POCATELLO, Idaho – Sophomore Lizzy Wendell (Blue Springs, Mo.) scored a game-high 25 points as the Drake University women's basketball team cruised past Idaho State, 80-66, Saturday (Dec. 6) afternoon at Reed Gym.
Freshman Becca Jonas (Independence, Mo.) added a career-high 16 points with seven rebounds, while Wendell posted solid overall numbers across the scorebook to go along with her 25 points as she finished with five rebounds, five assists and two steals in 34 minutes.
Drake (4-4) played 10 players in the win over Idaho State (2-5) as all 10 Bulldogs scored at least two points. As a team, Drake finished at a sterling 50.8 shooting from the field and dished out 24 assists. Four Bulldogs, led by sophomore Caitlin Ingle (Runnells, Iowa) with seven, recorded four or more assists.
“One of the best things today was Becca established herself early,” said head coach Jennie Baranczyk. “That really opened some things up for us especially from the outside. I really liked the balancing scoring and I'm very pleased with the 24 assists on 31 field goals.”
The Bulldogs limited the Bengals to just 1-of-19 (5.3 percent) from beyond the arc, while knocking down 9-of-19 (47.4 percent) from behind the three-point line.
Consecutive three-pointers by Cortni Rush (Mason City, Iowa), Wendell and Paige Greiner (Williamsburg, Iowa) on its final three possessions in the opening half helped give Drake a 40-27 halftime lead.
Greiner's deep three came at the buzzer as the freshman also hit a buzzer-beater at halftime in the Wisconsin game earlier this season. Jonas and Wendell each scored 10 points in the first half.
Jonas started the second stanza with a tough jumper with an assist from Wendell. Drake would later lead by as many as 23 points over Idaho State. The Bengals didn't go away easily as they were able to pull within 11 points at 77-66 with 1:31 remaining in the game. However, Wendell ended any hope of a Idaho State rally as she drilled a three-pointer with 21 seconds left to secure the win for Drake.
Drake takes a week off for finals before traveling to Omaha, Neb. to face former MVC-rival Creighton on Dec. 14 at 2:05 p.m.
