DES MOINES, Iowa –  Indiana State trailed by 12 points at halftime, 42-30, but reasserted itself defensively in the second stanza, storming all the way back to take the lead with just over 13 minutes remaining in the game. Drake would prove too much late in the game, creating two ISU turnovers in the final 30 seconds to cling and hold onto a 79-74 victory. Drake moves to 8-5, 3-1 MVC while Indiana State drops to 7-5, 0-3 MVC.

ISU’s Melanie Boeglin drilled two free throws with 24 seconds remaining which pulled the Sycamores within 76-74. On the inbounds play, Anne Thatcher created a steal, giving the Sycamores the ball with a chance to take a lead or tie a contest in they continued to dig deep and battle with the Bulldogs.

Drake’s Linda Sayavongchanh created a steal off a Boeglin turnover as she attempted to drive to the basket, and the Sycamores were forced to foul and stop the clock. Sayavongchanh hit 1-of-2 foul shots to put the Bulldogs up 77-74 with 13 seconds left. Boeglin once again came down the court with a chance to tie, but the Sycamores could not get a shot off over the tough Bulldog defense. Sayavongchanh hit two final free throws to secure the 79-74 win.

Lindsay Whorton drilled a 3-pointer with just under 19 minutes showing on the clock which sent Drake out to a 47-32 advantage. The Sycamores kicked it up a notch and went on a 23-7 spurt over the next five minutes to give ISU a 55-54 lead with 13:41 left.

With just over 10 minutes left, the Bulldogs’ Erin Dohrmann hit another triple, one of her two on the day, to put Drake up 66-58.

There was no quit in the Sycamores as they raced all the back again, this time coming within one point, 73-72,  by virtue of a three-point play by Ashley Clark. On the following possession, Sayavongchanh hit 1-of-2 free throws to put Drake up 74-72. Boeglin came down the floor and narrowly missed a game-tying jump shot with just over 30 seconds left.

Drake shot a blazing 56% in the first half as they notched a 42-30 advantage at the break. Foul trouble plagued the Sycamores during the first period as Clark, Boeglin and Stephanie Lisch all missed significant minutes because of multiple fouls.

Kristen Weddle and Lindsay Galbraith provided a spark off the bench which kept ISU in the contest despite having to sit three starters. Weddle drained two first half 3-pointers en route to a 10 point scoring effort. Galbraith converted her own three-point play late in the first half which would prove to be large as Drake went on a 6-0 run to close the half up by 12.

Clark paced the team with 13 points while Boeglin and Lisa Verhoff had 11 each. Verhoff hit three triples in the losing effort.

Drake’s savior on the day was Sayavongchanh who scored a game-high 21 points. She came up particularly huge in the second half at the free throw line as her 12-of-15 mark from the charity stripe was just enough to keep the Sycamores from retaking the lead late in the contest.

A welcome return for ISU was the ability to hit and defend the 3-point shot. The Sycamores broke out a 12.5% funk from behind the arc in its last two games to hit 6-of-10 from long range on the evening. The Bulldogs did hit 5-of-15 from long range, but 1-of-4 in the first half. Drake mastered the boards, holding a 39-32 advantage.

 ISU dropped its 13^th straight game at Drake, dating to a victory in 1992. The Sycamores are now 2-35 all-time in road contests at Creighton and Drake.

 For the first time in more than a month, Indiana State returns home to face Wichita State and SMS next weekend. The Shockers come to the Hulman Center on Friday evening at 7:00 p.m. while SMS is slated to appear Sunday at 2 p.m. Sunday’s contest will be televised on Fox Sports Net Midwest.  

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