The Basics
The Drake University women's basketball team will host a pair of potentially pivotal MVC contests as they close their 2023-24 home schedule. The Bulldogs will host UIC on Thursday, Feb. 29 before welcoming Valparaiso to Des Moines for Senior Day on Saturday, Mar. 2.
Bulldogs by the Numbers
Drake enters the weekend with a two-game lead in the Missouri Valley Conference standings at 15-1 in league play and 22-5 overall. The Bulldogs are coming off a thrilling 79-77 win over UNI to extend their winning streak to seven games.
Katie Dinnebier recently lost her title as the league's leading scorer but still tops the Drake squad at 18.3 points per game. Dinnebier also leads the MVC with 187 assists, 6.9 assists per game, 68 steals, and 2.5 steals per game.
Three other Bulldogs average double-digit points including
Grace Berg (17.0 ppg),
Anna Miller (12.9 ppg), and
Taylor McAulay (10.1 ppg).
Miller was rewarded for a stellar week of play after averaging a double-double last week including a 21-point, 19-rebound effort in their win over the Panthers with the most recent MVC Player of the Week award. She has been stellar on both ends of the floor as Drake's leading rebounder with a 9.9 per game and blocks with 2.8 per game, both are league highs.
Scouting UIC
The Flames bring a 16-11 overall record and 9-7 Valley record into the week. UIC has split its last four contests with wins over Valparaiso and Bradley and losses against Murray State and Illinois State.
The duo of Makiyah Williams and Keimari Rimmer lead the Flames' offense with 12.8 ppg and 11.4 ppg, respectively. Rimmer also leads UIC on the glass with a team-high 6.8 boards per game and has been a defensive star with 1.7 steals per game. Guards Sandra Frau-Garcia and Kristian Young both average at or around four assists per game.
Ashleen Bracey is in her third season leading the UIC women's basketball program. She has led the Flames to a 35-28 record in her young tenure.
Drake leads the all-time series with UIC by a 3-2 margin. The two teams have split the last two meetings, both in Chicago. Drake is 2-0 all-time when playing the Flames in Des Moines.
Scouting Valparaiso
The Beacons of Valparaiso will take a visit to Des Moines for the Bulldogs' final home game of the season. Valpo has struggled this season with a 5-20 overall record and a 4-12 mark in league play. The Beacons have dropped their last three contests with their most recent win coming at Bradley on Feb. 15.
Valpo also boasts a solid 1-2 punch of Leah Earnest and Olivia Brown. Earnest leads the Beacon offense with 16.1 ppg while also pacing the team's rebounding effort with 7.2 rpg and dishing out a team-high 70 assists. Brown scores exactly 10.0 per contest
Mary Evans is in her sixth season at the helm of the Valpo women's team. She has posted a 60-111 record during her time as the Beacons' head coach.
The Bulldogs have owned their all-time series with Valpo by a 16-2 record. Valpo's only wins came in back-to-back fashion in 2022. Drake is currently riding a three-game winning streak versus Valpo.
Up Next
Drake's regular season schedule will come to a close next weekend with their final road trip in conference play. The Bulldogs will visit Evansville and Indiana State between Mar. 7-9.
