WILLIAMSBURG, Va. (Interstat) — In a Colonial Athletic Association defensive struggle defined by critical plays in the final seconds, Drexel edged William & Mary 63-61 in a women’s basketball game Sunday at Kaplan Arena.

The Dragons (17-8, 12-4 CAA) survived a frantic final sequence, securing the victory when William & Mary’s Cassidy Geddes missed a potential game-winning 3-pointer at the buzzer. The win solidified Drexel’s position near the top of the conference standings, while the Tribe fell to 13-12 overall and 8-8 in league play.

The contest was a tense, back-and-forth affair with neither team leading by more than seven points. Drexel’s interior defense, anchored by center Deja Evans, proved pivotal. The 6-foot-2 sophomore from Conshohocken, Pennsylvania, recorded 16 points, seven rebounds and a game-high four blocks, altering countless other attempts in the paint.

William & Mary guard Cassidy Geddes led all scorers with 22 points, fueled by a 5-for-11 performance from 3-point range. Her backcourt mate, Alexa Mikeska, added nine points and four assists. The Tribe relied on their perimeter shooting, connecting on 9 of 21 from beyond the arc, compared to Drexel’s 5-for-20.

Drexel countered with dominance inside, outscoring William & Mary 32-20 in the paint and holding a 45-41 overall rebounding edge. Guard Laine McGurk contributed 15 points and six rebounds, while point guard Amaris Baker logged 39 minutes, scoring 16 points and dishing out three assists.

The game’s decisive stretch unfolded in the final 11 seconds. With Drexel clinging to a 61-58 lead, Geddes was fouled on a 3-point attempt by Drexel’s Grace O’Neill. Geddes calmly sank all three free throws to tie the game at 61.

On the ensuing inbound play, Drexel executed perfectly. Guard Júlia Garcia Roig found Evans cutting to the basket for a layup with seven seconds remaining, putting the Dragons back ahead 63-61.

William & Mary called timeout to advance the ball. The inbounds pass went to Geddes, who dribbled to her right and launched a contested 3-point attempt over Evans from the wing. The shot missed, and Evans secured the defensive rebound as time expired.

The final sequence capped a game characterized by grinding defense and offensive struggles. Drexel shot 37.7% from the field and William & Mary shot 36.9%. Turnovers were a key differentiator, with the Tribe committing 15 to Drexel’s nine, leading to a 10-6 advantage in points off turnovers for the Dragons.

William & Mary built a 32-23 halftime lead, capitalizing on Drexel’s cold second quarter where the Dragons managed only eight points. Drexel responded with a 20-point third quarter, sparked by Evans and McGurk, to take a 43-41 lead into the final period.

The fourth quarter featured five lead changes. Drexel appeared to gain separation with a 7-0 run, capped by a Bria Watkins 3-pointer, to lead 54-48 with 8:36 to play. William & Mary chipped away, setting the stage for the dramatic finish.

For Drexel, the victory marked its third straight win and continued a strong February. William & Mary, which had won four of its last five coming in, saw its hopes for a late-season rally dampened by the narrow defeat.

Drexel next hosts Northeastern on Friday. William & Mary travels to face the College of Charleston, also on Friday.