NOTEBOOK (PDF)
Non-League Play Winding Down
Just 21 non-conference games remain on the MVC regular-season schedule as we head towards the holiday break, while the first league games will begin on January 4.
High Profile Showdowns
Loyola will host #20 DePaul on Thursday, while Drake will host #16 Iowa Friday. The league also has two other games against Power Five teams as Evansville travels to Wisconsin and Bradley heads to Purdue.
Still Perfect
Bradley remained the only undefeated team in the MVC with an 80-60 win over Omaha on Friday. Bradley improved to 8-0 on the year and is one of only 17 teams in the nation with a perfect record. The Braves join UConn, Northeastern, Ohio, Portland State and South Alabama as the only Non-Power Five teams to sit unblemished. The Braves are 8-0 for just the second time in program history, joining the 2001-02 squad (9-0) as the only Bradley teams to win their first eight games of a season.
The New Girl Can Score
Bradley’s Lasha Petree is the league’s top scoring freshman, averaging 18.1 points per game to rank second overall in the MVC. Through games of Dec. 16, she currently ranks 3rd nationally among all NCAA Division I freshmen, trailing Texas Tech’s Chrislyn Carr (18.9 ppg) and Oklahoma’s Taylor Robertson (18.4 ppg).
The last MVC freshman to average over 17.0 points per game was Evansville’s Sara Dickey during the 2013-14 season.
Top Scoring MVC Freshman (PPG)
20.6 Jackie Stiles, Missouri State (1997-98)
18.1 Lasha Petree, Bradley (2018-19)
17.6 Sara Dickey, Evansville (2013-14)
16.8 Lizzy Wendell, Drake (2013-14)
16.5 Cartaesha Macklin, Southern Illinois (2011-12)
Sweeping the Honors
Bradley’s Lasha Petree registered 28 points and connected on six three-point field goals in the Braves’ 80-60 win at Omaha, en route to the league’s Player of the Week and Newcomer of the Week honor. Petree becomes the seventh player in MVC history to sweep the weekly awards since the Newcomer of the Week began during the 2003-04 season.
Year Player, School Date
2005-06 Kristi Cirone, Illinois State (Dec. 19)
2007-08 Kelsey Woodard, Creighton (Feb. 4)
2008-09 Casey Garrison, Missouri State (Jan. 19)
2017-18 Hannah Noe, Evansville (Jan. 13)
2017-18 Abby Brockmeyer, Southern Illinois (Jan. 2)
2017-18 Simone Goods, Illinois State (Feb. 19)
2018-19 Lasha Petree, Bradley (Dec. 17)
Home Sweet Home
Currently five MVC teams remain unbeaten at home: Bradley (5-0), Southern Illinois (4-0), Drake (3-0), Illinois State (4-0) and UNI (3-0) have unblemished records on their home courts this season. The Valley currently holds a 26-12 mark at home this season.
A Hot December
Drake’s Sara Rhine is heating up during the month of December, connecting on 27 of her 35 field goal attempts (77.1%). Inside the arc, Rhine is shooting a blistering 83.3% from the field during the month, hitting on 25 of her 30 two-point field-goal attempts. Rhine is averaging 22.0 points and 7.3 rebounds per game during the month.
Rhine is also one of only four players nationally to go 10-for-10 or better in a game this season (vs. Clarke), joining Iowa’s Megan Gustafson (vs. Western Kentucky), Mississippi State’s Teaira McCowan (vs. Furman) and Purdue’s Ae’Rianna Harris (vs. Purdue Fort Wayne).
1,000 Point Club
Currently five MVC players are in the 1,000 Point Club. Drake’s Sammie Bachrodt is 24 points away from joining the club and would become the fourth active Bulldog player to eclipse 1,000 career points.
Current MVC Players in 1,000 Point Club
1,321 - Maddy Dean, Drake
1,241 - Sara Rhine, Drake
1,107 - Meredith Hamlet, Valparaiso
1,071 - Ellie Howell, UNI
1,076 - Becca Hittner, Drake
MVC Players Approaching 1,000 Points
976 - Sammie Bachrodt, Drake
883 - Becca Jonas, Drake
Sharp Shooters
A year after seeing Evansville lead the nation in free-throw percentage (82.0%), The Valley has three of the nation’s top 15 teams in the category so far this season. Loyola currently leads the league and sits 8th nationally, while Evansville sits 9th and UNI 14th.
Free-Throw Percentage
1. Oregon 84.5%
8. Loyola 79.7%
9. Evansville 79.7%
14. UNI 78.6%
The Game of Giving
Drake enters Friday’s showdown with in-state rival Iowa averaging 22.3 assists per game, which ranks second nationally and one spot ahead of the Hawkeyes. The Bulldogs lead the nation in total assists this season, racking up 245 over 11 contests, while Iowa sits second with 222.
Assists Per Game
1. Baylor 23.6
2. Drake 22.3
3. Iowa 22.2
Strength of Schedule
Drake and Missouri State have tested themselves with a difficult non-conference schedule. The Bulldogs have played the 32nd toughest strength of schedule so far this season, while the Lady Bears’ schedule ranks 27th nationally. Drake is one of 30 teams nationally with three RPI Top 100 wins so far this season.
Poll Position
Drake continued to receive votes in this week’s Associated Press women’s Top 25 poll. The Bulldogs fell on the road at Iowa State and are currently receiving a single vote. Drake’s next game is at home against #16 Iowa on Friday.
The RPI Ratings Game
The latest installment of the NCAA RPI Report (Dec. 17) has five Valley teams that rank in the top-175, led by Drake at No. 8, followed by UNI (87), Bradley (110), Indiana State (120) and Southern Illinois (157). The MVC ranks 15th among 32 conferences.