WILMINGTON, North Carolina – UNCW rallied to take a two-point lead in the closing seconds of regulation against defending Colonial Athletic Association champion Drexel on Sunday, but the Dragons forced overtime and held off the Seahawks' upset bid to claim a 71-68 victory in women's basketball action at Trask Coliseum.
 
The Dragons, who ran their win streak to seven games, improved to 10-2 overall and 2-0 in the CAA. The Seahawks, meanwhile, dropped to 3-9 overall with an 0-2 mark against league opponents.
 
Graduate student forward Tessa Brugler led the Dragons to the victory by authoring her third consecutive double-double with 17 points and 11 rebounds. Senior guard Keishana Washington added a team-high 19 points, including 14 in the second half and overtime period.
 
Senior guard Hannah Nihill chipped in 16 points with five assists for the Dragons, who matched the best 12-game start in their program history.
 
UNCW, playing its first home game since Dec. 19, was led by a season-high 24 points from graduate student guard Sierra DaCosta. DaCosta, who posted her ninth career 20-point effort, tallied 23 of her 24 points after the intermission, including 18 points in the fourth quarter.
 
Senior guard Carrie Gross contributed 12 points on 4-of-8 shooting from the field, while graduate student guard Allie Best tallied 10 points with seven rebounds and three steals.
 
Key Moment: After Drexel forced overtime with a jumper by senior forward Kate Connolly, the Dragons scored six of the first nine points in the extra period to take a 67-64 lead with 2:25 left. Redshirt senior forward Micah Hoggatt trimmed the margin to 67-66 with 1:44 remaining, but the Dragons sealed the win by netting four of the final six points in the closing minute.   
 
Game Notes:

• Drexel leads the all-time series by a 30-8 margin and has won the last 21 meetings against the Seahawks … The Dragons have also won all three overtime games in the series.
• The Seahawks played their first overtime game since dropping a 67-63 verdict at the College of Charleston on Jan. 26, 2020 … UNCW stands 20-20 all-time in overtime games, including a 13-9 mark at home.
• UNCW and Drexel each grabbed 40 rebounds in the contest, marking just the second time this year the Seahawks have not been outrebounded by an opponent … The Seahawks held the advantage on the glass in the season opener against Mount Olive.  
• UNCW matched a season high by converting 86.7 percent of its free throw attempts on Sunday … The Seahawks also made 13-of-15 foul shots against Duke on Nov. 14, 2021.
• UNCW's 68 points are the most allowed by Drexel this season … The Dragons entered the game as the CAA leader in scoring defense with a 53.5 average … In addition, the Seahawks' 68 points are their most since a 74-point performance in the season opener against Mount Olive.
• DaCosta's 18 points in the fourth quarter marked the most by a UNCW player in a single period since the NCAA adopted the four-quarter format for the 2015-16 season … The previous mark was 15 points by Madison Raque in the fourth quarter against Hofstra on Feb. 4, 2018.
• Best authored the 16th double-digit scoring effort of her college career, including her second this season.
• DaCosta has scored in double figures in 10-of-12 games this season … In addition, she posted her best offensive effort since netting 25 points against Towson on Nov. 25, 2020, when she played for East Carolina.
• Hoggatt recorded a career-high four steals in addition to scoring nine points with seven rebounds.

Up Next: UNCW renews its long-standing series with William & Mary on Friday, Jan. 14, with a 7 p.m. CAA contest at Kaplan Arena.  

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