BETHLEHEM, Pa. – The Moravian College women's basketball team defeated Landmark Conference foe Drew University, 73-51, Wednesday evening. Sophomore forward Alexis Wright led the Greyhounds with 19 points, seven rebounds, three blocks and three steals.
Wright stole the ball from the Rangers and then hit the layup for the first score for Moravian (13-1, 4-0 Landmark). Freshman center Erin Howard answered at the other end with a layup for Drew (5-9, 1-2 Landmark). Back-to-back scores from junior guards Danielle Brogan and Katie O'Rourke put the Greyhounds up 7-2, four minutes into the game.
Howard ended the Hounds run with a 15-footer jumper, but Wright responded at the other end with lay-in for the 9-4 lead. After a Moravian score, senior guard Jennifer Mateo stole the ball and went in for the easy layup to make the score 11-6 six minutes into the half.
Nine minutes into the half, Mateo threw up a three to make the score 12-9, Moravian. O'Rourke answered by slicing to the hoop for the layup and a 14-9 lead. Two minutes later, O'Rourke went into the hole to make the layup while getting fouled. She converted the free throw for the 17-9 lead. Wright then hit back-to-back jumpers for the 23-9 lead with 6:34 remaining in the half. Wright added a layup for the 25-9 lead.
Free throws from O'Rourke and Jordan, a layup by freshman forward Alesha Marcks and a three from the wing by Brogan capped the Greyhounds 23-0 run for the 35-9 lead. Senior guard Jeramie Barletta ended Moravian's run with a layup, and Mateo followed her with a three-pointer to make the score 35-11, Greyhounds with 1:34 to play in the half. Moravian took a 38-14 lead into the locker room.
The Greyhounds shot 40-percent from the field while the Rangers shot 26-percent from the floor for the half. Moravian held a 29-14 rebounding advantage while committing seven less turnovers. O'Rourke led the Hounds with 11 points, four rebounds, two assists and a steal in the first half while Mateo added eight points and two steals for the Rangers.
Wright hit a free throw to get the first point of the second half. Senior forward Becky Smith put the first points for Drew on the board in the second half with a layup to make the score 39-16. Wright responded with a put-back after grabbing the offensive rebound.
Sophomore guard Breana Wilson tallied a layup for the Rangers, but senior guard Amanda Kreader, O'Rourke and Wright tallied scores to go up 47-19 five minutes into the second half. Howard ended Moravian's run with lay-in to make the score 49-21.
Senior guard Whitney Mackay hit a deep three, but junior guard Alyssa Hann (Nazareth, Pa./Nazareth) hit one of her own to make the score 52-25. Freshman guard Courtney Stephens added a layup for Drew to make the score 54-28 with 11 minutes left in the contest.
Howard hit another layup to make the score 54-30 on the next possession. Stephens added a layup before Wright added one of her own for the 57-32 lead with nine minutes to play in the game. After exchanging scores, a deep three-pointer by Mackay made the score 61-40 with seven minutes remaining.
Freshman guard Emily MacDonnell dialed up from distance to add to the Greyhounds lead. Mackay and Wilson then hit back-to-back layups to make the score 65-45 with four minutes to play. A three-pointer by MacDonnell made the score 68-45, and the Greyhounds went onto win 73-51.
O'Rourke put up 13 points, five rebounds and two assists in the game while MacDonnell had a career-high nine points. Jordan had eight rebounds, seven points and three blocks while Kreuder added six points. Marcks finished with five rebounds, three assists and two points while Hann and Brogan both scored five points.
Stephens led the Rangers with 12 points and eight rebounds while Howard added 11 points and five rebounds. Mateo finished with eight points and four assists while Mackay had eight points and three boards.
The Greyhounds shot 43-percent from the field while the Rangers shot 35-percent from the field for the contest. Moravian held a 47-41 edge in the rebounds while committing five less turnovers.
The Greyhounds return to the court on Saturday, January 12th as they host Landmark Conference rival and nationally-ranked No. 17 The Catholic University of America. The contest is set for 2 p.m.
