Skip To Main Content

Drake University Athletics

Turk Powers Drake Past Air Force, 77-61

Women's Basketball Drake Athletics

Turk Powers Drake Past Air Force, 77-61

DES MOINES, Iowa – Senior Kristin Turk's big night powered the Drake University women's basketball team to a 77-61 victory over Air Force in its final non-conference tuneup, Wednesday at the Knapp Center. The win snapped a three-game losing streak for the Bulldogs, who ended their non-conference schedule with a 6-5 record.

With her first basket of the game, a low jumper at the 18:20 mark of the first half, Turk (Des Moines, Iowa) scored her 1,000th-career point and became the 21st member of Drake's exclusive 1,000-Point Club.

“It was a neat experience,” Turk said after the game. “It's definitely an honor being in the same category as players I played with like Jill Martin (2003-08) and Lindsay Whorton (2004-08) and Brandy Dahir (2004-08), but also great players of the past like Lorri Bauman (1980-84), Wanda Ford (1982-86) and coach [Linda] Sayavongchanh (2002-06). It's really an honor to be in that category”

Turk finished the contest with a game-high 23 points on 10-of-15 shooting and added a career-high seven assists. The senior also tallied five steals and three rebounds in her 31 minutes on the floor.

“What's been impressive about what she's doing this year is her defense has really improved and her assist-to-turnover ratio has really improved,” said head coach Amy Stephens. “Obviously she brings all kinds of passion and energy. She is really the backbone and the leader of our program.”

Junior Rachael Hackbarth (Colgate, Wis.) endured a slow first half to follow Turk on the scoresheet with 12 points, all in the second half. Hackbarth added five rebounds in the winning effort.

“I thought Rachael [Hackbarth] had a great second half after coming out a little slow,” Stephens added.

The Bulldogs shot a season-high 58.5 percent (31-of-53) from the floor, including 63 percent (17-of-27) in the second half, and 44.4 percent (4-of-9) from three-point range.

Drake earned an 18-4 advantage over the game's opening eight minutes behind seven points from Turk and four from freshman Angela Christianson (Alexandria, Minn.). The Falcons cut the Bulldog lead to single digits with a quick, 6-0, run after the second media timeout, but Drake replenished its lead with jumpers from Kayla Person (St. Louis, Mo.), Morgan Reid (North Kansas City, Mo.) and Ellie Ritscher (Keystone, Iowa) and entered the locker room on top, 34-19.

After righting the ship tonight following three-straight defeats, the Bulldogs begin their 2010 Missouri Valley Conference schedule Dec. 31 at Creighton. Tip is scheduled for 3:05 p.m. at D.J. Sokol Arena.

“Our team never let those affect us or discourage us,” Stephens said about the losses. “They really helped us prepare for the Missouri Valley season.”

 

Print Friendly Version

Players Mentioned

Angela Christianson

#31 Angela Christianson

G
6' 0"
Freshman
Rachael Hackbarth

#15 Rachael Hackbarth

F
6' 3"
Junior
Kayla Person

#22 Kayla Person

G
5' 7"
Sophomore
Morgan Reid

#21 Morgan Reid

G
6' 0"
Freshman
Ellie Ritscher

#12 Ellie Ritscher

G
6' 0"
Senior
Kristin Turk

#23 Kristin Turk

G
5' 9"
Senior

Players Mentioned

Angela Christianson

#31 Angela Christianson

6' 0"
Freshman
G
Rachael Hackbarth

#15 Rachael Hackbarth

6' 3"
Junior
F
Kayla Person

#22 Kayla Person

5' 7"
Sophomore
G
Morgan Reid

#21 Morgan Reid

6' 0"
Freshman
G
Ellie Ritscher

#12 Ellie Ritscher

6' 0"
Senior
G
Kristin Turk

#23 Kristin Turk

5' 9"
Senior
G