(godrakebulldogs.com) DES MOINES, Iowa – Senior Becca Hittner equaled her career-high with 37 points, including making 18-of-18 free throws as the Drake University women’s basketball team started Missouri Valley Conference play with a 104-87 in-state win over UNI Friday night in front of 3,712 fans at the Knapp Center.

Drake (9-4, 1-0 MVC), which scored a season high and the most points against an MVC opponent since 107 against Evansville in 2018, broke open the game with a scorching third-quarter when it scored a season-high 34 points. Sara Rhine and Kierra Collier were the other Bulldogs in double figures with 16 and 11 points, respectively.

Hittner’s free throw total is the most by a player in the NCAA this season and is the second highest single game mark in program history behind legend Lori Bauman’s 22 vs Northern Illinois in 1982. Collier dished out a career-high eight assists as the team tied a season-best with 26 on a season-tying 37 field goals. Rhine just missed a double-double with eight rebounds while Hittner had seven. Monica Burich and Brenni Rose just missed joining the trio in double figures with nine points each. Burich also pulled down seven rebounds.

Following Friday’s game, Drake has a challenging two-game road trip that begins at No. 19/21 Missouri State Friday, Jan. 10 at 7 p.m. The Bulldogs close their first MVC road trip at SIU on Jan. 12.