Drexel women are Philly's last hope
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MARCH MADNESS didn't totally end in Philadelphia with the completion of La Salle's stunning run in the men's NCAA Tournament.
The Drexel women's team has extended its postseason into April, and Saturday will host Utah in the championship game of the Women's National Invitation Tournament. The 3 p.m. game will be televised by CBS Sports Network from the Daskalakis Athletic Center.
It will mark the first Division I postseason championship game for the Drexel women's program.
The Dragons (27-10) advanced Wednesday with a 67-57 win over visiting Florida in the semifinals. Utah (23-13) defeated host Kansas State in overtime, 54-46, in the other semifinal.
Drexel coach Denise Dillon's players broke the program record for victories in a season.
"They never let up," said Dillon, a Big 5 Hall of Fame player for Villanova who has been the Dragons' head coach since 2003. "We're outmatched in certain positions, we're outmatched in certain games, and the mentality has never wavered. They understand that as a whole, we're strong."
Drexel is led by 5-10 senior guard Hollie Mershon, a first-team All-Colonial Athletic Association selection from Archbishop Carroll who averages 19.6 points, 6.2 rebounds and 4.9 assists.
This season has capped a steady progression for Mershon, who played off the bench as a freshman, started 12 games as a sophomore and last year was second-team All-CAA.
"Her development over her career has been tremendous, especially this year," Dillon said. "She took on the role of the one who is going to get the most looks and she capitalized on it by being our leading scorer."
Mershon has embraced the challenge of being a leader. "So much of this isn't even pressure for her," Dillon said. "It is something she embraced, something she wanted in being a captain on this team on and off the court."
The Dragons will face a formidable Utah team that has gotten this far by winning its last three WNIT games on the road.
"They play a solid halfcourt offense," Dillon said. "They're similar to us in the sense of what we want to do in the halfcourt. This will be a game of possession."
