Penn Women Edge Drexel 71-70 on Njike Jumper
Tina Njike's jumper with three seconds left gave Penn a narrow win over Drexel to start the season 2-0.
Updated on Nov. 7, 2026 in Basketball
Penn women's basketball defeated Drexel 71-70 on Friday at the Daskalakis Athletic Center, with Tina Njike hitting a jumper with three seconds left. The win followed a season-opening 110-27 rout of Swarthmore.
Why it matters
The narrow victory showcases Penn's defense-first approach, which forced 14 Drexel turnovers and six steals despite a cold shooting night. Penn finished 7-7 in Ivy League play last season and is building on that identity early in the year.
Penn made only 2 of 7 free throws and shot 17.6% from three-point range, while Drexel's Laine McGurk led all scorers with 21 points and Katie Collins grabbed a game-high nine rebounds for Penn. The box score does not indicate how these shooting numbers compare to Penn's prior-season averages.
The players
Tina Njike
Penn women's basketball guard who scored a team-high 19 points and hit the go-ahead jumper with three seconds left.
Laine McGurk
Drexel women's basketball guard who scored a game-high 21 points in the loss.
The details
Penn used a defense-first game plan, mixing coverages and pressuring the ballhandler to force turnovers. Drexel's McGurk floated a jumper to put Drexel ahead 70-69 with four seconds left, but Njike's late jumper gave Penn the final edge.
Timeline
Tuesday: Penn beat Swarthmore 110-27 in its season opener.
Friday: Penn beat Drexel 71-70 at the Daskalakis Athletic Center.
Sunday, 2 p.m.: Penn plays Norfolk State on the MEAC Network.
Season Trajectory
Penn's defense-first identity, adopted after a 7-7 finish in Ivy League play last season, is now showing up in its first two games of the year. Starting 2-0 gives the Quakers an early foothold as they begin a schedule that will test whether that identity holds against stronger competition.
Penn's early 2-0 start means the Sunday game against Norfolk State is the next test of whether the team can sustain its defense on the road. Fans tracking the schedule can catch the 2 p.m. matchup on the MEAC Network.
The takeaway
Penn's defensive pressure produced 14 Drexel turnovers and six steals even on a night its shooting went cold, a sign that the approach can carry close games. Watching whether that defense travels to Norfolk State will show how durable it is.
What happens next
Penn travels to face Norfolk State on Sunday at 2 p.m. on the MEAC Network.
Further reading
For more on the local game, see Basketball coverage across the Philadelphia area.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Philadelphia Inquirer.
