CAA notebook: How Laine McGurk went berserk and fueled Drexel’s victory over Pitt

“Something that helps me get going is knowing that I’m giving hustle and bringing energy on the defensive end,” McGurk told The IX Basketball during a Zoom call. “Against Pitt, I think it was the first or second play — a loose ball. I dove on the floor, and after that moment, I just knew our team was on the same page. We were playing with cohesion and willing to do the little extra … I just knew we were going to win after that.”

Drexel’s 68-60 victory over Pitt marked head coach Amy Mallon’s 100th career win and the Dragons’ first Power Four triumph since beating Penn State in 2022. McGurk powered the victory by being an equal opportunity scorer against the Panthers. It was her world, and everybody was visiting.

---

Want even more women’s sports in your inbox?

Subscribe now to The IX Sports and receive our daily women’s sports newsletter covering soccer, tennis, basketball, golf, hockey and gymnastics from our incredible team of writers. That includes Basketball Wednesday from founder and editor Howard Megdal.

Readers of The IX Basketball now save 50% on their subscription to The IX.

---

In making 13 of 19 shots overall, McGurk also made five 3-pointers. She has scored in double digits in Drexel’s first five games and is averaging 17.6 points, the second-most on the Dragons, who are off to a 4-2 start.

This scoring burst isn’t a surprise to McGurk. She spent the summer sharpening her game, emerging as one of the CAA’s breakout stars of November. This is just a result of the hard work in empty gyms. She’s always been capable of filling it up — she scored 20 in her second career game in 2023 and opened her freshman season with four straight double-digit outings.

But while the production may look new, the foundation isn’t.

“Nothing’s different in the way that I approach things,” McGurk said. “I’d say I’m very consistent with what I do in terms of working and shooting. I think for the past three years, I’ve always been consistent with that. The thing that’s different this year is that the results are showing. … It’s really cool to see it pay off. Knowing I have a bigger role to play on this team and just trusting everything that we do.”

Last season, as a sophomore who averaged 4.4 points and reached double figures only three times, McGurk knew she needed to grow. Her summer workouts were intentional. She simulated game actions, took shots within Drexel’s motion offense, and did everything faster, even adjusting her release time. She worked on shooting on the move, off of kick-outs and in rhythm.

Here’s what that growth looks like, according to HerHoopStats: through six games, McGurk is averaging 0.98 points per possession, up from 0.71 last season. Her effective field goal percentage has skyrocketed to 53.2% after sitting at 38.3% a season ago. A look at Drexel’s statistics shows she’s nearly doubled her 3-point accuracy, shooting 45.8% compared to 23.4% last season.

“I’ll give a lot of credit to my one teammate, Grace O’Neill,” McGurk said. “We’re both from West Chester, so we’re both around during the summer. She’s just the type of player who wants to get better and bring her teammates with her. She’s constantly dragging me to the gym, encouraging me, and showing me what it takes to play on this team. I give her a lot of credit. She’s someone who believes in me.”

Mallon shares that belief. She’s been impressed with McGurk’s poise, leadership, and ability to impact the game beyond scoring.

“Her growth has not been a surprise to me because often by their junior year, the game slows down for players,” Mallon said in a phone interview with The IX Basketball. “It’s been nice to see her grow and understand that everything she does on the floor matters, not just one thing. … She’s put the work in. When people ask if I’m surprised, I’m not — I see it every day in practice. I’m happy with how she started and hope she continues on that path.”

McGurk’s competitive edge was shaped early by her twin sister, Elizabeth, a lacrosse player at Saint Joseph’s. Growing up in West Chester, which is outside of Philadelphia, they played everything together — basketball, lacrosse, cross-country — and their family logged countless miles traveling to AAU tournaments. That support system was there again in Pittsburgh, celebrating another big collegiate moment: Drexel’s run to the 2024 CAA title as a seven seed, where McGurk was a freshman.

“They were more proud than anything,” said McGurk, who is majoring in marketing and wants to work in the sports and entertainment industry. “They’ve seen me go through the struggles and the good moments. So, for them, it was relief and pride, knowing the work was paying off. … They’re my biggest supporters. And they’ll be at every game cheering me on.”

