Nov. 11, 2016
PHILADELPHIA, Pa. ââ'¬" Penn State held the momentum early in the second quarter, but Drexel used a 9-2 run to close the half and take the lead into the locker room, before using a barrage of 3-pointers and spotless work from the free throw line to defeat the Lady Lions, 83-60, on Friday night inside the Daskalakis Athletic Center.
Penn State led by as many as six in the first half and held a six-point advantage, 21-15, with 6:50 to play in the second quarter before Drexel reeled off seven straight points for the first of five lead changes in the second stanza, the final coming on the second of a Penn State opponent-record eight made 3-pointers for Jessica Pellechio with 1:08 left in the quarter.
Drexel would go on to outscore the Lady Lion by 46-28 in the second half to claim the victory in the season opener for both teams.
Senior Sierra Moore (Hanover, Pa.), who missed the entire 2015-16 season due to injury, returned to the court after more than a year's absence to tie for team high with 15 points. Moore connected on 7-of-8 shots from the field, grabbed four rebounds and added two assists in 32 minutes.
Also logging 15 points for Penn State was sophomore Teniya Page (Chicago, Ill.), who added a game-high seven rebounds. Page also had three assists and one steal in 39 minutes on the floor, her 19th game of at least 38 minutes in 32 career games.
Redshirt-freshman Amari Carter (Washington D.C.) tallied two points, four rebounds and four assists. True freshman Jaida Travascio-Green (Lisle, Ill.) scored her first career points, hitting a pair of 3-pointers in the game to account for six points.
Pellechio totaled 30 points in the game, while Sarah Curran added 14 and Bailey Greenberg netted 11. The Dragons were a perfect 22-of-22 from the free throw line, becoming the first Penn State opponent to go perfect from the free throw line when attempting more than 10 free throws.
Penn State is now 40-13 in season opening games, with head coach Coquese Washington owning a 9-1 mark. The Lady Lions opened the season with a true road game for just the 18th time in program history (53 seasons) and are now 11-7 in those contests. Furthermore, Penn State is now 29-24 all-time in true road opening games.
Turning Point
Second quarter w/ 1:39 remaining
With the score tied at 30, Jessica Pellechio connected on her first 3-pointer of the game. Then, following a Penn State turnover on its next possession, Pellechio drained her second triple to give the Dragons a lead they would not relinquish.
Difference Makers
Penn State
- G Sierra Moore ââ'¬" Tied for the team lead with 15 points, shooting 7-of-8 from the field in her first game in over a year after missing last season due to injury. Added four rebounds and two assists.
- G Teniya Page ââ'¬" Scored 15 points ââ'¬" tying for team high ââ'¬" and added a game-high seven rebounds. Added three assists.
- G Jaida Travascio-Green ââ'¬" Scored her first career points late in the first quarter with a 3-pointer. Finished with six points and two rebounds.
- F Kaliyah Mitchell ââ'¬" Scored nine points with four rebounds and one steal.
Drexel
- G Jessica Pellechio ââ'¬" Netted 30 points on 9-of-17 shooting, including 8-of-15 from 3-point range. Added one rebound, three assists and one steal. The eight made 3-pointers tied the record for a Penn State opponent.
- F Sarah Curran ââ'¬" Added 14 points, three rebounds and three assists.
- F Bailey Greenberg ââ'¬" Scored 11 points, grabbed five rebounds and had one assist.
- Dragons Free Throw Shooting ââ'¬" Drexel became the opponent in Penn State history to go perfect from the free throw line when attempting more than 10 free throws. The Dragons were 22-of-22 from the charity stripe, with six different players making free throws.
By Quarter
First Quarter
It was a low scoring affair through the first five minutes, with Drexel scoring the opening points, before a Teniya Page 3-pointer pushed Penn State ahead, 3-2, early on. With Penn State leading by two points, Aubree Brown knocked down a 3-pointer to push Drexel ahead, 9-8, but the Lady Lions responded with seven straight points ââ'¬" including four from Sierra Moore ââ'¬" and after a pair of Drexel free throws at the end of the quarter, Penn State led by four after 10 minutes of play.
Penn State 15, Drexel 11
Second Quarter
Penn State build its lead to six points twice in the early going and the lead changed hands on five occasions, the final time coming thanks to a 9-2 run to end the quarter for the Dragons. With the score tied at 27, Page converted one-of-two free throws and Ashanti Thomas (Lexington, Ky.) netted a layup to give Penn State a 30-27 edge. Jessica Pellechio gave the Dragons the lead right back with a pair of 3-pointers and, after another Thomas bucket, Sara Woods converted an old-fashioned three-point play with four seconds remaining to extend the Drexel lead to 36-32 heading to the locker room.
Drexel 36, Penn State 32
Third Quarter
Drexel made all eight of their free throws and hit three 3-pointers in the third quarter to build a 10-point lead with 1:06 to play in the quarter. Penn State closed the half with four points to cut the lead back to six points entering the final stanza. Kaliyah Mitchell (Stone Mountain, Ga.) and Moore each scored six points in the quarter for Penn State, while Pellechio netted eight for Drexel.
Drexel 59, Penn State 53
Fourth Quarter
Drexel controlled play in the fourth quarter, outscoring Penn State, 24-7, over the final 10 minutes. A pair of layups bookended eight free throws and four three pointers - all coming from Pellechio ââ'¬" as the Dragons led by double-figures for the final 5:41 of the game.
Drexel 83, Penn State 60
Up Next
Penn State will open its home slate against St. Peter's at 1 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 13 inside the Bryce Jordan Center. Season tickets and mini plans are available now by calling 1-800-NITTANY or visiting the Bryce Jordan Center ticket office weekdays from 10 a.m-6 p.m.