WICHITA, Kan. – Senior Lizzy Wendell (Blue Springs, Mo.) scored 32 points to help the Drake University women's basketball team defeat Wichita State, 83-78, Friday night at Koch Arena in the Missouri Valley Conference opener for both teams.
 
Sophomore Sammie Bachrodt (Wichita, Kan.) added 14 points playing in her hometown and in front of a large group of family and friends. Senior Caitlin Ingle (Runnells, Iowa) had 12 points and eight assists and freshman Becca Hittner (Urbandale, Iowa) finished with 10 points for Drake (8-4, 1-0 MVC), who never trailed in the contest.
 
The Bulldogs went on a 9-2 scoring run to open the final quarter with six points coming from Wendell to take an 11-point lead at 74-63, its largest lead of the game, with 7:59 left on the clock. However, Wichita State (5-7, 0-1 MVC) twice trimmed Drake's lead to six points, until Ingle and Wendell each made layups to put the Bulldogs' advantage to 10 points at 83-73 with 1:30 left in the game. The Shockers scored five-straight points to cut the deficit in half, but Bachrodt secured a steal at the buzzer to seal the win.
 
In the first quarter, a and-one play by Wendell increased Drake's lead to 13-5. Wendell stretched the Bulldogs' advantage to 25-17 right before the end of the first quarter, scoring a layup off a great pass by Ingle. Wendell had a game-high 12 points in the opening quarter while Bachrodt chipped in six points. The Bulldogs shared the basketball with six assists on their nine field goals.
 
At halftime, Wichita State cut its deficit to four points at 40-36 outscoring Drake 19-15 in the second quarter. Hittner converted a three-point play to start the third quarter that extended the Bulldogs' lead to 43-36.
 
Drake finished the game at 52.5 percent shooting from the floor. The Bulldogs recorded 22 assists on 32 field goals. Bachrodt filled the stat sheet with a career-high five assists, four rebounds and two steals in 30 minutes. Wendell added five rebounds, three steals and two assists. Ingle was two assists shy of her 14^th career points/assists double-double.
 
Drake visits Springfield, Mo., on Jan. 1 to take on the Missouri State Lady Bears. Tipoff is set for 2 p.m. and the game will be broadcast on The Valley on ESPN3.