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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) -- Drake played its best against No. 15
Southwest Missouri State just when things looked the worst.
The Bulldogs began a decisive 18-2 run after starting point
guard Stephanie Schmitz left with an ankle injury and Kristin Santa
made the go-ahead basket with just over a minute left, sending
Drake to a 66-63 victory Monday.
|  | | Southwest Missouri's Jackie Stiles drives past Maureen Head for a first-half basket. Stiles, averaging 30.2 points, finished with 23. |
Drake was trailing 47-35 when Schmitz twisted her right ankle
with 13:52 remaining and had to be helped off the floor. She
returned two minutes later and by that time, Drake's rally was
under way.
"It looked like a broken ankle," said Drake coach Lisa Stone,
who has only nine healthy players. "It scared me half to death.
She squeezed my hand and I think that she's done.
"But that's just the story of our team this year. Your starting
point guard goes down, clutch time, and we maintain and we hang on
and we beat a good team."
Carla Bennett led Drake (7-3, 2-0 Missouri Valley Conference)
with 22 points and 11 rebounds and Schmitz scored 19, including
four free throws in the final 17 seconds.
Drake's best outside shooter, Erin Richards, failed to score,
but the Bulldogs got a big lift from reserve Molly Nelson, who had
career highs with 13 points and eight rebounds. Nelson had fouled
out of the previous game against Wichita State after failing to get
a point or rebound.
"I played so bad against Wichita State that I figured I had to
have a good game this time," said Nelson, whose previous highs
were nine points and seven rebounds.
Southwest Missouri State (7-3, 1-1) shot only 26.5 percent in
the second half after leading by as many as 14 points in the first
and national scoring leader Jackie Stiles managed only two field
goals in the final half, one a meaningless 3-pointer at the buzzer.
Stiles, averaging 30.2 points, finished with 23 on 9-for-22
shooting.
"I missed a lot of shots I should have made," Stiles said.
"I'm very disappointed in myself."
Stiles needs 11 points to break the conference career record of
2,636 by Drake's Wanda Ford.
Bennett scored eight points and Schmitz had four in the
second-half run, which gave Drake a 53-49 lead.
The Lady Bears tied it 60-60 with 1:42 left when Tara Mitchem
got wide open for a layup on an inbounds play. Then Santa drove
down the right side of the lane and, with Mitchem closely guarding
her, leaned back to make an 8-footer with 1:05 to play.
Stiles missed two 3-point shots after that and Schmitz made her
free throws to secure the victory.
"I thought we became passive," Southwest Missouri State coach
Cheryl Burnett said. "Instead of coming out to attack and play the
way we're supposed to play -- I wouldn't say we played scared, just
passive."
Carly Deer added 13 points for Southwest Missouri State and
Mitchem had 10 points and 13 rebounds.
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ALSO SEE
Women's College Basketball Scoreboard
SW Missouri State Clubhouse
Drake Clubhouse
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