PHILADELPHIA, Pa. - Despite 17 points from Krystal Parnell, including a bucket with two seconds remaining in regulation to tie the game, the Tigers fell to Drexel by a 45-43 score in overtime. Towson (7-14, 1-9 CAA) saw senior Dovile Miliauskaite score the 500th point of her career in overtime.
Following Parnell's end of regulation heroics to send the game to overtime, Miliauskaite scored the first two points in the extra session on a pair of free throws. Kamile Nacickaite tied the game at 41-41 with 2:21 remaining on a pair of free throws. Miliauskaite would answer her Lithuanian countrywoman by hitting a lay-up with 1:50 to play to put the Tigers up 43-41. Jasmina Rosseel connected on a three-pointer with 46 seconds to play to put Drexel up 44-43. Nacickaite hit one of two from the charity stripe with 11 seconds left for the final margin of victory.
The second half was a tightly contested stanza as there were four ties and three lead changes. The Tigers quickly pushed their lead to five to start the second half as Parnell connected on a triple. Drexel scored the next eight points to take a 28-25 game with 13:09 to play. Charmonique Watt responded with a key three-pointer to tie the game at 28-28 with 12:56 to play in regulation. Another triple from Watt and a bucket from Tanisha McTiller put Towson on top 33-28 with 9:21 to go. The two teams traded baskets over the next several minutes as a Rosseel three tied the game at 35-35 with 4:29 to go. A Miliauskaite bucket tied the game at 37-37 with 1:12 to go. A Nacickaite bucket put the home team up 39-37 with 26 seconds to play in regulation. A pair of turnovers gave Towson the ball with eight seconds remaining. Following a timeout, Parnell connected on a lay-up with two seconds remaining to send the game into the extra session.
The two teams battled early in the game as they seemed to answer each other on both ends of the court. The Tigers would go up by three and Drexel would answer with a bucket to pull to within one. A Watt lay-up with 7:54 to play in the half gave Towson a 16-11 advantage. The two teams traded buckets before a Parnell lay-up at 4:56 gave Towson a 20-14 lead. It was Towson's largest lead of the game. Drexel would score three straight baskets to tie the game at 20-20 with 1:58 to play. Parnell would score the final bucket of the half with 45 seconds left to send Towson into the break leading 22-20.
Parnell led the Tigers with 17 points, five rebounds, an assist and a steal while Miliauskaite led the Tigers on the boards with eight. She added six points to give her 502 for her career. Watt finished with eight points and three steals.
Nacickaite led Drexel with 17 points and five rebounds while Rosseel finished with 13 points and three assists. Tyler Hale led all players on the boards with 12 rebounds.
Towson returns to action on Sunday, February 6 when it hosts William & Mary at 2 p.m.
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