The Basics
After picking up a convincing road win at Indiana State in their last time on the floor, the Drake women's basketball team will look to start another hot streak with a pair of MVC matchups at home. The Bulldogs will take on UIC on Thursday, Jan. 19 and Valparaiso on Saturday, Jan. 20.
 
Newest 1,000-Point Club Member
In the Bulldogs' recent loss to UNI, Grace Berg buried a three-pointer in the first period for her first basket of the game. With that bucket, Berg eclipsed the 1,000-point mark for her career and became the 35th player in Bulldog women's basketball history to achieve that feat. Berg added another 13 points and seven rebounds and picked up an MVC Player of the Week nomination.
 
Bair-ing the Load
Maggie Bair continues to be a catalyst for the Bulldogs' offensive and defensive efforts this season. The senior leads the team in scoring and on the boards with 15.8 points and 8.3 rebounds per game. She also leads the MVC ranks fifth nationally with an impressive field goal percentage of 64.4%.
 
Protecting the Rim
Back-up foward Anna Miller has excelled in her recent increased role. Her scoring average continues to increase with 8.1 points per game while also leading the Bulldogs' interior defense. Miller's 32 blocks are second in the Missouri Valley Conference and 25th in Division I.
 
Boost from Becker
Reserve wing Courtney Becker has amped up her level of play since the turn of the New Year. She has averaged 9.2 points and 6.2 rebounds while logging at least 20 minutes in the Bulldogs' five matchups in 2023.
 
McAul(ay) Aboard!
Since entering the Bulldogs' starting lineup on December 30, junior wing Taylor McAulay has scored nearly eight points, including three double-digit outings, and collected just over five rebounds per contest. She has also helped the Bulldogs' perimeter shooting effort with at least one made three in all but one of her starts.
 
Dishin' it Out
The Bulldogs have been the most prolific distributing teams in the country this season. Drake leads Division I with an average of 21.5 assists per game. Sophomore point guard Katie Dinnebier paces the Bulldogs with 5.2 assists per game.
 
Glass Cleaners
Drake has also been one of the premier rebounding teams in the conference and the country. The Bulldogs lead the Division I with 34.4 defensive rebounds per game and are seventh in total rebounding average with 45.9 per game. Drake also ranks sixth in the nation with an 11.7 rebounding margin.
 
Back on Track
Drake got back in the win column after their heartbreaking home loss to UNI with a road victory at Indiana State. The Bulldogs 86-65 triumph was their sixth-straight over the Sycamores in Terre Haute.
 
Team Stats Leaders
As a team, Drake ranks in the national top 10 of these statistical categories:

• Defensive rebounds/game - 1st - 34.4
• Assists/game - 1st - 21.5
• Blocks/game - 4th - 5.9
• Rebounding margin - 6th - 11.7
• Rebounds/game - 7th - 45.9
• Field goald pct. - 9th - 48.1
• Scoring offense - 9th - 82.8

 
Scouting UIC
The Flames of UIC were one of three new additions to the MVC prior to the 2022-23 athletic year. The Flames enter the weekend with an 11-6 overall record and an even 3-3 mark in league play. UIC opened the year on a tear with three-consecutive wins and eight victories in their first nine contests. The Flames then fell into a bit of a slump, dropping five-straight tilts before ripping off another three-straight wins.
 
UIC has won their three most recent games by four points or less including a 65-62 win over Southern Illinois in their last time out.
 
Jaida McCloud leads the Flames in scoring with 16.3 points per game on a .468 field goal percentage. Kristian Young is scoring just under double digits per contest at 9.9 points per game. McCloud and Young are also the Flames' leading rebounders with averages of 6.2 rpg and 5.0 rpg, respectively. Young also paces UIC with 2.5 steals and 4.0 assists per game.
 
The Flames are led by first-year head coach Ashleen Bracey. The Chicagoland native and former Missouri assistant coach is familiar with The Valley as she was also a standout student-athlete at Illinois State.
 
Thursday's matchup between Drake and UIC will be the first in Missouri Valley Conference play. The Bulldogs and Flames have squared off on six previous occasions. Drake leads the all-time series by a 5-1 margin including a win in the most recent matchup in 2012.
 
Scouting Valparaiso
Valparaiso comes into their weekend in Iowa on a rare hot spell. The Beacons picked up their first MVC win of the year last weekend in a 77-68 triumph over Missouri State. Prior to their defeat of the Lady Bears, Valpo lost 11-straight games dating back to Nov. 16.
 
Valpo boasts three double-digit scorers lead by Olivia Brown's 12.2 ppg followed by Leah Earnest with 11.6 ppg and Ali Saunders with 10.1 ppg. Earnest has been the Beacons' best rebounder with an impressive 8.1 boards per game. Elsewhere, Ilysse Pitts has been the Beacons' premier perimeter player with team highs in assists (36) and steals (19).
 
Mary Evans is in her fifth season at the helm of the Valpo women's hoops program. Evans has led the Beacons to a 51-79 record in her five years.
 
Drake owns a 13-2 advantage in the all-time series with Valparaiso. Despite the Bulldogs' historic domination, Valpo's two wins came in the two most recent matchups last season.
 
Up Next
The Bulldogs will hit the road for another weekend away from home in MVC play. Drake is set for matchups at Southern Illinois and Missouri State on Jan. 26 and Jan. 28, respectively.