The Basics
The 2022-23 women's basketball regular season will come to a close this weekend with a pair of contests in the Knapp Center. The Bulldogs will look to avenge an earlier loss to Missouri State on Thursday, Mar. 2.
 
Drake will then conclude their regular season slate with a matchup against Southern Illinois on Saturday, Mar. 4. The Bulldogs will celebrate Senior Day following their battle with the Salukis.
 
Dynamic Dinnebier
Drake point guard Katie Dinnebier continues to orchestrate the Bulldog offense and lead the perimeter of Drake's defense. The West Des Moines native is one of three double-digit scorers for the Bulldogs while leading the MVC in assists and the team in free throw percentage and steals.
 
Senior Star
Maggie Bair has been the catalyst for the Bulldogs' success this season. The senior forward is leading Drake in scoring, rebounding, and shooting efficiency. Bair logged two career highs with 28 points on 4-of-5 three-point shooting in the Bulldogs' 97-71 win at Murray State on Feb. 23.
 
It's Miller Time
Sophomore forward Anna Miller has starred in a reserve role for the Bulldogs this season but was recently inserted into the starting lineup in their matchup vs. Illinois State (/18). Miller led all scorers with 18 points in her first start of the year and the Bulldogs have gone 2-1 since the shift.
 
Amazing Grace
Grace Berg's storied career has continued throughout her senior season as the team's second-leading scorer and second-most efficient shooter from the field, three-point line, and free throw stripe.
 
Hoops in the Heartland Seeding
Drake's matchup with Missouri State this week will hold major implications for MVC Tournament seeding. The Bulldogs are locked into either the fourth or fifth seed. Beating the Lady Bears would improve their chances of earning a double bye in next week's Hoops in the Heartland tournament.
 
Balanced Bulldogs
In Drake's last win over Murray State (2/23), all five Bulldog starters scored in double figures for the first time since November. (vs. Iowa, 11/13)
 
Owing the Boards
Drake continues to clean up on the defensive glass with 32.3 defensive rebounds per game. The Bulldogs' numbers on the boards ranks first in all of Division I hoops.
 
Taming the Turnovers
Despite sitting towards the bottom of the MVC list in total turnovers, Drake has been opportunistic in various spots. The Bulldogs are 10-0 when committing the same amount or fewer turnovers compared to their opponents.
 
60 Marks the Spot
When holding teams to 60 points or less, the Bulldogs are a stellar 10-1.
 
Winning in the Margins
In terms of margin of victory, this season has been a tale of two teams for the Bulldogs. Drake is an impressive 16-3 in games decided by doubles digits and 0-4 in games decided by 10 points or less. All 12 of Drake's MVC wins have been by at least 12 points.
 
Team Stats Leaders
As a team, Drake ranks in the national top 10 of these statistical categories:

• Def. reb./game - 1st - 32.3
• Assists/game - 3rd - 20.7
• Blocks/game - 4th - 5.8
• Rebounding margin - 6th - 10.6
• Rebounds/game - 7th - 43.8 

Scouting Missouri State
The Missouri State Lady Bears are currently one spot ahead of Drake in the MVC standings with an overall record of 19-8 and a league mark of 14-4. The Lady Bears have won their last two games by double-digits with a 63-51 win over Evansville (2/23) and a 77-66 victory over Indiana State (2/25).
 
Missouri State is led by a trio of triple-digit scorers in Aniya Thomas (15.0 ppg), Kennedy Taylor (12.0 ppg), and Sydney Wilson (10.7 ppg). Taylor also leads the Lady Bears on the glass with 8.6 boards per game followed by Indya Green with 7.7 rebounds per game. Elsewhere, Thomas has been the premier perimeter player for Missouri State with a team-high in assists and steals.
 
The Lady Bears are led by head coach Beth Cunningham. In her first season in Springfield, Cunningham had a solid nine-year run at VCU and has posted a career record of 186-123.
 
Drake trails Missouri State in their all-time rivalry by a 51-44 margin. The Lady Bears have owned the series in recent years with nine-straight wins. Drake's last win over Missouri State came in March of 2019.
 
Scouting Southern Illinois
The Bulldogs will conclude their regular season schedule with a contest against Southern Illinois on Saturday, Mar. 4. The Salukis will bring a two-game winning streak to the Knapp Center as Drake will attempt to protect their home floor on Senior Day. SIU's last two games have included a 15-point home win over Indiana State (2/23) and a 105-59 demolition of Evansville (2/25).
 
Graduate guard Ashley Jones leads the Salukis with an impressive 17.2 points per game. Jones is one of two SIU players to average 4.0+ assists along with Quierra Love.
 
Center Promise Taylor, the league's top shot blocker with 3.0 blocks per game, is also an offensive threat with an average of 10.3 points per game. Taylor's 6.1 rebounds per game ranks second on the team, just behind Laniah Randle with 6.4 rpg.
 
Kelly Bond-White is in her first season as the leader of the Southern Illinois women's hoops program.
 
Drake leads SIU in their all-time series, 66-30. The Bulldogs have won 13 of the last 15 with Southern Illinois' wins coming in back-to-back games during the 2021-22 season.
 
Up Next
The Drake women will travel to Moline, Ill. for the Hoops in the Heartland MVC women's basketball tournament from Mar. 9-12. The Bulldogs' seeding will be determined following this weekend's upcoming conference action.