DES MOINES, Iowa – Missouri State handed the Drake women's basketball team a disappointing Senior Day loss, pulling out an 82-79 victory in overtime at the Knapp Center on Saturday afternoon despite another sensational game from the Bulldogs' Katie Dinnebier.
 
Dinnebier scored 33 points, her seventh game this season with more than 30, and tacked on eight assists, six rebounds and four steals while playing all 45 minutes. She had 29 of her points after halftime and during one stretch in the second half, scored 22 straight Drake points.
 
It just wasn't enough, and Drake's seven-game winning streak ended, a run that began after a 72-68 overtime loss at Missouri State on Jan. 24. The loss also kept the Bulldogs (18-9, 12-4) from pulling into a tie with the Lady Bears (22-5, 14-2) for first place, leaving Missouri State two games in front with four to play.
 
Courtney Becker added 16 points, all but one in the first half, and grabbed nine rebounds for the Bulldogs. Abbie Aalsma scored 13 points, all in the first half on perfect shooting – 5-for-5 with three 3-pointers. Anna Miller chipped in with eight points, eight rebounds and two steals.
 
Dinnebier, Becker, Miller and Ashley Iiams were honored in the post-game Senior Day ceremonies.
 
Dinnebier's 33 points moved her into the top 10 on Drake's career scoring list, lifting her past Jan Krieger and Grace Berg for the No. 10 spot with 1,863.  She went 9-for-11 on free throws in the game to become the fourth player in Drake history to make 500. She is the only player in the Missouri Valley Conference since the 2002-03 season to score 30 or more points in seven games in a season. 
 
With Dinnebier taking the ball to the basket and knocking down four 3-pointers, the Bulldogs were shooting 67 percent at the midway point in the fourth quarter before cooling off to 52.8 percent for the game. It was the first time the Bulldogs lost in the eight games they've shot at least 50 percent this season.
 
It was a gritty win for Missouri State, which hit some big shots after trailing by 14 points in the third quarter and by five with 23 seconds left in regulation. The Lady Bears also fell behind by four points in overtime before rallying again in the final regular-season matchup between the two long-time rivals as MVC opponents. Missouri State will play in Conference USA next season.
 
Drake went the final 6 minutes of regulation without a field goal and missed three free throws that would have widened the lead.
 
After Miller's 3-pointer gave Drake a 46-38 lead early in the third quarter, Dinnebier scored the next 22 Bulldog points, starting with two free throws at the 7:25 mark. Her driving, twisting layup followed by a pull-up trey from the top of the key put Drake ahead 58-44 with 2:09 left in the third quarter.
 
She continued to pile on the points after that and no one else scored for Drake until Becker sank a free throw with 1:18 left in the game. Dinnebier hit two more free throws for a 71-66 lead with 23 seconds left, but that edge quickly evaporated.
 
Stokes buried a three to cut the lead to 71-69 and the Lady Bears got another chance after Drake's Ava Hawthorne missed two free throws with 13.2 seconds remaining. They capitalized, getting the ball to Kyrah Daniels for a jumper just beyond the free throw line to tie at 71 with 3.7 seconds left.
 
A timeout allowed the Bulldogs to inbound from their end of the court and they got the ball to their star. Dinnebier found a path to the basket for a layup, but the ball bounced twice off the rim before falling to the floor.
 
Dinnebier's 3-pointer and Shannon Fornshell's three-point play gave Drake a 77-73 with 3:07 remaining. Stokes dropped in two free throws and a runner to tie it before Hawthorne's slick feed to Dinnebier for a layup gave Drake its last lead, 79-77 with 31.1 seconds to play.
 
Paige Rocca then swished a three from the left wing to put the Lady Bears ahead and Stokes added two free throws with 3.7 seconds left after a Drake turnover. The Bulldogs had enough time for a tying 3-pointer but never got off a shot.
 
"[We] came up just a little bit short," said Allison Pohlman, the Suzie Glazer Burt Head Coach, "Thought we could maybe tire them out a bit, and not for a lack of opportunities. We had plenty of chances to put it away, but this is a tough and scrappy [Missouri State] team and there's a reason they're atop the standings. This group will get together and move forward."
 
Becker scored six early points as Drake jumped to a 9-0 lead. The Bulldogs gave up the lead only once in the opening half and that lasted for just 7 seconds. A 9-0 run pulled Missouri State ahead 30-29 with 5:11 left, but Aalsma answered with a 3 and Drake closed the half with a 12-4 run for a 41-34 lead at the break. The Bulldogs shot 64 percent in the half and had assists on 15 of their 16 baskets. The 41 points were the most Missouri State hs given up in the first half this season, but the Lady Bears regrouped and made the plays they needed at the end.
 
Drake will remain at home to play Indiana State on Thursday, Feb. 27. The Bulldogs then finish the regular season with three road games – Northern Iowa (March 1), Valparaiso (March 6) and UIC (March 8).
 
 
NOTES

• Drake, which had a seven-game winning streak snapped, falls to 18-9 overall including a 12-4 record in the Missouri Valley Conference.
• Drake shot 52.8 percent (28-53) from the floor, suffering its first loss in eight games when shooting 50 percent or better.
• Drake scored 25 points off fast breaks compared to seven by Missouri State.
• Drake scored 23 points off 12 Missouri State turnovers.
• Drake's bench was outscored by Missouri State's reserves, 29-2.
• Drake, which ranks sixth in the NCAA in assists (19.6 avg.), had 21 assists, marking the 15th game this season (including fifth straight) the Bulldogs had dished out 20 or more assists in a game.
• Drake went the last 5:59 of regulation without making a basket, missing its last seven shots.
• There were five lead changes and two ties in the game.
• Missouri State led for only 47 seconds in the game.
• Senior guard Katie Dinnebier enjoyed her seventh 30-plus scoring game of the season with 33 points - including 25 after the first half.
• Dinnebier has tied Florida State's Ta'Niya Latson for the most 30--plus scoring games this season in NCAA Women's Basketball at seven games.
• Dinnebier is the only player in the Missouri Valley Conference since the 2002-03 season to score 30 or more points in seven games in a season. 
• During a 16 minute nine-second stretch in the second half (7:25 3rd qt. to 1:16 4th qtr.) Dinnebier scored 22 straight points for Drake.
• Dinnebier moved into No. 10 on the Drake career scoring list with 1,863 points, passing Jan Krieger (1978-82, 1846 points) and Grace Berg (2020-24, 1852 points).
• Dinnebier made four three-point baskets (14th game with 3-plus treys this season) to move up to No. 9 on the Drake career three-point basket made list at 207, passing Sammie Bachrodt who made 205 from 2015-19.
• Dinnebier made nine free throws while becoming the fourth player in Drake history to make 500 free throws in her career, joining Lorri Bauman, 1980-84 695), Tricia Wakely (1992-96, 525) and Becca Hittner (2016-20, 503).
• Graduate Courtney Becker added 16 points and a game-high nine rebounds for Drake.
• Junior Abbie Aalsma chipped in with 13 points.
• Senior Anna Miller grabbed eight rebounds.
• This marked the second straight overtime game against Missouri State and fifth in the overall series.
• Drake owns a 3-2 record in overtime games (2-1 home, 1-1 road) against Missouri State.
• Missouri State owns a 52-50 lead in the series.