TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Drake women's basketball wrapped up their 2023-24 regular season slate with a lopsided victory on the road at Indiana State on Saturday. The Bulldogs got help from their entire roster and were led by Anna Miller's historic showing in a 96-64 triumph, their 11th in a row, over the Sycamores of Indiana State.
 
With the win, Drake ended the regular season with records of 26-5 overall and 19-1 in MVC play. The 19 league marked the first time in Valley men's and women's hoops history that a team was won 19 or more game in a season.
 
Anna Miller banked in the game's first basket after a quick dish from Katie Dinnebier. The Bulldogs' point guard followed suit with two of her own on Drake's next trip down the floor after a Grace Berg assist. Dinnebier later added another point at the line.
 
Both the Bulldogs and Sycamores (10-20, 6-14) suffered scoreless droughts for over the next two minutes until Taylor McAulay dropped in two free throws for her first points of the day. Both teams also could not dial in from deep with six misses in as many attempts. Dinnebier snapped the cold three-point shooting streak with a triple in transition just after the first media break. Miller then gave the Bulldogs their first double-digit lead of the game at 16-6 after curling around a screen and going off glass.
 
The Bulldogs had an answer for every Indiana State score as time ticked down in the first quarter. Drake doubled up the Sycamores and led 20-10 after the first 10 minutes. Despite leading at the pause, the Dogs trailed 13-6 on the glass.
 
Miller led the charge again in the second quarter with a dozen points in the period. She also made history in the second stanza, becoming the 37th player in program history to score over 1,000 career points and joined Dinnebier and Berg as active Bulldogs in the 1,000-point club. Miller led Drake on Saturday with a career high 25 points.
 
Indiana State was able to trim their deficit down into single digits at nine as Drake's offense fell out of tempo. The Sycamores battled but still trailed at the half as Drake produced enough stops down the stretch and led 38-25 at the midway point.
 
The Bulldogs continued to ride the excellent play of forward Anna Miller as the second half progressed. The Rochester, Minn. native snagged her 10th rebound of the outing in the quarter to reach her 15th double-double of the year. She finished with a game-high 14 rebounds.
 
Drake led by 20 with a quarter to play did not let up in the fourth. The offensive explosion was punctuated by a corner three from Hannah Nilges and a deuce from Emily Christenson, her first basket of the season. The Bulldogs left Terre Haute with a 96-64 victory.
 
Three more Bulldogs scored in double figures including Grace Berg with 16, Katie Dinnebier with 13, and Ashley Iiams with a career high 11. Dinnebier also dished out a game-best eight assists.
 
As a team, the Bulldogs scored 60 points in the paint, the most in a single game this season. Drake also overcame their earlier rebounding deficit to win the war on the boards, 47-31.
 
"Today was so much fun and [we had] so many contributions," Suzie Glazer Burt Head Coach Allison Pohlman said. "Almost everyone who played had an assist or added something statistically. We're on the road and had to create a lot of our own energy and I'm proud of how we got out to such a great start. [Our paint presence] started with our ability to run and we countered off that well and really utilized our skill set as a team. It's March…and we're moving in the right direction."
 
Drake will start postseason play this coming week at the MVC Tournament in Moline, Ill. The top-seeded Bulldogs' Hoops in the Heartland title defense will tip off on Friday, Mar. 14 against the winner of the first-round tilt between No. 8 Southern Illinois and No. 9 Indiana State.
 
 
NOTES

• Drake, earning its 11th straight win, improved to 26-5 overall 19-1 in Missouri Valley Conference play.
• Drake's 19 league wins mark the first time an MVC men's or women's team has won 19 or more conference games in a single season.
• This marked the seventh time in Drake program history the Bulldogs have won 26 or more games in a season.
• The 26 victories are the most by the Bulldogs in a season since the 2018-19 Drake team posted a 27-7 record.
• This marked the 21st time Drake has won a game by double figures this season, including the 13th MVC contest.
• Drake earned its 11th road win of the season.
• Drake outrebounded Indiana State, 47-31.
• Drake improved its record to 23-1 when leading at halftime.
• As a team, the Bulldogs score 60 points in the paint, the most in a single game this season.
• Anna Miller made history in the second quarter, becoming the 37th player in program history to score over 1,000 career points.
• Miller joined Katie Dinnebier and Grace Berg as the only three active Bulldogs to hit the 1,000-point mark.
• Miller also recorded her 15th double-double of the season with 14 rebounds.
• Grace Berg added 16 points and six rebounds.
• Katie Dinnebier scored 13 points and dished out a game-best eight assists.
• Ashley Iiams went for a career high 11 points including two made three-pointers.
• Drake, winning its fourth straight game against Indiana State, improved to 65-24 in the series against the Sycamores including an 24-17 mark in Terre Haute.