(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.

LUBBOCK, Texas – A 3-point shooting outburst helped guide a record-breaking performance by Iowa State (9-3, 1-0 Big 12) as the Cyclones took down Texas Tech (11-1, 0-1 Big 12) 96-66 Friday night at United Supermarkets Arena. Heading into the night’s contest, the Lady Raiders were one of eight undefeated teams in the country.

Iowa State’s first quarter saw the Cyclones score 35 points via a school-record eight 3-pointers. However, TTU was able to erase a 17-point lead to tie up the game. However, the visitors had another crazy quarter on the cards, as ISU outscored Tech 31-4 in the third period on a school-record 12-of-13 (92.3 percent).

For the night, ISU’s 37-of-57 (64.9 percent) shooting effort from the field was one of the most efficient performances in program history. Iowa State’s 96 points is a record for a Big 12 road game, the previous besting being 92 at Nebraska on Feb. 4, 2001.

ISU finished with a season-high 16 3-pointers. The Cyclones’ victory was led by 23 points from Kristin Scott, who went 9-of-15 from the field on the night. Joining her in double figures was Ashley Joens (19), Maggie Espenmiller-McGraw (17), Adriana Camber (12) and Rae Johnson (11).

Up Next
Iowa State returns to Hilton Coliseum for its conference home opener on Monday night against No. 25 Texas. Tip between the Cyclones and Longhorns will be at 8 p.m., with Fox Sports 1 televising the contest.

Here is the latest Mid-America sports news from The Associated Press

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Caleb McConnell made all eight of his shots from the field and scored a season-high 20 points starting in place of the injured Geo Baker, and Rutgers beat Nebraska 79-62 on Friday night for its fifth straight win. Baker, the Scarlet Knights’ team leader and No. 2 scorer, is out indefinitely with a left thumb injury. McConnell made his first seven shots, including two 3-pointers, and finished with season highs for points, assists and minutes. Haanif Cheatham had 16 points to lead Nebraska, which shot 32 percent.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Running back Maurice Washington is off the Nebraska football team. The athletic department released a two-sentence statement Friday announcing his dismissal. Washington faces child pornography charges in California and was disciplined for unrelated rules violations last season. The charges are related to an incident when he was in high school. Washington is accused of obtaining a video of his former girlfriend performing a sex act, storing it on his cellphone and sending it to the girl in March 2018. Washington is not depicted in the video. He has pleaded not guilty.

CHICAGO (AP) — Alexa Willard scored 21 points, Jasmine Franklin made a game-winning shot in overtime and No. 21 Missouri State beat Loyola-Chicago 74-72 in a Missouri Valley Conference opener for both teams. Missouri State inbounded it with 11.4 seconds left and got it to Franklin in the paint for a contested hook shot just before the final buzzer, Missouri State, which is off to its best start since the 2003-04 team opened 20-1, extended its MVC road winning streak to a school-record 12 games. Abby O’Connor had 17 points and 11 rebounds for Loyola.