VERMILLION, S.D. – South Dakota edged the Drake University women's basketball team, 92-87, in overtime Thursday night at the DakotaDome as Drake (6-1) lost its first game of the season.
 
In a back-and-forth contest between two high-scoring teams, Drake junior Lizzy Wendell (Blue Springs, Mo.) drained a clutch three with just one second left in regulation to send the game to overtime. Wendell's three-pointer came after South Dakota (4-3) made its own three-pointer with four seconds to go. Her big shot came off a great assist from freshman Nicole Miller (Walker, Iowa), who off a terrific inbounds play found the Missouri Valley Conference's top scorer in the left corner.
 
Wendell finished with a game-high 26 points on 8-of-15 shooting from floor, including a season-high five three-pointers. Senior Emma Donahue (Naperville, Ill.) recorded her first career double-double with 15 points and a career-high 10 rebounds along with tallying a career-best six blocks. Sophomore Maddy Dean (Jordan, Minn.) added 18 points and six rebounds.
 
In the first overtime period of the season for the Bulldogs, the teams swapped baskets early as the score was 84-84 after Donahue's jumper with 2:06 to play. After South Dakota made one of two from the free throw line on the next possession, Drake's Caitlin Ingle (Runnells, Iowa) narrowly missed a jumper that would have taken the lead back. Nicole Seekamp, who lead USD with 24 points, made three free throws on the next two possessions to push the lead to 88-84 with 25 seconds left.
 
Facing the four-point deficit it was again Wendell who came up big. She connected on another three, this one from nearly the same spot as her big make at the end of regulation, to pull within one at 88-87 with 18 seconds remaining. However, South Dakota pulled away by coming up with a pair of defensive rebounds that led to Drake having to foul as the Coyotes made 4-of-6 from the free throw line down the stretch to hold on for their 17^th straight win at the DakotaDome.
 
South Dakota had a 28-20 lead after the first quarter behind eight points by Seekamp, and five team three-pointers. Drake was paced by Wendell with seven points. The Coyotes led 37-31 at the halftime as the Bulldogs trailed at the break for the first time all season. Drake finished at 46 percent for the first half and limited South Dakota to 33 percent, but the Coyotes made five three-pointers.
 
Drake came out of halftime with a new energy as the Bulldogs tallied 21 points and held the Coyotes to just 12 points. Donahue stretched the lead to 55-49 to start the fourth quarter with a traditional three-point play.
 
Drake returns to Des Moines, Iowa to host the Green Bay Phoenix on Dec. 6. Tip-off is set for 2 p.m. and will be broadcast online on The Valley On ESPN3.