DES MOINES, Iowa – With several players achieving landmark numbers, the Drake women's basketball team blew past Evansville 87-48 at the Knapp Center on Saturday afternoon to break a two-game losing streak.
 
Maggie Bair led the way with a 23-point, 10-rebound double-double that included a career-high three 3-point baskets as the Bulldogs (13-7, 8-4 MVC) beat Evansville (10-10, 5-7) for the 16^th straight time.
 
Sara Beth Gueldner and Katie Dinnebier each scored 14 points and Grace Berg added 11, which moved her up two more spots on Drake's career scoring list. Anna Miller pulled down a career-high 17 rebounds and just missed a double-double with nine points.
 
Courtney Becker contributed seven points and grabbed a season-best 10 rebounds and Hannah Nilges recorded her first points of the season, making a layup with a minute left for the game's final basket.
 
It was a solid effort throughout for the Bulldogs, who outrebounded Evansville 61-37, came up with a season-high 14 steals and had assists on 26 of their 35 baskets. The 61 rebounds were one short of the team's season best, which came against Howard back on Nov. 27.
 
Miller's line included four blocks – all in the first quarter to set the tone defensively – and three assists. Dinnebier handed out seven assists and matched her career high with five steals. Grace Berg added three steals and moved from 34^th to 32^nd on Drake's career scoring list, running her total to 1,089 points. She's two points behind No. 31 Maddie Petersen.
 
Abby Feit led Evansville with 13 points. Drake held the Aces to 24.6 percent shooting and forced 20 turnovers.
 
Bair, who had eight 3-pointers coming in, went 3-for-4 from long range and finished 10-for-12 overall. She scored the game's first points on a sweet drop-step and got three baskets during a 2 1/2-minute stretch in the second half by running the floor, taking a pass from three different teammates for layup.
 
Following that example, the 6-foot-3 Miller raced down the floor and took a pass from Dinnebier for a layup. Two minutes later, Dinnebier fed Berg for a 3 at the top of the key, then stole the ball and took it in for a layup to finish a 9-0 run that gave the Bulldogs a 77-43 lead and they coasted in from there.
 
Evansville stayed within striking distance until Drake closed the first quarter with a 12-1 run for a 28-13 lead, the Bulldogs' highest-scoring opening 10 minutes since putting up 32 against Indiana State on Jan. 14.
 
They led 42-25 at halftime and started the second half with 3-pointers from Bair, Dinnebier Gueldner en route to a 57-30 lead. Drake then hit a lull and Evansville sliced the lead to 57-39 with 4:38 left in the third quarter.
 
But the Aces got no closer and Drake answered with a 20-4 burst that Dinnebier capped with her steal and layup. The lead never fell below 31 after that.
 
This was the 14^th time in 20 games that Drake has scored at least 80 points. The Bulldogs have scored 80 or more in all but one of victories.
Drake returns to action at Valparaiso on Friday, Feb. 10 at 6 p.m. The Bulldogs beat Valpo 84-51 in Des Moines on Jan. 21.
 
"Thank you Bulldog nation for coming out, [it was] so awesome to be able to celebrate National Girls and Women in Sports Day," Suzie Glazer Burt Head Coach Allison Pohlman said after the game. "We did a really nice job winning every quarter, [it's just] phenomenal when our magic happens and when we run our system. Just so proud of our group today."
 
Drake will be on the road for their next two contests. The Bulldogs will complete their season series with Valpo on Feb. 10 and UIC on Feb. 12.
 
 
TEAM NOTES

• Drake's win snapped a two-game losing streak and improved their records to 13-7 overall and 8-4 in the Missouri Valley Conference.
• The Bulldogs' 87 matched their third-highest point total of the year.
• Drake made 35 field goals, their second-most baskets of the season.
• Drake out rebounded Evansville by a 61-37 margin. Their 67 boards were second-most in a single-game this season.
• 22 of Drake's 67 rebounds were on the offensive glass, setting a new season high.
• The Bulldogs collected 14 steal to set a new season-best mark.
• All 12 Drake players enters the game. 11 of Drake's 12 scored.
• The Bulldogs are now 4-2 when playing on Saturday's this season and 1-1 in the month of February.

 
INDIVIDUAL NOTES

• Saturday's game marked the 100th career appearance for senior forward Maggie Bair.
• Bair recorded second-straight double-double with a game-high 23 points and 10 rebounds.
• Bair's day included a new career and season-high three made three-pointers.
• Anna Miller snagged a new career-high 17 rebounds and just missed her second-straight double-double with nine points.
• True freshman Ava Hawthorne went 2-for-2 from the free throw line for new career and season-high bests in makes and attempts.
• Katie Dinnebier tied a career and season-high with five steals.
• Dinnebier and Sarah Beth Gueldner added 13 points apiece.
• Forward Grace Berg rounded out the Bulldogs' double figure scoring effort with 11 points.
• Courtney Becker joined in on the Bulldogs' rebounding extravaganza with 10 boards, a new season high.
• Becker and Miller each set new season-highs in field goal attempts with 12 and 10, respectively.

 
THE SERIES

• Drake now leads the series with Evansville by a 51-14 margin.
• The Bulldogs have won the last 16 games versus the Purple Aces and eight-straight in Des Moines.