You can feel Drexel’s continuity in the way they move, not just on the court but everywhere together. It helps that no one left the program this offseason.

McGurk said the bond starts off the floor, where the team’s mix of pleasant personalities and easy laughter has made them feel “literally like family.” That closeness shows up in the games: players anticipating each other’s cuts, staying on the same page without needing a word, and carrying that togetherness into every huddle.

Leading scorer and senior guard Amaris Baker, now in her third season, embodies that growth. She has learned patience, Mallon said, allowing the game to come to her and pouring into her teammates in ways that elevate everyone else. The more she invests in them, the more they shine, a quiet example of how Drexel’s chemistry is built, lived and visible every night.

---

The IX Basketball, a 24/7/365 women’s basketball newsroom powered by The Next

The IX Basketball: A basketball newsroom brought to you by The IX Sports. 24/7/365 women’s basketball coverage, written, edited and photographed by our young, diverse staff and dedicated to breaking news, analysis, historical deep dives and projections about the game we love.

---

What made the Pitt win even more impressive was that Baker finished with just three points, proving that the Dragons aren’t a one-woman team. Mallon wasn’t surprised Drexel beat Pitt because she has faith in her team, but achieving a significant road win against an ACC program when one of the CAA’s elite scorers went 1-for-9 shooting was surprising.

“You’d be like ‘That’s not happening, you know? “Mallon said. “Yet, I think that’s just the growth of our team. … This is a good place and spot to be in with your program because now they’re capable of it. Now, you can keep demanding different things from them.”

With Baker swishing silky-smooth jumpers, McGurk splashing shots with confidence, O’Neil threading buttery-soft passes, and Deja Evans finishing with a feathery touch around the rim, the Dragons have all the ingredients for another deep postseason run.

The Dragons are connected, experienced, and motivated after falling in the CAA semifinals last season. Through three weeks, O’Neill is second in the conference in assists per game (5.2), Evans is fifth in blocked shots per game (1.3), while Baker is second (20.7 points per game) and McGurk is fifth (15.0) in scoring.

Baker had a memorable performance in the Dragons’ 75-68 setback to NJIT this past Saturday. As she became the 28th member of Drexel’s 1,000-point club, Baker also notched her second career double-double with career highs of 35 points and 11 rebounds.

The Dragons have already stacked impressive highlights this season, including holding Penn to just one point in the second quarter of a 72–55 win where Drexel junior Molly Lavin recorded a 10-point, 10-rebound double-double. The Dragons also erased an early double-digit deficit against Loyola.

Those moments revealed something more profound about the Dragons.

“I think that the Pitt game helped us win the Loyola game, where Amaris got in foul trouble again in the second quarter,” Mallon said. “We went down 10, and they still found a way to stay true to who we are and didn’t panic.”

It was another example of Drexel’s ability to overcome adversity.

They’ll have another chance to build their résumé when they visit Saint Joseph’s on Saturday, where a Drexel win would secure a spot in this year’s Big 5 championship game.

“I think that just speaks to [coach Mallon’s] character and the culture of this team,” McGurk said. “She builds this very inviting environment, and people want to be a part of it. … I think it’s impressive what the coaches can do. It’s been fun to play on this team, honestly. I think we’re just going to continue to learn and grow.”

Tucker’s Return Boosts North Carolina A&T

Still dressed in her black uniform long after the locker room had emptied, D’Mya Tucker stood alone.

Leaning against the navy-blue wall, Tucker tried to process her new reality, suspended between what she had lost and an uncertain future. But as she later learned, some of life’s biggest blessings arrive wrapped in moments you would never choose.

While no one wishes to be injured, the ACL tear that Tucker suffered on her 22nd birthday during a WNIT quarterfinal loss to Troy became the unlikely turning point she needed. It wasn’t ideal, planned, or remotely fair. But the comeback that followed shaped the affable 5’10 North Carolina A&T graduate student into someone stronger, steadier and more grateful for every step she takes.

“It was tough, but mostly mental for me,” Tucker said during a Zoom call with The IX Basketball last week. “That was my first time having a serious injury in my life. So, having to sit and watch [from the sidelines during the 2024–25 season], it was a lot for me to digest, especially being somebody who’s competitive. Seeing them practice or play games and I’m just sitting there, I’m like, ‘Oh man, I wish I could be out there to help.'”

