DES MOINES, IOWA -- Illinois State clinched the Missouri Valley women's basketball regular-season title with a 64-57 win at Drake Thursday in the Knapp Center.

Junior Monique' Jones (Lee's Summit, Mo./Lee's Summit North) led Drake by collecting her third consecutive double-double with a team-leading 16 points and 10 rebounds. Junior guard Jordann Plummer (St. Louis, Mo./Cardinal Ritter) added 14 points and four assists and freshman guard Amber Wollschlager (Milbank, S.D./Milbank) had 13 points.

"We executed a little better all around tonight," said Drake head coach Amy Stephens. 

Illinois State took an eight-point lead, 18-10, at the 10:44 mark in the first half before Drake would respond with seven unanswered points to trim the lead to 18-17 at 8:25. The Bulldogs held Illinois State scoreless for nearly four minutes during the run.

Drake was then held without a basket for six minutes 44 seconds, making nine free-throws in that span to stay in the game. Plummer broke the drought with a three-pointer at 2:26 that would start another 7-0 run capped by a Wollschlager jumper, giving Drake a 30-27 lead with 1:12 left in the first half.

The Redbirds answered with a jumper by Nicolle Lewis, giving Drake a 30-29 halftime lead.

Illinois State went up 38-36 at the 15:02 mark off a lay-up by Kristi Cirone in the second half and would not relinquish the lead for the remainder of the game. Cirone led the Redbirds with 18 points.

The Bulldogs hit another scoring drought, going without a basket from 16:06 to 11:29. Illinois State would not capitalize, scoring only five points in that span.

Drake came within one point, 47-48, when Jones drove the baseline for a lay-up at 6:46.

Lewis would score four straight points for the Redbirds, bringing the lead back to five, 52-47, at the 5:48 mark.

The Bulldogs pulled within three points on four occasions but couldn't get any closer.

Drake shot 35.7 percent (20-of-56) while Illinois State was at 43.9 percent (25-of-57). The Bulldogs outrebounded the Redbirds, 40-35.