FORT COLLINS, Colo. – Junior Liza Heap (Highlands Ranch, Colo.) scored a career-high 18 points for the Drake University women's basketball team in its 92-77 loss at Colorado State Saturday, Nov. 16. The Bulldogs trailed 42-39 at halftime before the Rams pulled away midway through the second half to improve to 2-1. The loss drops Drake's record to 1-2 on the young season.
Playing in her home state for the first time as a Bulldog, Heap finished 6-of-8 from the floor, and knocked down a career-best four three-pointers to go along with two rebounds, one assist and one steal. Junior Kyndal Clark (Webb City, Mo.) also had 18 points, while sophomore Ashley Bartow (Verona, Wis.) added 14 points off the bench. Bartow tied her career-high for three-pointers made with four.
Colorado State used a 17-3 scoring run to take a 35-26 lead going into the final media timeout of the opening half. Drake answered with eight-straight points, the last on a three-point play from Clark, to cut the deficit to 35-34. Caitlin Duffy knocked down a three-pointer to end the run, but Clark converted another three-point play to get within one point at 38-37 with 1:20 remaining in the half. The Rams ended the half scoring five of the last seven points to hold a 42-39 lead at halftime. Clark paced Drake with 12 points while Heap and Bartow each scored eight points.
“They are a very well balanced team, but at the same time we didn't do some of the things we needed to do,” said Drake head coach Jennie Baranczyk. “They made us pay for every mistake we made. I'm proud though of our team how they fought back especially right before half to cut that deficit.”
Out of halftime the Rams went on a 7-0 scoring to take a 49-39 lead before freshman Caitlin Ingle (Runnells, Iowa) ended the run with a tough reverse layup with 17:34 remaining. Colorado State responded with another scoring run to extend their lead to 54-43 with just over 15 minutes to go.
A resilient Bulldogs squad didn't back down as Heap buried a three-pointer after the under-12 minute timeout to cut the Rams' lead to 56-54. However, it would be as close as Drake would get the rest of the game as Colorado State would lead by as many as 19 points on its way to victory.
Five players led by Alicia Nichols, who scored a game-high 22 points, finished in double figures for Colorado State.
Drake's 77 points are a season-high as well as its 10 three-pointers made. The Bulldogs knocked down eight in the first half to pass the five they made against Creighton. Colorado State dominated in the paint scoring 50 points to just 25 points, while its bench outscored Drake's, 38-28.
The Bulldogs made a season-best 17 free-throws on 22 attempts. Heap logged a career-high 37 minutes. Ingle scored a career-best seven points.
“Liza was outstanding both offensively and defensively today,” Baranczyk said. “She played a career-high 37 minutes and did so well in her home state in front of family and friends.”
Drake concludes its three-game road swing with a trip to South Dakota on Thursday, Nov. 21. Tip-off with the Coyotes is set for 7 p.m. The Bulldogs return to the Knapp Center on Sunday, Nov. 24 at 2 p.m. against Iowa State.
