Tribe Earns 54-50 Triumph at Drexel

01/27/08 4:30PM

PHILADELPHIA, Pa. - Senior Kyra Kaylor scored a game-high 16 points as the William and Mary women’s basketball team earned a 54-50 triumph at Drexel on Sunday afternoon.

In addition to being the contest’s leading scorer, Kaylor registered eight rebounds and a pair of steals. The Pittsburgh, Pa., native also broke the Colonial Athletic Association’s record for career free throws made, increasing her total to 479. Senior Devin James and sophomore Kelly Heath also finished in double figures scoring with 12 and 10 points, respectively.

As a team, the College (9-10, 3-4) out-rebounded Drexel (10-8, 5-2), 30-23, and shot 83.3 percent (15-of-18) from the free throw line.

The contest was close early, as W&M held an 8-7 advantage at the initial media timeout. Both teams started the game well offensively, as the Tribe sank three of its first five shots and Drexel hit three of its first four.

While DU took its first and only lead of the game, 9-8, on a basket by Gabriela Marginean at the 15:18 mark, the Tribe responded with an 8-1 run during the next 4:35. Kaylor provided four points during the stretch.

The Green and Gold maintained its lead and pushed the advantage into double digits, 25-14, with a 6-0 spurt late in the half. Freshman Katy Oblinger contributed a three-pointer, while James punctuated the run with a steal and layin with 5:05 showing.

Drexel was unable to get closer than seven during the remainder of the half, as W&M led 27-18 at the break. Kaylor, Heath and Oblinger all had six points at the half, while James had five points and five boards. As a team, the College was out-shooting Drexel 45.5 percent to 27.3 percent and controlled the boards, 19-11.

Following the intermission, Drexel gradually began to cut into the Tribe’s lead and trailed by six, 34-28, at the first media timeout.

While the College reclaimed a double-digit advantage, 40-30, following a pair of free throws by Heath with 11:13 remaining, DU rallied back with a 7-0 run during the next 2:09.

Although the Dragons narrowed the margin to just three on a number of occasions, the Tribe seemed to regain control of the contest when Kaylor converted a traditional three-point play to go ahead, 49-43, with 2:42 left.

However, DU utilized a 5-0 spurt during the next 47 seconds to draw within one, 49-48. Drexel had a chance to take its first lead of the half when Brooke Cornish went to the line with 1:08 remaining, but she missed the front end of a one-and-one.

Kaylor then sank three of her next four attempts from the free throw line to give the College a 52-48 lead. A layin by Cornish cut the margin to two, and Drexel had a chance to take the lead following a W&M turnover with 13 seconds left. However, the Dragons threw the ball away, and James made a pair of free throws to seal the victory.

The Tribe will return to action when it hosts UNC Wilmington on Thursday at 7 p.m.

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