

THE FLURRY of construction activity near Drexel University's main campus is primed to continue with the proposal of a 24-story residential tower, but some nearby residents fear that it won't be enough to keep up with the school's booming enrollment. The project, proposed for 34th and Lancaster Avenue, would offer roughly 1,300 beds in about 350 suites for students. It would include modern amenities such as private bathrooms, and have first-floor retail space catering to community residents.

Down by 17 points in the second half against mighty Delaware, Drexel could have coasted to the finish and been grateful for having the chance to play in the Colonial Athletic Association title game for a second straight year. Instead, the Dragons mounted a stunning rally that pushed the Blue Hens to the absolute limit before top-seeded Delaware won, 59-56, Sunday in Upper Marlboro, Md. The Blue Hens, behind Elena Delle Donne's 28 points, led 46-29 with 14:35 left before the Dragons (22-10)

The Drexel women's basketball team used its trademark stifling defense to get past James Madison, 50-34, in a Colonial Athletic Conference semifinal game in Upper Marlboro, Md. Hollie Mershon (Archbishop Carroll) led the Dragons (22-9) with 21 points, including 9 of 10 from the free-throw line as she helped Drexel ice the game in the final minutes. Taylor Wootton added 13 points and eight rebounds, seven of which came in the second half. Toia Giggetts led the Dukes (22-10)

DOWN 17 points in the second half against mighty Delaware, Drexel could have coasted to the finish and been grateful for the chance to play in the Colonial Athletic Association championship game for a second straight season. Instead, the Dragons mounted a stunning rally that pushed the top-seeded Blue Hens to the absolute limit. The Drexel women lost, 59-56, Sunday in Upper Marlboro, Md., but the manner in which the Dragons fought back was enough to make coach Denise Dillon choke up with emotion during her postgame news conference.

RICHMOND, Va. - A furious Drexel comeback, like so many of its shots, fell just short. After trailing by 15 points near the midway point of the second half, Drexel cut the margin to two before losing to George Mason, 60-54, at the Richmond Coliseum in Saturday's quarterfinals of the Colonial Athletic Association tournament. The Dragons, preseason CAA favorites, ended their season 13-18. George Mason (18-13) will meet top-seeded Northeastern in Sunday's 2 p.m. semifinal. The game was like a microcosm of this season, one in which Drexel lost 10 games by six or fewer points.

A year ago Drexel entered the Colonial Athletic Association basketball tournament as the No. 1 seed and with a 17-game win streak. Drexel won two games but lost in the final to VCU. While the fortunes of this year's team have drastically changed, the Dragons still can't be discounted from winning the tournament and earning the automatic NCAA bid that comes with it. Fifth-seeded Drexel (13-17, 9-9 CAA) opens the CAA tournament Saturday at 3:30 p.m. against No. 4 George Mason (17-13, 10-8)

RICHMOND, Va. - A furious Drexel comeback, like so many of its shots, fell just short. Trailing by 15 points near the midway point of the second half, Drexel cut the margin to two before falling to George Mason, 60-54, at the Richmond Coliseum in Saturday's quarterfinals of the Colonial Athletic Association tournament. The Dragons, preseason CAA favorites, ended their season 13-18. George Mason (18-13) will meet top-seeded Northeastern in Sunday's 2 p.m. semifinal. This game was like a microcosm of the season in which Drexel lost 10 games by six or fewer points.

WHATEVER IT was that made a season of such high expectations become 13-17 is relevant to analyze, less relevant as to what might happen for Drexel in Richmond, Va., this weekend at the CAA Tournament. Drexel, which finished 9-9 in the league and has the No. 5 seed in the seven-team tournament, gets No. 4 seed George Mason (17-13, 10-8) in Saturday's quarterfinals. The Dragons can't win three games if they don't win one game. The two games with GMU were complete opposites. Drexel trailed by 20 points at Mason on Jan. 31 and rallied to win, 58-54.