DES MOINES, Iowa – Four players scored in double figures for the Drake University women's basketball team in a 76-61 home win over UNI Friday night inside the Knapp Center.
 
Drake (19-5, 11-1 MVC) was led in scoring by Becca Hittner (Urbandale, Iowa) who finished with 19 points while Maddy Dean (Jordan, Minn.) and Sara Rhine (Eldon, Mo.) each had 14 points. Maddie Monahan (Silver Lake, Minn.) scored a career-high 14 points behind a career-best three three-pointers to go with seven assists.
 
The Bulldogs started quickly as Hittner knocked down a three-pointer just five seconds into the in-state contest. On the next two possessions, Monahan made a layup and drilled a three-pointer, for a quick 8-0 lead. Later, Drake pushed its lead to 10 points after Rhine's layup. However, UNI (15-9, 8-4 MVC) stormed back with an 11-0 closing run to lead 18-17 at the end of the first period. Karli Rucker, who scored a game-high 25 points, scored five points during the run.
 
Nicole Miller (Walker, Iowa) made a three-pointer at the start of the second quarter followed by a jumper by Rucker, but that was matched by a Sammie Bachrodt (Wichita, Kan.) three-pointer for the Bulldogs. Rucker continued her hot shooting, scoring five-straight points, to give UNI a 25-23 lead. It would be UNI's final lead of the night though as Dean made a three-pointer after a Bulldogs' timeout, that started a 12-0 run that lasted nearly seven minutes. Rucker made a pair of free throws with 29 seconds left and Bachrodt missed a half-court heave at the buzzer as Drake led 39-31 at the break.
 
Out of halftime, Monahan made another layup and Dean followed with another deep three as the Bulldogs would never lead by fewer than 12 points.

 
Dean knocked down 4-of-7 from behind the three-point line and has 221 in her outstanding career. She is just one away from tying Kyndal Clark (2011-15) for fifth all-time in school history in career three-pointers. As a team, Drake made 12 three-pointers, which is one shy of its season-high for a game. Bachrodt nabbed three steals to move in front of Jenni Fitzgerald (1986-1990) for fourth all-time with 251.
 
Following Friday's victory in the team's Blue Out Game presented by AARP of Iowa, Drake welcomes Evansville Friday, Feb. 22 for its annual Pink Game presented by Mercy One. Tipoff with the Purple Aces is scheduled for 6 p.m. and will be streamed on ESPN+.