Still, she made an impact. Tucker’s voice, leadership, and presence helped steady the Aggies as they sprinted to the top of the Coastal Athletic Association (CAA), winning last year’s regular-season championship and earning a postseason berth to the WBIT.

Tucker leaned on her faith throughout her recovery, turning to reading and prayer to quiet the doubt. From the sidelines, she began seeing the game with a clarity she’d never known before: the timing of each pass, the humility of a screen, the trust embedded in defensive rotations, and the discipline in positioning.

Tucker’s journey is a reminder that grace doesn’t always show up in moments of triumph. Sometimes it finds you exactly where you fall and elevates you.

Now, a season later, she’s playing with a renewed purpose that only adversity can carve out. Part of the Aggies’ “Big Three” along with Paris Locke and Chaniya Clark, Tucker wants to bookend her career with a CAA championship, matching the title she captured as a freshman during North Carolina A&T’s final season in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC).

“It meant everything,” she said of returning to Club Corbett after 592 days away. “I mostly felt gratitude. I was gone so long. Seeing our fans — seeing prospective students there — it just meant a lot.”

Tucker says she immediately knew something wasn’t right when she landed.

“I felt my knee shift out of place,” Tucker recalled. “At the time, I didn’t know it was an ACL, but I knew something was wrong, and when they confirmed it, I was disappointed. I really didn’t want it to be an ACL, maybe a meniscus injury or something like that, but I was very disappointed. I was really looking forward to coming back the following year. … Everything happened for a reason. I don’t regret it. It gave me character. It helped me become a better person.”

---

---

Veteran North Carolina A&T head coach Tarrell Robinson, who recently earned his 250th career win, is ecstatic to have Tucker back on the floor. Their relationship stretches back to her middle school days, giving him a long view of her growth.

He remembers seeing Tucker in the hallway after that season-ending loss to Troy in the WNIT quarterfinals. In that moment, the setback faded into the background, and the person mattered most.

“One of the things that I told her is, you don’t have to worry about school, because, whether you’re playing or not, we want to make sure that you get the things that you want, and we will be here,” Robinson said. “She appreciated that. … She has evolved into a fantastic woman. She’s definitely a leader, someone driven and destined to succeed. I’m just extremely proud and glad that I have the opportunity to coach her.”

Through six games, Tucker is averaging 8.2 points and 4.2 rebounds per game for the 2-4 Aggies. The Orangeburg, S.C. native scored a season-high 13 points in the opener against Texas Tech and added 12 points and seven rebounds in her home return against Shaw University.

Clark leads the Aggies in scoring (11.2 points) and rebounding (7.0) while Locke, who didn’t play against North Carolina, scores 9.2 points per night.

Tucker, who earned her undergraduate degree in business management and a master’s degree in data analytics, brings the same discipline to the court that she brought to the classroom. A defensive force with length, quickness, and versatility, she’s a match-up problem and the soul of the Aggies.

With 904 career points, Tucker also averages 29.7 minutes per game, which leads the Aggies.

“I have to remind myself that I need to give her a breather,” Robinson said. “We’ll look at the box score at the end of the game, and she’ll have played close to 40 minutes. I’m just glad to have her back. She’s the only person on our team who’s been to the NCAA tournament. Right now, we’re trying to find the other two pieces in our starting lineup to mesh with Chaniya, D’Mya, and Paris, so we’re still trying to find ourselves.”

For Tucker, the long road back wasn’t just about rebuilding her knee; it was about rediscovering who she could be. Now, as she anchors the Aggies’ lineup and lets more of her personality shine, she’s proving that the adversity didn’t break her. It prepared her. And now, she finally has the chance to enjoy the kind of ending that once felt impossible.

Towson Three Party

Following Laura Harper‘s postgame press conference after Towson’s hard-earned 65-54 victory over Coppin State, Tiger director of athletics Steve Eigenbrot offered the fourth-year head coach a homemade cookie from a blue tin can. A smiling Harper gladly took it and savored the victory treat.

Through five games, Harper says she is happier because her team is healthy and humming offensively — especially from beyond the arc. The most significant difference between this Towson squad and last season’s that won 12 games and struggled with injuries and inconsistency, is that the Tigers resemble a bunch of Caitlin Clarks shooting from every angle and at every distance.

