DES MOINES, Iowa – Senior
Gabi Haack scored 12 of her 19 second-half points in the third quarter to help highlight a 35-point third period as Bradley Women's Basketball picked up its first road at Drake since 2010 with an 80-75 victory Saturday at the Knapp Center.
Haack went 1-for-13 from beyond the arc in the first 60 minutes of action against Drake in the Missouri Valley Conference opening series, but caught fire in the second half Saturday; knocking down all four of her second-half three-point attempts and going 5-of-8 from the field in the final 20 minutes. Finishing with 23 points for the contest, Haack scored 12 points in the third quarter to highlight a 35-point third quarter for the Braves (5-4 overall, 1-1 MVC).
Bradley found itself in an early hole, trailing by as many as 15 points early in the second quarter. For the third time this year, however, the Braves were able to rally from a double-digit deficit for the win. Bradley had dropped 23 consecutive games played in the state of Iowa dating back to the team's last win at the Knapp Center on Jan. 24, 2010. The Braves also rallied from a double-digit deficit in a Valley road game for the first time since a win at Missouri State (-12) on Jan. 22, 2017.
Junior Lasha Petree, who had a game-high 28 points, scored eight points during a 10-3 Bradley run over a 1:43 stretch early in the first quarter to help Bradley to a 10-8 advantage nearing the midpoint of the period. Drake answered with 10 consecutive points, however, and outscored the Braves 15-5 to close the period with a 23-15 lead.
The Drake lead was 32-17 less than two minutes into the second when Petree scored all seven of Bradley's points during a 7-1 spurt that cut the deficit to 33-24. The Braves would eventually pull within seven (38-31) by the halftime break. Petree scored 15 of her 28 points in the opening half as she movd up two spots on Bradley's all-time scoring list into 15th.
With Drake leading 42-34 early in the third, senior Emily Marsh helped spark a 10-1 run over a 2:07 stretch that put the Braves in front 44-43. She followed up a jumper from the wing with a three-pointer and later had a steal that led to a Petree three-point play to highlight the spurt.
Drake (3-6 overall, 1-1 MVC) briefly recaptured the lead on a Maddie Monahan three-pointer, only to have the Braves answer with an 18-3 run over the next four minutes. Haack ignited the run with a layup and scored seven during the barrage that saw the Braves build a 62-49 lead with just under two minutes to play in the third. The Braves, who made 6-of-7 from the field during the run and 11-of-14 in the quarter, held a 66-57 lead heading to the fourth.
Bradley's lead was 71-63 with seven minutes to play when Drake used a 7-1 run to make it a one-possession game at 72-70 closing in on the four-minute mark. Haack's fourth three-pointer of the second half gave the Braves a 77-72 cushion with 2:23 to play.
A Drake layup at the 1:46 mark cut the BU advantage to 77-74, but Bradley forced three Drake turnovers in the final minute as the Braves closed out the 80-75 victory. Going 8-for-9 from the free throw line, Petree made a pair of free throws with 17.4 seconds left and Haack split a pair of free throws with 4.1 second remaining to seal the road win.
Joining Petree and Haack in double figures was senior Nyjah White, who had 10 points and six assists for the Braves.
Bradley is scheduled to host Southern Illinois next weekend, opening the two-game series Friday with a 6 p.m. contest at Renaissance Coliseum.