PHILADELPHIA (Interstat) — In a game defined by grit and a singular, towering performance, the Monmouth Hawks outlasted the Drexel Dragons 62-60 in a double-overtime women’s basketball marathon Sunday at Daskalakis Athletic Center.

The victory, secured before an announced crowd of 509, avenged a three-point home loss to Drexel just nine days prior and improved Monmouth’s record to 16-7. Drexel fell to 14-8.

The narrative of the afternoon was authored primarily by Monmouth’s Divine Dibula. The 6-foot-1 sophomore from Ottawa, Canada, delivered a career-defining effort, pouring in 24 points and hauling down 15 rebounds in 36 minutes. Her dominance inside was the constant for a Monmouth offense that struggled for long stretches, particularly from the perimeter. Dibula’s performance was a stark contrast to her recent outings, including a 14-point game in the prior loss to Drexel, and provided the necessary counterbalance to Drexel’s dynamic guard play.

Drexel was led by the backcourt duo of Laine McGurk and Amaris Baker. McGurk, from West Chester, Pennsylvania, scored a game-high 25 points, while Baker, a Philadelphia native, added 22. Grace O’Neill, also of West Chester, orchestrated the offense for 44 minutes, dishing out four assists. Deja Evans anchored the interior defensively for the Dragons with nine rebounds and a blocked shot.

The game was a defensive struggle from the outset. Drexel built a 24-19 lead by halftime, capitalizing on Monmouth’s cold shooting. The Hawks managed only seven points in the first quarter and 12 in the second. The momentum shifted dramatically in the third quarter as Monmouth’s defense clamped down, holding Drexel to a mere six points. A 17-6 period gave the Hawks a 36-30 advantage heading into the final frame.

Drexel refused to capitulate. Sparked by McGurk and Baker, the Dragons mounted a 16-10 fourth-quarter run to force the first overtime, knotting the score at 46-46. The comeback was capped by a critical three-pointer from McGurk in the closing seconds of regulation.

The first overtime was a tense, back-and-forth affair where neither team led by more than two possessions. Both sides scored 10 points, with Dibula accounting for six of Monmouth’s total, sending the game to a second overtime tied at 56-56.

Fatigue and foul trouble began to show in the second extra period. With the score tied at 60 and under a minute to play, Drexel had multiple opportunities to take the lead but came up empty on crucial possessions. The final, decisive sequence saw Monmouth’s Kathy Kersaint-Pierre miss a three-pointer with seconds remaining. Dibula, demonstrating the relentless effort that characterized her day, secured her sixth offensive rebound of the game and converted the putback layup for the winning points with four seconds left.

Drexel’s last-gasp attempt, a three-point heave from Baker, was off the mark as time expired.

Beyond Dibula’s heroics, Monmouth received key contributions from Alexis Andrews, who played 43 minutes and provided steady ball-handling, and reserve Alexis Davis, who chipped in seven critical points off the bench. For Drexel, the loss overshadowed a 48-minute iron-woman effort from Baker and a strong defensive showing from Evans.

The most important part of the game was unquestionably the final sequence of the second overtime. In a contest where offensive execution was at a premium, Dibula’s second-effort on the glass and subsequent game-winning score epitomized the fight required to win a double-overtime road game. It was a play born not from a designed set, but from sheer determination, securing a pivotal conference victory for the Hawks against a team that had been heavily favored to win.

Monmouth next hosts Stony Brook on Friday. Drexel returns to action at home against Elon the same night.