Box Score OMAHA, Neb. – The No. 24 Drake University women's basketball team used a strong fourth quarter performance to pull away from Creighton (1-4) in an 85-69 victory Wednesday afternoon contest between the longtime rivals.
Drake (7-1), which played its fourth game in seven days, was led by
Becca Hittner (Urbandale, Iowa) who scored a season-high 23 points, including surpassing the 1,000-career point mark, with her first 3-pointer of the game. Hittner shot 5-of-9 from the floor, hit 3-of-3 from behind the 3-point line and made a career-high 10 free throws on 12 attempts. She is the 32
nd player in program history to reach the 1,000-point milestone.
Sara Rhine (Eldon, Mo.), who on Monday was selected MVC Player of the Week for the third straight week to open the season, recorded her fourth double-double with 17 points and a season-best 13 rebounds. Rhine knocked down a career-high three 3-pointers. As a team, the Bulldogs nailed a season-high 13 3-pointers on 28 attempts.
Creighton (1-4) was paced by sophomore Temi Carda who scored a career-high 20 points. The Bluejays made 11 3-pointers on 40 attempts. Carda made a team-high four 3-pointers.
Sammie Bachrodt (Wichita, Kan.) and
Becca Jonas (Independence, Mo.) each chipped in eight points. Bachrodt pulled down a season-high nine rebounds and added three assists and two steals.
Drake, which led 58-55, entering the final quarter, ripped off six consecutive points as part of 13-3 opening run that pushed the Bulldogs' advantage to 71-58, matching its largest advantage of the game.
Nicole Miller (Walker, Iowa) capped the hot start with a 3-pointer and the team kept their lead in double digits the rest of the way for the win over their former MVC rival. In the last period, Drake outscored Creighton, 27-14, and its defense limited the Bluejays to 25.0 percent (4-of-16) from the floor and just 1-of-11 (9.1 percent) from three.
Late in the opening quarter, Creighton led 9-8 after a three-pointer, but the Bulldogs used an 8-0 run for a 16-9 advantage going to the second. Jonas scored four points during the run.
The teams traded 3-pointers in the second quarter as Drake led 25-21 at the media timeout. The Bluejays made four while the Bulldogs knocked down three. Rhine hit two of those as she equaled her career mark for a game with three 3-pointers. Drake extended its lead to seven at halftime, 36-29. Rhine had 11 points and nine rebounds while Bachrodt and Hittner each had six points.
Following Wednesday's road game, Drake will enjoy a break before it hosts Clarke Dec. 4 for the program's annual Pack the Knapp for Character Game Hosted by Drake's Ray Center. Tipoff is set for 11 a.m. as thousands of area elementary and middle school students will pack the Knapp Center for a fun day of basketball and educational activities.
