CARBONDALE, Ill. - The Southern Illinois Salukis beat the Drake women's basketball team, 77-70, Saturday at SIU Arena. The Salukis made a season-high 15-of-28 from behind the three-point line and limited the Bulldogs to just 3-of-16 from the arc.

Mary Pat Specht (Shawnee, Kan.) scored a team-high 12 points off the bench for Drake (5-8, 0-2 MVC) as every Bulldog logged at least three minutes played Saturday. Alyssa Marschner (Plymouth, Minn.) added 10 points along with four assists and three rebounds. Sophomore Cara Lutes (Maplewood, Minn.) had nine points and six rebounds off the bench.

Southern Illinois (4-9, 1-1 MVC) had four players in double figures and was paced by Rishonda Napier who scored a game-high 19 points. Jordyn Courier came off the bench and had 16 points. Courier and Napier each knocked down five three-pointers. Cartaesha Macklin scored 13 points to go along with eight rebounds.

Drake trailed 60-48 with just over nine minutes in the game after Jameeka Bouie hit one of two from the line. The Bulldogs slowly chipped away and were only down two points (72-70) after Specht buried her second three-pointer with 1:42 to go. On the next possession Ariel Haynes was fouled but missed both free throws and Morgan Reid (Kansas City, Mo.) rebounded the miss. Lutes followed with a good look at the basket but her shot rolled out and SIU collected the rebound.

Macklin was fouled but missed both free throws and Reid collected the board once again. Specht had an open look on a three-pointer on Drake's possession but it was just a little long and SIU rebounded the miss and Macklin converted a three-point play to extend its lead to 75-70 with just 21 seconds left. Drake still had a chance but Carly Grenfell (York, Neb.) missed a three and SIU rebounded the ball and knocked down two free throws to hold on for the win.

"We had some good looks today that didn't fall but major credit to Southern Illinois who always had an answer to our scoring runs," Drake head coach Jennie Baranczyk said. "We made a push there at the end and what a great make by Mary Pat (Specht) to cut it two and her next attempt looked good but it just wasn't our today from the three-point line. Our shooters will bounce back and hit those big shots that they are capable of. I promise that this team will keep fighting."

Drake's bench outscored Southern Illinois', 22-12, and the Bulldogs had 24 points in the paint and limited the Salukis to just 10 points in the paint.

The Bulldogs will return home to the Knapp Center this Friday, Jan. 13 to host the Indiana State Sycamores. Tip-off is set for 7:05 p.m.