Drake women's basketball (2-2) raced out to a quick lead over host school Nevada (1-3), and used its fast start as the foundation needed to hold on for a 77-75 win in the opening game of the Nugget Classic in Reno, NV.

Drake enjoyed a nine-point advantage, 28-19, in the opening quarter thanks to a team-leading 11 points from Maggie Bair. The Bulldogs capitalized on 9-11 shooting and a perfect 8-8 from the line in the game's first quarter of action. Bair ended the game one rebound short of a double-double with 17 points and nine rebounds, both team-highs.

The Bulldogs led 43-36 at the intermission. Katie Dinnebier contributed 10 points in the opening half and Drake was a perfect 10-10 from the charity stripe while holding Nevada to only 2 attempts from the free throw line.

Drake continued its excellent shooting to open the second half, making 8-11 field goal attempts in the third quarter. The Bulldogs shared the ball well, scoring eight of those field goals on five assists.

Drake outlasted a last-minute push from the Wolf Pack, who had the ball in the final possession with a chance to tie or take the lead. However, Drake had fouls to give and utilized them well to drain clock and limit opportunities for the Wolf Pack. A heavily contested three-point attempt with four seconds remaining did not find its intended mark and while Nevada corralled the offensive rebound they were unable to get a shot off before time expired.

Drake returns to action Saturday, November 27 when they take the court vs. San Francisco at 6:30 pm. Fans can listen to the game on ESPN 1350 and the Varsity Network to hear Hunter Philips and Randy Mauro on the call.