Saturday, Dec. 31, 2011
OMAHA, Neb. - The Drake University women's basketball
team earned a 47-44 victory at Creighton, Sunday in the Missouri Valley
Conference opener for both teams. The win was Drake's sixth in its last seven
games and put the Bulldogs at 7-5 overall and 1-0 in the Valley.
The Bulldogs trailed by one, 14-13, going into halftime
after a historically defense-oriented first half. Drake's 13 points served as
the second-fewest points in one half in program history, while its 14-point defensive
effort doubled as the second-fewest points allowed in one half in team history.
"I said before tip that the first-half point total could
be under 30," said head coach Amy Stephens. "It was a defensive struggle from
the beginning."
Freshman Kyndal Clark (Webb City, Mo./Webb City) led
Drake with 16 points on 5-of-9 shooting, including 3-of-6 from three-point
range. Clark made3-of-6 free throws, none bigger than the two she made inside
of 21 seconds to extend Drake's lead late.
Senior Amber Wollschlager (Milbank, S.D./Milbank) made
the game's biggest free throws - a pair at the 42-second mark that doubled
Drake's advantage.
"She was cool as a cucumber," Stephens added. "That put
us up four. To be under pressure and come through like that is a big thing."
Senior Rachael Hackbarth (Colgate, Wis./Wisconsin
Lutheran) totaled a season-low eight points after falling victim to Creighton's
constant triple-team. The senior pulled down a game-high 10 rebounds and
totaled three assists in the win.
The win gave Drake its sixth victory of the month, tying
the 1994-95 and 1978-79 teams for the second-most December wins in school
history. The win also was Drake's first over Creighton in a conference-opening
situation and the first win in an MVC opener on the road since the Bulldogs
downed Bradley, 68-62, on Dec. 29, 2005. Additionally, the win was Drake's
first at D.J. Sokol Arena.
"I was pleased with our effort tonight on defense,"
Stephens said. We did a great job. it's a terrific win."
Sarah Nelson and Carli Tritz led Creighton with 18 and 14
points, respectively. No Bluejay player recorded more than four rebounds, while
Drake boasted four - Hackbarth, Wollschlager, Clark, Morgan Reid (Kansas City,
Mo./North Kansas City) - with five or more. The Bulldogs improved their
MVC-best rebounding margin to +5.3 with a 12-rebound advantage over the
Bluejays.
The Bulldogs travel to Wichita State Thursday, Jan. 5 to
take on the Shockers in a 7:05 p.m. matchup.
