PHILADELPHIA – Another game came down to the final minute for the Elon women's basketball team but the Phoenix was unable to overcome Drexel, falling 54-51, tonight, Feb. 27, in the Daskalakis Center.
 
With 18.2 seconds remaining, a Jenifer Rhodes layup put the maroon and gold within one, 52-51, before Elon was forced to foul the nation's leading free throw shooting team. The Dragon's Sarah Curran went to the line and converted both chances to make it a three-point Drexel lead, 54-51. The Phoenix was unable to make either of its opportunities from three in the final 13 seconds as Drexel held on to win as time expired.
 
The Phoenix (16-11, 9-7) went 20-of-55 on the night to shoot 36 percent from the field and only hit 32 percent from beyond the arc (7-of-22). Elon claimed the slight edge on the glass, 32-29, but only claimed nine second-chance points.
 
Rhodes led the Phoenix with 10 points and five rebounds. Sam Coffer followed with eight points, while Zora Stephenson and Josepha Mbouma tallied six points each.
 
The Dragons (18-9, 12-4) shot 45 percent from the field after a 19-of-42 performance, including 50 percent from three (5-of-10), and finished 79 percent from the charity stripe, converting 11-of-14 attempts. Drexel's Rachel Pearson led all players with a game-high 12 points.
 
With the Phoenix leading 9-5 after baskets by Malaya Johnson and Lauren Brown, the Dragons managed a 10-0 run to take a six-point advantage, 15-9, forcing an Elon timeout at the 11:55 mark. Free throws by Mbouma and a Shay Burnett three pulled Elon within one, 15-14, as the defense held Drexel scoreless for over five minutes. A basket from long distance by Essence Baucom put the maroon and gold back in front, 19-17, with just over four minutes left. The Dragons closed out the half with a 6-0 edge to hold a 23-17 lead at the break.
 
Elon shot 29 percent in the opening frame (7-of-24), including 30 percent from three, while holding the advantage on the boards, 17-15. Drexel held a 39 percent mark (9-of-23) and went 40 percent from long range.
 
Two baskets by Rhodes and one from Mbouma kept the Phoenix within two of the Dragons at the start of the second half, 27-25, before a three by Drexel's Pearson helped the Dragons to a 10-point advantage, 35-25, with 16:12 remaining.
 
Threes from Stephenson and Brown kept the score close, 43-40, with 6:48 to play. With 4:09 on the clock, Johnson was sent to the line to finish off an old-fashioned three-point opportunity. She missed the free throw but Coffer grabbed the offensive board and made a layup to pull the Phoenix within two, 49-47.
 
Elon travels to Hempstead, N.Y., to take on Hofstra in its next game on Sunday, March 1, in a 1 p.m. tip in the Mack Sports Complex.