MADISON, N.J. – The Drew University women's basketball team led nationally-ranked Catholic University 43-40 at halftime, but the Cardinals pulled away in the second half to hand the Rangers a 78-62 setback in Landmark Conference play Saturday afternoon in Baldwin Gym.
 
Catholic (20-3, 13-3 LC) entered the game ranked No. 16 by D3hoops.com and No. 18 by the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA).
 
Junior forward Gianna Pica led the Rangers (13-10, 9-7 LC) with 23 points, marking her ninth 20-point performance of the season, while shooting 8-for-19 from the field and 4-for-6 from 3-point range. Sophomore guard Amy Rachilla added 10 points and six assists while graduate center Gracie Hezel grabbed six rebounds.
 
Anna Scoblick paced Catholic with 18 points, 14 rebounds, and six assists.
 
The Cardinals led for nearly the entire first quarter and went in front by as much as nine. But Pica dropped in a layup in the final minute of the period and the Rangers trailed just 23-17 heading into the second quarter.
 
Drew's offense was in high gear in the second quarter, when the Rangers shot 53.3% from the field and 71.4% (5-for-7) from beyond the arc. An 8-0 run midway through the stanza put the hosts up 33-30 with 4:36 on the clock, as Pica and junior guard Maddie Beyer sandwiched a pair of 3-pointers around a layup from Gracie Hezel.
 
The Cardinals went back in front before the Rangers used a 6-0 spurt to take a 40-35 lead. Sophomore guard Alice Altomare drained a 3-pointer before Rachilla went 3-for-3 at the foul line with 2:51 on the clock.
 
Altomare struck from downtown again with 1:52 showing to give the Rangers their largest lead (43-37) of the game. But Scoblick completed a conventional 3-point play in the final minute to cut Drew's lead to 43-40 at the half.
 
There were three lead changes and one tie over the opening three minutes of the second half, and Catholic led just 51-50 with 4:56 left in the third quarter after a jumper from freshman guard Jocelyn Kingsley. But the Cardinals ended the period on a 12-0 run and led 63-50 after three quarters of play.
 
Kerry Flaherty splashed in a 3-pointer for Catholic on the first possession of the fourth quarter, but Drew scored the next five points to cut the deficit to 11. But the Cardinals answered with a 7-0 spurt and the Rangers were unable to get closer than 12 the rest of the way.
 
Drew returns to action on Wednesday, when it visits No. 20 Elizabethtown College at 7 p.m.