CEDAR FALLS, Iowa – The Drake University women's basketball team used a big fourth quarter as it defeated UNI 88-64 Friday night in Missouri Valley Conference play at the McLeod Center.
Sara Rhine (Eldon, Mo.) scored a season-high 26 points and nabbed a career-high five steals for Drake (13-4, 5-0 MVC), which had two other double-figure scorers in
Becca Hittner (Urbandale, Iowa) with 19 points and
Maddy Dean (Jordan, Minn.) with 13 points. Dean and Hittner each made three 3-pointers. Off the bench,
Monica Burich (Roseville, Minn.) and
Nicole Miller (Walker, Iowa) each added nine points. Burich just missed a double-double with nine rebounds to go with a career-high five assists.
UNI (10-7, 3-2 MVC) was led in scoring by Ellie Howell, who had 15 points but was held to just two after halftime.
It was another hard-fought battle between the two longtime in-state rivals in a game that featured multiple runs by each team. However, it was the Bulldogs' run in the final period that propelled them to the road victory. Burich's last-second putback in the third helped Drake take a five-point advantage into the fourth quarter that started with a 3-pointer by
Sammie Bachrodt (Wichita, Kan.). The team's then traded baskets until Rhine hit a jumper at the 7:14 mark and followed with a layup as the Bulldogs ripped off 13 consecutive points, the last coming on back-to-back baskets by Rhine, who scored eight in the key stretch. Overall in the fourth, the Drake scored 29 points behind 12-of-14 (85.7 percent) shooting from the floor and 4-of-4 from the free throw line.
Maddie Monahan (Silver Lake, Minn.) nailed a 3-pointer just 10 seconds into the contest as Drake led 26-16 after one quarter. The Bulldogs increased their lead to 16 in the second quarter after Hittner knocked down a 3-pointer with just over two minutes left, but the Panthers answered with an 8-1 closing run in the first half that was then followed by a 6-0 opening run to the third period. Rhine ended the Panthers' run with a short jumper, but the Panthers kept answering the Bulldogs basket-for-basket as they would later tie the game at 49-all after an Abby Gerrits 3-pointer. Miller though converted a three-point play on the other end as the Bulldogs would never be tied or trail in the game again.
Next week, Drake stays on the road as it closes January with pair of road games in Indiana. The Bulldogs visit Indiana State Jan. 25 before they close the trip at Evansville Jan. 27. Both road games will be streamed on ESPN3.
