Dukes down Drexel in record-breaking night
Meredith Alexis sets new CAA rebounding mark
By Whitney Proffitt, staff writer
Posted on January 22, 2007

Senior center Meredith Alexis recorded game-highs of 27 points and 13 rebounds, setting the Colonial Athletic Association career-rebounding record in the process, as the Dukes dominated Drexel 84-63 Thursday evening at the JMU Convocation Center.

Alexis snagged her 1,128th rebound, topping the former record of 1,125 held by Old Dominion’s Celeste Hill (1990-‘94).  She also extended her school career records to 54 double-doubles and 66 double-figure rebounding games.

“What’s even more impressive is that we’re just halfway through the season,” senior guard Andrea Benvenuto said. “We still have a lot more games to play, so if she keeps it up, that [CAA rebounding record] is going to be a record that’s going to be really tough to break in upcoming years.”

Four other JMU players finished the night scoring in double figures.  Senior guard Lesley Dickinson had 16 and junior forward Tamera Young added 13.  Benvenuto scored 12 points, while senior guard/forward Shirley McCall added 10.

McCall is just six points away from totaling 1,000 career points.

The Dukes improved their overall record to 14-2 and 6-0 in the CAA.  Drexel fell to 5-12 overall and has a 0-6 CAA record.  JMU won its sixth consecutive game and posted its 12th victory in its last 13 contests.  It was the Dukes’ 20th straight win at home; this streak ranks in the top five in the nation.

The Dragons played a tight first half, going shot-for-shot with JMU and never allowing them to lead by more than six points (31-25 at 4:27). In the first 20 minutes, there were eight lead changes and six ties.  Alexis hit a lay-up in the last two seconds of the half to put the Dukes up 37-35 going into intermission. Drexel’s 35 points were a season-high first-half total for the team.

“I think we came out a little flat [in the first half],” Alexis said. “We needed more energy, and defensively, we needed to step up more.”

JMU came out strong in the opening of the second half and maintained a solid lead throughout the rest of the game. With 12:51 left, Alexis finger-tipped a pass to McCall, who hit a lay-up and the foul shot that followed.  That capped a 13-2 JMU scoring run that put the Dukes up 55-41.

“That was a moment for me,” Benvenuto said. “It was a realization that in the past, like in past years, that play never would have happened. It shows us growing as a team, being able to do things as a team that we couldn’t do when we were younger. That’s what made it special and that’s what provided us with so much energy. It was just a ‘wow’ play.”

Unable to recover, Drexel never came within 12 points of JMU.

“It’s almost as if you’re just waiting for it to happen,” Drexel coach Denise Dillon said. “They are the most experienced team — not only in our conference, but in the country. They have been playing together for a long period of time … They’re just a better team.”

The Dukes limited the Dragons to only 35.5 percent shooting from the field, while JMU connected on 46.9 percent. Drexel hit four of 11 3-pointers in the first half, but was unable to make a single one in the second half (0-3). Both teams managed 78.9 percent from the line.

The Dragons were led by freshman forward Gabriela Marginean, who finished with 23 points and eight rebounds.  Junior guard Narissa Suber scored 15 points and junior forward Delise Johnson added 10 points.

“They’re a smart team,” Benvenuto said. “They read everything so well, and it really requires us to communicate.”

Benvenuto handed out seven assists for her seventh game of seven or more assists this season.

The Dukes hit the road to play UNC-Wilmington yesterday in another CAA matchup. The team returns home Thursday to start a three-game home stand against the top three teams in the conference, starting Jan. 25 when they face Delaware.