DES MOINES, Iowa – A late rally from 14 points down and a career day from freshman Sara Rhine (Eldon, Mo.) wasn't enough for the Drake women's basketball team to overcome in a 79-73 loss to the UNI Panthers Sunday afternoon at the Knapp Center.
 
Drake (12-5, 5-2 MVC) was led by Rhine who equaled her career high with 22 points to go with a career-best 15 rebounds to record her third career double-double. Junior Caitlin Ingle (Runnells, Iowa) finished with 18 points on 8-of-12 shooting from the floor and handed out five assists. Junior Lizzy Wendell (Blue Springs, Mo.) added 12 points.
 
UNI (11-7, 6-1 MVC) had five players tally double figures paced by junior Madison Weekly who had a game-high 25 points behind six three-pointers. Amber Sorenson had 12 points while Stephanie Davison scored 15 points.
 
"UNI showed their senior experience today," said Drake head coach Jennie Baranczyk. "They came out with a lot of great energy and to have five people in double figures is a great basketball game. They made a run in the second and third and it took us a little bit to answer.  We started to come back with our own run but just needed to sustain it a little more."
 
The Panthers, who led by 14 points after a Weekly three with 5:21 left in the third quarter, had to hold off a resilient Bulldogs squad that slowly chipped away at the deficit getting it first to just six points at the end of the third.
 
At the start of the fourth quarter, the Bulldogs couldn't sustain their momentum as UNI built its lead up to nine points with 6:21 left in the game after Weekly converted a traditional three-point play. However, Drake, who has just one senior on its roster wouldn't go away against the senior-heavy Panthers team.
 
First the lone senior Emma Donahue (Naperville, Ill.) answered with a three-pointer and after a short jumper from UNI senior Jen Keitel, the Bulldogs ripped off a 9-0 scoring run capped by Rhine's elbow jumper with 1:38 left in the game that briefly gave Drake the lead at 71-70. It was Drake's first lead since early in the second quarter.
 
"We've talked about this since day one, you were going to see the biggest growth in her game as the season continued," said Baranczyk of her outstanding freshman that has already claimed two MVC Newcomer of the Week awards in her first season. "She adds a great element for us and without having Becca Jonas she's gotten a lot of experience, and you can't teach experience."
 
Rhine's shot would be the Bulldogs' final lead as Sorenson scored five straight points, the first three from behind the arc with 1:12 to go and later the final two came after a Drake turnover on a layup with just 28 seconds left in the game. Drake wasn't able to get closer than four points the rest of the way as the Panthers made their foul shots to win the game.

The first two quarters was a back-and-forth contest with eight lead changes and three ties. UNI pulled in front with six second-quarter three-pointers as the Panthers led 46-37 at halftime.
 
Drake heads to the state of Illinois next weekend for games at Bradley on Jan. 29 and at Loyola on Jan. 31. Both games will broadcast on The Valley On ESPN3.