DES MOINES, Iowa – The Drake University women's basketball team won its final exhibition game, 106-62, over MidAmerica Nazarene Saturday afternoon, Nov. 5 at the Knapp Center.
 
All five starters for the Bulldogs scored in double-figures led by senior Lizzy Wendell (Blue Springs, Mo.) who scored a game-high 25 points. Sophomore Sara Rhine (Eldon, Mo.) added 20 points followed by her fellow sophomores Nicole Miller (Walker, Iowa) with 17 and Sammie Bachrodt (Wichita, Kan.) with 16. Senior Caitlin Ingle (Runnells, Iowa) recorded a double-double with 10 points and 13 assists.
 
Drake finished with a 56-24 rebounding advantage led by Bachrodt's 11 rebounds while Rhine and freshmen Brenni Rose (Shawnee, Kan.) and Mya Mertz (Overland Park, Kan.) each tallied eight. Eight Bulldogs recorded at least 20 minutes of play Saturday afternoon as Mertz just missed the mark with 17 minutes of action.
 
Drake shot an impressive 52.1 percent from the floor and scored 54 points in the paint. The Bulldogs finished with 23 second chance points compared to MidAmerica Nazarene's three. Drake raced to 20 fast break points.
 
After giving up the opening points to MidAmerica Nazarene, back-to-back three-pointers by Wendell and Miller gave the Bulldogs a lead they would never relinquish and build to as many as 48 midway through the final quarter. After going up 29-21 at to end the first quarter, Drake outscored MidAmerica Nazarene 21-15 in the second quarter to go up 50-36 at halftime.
 
A 14-0 run in the third quarter allowed the Bulldogs to outscore MidAmerica Nazarene, 56-26, in the second half to cruise to their final preseason victory.
 
The Bulldogs open the 2016-17 regular season in Grand Forks, N.D. facing North Dakota on Nov. 11. Tipoff is scheduled for 3 p.m. with the game being broadcast on the radio on 1350 ESPN Des Moines.