CARBONDALE, Ill. – The Drake women's basketball team (7-4, 1-0) began their 2023-24 Missouri Valley Conference schedule with a determined road victory over Southern Illinois (5-6, 0-1). The Bulldogs managed their way through a physical contest to earn the 78-59 triumph.
 
Taylor McAulay and Grace Berg combined to score the Bulldogs' first 12 points of the game including one three-pointer apiece. McAulay started with a dribble-drive and put-back off the initial tip before Berg halted a short SIU run with a transition bucket.
 
The Salukis took an early lead on a Paige Clubb triple and a steal off the subsequent inbound. SIU's defense forced three turnovers in the first four minutes of action before Berg struck again.
 
The Bulldogs then took their turn on the defensive end, forcing a shot clock violation, as they carried an 8-0 run to the games' first media timeout. The visiting Dogs picked up right where they left off after the pause, rolling through a 17-0 spurt. Quierra Love eventually snapped the Bulldogs' run with a three-pointer as Drake closed out the quarter with a 21-12 advantage.
 
Love got the Salukis' deficit back into single digits with a steal and score before momentum really swung back towards the hosts after a Katie Dinnebier charging foul. Berg again put a stop to SIU's rally with a strong finish at the rim.
 
Berg spurred another Drake run around the mid-way point of the second quarter, hitting the 15-point mark at the free throw line. Drake leaned on their defense as halftime approached, forcing a turnover that led to an Ashley Iiams fast break score.
 
Southern Illinois hung around, though, as Tyranny Brown buried a deep three from the wing to clip Drake's lead to just five. Dinnebier was able to find paydirt once more before the horn with a traditional three-point play. The Bulldogs led 40-31 at the break.
 
Berg added to her superb performance on the Bulldogs' first possession of the second half with her third three-pointer of the afternoon. She eventually eclipsed the 20-point mark after a dish from McAulay early in the third quarter.
 
SIU held Drake scoreless for over two minutes in the third, long enough to get back within seven. The Bulldogs struggled to find any flow during that stretch as Suzie Glazer Burt Head Coach Allison Pohlman burned a timeout.
 
Anna Miller eventually ended the Bulldogs' third-quarter woes with a layup after a Berg assist. SIU maintained their persistent pressure, narrowing the lead to just six with a pair of Seairra Hughes freebies. Dinnebier matched on the other end.
 
The Bulldogs entered the final quarter with a double-digit lead, 59-49.
 
Drake weathered a handful of turnovers and fruitful SIU possessions to build their lead back to 12 on a pair of Anna Miller and Dinnebier scores. Berg also added two more at the charity stripe.
 
Dinnebier jumped on top of Drake's scoring list as she led the Bulldogs on another quick 7-0 run to extend the difference to 17 points. Drake cruised down the stretch on their way to an MVC-opening 78-59 win.
 
Katie Dinnebier led Drake with 26 points and seven assists to go along with four steals. Grace Berg followed closely with a season-high 25 points and seven rebounds.
 
Anna Miller posted her fifth double-double of the season with 13 points and 12 rebounds. Taylor McAulay rounded out Drake's offensive leaders with 10 points while snagging a game-best five steals on the other end.
 
"It was one of those games where they'd cut it to anywhere from six to nine [points]," Suzie Glazer Burt Head Coach Allison Pohlman said. "And it never really felt very comfortable. We did what it took to get the win, and I'm proud of our team, but we need to shore up our turnovers and take better care of the ball. I'm proud of how we handled their pressure and found a way to get a tough win on the road."
 
Drake will return home for their next two matchups when they host Indiana State on Jan. 4 and Evansville on Jan. 6.
 
NOTES
 

• Drake, which leads the Missouri Valley Conference in field goal percentage, shot 53.8 percent (28-52) from the floor, marking the eighth time the Bulldogs have shot 50 percent or better in a game this season.
• Drake's win was the 50th-career victory in the head coaching career of Suzie Glazier Burt Head Coach Allison Pohlman.
• Katie Dinnebier led Drake with 26 points and seven assists. It marked her fifth 20-point game of the season.
• Saturday's game marked Grace Berg's 19th-career outing with at least 20 points.
• Berg had a season-high 25 points including three made three-pointers.
• Anna Miller posted her fourth double-double of the season with 13 points and 12 rebounds.
• Taylor McAulay rounded out Drake's double-digit scorers with 10 points and added a game-high five steals.
• Drake now leads SIU by a 68-30 margin in the all-time series with three-straight victories over the Salukis.