DES MOINES, IOWA — Southern Illinois took advantage of a 7-minute scoring drought by Drake in the second half to claim its first victory against Drake since 2016, earning a 60-59 Missouri Valley Conference victory Thursday night.
Junior forward
Maggie Bair, who had missed the previous two games, led Drake with 18 points. She scored 10 points in the first quarter including the last eight points to close out the period.
Drake, which suffered its third straight loss, fell to 9-7 overall including a 1-4 league mark.
The Salukis, playing their first game since Jan. 2 moved to 3-0 in the MVC for the first time since the 2017-18 campaign, while snapping a 12-game losing skid to Drake.
Owning a 41-36 lead following a basket by
Grace Berg with 2:47 left in the third quarter, Drake would go the next 7:07 without a basket before Bair broke the ice with 5:36 left in the game. By then Southern Illinois went on a 14-2 run to enjoy a 50-43 advantage it never relinquished.
Trailing 25-24, Drake closed out the first half with an 8-3 run to enjoy a 33-27 halftime lead with
Megan Meyer scoring five points to fuel the surge.
Drake struggled in the second half shooting just 20.6 percent, making only six of 29 shots, while committing 10 turnovers and scoring just 16 points.
The Bulldogs finished the game hitting 31 percent (18-58), including just 20 percent beyond the three-point arc, while tying a season low with five three-point baskets.
Drake collected a season-high 12 steals with Meyer collecting a career-high six steals, while Bair added a season-high three thefts.
Mackenzie Silver had a game-high 20 points for Southern Illinois, while Gabby Walker added 17. Walker didn't play the last 5:29 of the third quarter after picking up her fourth foul.
Drake will continue its three-game homestand, playing host to defending league champ Missouri State in a 2 p.m. tip-off Saturday.
TEAM NOTES
- Drake, which suffered its third straight loss, slipped to 9-7, including a 1-4 league mark.
- This marked the first time Drake has lost three straight Missouri Valley Conference games since the 2013-14 campaign when the Bulldog lost four straight league games.
- Drake collected a season-high 12 steals.
- Drake tied season lows with five three-point baskets and eight free throws made.
- Drake slipped to 8-4 in games in which it led at half after owning a 33-27 intermission lead.
INDIVIDUAL NOTES
- Maggie Bair, returning to the lineup for the first time in three games, led Drake with 18 points points, including 10 points in the first quarter scoring the last eight points to close out the quarter.
- Bair also grabbed a team-high eight rebounds for Drake along with a season-high three steals.
- Maddie Petersen moved a step closer toward becoming the sixth player in school history to reach the 500 career assists plateau. She collected three assists pushing her career total to 496
- Megan Meyer collected a career-high six steals for Drake.
THE SERIES
- Drake had a 12-game winning streak against Southern Illinois come to an end, while the Salukis earned their first victory against Drake since Jan. 1, 2016 in Des Moines (77-67).
- Drake leads the overall series against the Salukis to 65-29.
