Women's Hoops Guru

(Guru's notes: Print space limited the original roundup. Here's the enhanced version)

By Mel Greenberg
INQUIRER STAFF WRITER

PHILADELPHIA _ In a game of high emotions and low scoring between cross-town rivals, La Salle 48, Drexel 46 — Margaret Elderton hit two foul shots with seven seconds remaining to give the Explorers (3-1) the win over the Dragons (1-2) La Salle a 48-46 victory Saturday afternoon at the Explorers’ Tom Gola Arena.

“It’s a little nerve racking, but it’s an opportunity you look forward to,” Elderton said of her role as the heroine.

Gabriela Marginean had a game-high 19 points and 11 rebounds for Drexel (1-2), but she only scored five points in the second half. Morgan Robertson scored 13 points for La Salle (3-1).

Many players from both teams have gone against each other either in high school or in summer league competition in Northeast Philadelphia.

“It’s definitely emotional,” Elderton said of the rivalry. “And coming off a rough loss to Delaware we wanted to bounce back.”

Robertson, who is from Amarillo, Texas, has been one of the offensive leaders in the early part of La Salle's season.

"Morgan's a special player and a great player," Elderton said. "She's a workhorse and she's taking advantage of the opportunity she's getting to take control and so what she can.."

Robertson has had to help fill the void with the graduation of center Carlene Hightower.

"I worked really hard over the summer and with Carlene leaving, it's an opportunity step up. We're really focused on team unity."

So how does someone from deep in the hear of Texas land at La Salle.

"I just wanted an experience to live in a different part of the country and not everyone gets that," said Robertson, who added coach Tom Lochner's staff first saw her at an AAU tournament in Orlando, Fla.

"I get my education paid for and I live somewhere else."

Lochner spoke of the emotions involved between two local teams.

"It's a city game and neither of us got out in transition," he said. "We had to do everything in the half court. We did a good job of being aggressive and getting to the foul line and I thought we did a good job on holding Marginean down in the second half. We wanted to make the supporting cast step up and beat us. I just didn't think it would be in the 40s."

The Explorers were 17-for-24 from the foul line while Drexel was 3-for-5.

"The players know each other. We've played Drexel a number of years and it's like a Big Five game. It's important to both teams. Today we were fortunate enough to win," Lochner said.

"I've been happy with the effort the kids have given."

As for the Drexel's viewpoints, coach Denise Dillon said, "I told our players, we need hustle plays throughout the game. "They decided to play the last two minutes of the game. La Salle took advantage of the tempo of the game and on the foul line.

"I thought we took ourselves out of the game," she added. "We stopped executing and we stopped playing team basketball. And once we did that, we weren't a factor. We weren't on the same page and La Salle did a nice job, defensively, taking us out of that.

"It's always an emotional game. It's never a pretty game. You just do enough so you hope you can come up with a win."

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Duquesne 78, Penn 45 — The Dukes (4-0) had 52 points in the second half to remain unbeaten. Carrie Biemer had 18 points for the Quakers (0-3) in Pittsburgh.

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Buffalo 63, Delaware 45 — Tesia Harris had 19 points for the Blue Hens (2-1) in a loss to the Bulls (2-2) in Buffalo, N.Y. The Bulls, who lost to Holy Family at home in a preseason exhibittion game are coached by Linda Hill MacDonald who coached Temple in the1980s.