Harper made it a priority this offseason to add more shooting to her roster, and it’s paying off early. After finishing ninth in the CAA in 3-pointers last year, Towson now leads the league in threes made per game (8.6) following a blistering 12-for-23 performance from deep against Coppin State on Nov. 16. The Tigers, who ranked eighth in 3-point percentage a season ago (28.4%), have climbed to second this year at 36.8%.

“Overall, our guard play was a point of emphasis,” Harper said postgame following the win over Coppin State to reporters about her recruiting philosophy. “It’s a guard-dominated league, and I think the way we want to play, four out, and one in was a point of emphasis in bringing more guards in.”

They’ve already hit double-digit threes in a single game three times this season — a remarkable jump when you consider Towson reached that mark only three times total over the previous 63 games across the last two years. The Tigers have attempted 35% of their overall shots from 3-point range through their first five games.

---

Your business can reach over 3 million women’s sports fans every single month!

Here at The IX Basketball and The IX Sports, our audience is a collection of the smartest, most passionate women’s sports fans in the world. If your business has a mission to serve these fans, reach out to our team at BAlarie@theixsports.com to discuss ways to work together.

---

Towson’s 3-point efficiency has helped it push the pace like never before. The Tigers, who are second in the CAA in scoring offense, are averaging 79.3 possessions per game, up from 69.9 a year ago, the fastest of the Harper era, according to HerHoopStats. It’s also the most possessions for a Towson team since HerHoopsStats began tracking pace in 2009.

Defenses have been going dizzy trying to guard Towson because four of its players have made at least six 3-pointers through five games: senior guard Tilda Sjökvist (11), junior guard Thalia Shepard (nine), redshirt freshman guard Viki Matulevicius (seven), and junior guard Zoli Khalil (six). All new to the Tiger program this season.

Sjökvist, a Missouri transfer, leads the CAA in 3-point field goal percentage (52.4%) and is seventh in 3-pointers made per game (2.2). Shephard, a Merrimack transfer, is third in 3-point field goal percentage (50.0%) and 13th in 3-pointers made per game (1.8). Matulevicius, who transferred from South Dakota and made four 3-pointers against Coppin State, was named the CAA Rookie of the Week on Nov. 17.

Meanwhile, Khalil leads Towson in scoring at 13.6 points per game after transferring from VCU. She’s one of four double-digit scorers for the balanced Tigers. Towson’s steady senior guard India Johnston (who has 127 career triples) and Shephard average 12 points per contest. Sjökvist averages 10.4 points per game.  

Johnston has welcomed the extra help. She received a lot of attention last year as she grew into a leadership role. This season, with all the talent and shooting on Towson’s roster, defense can’t solely focus on Johnston.

“I am very grateful,” Johnston said to The IX Basketball postgame after the Coppin State victory. “It helps a lot to have a lot of new players here. We have great chemistry on the court and everything feels good early.”

---

Order ‘Rare Gems’ and save 30%

Howard Megdal, founder and editor of The IX Basketball and The IX Sports, wrote this deeply reported book. “Rare Gems” follows four connected generations of women’s basketball pioneers, from Elvera “Peps” Neuman to Cheryl Reeve and from Lindsay Whalen to Sylvia Fowles and Paige Bueckers.

If you enjoy Megdal’s coverage of women’s basketball every Wednesday at The IX Sports, you will love “Rare Gems: How Four Generations of Women Paved the Way for the WNBA.” Click the link below to order and enter MEGDAL30 at checkout to save 30%!

---

Against ninth-ranked Maryland in an 88-70 loss, Shepard and Johnston finished with 23 and 20 points, respectively. Before that, Towson enjoyed an electric 36-point third-quarter performance in a 76-54 win over Stetson on Nov. 11, where Sjökvist and Khalil combined for 27 entertaining points.

While the threes have been flying, Towson’s Kayla Morris is among the national leaders in blocked shots. Towson’s long arm of the law led the nation with 18 blocked shots after last Monday’s action, which is now third nationally. She is second in the country in blocked shots per game (3.60), and had six blocked shots against Coppin State.

