NORMAL, Ill. – The Drake University women's basketball team closes its two-game road trip at Illinois State on Sunday. Tipoff with the Redbirds is scheduled for 2 p.m. and the game will be broadcast online via The Valley on ESPN3 and on radio on Praise 940-AM.
 
Drake is coming off a 93-60 win at Bradley on Friday evening to improve to 12-4 overall and 5-0 in Missouri Valley Conference play. Senior Lizzy Wendell (Blue Springs, Mo.) poured in a game-high 24 points and added a career-tying seven steals and three blocks along with five rebounds and three assists. Wendell has scored 20 or more points in five-straight games, all MVC contests, and is averaging a league-high 25.0 points per Valley game. Senior Caitlin Ingle (Runnells, Iowa) recorded her 14th career points/assists double-double with 10 points and 12 assists.
 
Junior Paige Greiner (Williamsburg, Iowa) scored a career-high 13 points behind 5-of-6 shooting, including knocking down three three-pointers. Sophomore Sammie Bachrodt (Wichita, Kan.) also had 13 points while redshirt sophomore Becca Jonas (Independence, Mo.) finished with 12 points.
 
The Bulldogs shot a blistering 51.4 (36-of-70) percent from the floor and 47.8 percent (11-of-23) from behind the three-point line. As a team, they tallied 30 assists, nabbed 16 steals and forced Bradley to commit 23 turnovers. Drake won the rebounding battle at 42-37, scored 16 second-chance points and had 31 points off the Braves' turnovers. All 10 Bulldogs scored at least two points and played 10 minutes in the win.
 
The 30 assists are the second-most in a game this season for Drake (Clarke, 34), and the most against a Division I opponent. It marks the second-straight season, the Bulldogs, who are tied with UConn in team assists per game at 21.3, have recorded 30 assists against a MVC opponent after hitting the mark last season versus Evansville on Jan. 3.
 
Illinois State is 4-11 overall and 1-3 in MVC action. UNI defeated Illinois State, 78-40, on Friday night. Senior Taylor Stewart averages a team-leading 12.1 points per game. Drake and Illinois State are longtime MVC rivals who have played at least twice annually every season since the 1981-82 season. The Bulldogs hold a 38-35 advantage over the Redbirds in the all-time series.
 
Following Sunday's game, Drake returns to Des Moines to host Loyola on Jan. 20. Tipoff with the Ramblers is set for 7 p.m.