WALLER SUPPLIES OFFENSE, VCU SURVIVES DREXEL, 53-50
2-11-07
Box Score

PHILADELPHIA – Virginia Commonwealth University freshman Kita Waller (Gainesville, Ga./ Gainesville) poured in a career-high 15 points off the bench and the Rams survived two late scares to pick up a 53-50 win over Drexel Sunday afternoon at the Daskalakis Athletic Center.

VCU raised its record to 12-11 overall and 5-8 in the Colonial Athletic Association with the win. It also snapped a three-game losing streak to the Dragons. Drexel falls to 6-18 on the year, including 1-12 in league play.

Waller, who scored 11 of her points in the second half, snapped a 50-50 tie with two free throws with 41 seconds remaining.

On the Dragon’s ensuing possession, Gabriela Marginean streaked through the right side of the lane, but missed a potential game-tying layup. Drexel quickly fouled VCU sophomore center Quanitra Hollingsworth (Chesapeake, Va./Great Bridge), who made the first of two free throws to put the Rams ahead, 53-50 with 3.8 on the clock.

Hollingsworth missed the second attempt, and Marginean raced up the floor to fire a 3-point attempt from halfcourt, only to have the ball rattle in and out as the buzzer sounded.

Waller, a 36-percent free throw shooter coming into the game, knocked down all seven of her attempts on the day. She also had four steals and four rebounds. Hollingsworth finished with nine points, seven rebounds and two blocks, while junior forward Krystal Vaughn (Baltimore, Md./Lake Clifton-Eastern) added nine points and six rebounds.

Marginean had a game-high 20 points and nine rebounds for the Dragons.

VCU’s last field goal of the game came with 5:12 showing when Vaughn canned a jumper that gave the Rams a 45-44 lead. However, VCU made 7-of-10 free throws, 2-of-2 from Waller and 5-of-8 by Hollingsworth, to secure the win.

The Black and Gold led by as many as eight points at 30-22 on a jumper with 19:36 left by senior forward Miranda Smith (Chesapeake, Va./Indian River), but it would not last.

A pair of Marginean layups and a 3-pointer from Anora Suber sparked a 12-2 Drexel run that gave the Dragons a 34-32 advantage. From that point the game would remain nip-and-tuck the rest of the way, featuring four ties and five lead changes in the final 16 minutes.

VCU returns to action on Thursday, Feb. 15 when it hosts William & Mary at the Alltel Pavilion at the Stuart C. Siegel Center at 7 p.m.