NORMAL, ILL. ? Drake senior
Jill Martin (Norwalk, Iowa/Norwalk) poured in 23 of her career-high 33 points in the second half but it was the Bulldogs' inability to hit key free throws down the stretch that provided No. 24 Illinois State with the opportunity to extend the contest into overtime and eventually earn a 88-84 victory over the Blue and White on Thursday (Jan. 31).
The Bulldogs failed to connect on a field goal over the final 4:20 but were in position to escape with the win as Drake went to the line six times in the final minute but missed 3-of-6 attempts, including the final three.
Leading 75-74 with 10 seconds remaining, sophomore Jordann Plummer (St. Louis, Mo./Cardinal Ritter) went to the free throw line looking to extend the Drake lead to three. Unfortunately, Plummer missed both attempts and Ashleen Bracey came down with the defensive rebound to give the Redbirds a shot at victory.
The game appeared to be over after a block by junior Ashleigh Brady (Lubbock, Texas/Frenship), but the Bulldogs were whistled for a foul on the rebound with 0.4 seconds remaining to send Bracey to the charity stripe. Bracey hit her first shot to tie the contest at 75, but her second attempt rimmed out to force overtime.
In the extra session, Illinois State scored the first five points to regain the lead and never looked back in securing the win.
Drake falls to 13-6 overall and 6-2 in the Missouri Valley Conference with the setback, while Illinois State won its 14th straight decision to improve to 18-1 on the year and 8-0 in league play.
“We did everything right tonight but make our free throws,” Drake head coach Amy Stephens said. “I'm proud of the way we played and now if we can give the same spirit and effort at Indiana State, hopefully we can get a split before coming home for three games.”
Drake finished the affair shooting 49.3 percent from the field, while the Redbirds connected at a 46.4 percent clip.
Thanks in large part to a career-high 13 rebounds from junior Lauren Dybing (Bloomington, Minn./St. Croix Lutheran), the Bulldogs outrebounded Illinois State, 46-36.
Four Drake players finished in double-figures as Martin, senior Lindsay Whorton (Independence, Mo./Truman), Brady and Plummer registered 33, 15, 10 and 10 points, respectively. Bracey sparked the Redbirds with 24, while Kristi Cirone, Tiffany Hudson and Nicolle Lewis added 21, 12 and 12 points.
Dybing nearly collected a triple-double as she scored nine points and distributed a game- and career-best seven assists to go along with her 13 rebounds.
The Bulldogs were stymied out of the gates to begin the night as the Redbirds' full-court pressure stalled the Drake offense, while Illinois State seized control jumping out to an 18-6 advantage.
The Bulldogs battled back and three times were able to cut the deficit to five points only see the Redbirds get free in the lane for a backdoor layup to stretch the margin in their favor.
Drake's persistence finally paid off as Martin scored six of her team-high 10 points in the initial frame in the final four minutes to send the Bulldogs into the intermission trailing by three, 36-33.
Keyed by 11 first-half points from Bracey, including the last nine of the frame for the Redbirds, Illinois State dominated the paint, outscoring Drake, 22-10.
The Bulldogs finished the first half shooting just under 42 percent (.419) from the floor, while Illinois State bettered the mark connecting on 50 percent of its shots.
The final 20 minutes began as a series of runs for both sides as the Redbirds scored the initial five points of the half to assume a 41-33 lead. It was the Drake's turn as the Bulldogs netted nine of the next 10 points to square the game at 42, on a three-pointer by Martin at the 14:47 mark.
Martin then gave Drake its first lead of the game, 45-44, on another triple with 13:23 remaining.
The advantage swelled to as many as nine points with 5:19 remaining.
The Bulldogs close out their road swing with a 1:00 p.m. Groundhog's Day affair on Saturday (Feb. 2) at Indiana State.
