DES MOINES, Iowa – The Drake University women's basketball team cruised to a 108-44 win over Evansville Sunday, its 14^th-consecutive victory at the Knapp Center dating back to last season.
 
Drake (12-5, 4-1 MVC), which has won five of its last six contests, began the game on a 19-0 run, and after a three-point play by Evansville (3-14, 0-6 MVC), reeled off a 20-0 burst as the lead later ballooned to 39-3 early in the second quarter.
 
The Purple Aces struggled to find the mark early, hitting just 1-of-17 shots (5.8 percent) in the opening frame. Becca Hittner poured in 14 points on 5-of-6 shooting in six minutes of action in the first quarter. Hittner finished with 16 points in just 20 minutes.
 
Drake took a 56-14 lead into the locker room at halftime. Its 56 points are the most Drake has scored in a half this season, and its 14 points allowed are the fewest conceded in a first half this year.
 
Many Bulldogs enjoyed their best outputs of the season in numerous statistical categories as six finished in double-figures scoring. 12 Bulldogs played at least four minutes or more while no starter played more than 20 minutes.
 
Brenni Rose, the MVC's assists leader, was aggressive looking for her own shot as she posted a season-high 16 points on 6-of-8 shooting. Sara Rhine recorded 13 rebounds and three assists, both of which are season-bests to go with 11 points. Monica Burich posted 12 points, her highest total of the year. Hittner tied her season-high with four steals, and Maddie Monahan matched her career-best with four steals. Freshman Sarah Beth Gueldner equaled her career-bests of five three-pointers and 15 points in her young career.
 
Drake's 64-point win is its biggest margin of victory against a Division I team this season, breaking the 40-point difference the Bulldogs set in their last win over Indiana State (105-65) Friday. The differential comes as Drake scored its most points of the season while allowing its fewest by a Division I foe.
 
The Bulldogs whipped the ball around the perimeter, matching a season-high with 28 assists and drilling a season-best 16 three-pointers. Monahan handed out a game-high seven assists while Kierra Collier had six to go along with eight points.
 
Drake's 108 points are the most in program history against a Missouri Valley Conference opponent in a regulation game. Friday and Sunday are the first consecutive league games where the Bulldogs broke the century mark. The program's 14-game home winning streak is tied for the fifth-best winning streak.
 
Drake travels to Illinois State on Friday, Jan. 24 for a 7 p.m. tip.