PHILADELPHIA, Pa. – A strong second half lifted Drexel University to a 56-40 win over the Towson University women's basketball team on Friday night in Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) action. Freshman guard AJ Timbers poured in a career-high 16 points in her return to her hometown.

THE BASICS
Drexel 56, Towson 40
Daskaslakis Athletic Center, Philadelphia, Pa.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• A three-pointer from Rachel Pearson helped Drexel open up a 10-2 lead with 6:24 left in the first quarter.
• Towson closed the opening stanza on a 9-5 run which pulled the visitors to within four, 15-11 after one period.
• Timbers accounted for five of the Tigers' points during that run.
• Four straight points from Timbers pulled the Tigers to within two, 17-15 with 9:06 to go in the second quarter.
• Drexel pushed the lead back to four before a triple from freshman guard Sianni Martin, pulled the Tigers to within one, 19-18 with 4:36 left on the clock.
• The Dragons pushed the lead back to four on a triple from Pearson with 4:09 to go in the stanza.
• A lay-up from junior guard Raven Bankston and a three-pointer from Martin gave Towson a 23-22 lead with 1:50 showing on the clock.
• A pair of free throws from Carrie Alexander with four seconds left in the quarter gave Drexel a 24-23 edge at the half.
• Drexel opened the third quarter on a 13-2 run and pushed its lead to 37-25 with 4:30 to go in the stanza. Meghan Creighton drained a pair of three-pointers during that run.
• Towson scored six of the final 10 points in the third quarter but trailed 41-31 after three stanzas. Martin had all six of those points.
• The Tigers tallied the first four points of the fourth quarter and cut Drexel's lead to 41-35 with 7:42 to play. However that was as close as the Tigers would get the rest of the way.
• Drexel scored 14 of the final 19 points in the game and closed out a 56-40 victory.

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE

• The game marked the return of Timbers and Martin to their hometown.
• Timbers added four rebounds and a steal in addition to her career-high 16 points.
• Martin finished with 14 points while redshirt sophomore guard Raine Bankston led the Tigers on the boards with seven.
• Jackie Schluth led Drexel with 10 points while Creighton had nine points and nine assists.
• Towson had a slight edge in the rebounding battle, 29-27.

The Tigers are back in action on Sunday, Feb. 21 as they travel to James Madison for a 2 p.m. game.