DES MOINES, Iowa – Sophomore Becca Hittner (Urbandale, Iowa) converted a three-point play with two seconds left for the Drake University women's basketball team in a thrilling back-and-forth in-state contest against Iowa State, 83-80, Thursday evening in the Knapp Center in front of a season-high 3,212 fans.
 
With the game tied at 80-all, Hittner's eventual winner came on a driving layup in the lane as she banked it in and Iowa State's Bridget Carlton was called for the block. Hittner calmly sank the free throw and then on the ensuing Iowa State possession blocked Carlton's tying three-point attempt as Drake (4-3) earned the win. The Bulldogs tied the game at 80-80 after freshman Maddie Monahan (Silver Lake, Minn.) converted a four-point play with 1:09 left in the game.
 
Redshirt sophomore Sara Rhine (Eldon, Mo.) shot 10-of-14 from the floor, including making 2-of-3 from beyond the arc to finish with a game-high 24 points to go with six rebounds. The duo of redshirt junior Maddy Dean (Jordan, Minn.) and junior Sammie Bachrodt (Wichita, Kan.) joined Rhine in double-figures, adding 16 and 12 points, respectively. While putting up a season high in points, Dean pulled down a game-high seven boards and added five assists.
 
Three more Bulldogs just narrowly missed double-digits as sophomore Hittner and junior Nicole Miller (Walker, Iowa) added eight and seven points each. Monahan had seven points to go with six assists and just one turnover.
 
In a game that featured five ties and six lead changes, Drake shot 32-of-57 (56.1 percent) in a performance that included going 11-of-27 (40.7 percent) from beyond the arc. Five assists by both Bachrodt and Hittner helped the Bulldogs dish out 27 assists on their 32 field goals.
 
Iowa State (3-3) was led by Emily Durr with 21 points while Bridget Carleton and Adriana Camber put up big numbers with 19 and 16 points, respectively. Carleton tied Dean for a game-high seven rebounds.

The Bulldogs got out to a quick start in the first half taking a 12-5 lead before Iowa State pulled within two. Iowa State quickly tied it up in the second quarter before taking their first lead of the game on a three-pointer by Durr for a 24-21 lead. The game remained tight with several lead changes and neither team taking larger than a 4-point lead until Bachrodt, Rhine and Dean put up back-to-back-to-back 3s to take a 10-point, 41-31 halftime lead.
 
Both teams continued to battle through the third quarter before Drake was able to hold a 62-57 lead entering the fourth quarter. After trailing by 11 points, the Cyclones stormed back with a 15-1 run for a 74-71 lead. With just under three-minutes left senior Paige Greiner (Williamsburg, Iowa) made her first points of the game with a crucial three-point shot to put Drake up 74-72, but ISU quickly answered with back-to-back threes to lead 80-76 before Monahan was fouled on a made three-pointer from the top of the arc.
 
The Bulldogs return to the Knapp Center Sunday for a matchup against former MVC-foe Creighton. Tipoff is scheduled for 2 p.m. and will be broadcast on Mediacom MC22 and The Valley on ESPN3.