SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Led by sophomore Becca Hittner's (Urbandale, Iowa) game-high 24 points the Drake University women's basketball team never trailed in an 80-68 win at Missouri State Friday night at the JQH Arena.
 
With the road win, Drake (8-7, 3-0 MVC) set the new all-time mark for consecutive Missouri Valley Conference victories at 25. The impressive streak started Feb. 19, 2016 with a win over Loyola.
 
Missouri State (6-8, 2-1 MVC) was led in scoring by sophomore Alexa Willard with 17 points.
 
Four other Bulldogs joined Hittner in double figures. Playing just down the road from her hometown, redshirt sophomore Sara Rhine (Eldon, Mo.), recorded her third double-double of the season with 11 points and 10 rebounds. Maddy Dean (Jordan, Minn.) had 12 points and six boards and Becca Jonas (Independence, Mo.) had 11 points and eight rebounds. Junior Sammie Bachrodt (Wichita, Kan.) finished with another impressive all-around performance with nine points, eight rebounds, a career-high seven assists and two steals.
 
The game started slowly as each team missed their first few shot attempts. Drake sophomore Brenni Rose (Shawnee, Kan.) scored first, off an assist from Bachrodt. The teams then traded baskets and the score was 7-7 until Dean knocked down a three-pointer to give the Bulldogs the lead as they never trailed again. They would lead by as many as 22 points on their way to breaking a 41-41 tie in the all-time series with Missouri State.
 
Drake dominated the glass with a 49-27 advantage, including pulling down 14 offensive boards to just three by the Bears. The Bulldogs held Liza Fruendt, the MVC Preseason Player of the Year, to just 11 points with seven of those coming in the fourth quarter. Drake made 12-of-14 free throws as Hittner made 9-of-10 and Rhine made 3-of-4.
 
Drake continues its first MVC road trip Sunday at Southern Illinois. Drake and SIU are tied for first place in the MVC standings at 3-0 after the Salukis defeated UNI, 60-53, in overtime Friday night. Tipoff in Carbondale, Ill. is scheduled for 2 p.m. and the game will be broadcast on The Valley on ESPN3.