The first 20 minutes was a back and forth affair that featured nine ties and seven lead changes. Drew’s biggest lead of the half was just two points, while Wilkes enjoyed their biggest advantage of the stanza on a basket by Lacey Andresen that made it 20-16 with 6:58 left in the half.
The Rangers relied heavily on the play of Kraft in the first half. With Courtney Cunningham, the team’s leading scorer saddled with foul trouble, Kraft was able to convert 6-of-17 shots from the field and all five of her free throw attempts to score 20 points in the opening half.
Kraft knocked down her third three-pointer of the half to give Drew a 30-28 lead with 25 seconds before intermission. However, Randi Corbo countered for Wilkes with a jumper in the paint to knot the game at 30-30 at halftime.
Drew would take command by putting together a 20-6 run early in the second half that erased a 37-36 deficit and gave the Rangers a 56-43 lead with 11:48 left to play in the game.
Wilkes would cut the lead to single digits just one more time, that coming on a lay-up by Nicole Quick with 10:26 left that made it a 59-50 contest. However, Kraft would convert a drive and Cunningham cashed in a three-point play to extend the lead to double-figures for good, 64-50 with 9:28 left and end any chances for a Wilkes comeback.
Kraft finished the afternoon 12-of-28 from the field and 8-of-8 from the free throw line. She also had seven rebounds, six steals and three assists. Cunningham added 21 points, including 17 in the second half. Allison Hartnett chipped in with 10 points and six rebounds for the Rangers, who shot an impressive 57.1 percent from the field in the second half after converting 20-of-35 shots.
Katie Cappelloni led four Wilkes players in double digits with 16 points. Karyn Perestam added 15 points and 10 rebounds. Lacey Andresen chipped in with 11 points, seven rebounds and four assists, while Corbo tossed in 10 points and four assists.