NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Drake women's basketball team completed a triumphant swing through the Missouri Valley Conference's southern states with a dramatic 88-83 win over Belmont. Drake rode the hot hand of Katie Dinnebier to their victory as the senior guard poured in a career-high 42 points in the Music City.
 
The Bulldogs could not connect on the game's first possession after Anna Miller won the opening tip. Drake (17-8, 11-3) fired up three shots without scoring before Abbie Aalsma eventually hit a transition triple. Miller then followed a Katie Dinnebier layup with one of her own as the Dogs took an early 7-2 advantage.
 
The Bulldogs added to their quick burst in the opening moments with another 3-pointer, this time from Dinnebier, and a fast break deuce by Miller. The game paused for the first media break with Drake on top 12-5 on the scoreboard and 10-3 in the rebounding battle. The Bulldogs went on to outrebound Belmont 42-27.
 
Drake continued to hammer the boards after the hiatus as another Dinnebier 3-ball and and three more 2-pointers helped build an 10-0 run. That offensive spurt extended the Bulldogs' lead to 22-7 and forced Belmont head coach Bart Brooks to spend his first timeout of the afternoon.
 
Despite Drake's domination in the first period, the Bruins (16-9, 11-3) were able to grab a handful of the momentum at the buzzer as Emily La Chappell splashed in a deep 3-pointer as time expired. Drake led 22-12 after the first 10 minutes of play.
 
Dinnebier started the second quarter with another pure three, her third of the game to that point. She added another lay-in followed by two Becker makes and an Aalsma dribble drive to take a 34-15 lead and force another Bruin timeout. Belmont was able to find some footing as the second quarter clock slipped under five minutes. Miller was flagged for two fouls in a span of 13 seconds and the Drake offense went cold for the first time. Dinnebier hit a pair of free throws to halt a nearly 3-minute scoring drought for the Dogs.
 
Back-to-back bunnies from Kendall Holmes and Tuti Jones cut the Drake lead under 10 points with roughly one minute left on the first half timer. La Chapell added another deuce on a broken defensive possession to cut the Bruins' deficit to seven as part of an 8-0 Belmont rally. Drake's last shot of the second quarter failed to fall as the Bulldogs, who led by as many as 19 in the first 20 minutes. took a 38-31 lead into the half.
 
Belmont continued their charge after halftime, trimming the Drake lead further to just six points on a Holmes triple. Dinnebier responded with a traditional 3-point play, but both Miller and Becker were whistled for their third fouls, testing the Bulldogs' depth. Star sophomore Jailyn Banks complete her own and-1 to tax the Drake lead more. Miller then committed her fourth personal foul of the day to send Hilary Fuller to the line for three freebies.
 
Drake settled back in despite missing Miller for the remainder of the third quarter and eventually re-established a double-digit lead. Dinnebier made it 65-52 in favor of the Bulldogs with her sixth 3-point make of the day in the final seconds of the third period. That successful trey gave her 30-plus points for the sixth time this season and gave the Dogs a 13-point lead with 10 minutes to play.
 
Leading by 11 mid-way through the fourth, Drake's Miller was forced to sit for the rest of the contest after collecting her fifth foul. The Bulldogs leaned on Becker, Taedyn Gray, and true freshman Maggie Taylor on the interior the rest of the way.
 
Belmont's Kendal Cheesman, who was held in check for the majority of the matchup, started to heat up in the fourth. The senior forward buried two consecutive triples to get the margin back in single digits. Banks then converted an old fashioned 3-point play before Cheesman connected again from deep, making it 79-76 with just under two minutes remaining.
 
The 3-pointers continued to rain down in Curb Event Center as Dinnebier launched to beat the shot clock and Cheesman hit her fifth of the period. Dinnebier had to heave again to avoid the shot clock on Drake's next trip down the floor. Her shot came up short, but Becker was there to clean up with an offensive rebound and putback, bringing the score to 81-76
 
Dinnebier's heroics continued as the clock ticked under a minute. The Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year semifinalist eclipsed the 40-point mark for the second time this season with another shot clock buzzer-beating three. Belmont refused to go away, though, as Tuti Jones hit another bomb to make it 88-83, but that score held as Drake secured their sixth straight win.
 
"Our team could've had any number of reasons to lose their belief…the resiliency to not waver in their belief with each other was incredible," said Suzie Glazer Burt Head Coach Allison Pohlman. "It's not even about the outcome, today was about a Bulldog team that was able to grow exponentially. I loved our depth today too; you just never know when your number is going to be called. This game is just so much fun."
 
Katie Dinnebier's 42 points were a career high and marked the venue record, both men's and women's, at Belmont's Curb Event Center. Her 42 points are tied for the 10th most in team history and marked her second 40-point outing of the season. Dinnebier hit nine 3-pointers, the second most in a single-game in program history. She also dished out eight assists and grabbed five rebounds.
 
Courtney Becker scored 17 points and grabbed 10 rebounds for her fifth double-double of the year. Becker's participation marked her 155th career game, making her the program's all-time leader in games played.
 
Both Abbie Aalsma and Anna Miller scored 10 points to round out Drake offensive leaders.
 
Drake will return home for its next three games. The Bulldogs are set to start their final homestand of the 2024-25 slate with Southern Illinois on Feb. 20.
 
 
NOTES

• Drake, winning its sixth straight game, improved to 17-8 overall, including an 11-3 record in the Missouri Valley Conference.
• Drake is now tied atop the MVC standings with Belmont and Missouri State.
• The Bulldogs outrebounded Belmont 42-27.
• Katie Dinnebier's 42 points were a career high and marked the venue record, both men's and women's, at Belmont's Curb Event Center.
• Her 42 points are tied for the 10th most in team history and marked her second 40-point outing of the season.
• Dinnebier hit nine 3-pointers, the second most in a single-game in program history.
• She also dished out eight assists and grabbed five rebounds.
• Courtney Becker scored 17 points and grabbed 10 rebounds for her fifth double-double of the year.
• Becker's participation marked her 155th career game, making her the program's all-time leader in games played.
• Both Abbie Aalsma and Anna Miller scored 10 points.
• Miller fouled out of Saturday's contest marking the second time this season she has been disqualified via personal fouls.
• Drake's win matched the season series with Belmont at 1-1 after the Bruins' win in Des Moines last month. The Bulldogs are now 5-2 all-time vs. Belmont.