The Basics
Drake women's basketball will travel east for their penultimate road trip of the 2022-23 regular season. The Bulldogs are set to conclude two season series with Valparaiso and UIC on Friday, Feb. 10 and Sunday, Feb. 12, respectively.
 
Power Point
Katie Dinnebier continues to have a solid sophomore season for the Bulldogs. She is one of four double-digit scorers with 10.7 points per game. Dinnebier paces the Bulldogs' second-ranked assist numbers with 5.6 assists per game and 111 total distributions. Her assist figures rank first in the MVC and in the top 40 nationally.
 
Dinnebier is also currently tied for fourth all-time in free throw percentage (.832) at Drake.
 
Bair Leading the Bulldogs
Maggie Bair garnered her third MVC Player of the Week nomination of the season after averaging a double-double in the Bulldogs' 1-1 week against UNI (2/1) and Evansville (2/4). Bair leads Drake in scoring with 16.1 points per game and rebounds with 8.2 boards per game. She also leads the team and the MVC, and ranks seventh in the country, with a .618 field goal percentage. Bair is also closing in on a career milestone with 982 career points.
 
Secretary of the Interior
Reserve forward Anna Miller has steadily ascended the Bulldogs' all-time blocked shots list this season. Her 48 blocks lead the Bulldogs and rank second in the MVC. In just 54 career games at Drake, Miller has logged 98 blocks and currently ranks seventh all-time.
 
Amazing Grace
Graduate forward Grace Berg has been rock-solid for the Bulldogs this season. She's been Drake's second-leading scorer with 12.7 points per game and has also been the second-most efficient field goal, three-point, and free throw shooter.
 
Team Stats Leaders
As a team, Drake ranks in the national top 10 of these statistical categories:

• Def. reb./game - 1st - 33.2
• Assists/game - 2nd - 20.8
• Blocks/game - 4th - 6.0
• Rebounding margin - 7th - 10.8
• Rebounds/game - 8th - 44.7
• Field goald pct. - 10th - 47.4

 
Scouting Valparaiso
Valpo enters the weekend with a 4-17 overall record and a 2-10 mark in MVC play. The Beacons are currently 11th of 12 in The Valley standings, just ahead of cellar-dweller Bradley. Valparaiso is riding a two-game losing streak with losses to UIC and Southern Illinois in their two most recent matchups.
 
Olivia Brown and Leah Earnest have been the Beacons primary offensive threats with 12.0 points per game and 10.9 points per game, respectively. Earnest is also the Beacons' best rebounder with an average of eight boards per game. Ali Saunders, Valpo's third -leading scorer with 9.7 ppg, leads the team with 50 assists.
 
The Beacons are led by fifth-year head coach Mary Evans. During her tenure in Valparaiso, Evans has led the Beacons to a 52-85 record.
 
Drake leads Valpo 14-2 in the all-time series between the two teams. Drake's victory in their most recent meeting, an 84-51 Bulldog win in Des Moines last month, ended a two-game Beacon winning streak.
 
Scouting UIC
UIC is sitting in the middle of the pack in the MVC standings with a 13-10 overall record and a 5-7 conference record. The Flames have split their last five games for a 2-3 record since visiting Des Moines in mid-January.
 
The Flames are led by Des Moines native and Dowling Catholic High School graduate Josie Filer. The graduate student is averaging 12.7 points and 6.6 rebounds per game, both team-highs for the Flames. Elswhere, Kristian Young leads the team with 3.7 assists per game and 1.6 steals per game.
 
Ashleen Bracey is in her first season at the helm of the UIC women's basketball program. She has led the Flames to a 13-10 record during her first year.
 
In seven meetings, Drake has won all but one game. The Bulldogs hold a 6-1 advantage including a 63-51 win on Jan. 19. UIC's lone win over Drake came during the 2011-12 season, a 61-48 Flames win in Chicago.
 
Up Next
Drake will return home for a pivotal home weekend. The Bulldogs will host Bradley on Thursday, Feb. 16 before welcoming league-leading Illinois State to the Knapp Center on Saturday, Feb. 18. Drake's tilt with the Redbirds will be their annual Pink Game for breast cancer awareness.