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DRAKE PUNCTUATES DES MOINES’ HOMETOWN TEAM WEEKEND WITH 107-98 MARATHON WIN OVER RACERS

Sports

January 22nd, 2024 by Asa Lucas

DES MOINES, Iowa – The two highest-scoring teams in Missouri Valley Conference women’s basketball hooked up at the Knapp Center on Sunday afternoon and the game played out just as might be expected. Points came in bunches on both ends as Drake outlasted Murray State 107-98 to remain unbeaten in conference play.

The Bulldogs (14-4, 7-0 MVC) got career games from Grace Berg and Anna Miller and production throughout the lineup in winning for the eighth straight time and remaining perfect in three games with Murray State (12-4, 5-2)

“It’s a great weekend to be a Bulldog,” Suzie Glazer Burt Head Coach Allison Pohlman said after the game. “[That game] was a lot of fun. That was a really good team we took on today and we just took advantage of the opportunity.”

Berg got the team started by knocking down consecutive three-pointers in the game’s first minute and kept it up, finishing with a career-high 30 points. She went 5-for-9 from distance, 7-for-13 overall and sank 11 free throws in 14 tries.

Miller scored a career-best 23 points on 9-of-13 shooting and put together a strong line with eight rebounds, four assists, two steals and four blocks, a couple of them on Murray State star Katelyn Young, who led the Racers with 28 points.

Katie Dinnebier added 20 points before fouling out with 2 minutes left, giving the Bulldogs three 20-plus scorers for the first time since an 85-73 victory over Iowa State back in November. Dinnebier also grabbed five rebounds, handed out four assists and made two steals.

Courtney Becker also came up big in flirting with a triple-double, finishing with 12 points, nine rebounds and career-high eight assists. Taylor McAulay scored eight of her 11 points in the second half and made a key steal in the final minute when the Bulldogs were trying to secure the victory.

Drake’s next three games are on the road, starting with a 6 p.m. contest Thursday at Bradley.