It’s Drake’s day, so Iowa is a ????? State

DES MOINES — Hawkeye State? Bulldog State? Cyclone State?

When it comes to women's basketball, let's just call it a State of Confusion.

Caitlin Ingle registered 20 points and seven assists, and Drake snapped a 14-game losing streak to Iowa, 81-76, in a non-conference battle in front of 3,307 Sunday afternoon at the Knapp Center.

'It was a fun win, a really fun win,' Ingle said. 'We've come a long ways. It's fun to see how far we have come. Everybody played with a lot of confidence.'

Drake (6-3) led for the final 35 minutes and endured a moderate case of the hiccups late to post its first win against the Hawkeyes since Nov. 25, 2001.

It was Jennie Baranczyk's first win in five tries against her alma mater.

'It was a big win, because it took such a long time to get here,' Baranczyk said. 'It was a complete, total team effort.'

For the second straight year, state women's basketball supremacy is up for debate. Drake beat Iowa, which beat Iowa State, which beat Drake. The Bulldogs still have (at least) two Missouri Valley Conference encounters with Northern Iowa.

This much is certain: Drake was the superior team Sunday. A 14-2 first-quarter run propelled the Bulldogs to a 21-11 advantage, and they maintained the lead the rest of the way.

'Drake played great,' Iowa Coach Lisa Bluder said. 'Jennie had them ready to play. They executed their offense extremely well.

'You saw a young team come in here that got its tailed whipped. They had a little more moxie out there.'

More moxie, and more weapons. Ingle led an attack that sent four players into double figures. Lizzy Wendell — who had scored a combined 78 points in the last two games with Iowa — added 15 points. Becca Hittner posted 14 points and 10 rebounds, and Becca Jonas scored 12.

'That's why we won,' Baranczyk said. 'The last two years, Lizzy had huge games. Today, everybody either had a solid game or a huge moment for us.'

Ally Disterhoft led the Hawkeyes (8-4) with 24 points, moving to No. 6 on the all-time career scoring chart with 1,756 points. Megan Gustafson added 20 points and 11 rebounds.

Gustafson committed her fourth foul late in the third quarter with Drake leading, 56-50.

'I was trying to get an (offensive) rebound,' Gustafson said. 'There might have been a little desperation there.'

Drake was in command at 75-62 on Brenni Rose's basket with 4:28 to go. The Hawkeyes made a final sprint that fell a little short.

Back-to-back buckets by Gustafson brought the Hawkeyes within 77-74 with 30 seconds left. The Bulldogs made four of six free throws down the stretch to salt it away.

'I probably aged a few years (in the final minutes),' Baranczyk said. 'Sometimes you just forget how young we are. Clearly, we're at our best when we don't try to manufacture things.'

Tania Davis added nine points for Iowa. Makenzie Meyer and Hannah Stewart scored seven apiece.

The Hawkeyes conclude their non-conference schedule at 5 p.m. Tuesday at home against Kent State. Drake competes in the Tulane Classic in New Orleans on Wednesday and Thursday.

DRAKE 81, IOWA 76

At Des Moines

IOWA (76): Megan Gustafson 10-14 0-0 20, Ally Disterhoft 8-15 4-6 24, Tania Davis 1-9 6-6 9, Kathleen Doyle 1-5 2-2 5, Bre Cera 1-3 0-0 2, Alexa Kastanek 0-3 0-0 0, Makenzie Meyer 3-6 0-0 7, Chase Coley 0-2 0-0 0, Hannah Stewart 3-5 1-2 7, Christina Buttenham 1-3 0-0 2, Amanda Ollinger 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 28-65 13-16 76.

DRAKE (81): Lizzy Wendell 6-15 2-2 15, Becca Jonas 4-8 3-4 12, Becca Hittner 3-10 6-6 14, Sammie Bachrodt 3-5 1-2 7, Caitlin Ingle 7-15 5-6 20, Brenni Rose 2-3 0-0 5, Paige Greiner 0-1 0-0 0, Nicole Miller 2-2 0-0 5, Cortni Rush 1-6 0-0 3, Mya Mertz 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 28-65 17-20 81.

Halftime: Drake 38, Iowa 33. 3-point goals: Iowa 7-23 (Disterhoft 4-7, Davis 1-5, Doyle 1-3, Kastanek 0-2, Meyer 1-3, Coley 0-1, Buttenham 0-2), Drake 8-19 (Wendell 1-3, Jonas 1-1, Hittner 2-5, Bachrodt 0-2, Ingle 1-2, Rose 1-1, Greiner 0-1, Miller 1-1, Rush 1-3). Team fouls: Iowa 19, Drake 16. Fouled out: none. Rebounds: Iowa 37 (Gustafson 11), Drake 41 (Hittner 10). Assists: Iowa 17 (Disterhoft 4), Drake 17 (Ingle 7). Steals: Iowa 7 (Cera, Meyer 2), Drake 8 (Wendell 4). Turnovers: Iowa 12, Drake 14.

Attendance: 3,307.

l Comments: (319) 368-8857; jeff.linder@thegazette.com