DES MOINES, IOWA ? A three-pointer as time expired from sophomore Jordann Plummer (St. Louis, Mo./Cardinal Ritter) propelled Drake to a 66-63 victory over in-state rival Northern Iowa on Sunday (Jan. 27) to help the Bulldogs extend their home-court winning streak to five and in the process snap a six-game slide to Big Four opponents.
The basket was the only one in the affair for Plummer, who helped Drake improve to 13-5 overall, including 6-1 in the Missouri Valley Conference. The Panthers dropped to 6-12 on the year and 2-5 in league action with the setback. The victory for the Bulldogs allowed the squad to surpass their conference win total (5) for the entire 2006-07 campaign.
“Northern Iowa played a terrific and spirited game and we're very fortunate to hit the shot at the buzzer to win,” Drake head coach Amy Stephens said. “It wasn't quite the play or shot we wanted but Jordann had the poise and composure to take the shot. I believe in this team and I feel good things are on the horizon.”
The game came down to the wire as the Panthers held the Bulldogs scoreless for 5:49 and parlayed an 8-0 run to overcome a 61-54 deficit to take the lead, 62-61, with layup by Lizzie Boeck with exactly two minutes remaining.
Senior Lindsay Whorton (Independence, Mo./Truman) put Drake back on top, 63-62, connecting on a jumper with 1:03 left.
Danielle Wubbens missed a jumper with 43 seconds remaining, which senior Jill Martin (Norwalk, Iowa/Norwalk) corralled for the defensive rebound. Martin was whistled for a traveling violation as she fell to the floor pulling down the rebound, which gave the ball right back to Northern Iowa.
The Panthers missed two attempts at the basket before Plummer bailed out Boeck on a foul. She missed the front end of two tosses before hitting her second shot to tie the contest at 63 with 17 seconds remaining.
The Bulldogs brought the ball up the floor with Martin passing the ball as a double-team collapsed on her to Plummer for the game-winner.
Drake finished the game shooting 39.3 percent from the floor, while Northern Iowa bettered that mark connecting on 41.3 percent of its attempts.
The contest was a battle throughout as there were eight ties and 22 lead changes.
Martin finished the affair with a 17-point, 11-rebound effort to record her league-leading sixth double-double of the year and 32nd of her career, tops among active players in the MVC. Whorton and junior Lauren Dybing (Bloomington, Minn./St. Croix Lutheran) each contributed 15 points to the Drake victory.
Boeck paced the Panthers with a 17-point, seven-rebound effort, while Jacqui Kalin joined her in double-figures with 14 points.
The Bulldogs were outrebounded by Northern Iowa, 42-39, while Drake took care of the basketball, committing a season-low 10 turnovers.
The much-anticipated showdown between the top two teams in the MVC awaits as the Bulldogs travel to Normal, Ill., to tangle with league-leading Illinois State in a 7:05 p.m. game on Thursday (Jan. 31). The Redbirds come into the contest at 17-1 overall, including 7-0 in league action.