Also adding to the Tigers’ dynamite defense has been Shepard’s sticky fingers. She leads the CAA in steals per game (2.1) and total steals (13).

Harper sees the growth and was pleased how the Tigers ended a challenging stretch of playing three games in six days. Towson has a busy week with road games at UMBC (Sunday), Georgetown (Wednesday) and Delaware (Sunday, Nov. 30)

“I’ve been proud of how we’ve come out of halftime so far this season,” Harper said. “We’ve been ready to play and ready to respond after halftime. I think multiple lineups have made it a challenge for other teams to decide who to stop on any given night. I mean, Thalia has had the hot hand for a while, and she was still impactful to us, and now Viki is moving up on people’s scouts. I’ve been telling people for a long time to remember the name. Ultimately, I am just proud of everybody being ready when their name is called.”

Charleston’s Long Road Home

The award for the most loyal customers in the travel industry goes to the College of Charleston women’s basketball team.

The undefeated Cougars are on the kind of adventure that could turn a travel agent into a grinning emoji — and their Director of Basketball Operations into the overwhelmed “spiral eyes” emoji, juggling hotel confirmations, meal orders and mid-day practice times across three different time zones and both the mainland and Puerto Rico.

For 48 straight days, the Cougars won’t play a home game. Instead, they’re logging 10,543 round-trip miles on an itinerary so sprawling it feels like someone planned it with a dartboard and a globe.

Jokes aside, the difficult schedule is intentional. The Cougars are stacking experiences and challenges designed to steel them for their championship goal of being the last team standing in the CAA come March. Veteran head coach Robin Harmony will learn plenty about her team over the next six weeks.

Of course, when you feature standouts who are among the nation’s leading rebounders, scorers, and pass distributors, the Cougars’ traveling show moves like Brandy and Monica on stage together — headliners trading hits and stealing the spotlight wherever they go. It’s the basketball equivalent of the “Boy Is Mine Tour,” equal parts show, swagger and unforgettable memories.

Junior forward Grace Ezebilo is third nationally in rebounds per game (13.8) and third in total rebounds (69). Transferring into the CofC program from Tyler Junior College, Ezebilo has grabbed double digits in her first five games, including a season-high 18 against Charleston Southern. She also leads the country in defensive rebounds per game (10.0).

---

Want even more women’s sports in your inbox?

Subscribe now to The IX Sports and receive our daily women’s sports newsletter covering soccer, tennis, basketball, golf, hockey and gymnastics from our incredible team of writers. That includes Basketball Wednesday from founder and editor Howard Megdal.

Readers of The IX Basketball now save 50% on their subscription to The IX.

---

Junior guard Taryn Barbot is 15th in points per game (22.4), which leads the conference. The CAA preseason player of the year is also 16th nationally in total points (112). She has scored 30 or more points twice this season in five games and eight times in her sterling career.

Her twin sister, junior guard Taylor Barbot, had a triple-double against Charleston Southern (14 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists). She is fifth in the country in assists per game (8.2) and fifth in total assists (41).

As a team, Charleston is in the top 10 nationally in three categories. The Cougars are sixth in rebounding margin (20.8), eighth in rebounds per game (49.0), and ninth in offensive rebounds per game (18.6).

They’ve already wrapped up their regional swing through Durham for North Carolina Central and their trek to the Northeast for Quinnipiac with a pair of hard-earned road victories to improve their record to 5-0 overall. The win over Quinnipiac was also the 100th for Harmony in her seven years at the College of Charleston.

Also, in the road win over the Bobcats, redshirt senior Sophia Tougas scored a season-high 13 points and was 3-for-5 from beyond the arc. Tougas also added four rebounds and two assists. Charleston also scored 23 bench points, showcasing its depth.

Ahead lies a glide down the Mississippi into New Orleans for Thanksgiving to meet New Mexico State and High Point, crisp Rocky Mountain air to play Colorado, a Sunshine State stop to visit Florida State, and finally a pre-Christmas passport stamp in Puerto Rico to face Cleveland State and UPR Mayaguez.

This is a basketball version of “Around the World in 48 Days,” the kind of schedule tailor-made for social media. By the time they land back in Charleston shortly before Christmas, the Cougars will have enough stories, snaps and scenic backdrops to fill an entire timeline.