DES MOINES, Iowa – The Drake University women's basketball team rallied to beat the Creighton Bluejays, 81-72, Tuesday evening at the Knapp Center in front of 2,462 fans. Five players, led by junior Lizzy Wendell (Blue Springs, Mo.) with a game-high 20 points, finished in double-figures for the Bulldogs.
In a back-and-forth contest that featured 14 lead changes and seven ties, it was Drake (4-0) who stormed back from a five-point deficit with just under six minutes to go in the game against its former Missouri Valley Conference rival. It was a total team effort for the Bulldogs as all 10 players logged 12 or more minutes in the win.
"We have this tough schedule to see where we are all at," said Drake head coach Jennie Baranczyk. "With only 10 players, we have to get that experience for everyone."
Creighton (2-1) took a 69-64 lead after Marissa Janning's layup with 5:54 on the clock in the fourth quarter. Two layups by freshman Sara Rhine (Eldon, Mo.) and one by sophomore Paige Greiner (Williamsburg, Iowa) helped Drake grab the lead back at 70-69.
Creighton freshman Audrey Faber, a Des Moines Dowling Catholic graduate, answered with her own layup and later with a free throw as she finished with a team-high 19 points. Her free throw gave the Bluejays a 72-71 lead with 1:45 to play, but it would be their final lead of the night as the Bulldogs roared back with the final 10 points to complete the comeback and improve to 4-0 on the season for the first time since the 2006-07 campaign.
Drake built an 18-8 advantage at the start of the first quarter behind strong shooting and the play of freshman Sammie Bachrodt (Wichita, Kan.) who scored five points during the run. However, Creighton climbed back into the contest with an 11-0 run to take a 19-18 lead at the end of the first quarter.
Joining Wendell in doubles digit points Tuesday was Rhine with 14 points, junior Caitlin Ingle (Runnells, Iowa) with 13, including knocking down a key three-pointer to extend the lead to four points with 46 seconds left in the game and sophomore Maddy Dean (Jordan, Minn.) and Bachrodt with 11 and 10 points, respectively.
Creighton made 13 three-pointers in the game, but made just 2-of-10 to end the game. Janning recorded 12 points while MC McGrory added 15 points and Lauren Works 13.
Drake and Tulsa will square off for the first time ever Saturday at the 2015 UNLV Lady Rebel Round-Up in Las Vegas, Nev. The contest will start at 4:30 p.m. CT and will be broadcast on the radio on 1350 ESPN Des Moines.
"I'm excited to head to Las Vegas and play a very good Tulsa team," Baranczyk said. "They are out of a very good conference and last year went to Missouri State and knocked them off in the first round of the WNIT. Then after that game we will have another tough opponent in either UNLV or George Mason the following day. It will be a great test to see where we are at."