NOV. 1, 2008

DES MOINES, IOWA -- Senior Lauren Dybing (Bloomington, Minn.) scored a team-high 23 points, including 12 in the second half, as the Drake women's basketball team held off Quincy, 67-62, in its exhibition opener Saturday at the Drake Knapp Center.

Dybing also pulled down a game-high 10 rebounds, while collecting five steals and three blocked shots.

Two free throws by Dybing with 2:32 left gave Drake a 64-53 lead. But Quincy outscored Drake, 9-3, down the stretch.

"I was disappointed in our inability to adjust at times," said Drake head coach Amy Stephens. "We're still a team trying to find an identity and have people step up for us."

The score was tied 12 times with the lead changing hands five times.

"We turned it on and off at times," Stephens added. "We had too many turnovers in each half. We need to play with more composure."

Layups by Dybing and junior redshirt Jordann Plummer (St. Louis, Mo.) gave Drake a 54-50 lead it would never relinquish.

Plummer finished with 12 points, six rebounds and two assists.

The Bulldogs dominated the glass to overcome 35 percent shooting from the field.

Drake outrebounded Quincy, 55-34, scoring 15 second-chance points.

Stephens praised the play of freshman guard Brittnye McSparron (Apple Valley, Minn.) who came off the bench to collect eight points, including six in the second half.

"Brittnye was a bright spot in the game for us," said Stephens. "She is doing a lot of good things and provides a compliment at point guard to Kaniesha Agee."

Junior forward Monique' Jones (Lee's Summit, Mo.) and senior Ashleigh Brady (Lubbock, Texas) added seven points apiece.

Jones grabbed nine rebounds, while senior forward Kelsey Keizer (Arnolds Park, Iowa) added seven boards.

Janette Burgin led Quincy with 23 points. The Hawks will turn around to play at Iowa this Sunday.

The Bulldogs will host Minnesota-Duluth this Thursday before opening the regular season at home against Texas State Nov. 14.