IOWA CITY, Iowa – Sophomore
Becca Hittner (Urbandale, Iowa) poured in a career-high 27 points for the Drake University women's basketball team in a hard-fought 79-66 loss at No. 25/25 Iowa Thursday night at Carver Hawkeye Arena.
In its final non-conference action of the season, Drake (5-7) battled Iowa (12-1) the entire game, coming all the way back from a 22-point deficit late in the third quarter, to pull within 14 points midway through the final quarter.
The Hawkeyes were led by junior center Megan Gustafson, who has been named Big Ten Player of the Week six straight weeks, as she recorded her 12
th double-double of the season with 27 points and 12 rebounds. Sophomore Makenzie Meyer scored 21 points behind five three-pointers.
The Bulldogs pulled down a season-high 27 offensive rebounds and 48 total to tally a 48-40 advantage on the glass. Junior
Sammie Bachrodt (Wichita, Kan.) grabbed a career-high six offensive rebounds and eight total while fellow junior
Nicole Miller (Walker, Iowa) pulled down eight rebounds with five on the offensive end. Drake used its rebounding proficiency to score 20 second-chance points. Miller added four assists and three steals in 21 minutes off the bench.
Iowa used a 13-2 scoring over the final 3:21 minutes of the second quarter to lead 46-27 at halftime. In the second quarter, Drake was outscored 25-12. However, the Bulldogs outscored the Hawkeyes, 39-33, in the final two periods of play.
Meyer made a three-pointer at the 4:19 mark in the third quarter, but Hittner answered with her own three-pointer as part of a 7-0 run. Later in the fourth quarter, redshirt junior
Becca Jonas (Independence, Mo.) who finished with a season-high 12 points, made her first three of the game to bring Drake back to within 14 points at 66-52. However, Gustafson answered with six straight points to push the Iowa lead to 72-52. A resilient Bulldogs squad fought back with back-to-back three-pointers by Bachrodt and Hittner. The Hawkeyes though maintained their double-digit lead as they held off the Bulldogs for their fifth-consecutive win. Senior
Paige Greiner (Williamsburg, Iowa) from nearby Williamsburg made two three-pointers for six points to go with two rebounds and one assist.
Following Thursday's road game, Drake opens its Missouri Valley Conference schedule at home against new league member, Valparaiso, on Dec. 29. Tipoff against the Crusaders is set for 7 p.m.
