Drake Loses to Omaha 77-73 After Turnovers and Fouls
Four players scored in double figures for Drake University on Friday night, but turnovers and defensive fouls sent the Bulldogs home with a 77-73 road defeat against Omaha, Drake University Athletics reported.
The loss drops Drake into a quick recovery mode ahead of next week’s home schedule. The team struggled to contain Omaha’s high-volume trips to the free-throw line during the non-conference matchup.
“First half was disappointing, we came out soft, but we remedied defensively and were able to clean up some of our offensive struggles on the defensive end,” head coach Allison Pohlman told Drake University Athletics.
Pohlman pointed directly to defensive lapses and personnel matchups as decisive factors in the four-point loss.
“We didn’t go back to running the zone in the third quarter, and that is completely on me. We put them on the free throw line way too often and it’s hard to win games that way. Thought we could get out of here with a win here but credit to an inspired Omaha team tonight,” Pohlman said.
Halle Dolliver opened the scoring for the host Mavericks with a three-pointer, setting an aggressive tone early. Omaha built a 20-13 lead by the end of the first period, fueled by Dolliver’s 11 early points.
Drake fought back through persistent defensive pressure and interior scoring. Brooklin Dailey sparked a second-quarter rally alongside Quinn Vice, cutting into the Maverick lead before halftime arrived with Omaha ahead 29-26.
The Bulldogs surged ahead briefly in the second half behind perimeter shooting from Lexi Carlsen and Mylea Monahan. Both teams traded blows through the third quarter, leaving Omaha with a narrow 54-53 edge heading into the final period.
Monahan paced the Drake offense with 15 points and four rebounds. Three other Bulldogs joined her in double digits.
| Player | Points | Additional Stats |
|---|---|---|
| Alex Couch | 12 | Career night performance |
| Lexi Carlsen | 11 | Multiple 3-pointers |
Dailey filled the box score with a team-high seven rebounds and seven assists. Freshman Alex Couch chipped in 12 points during a career-best shooting performance, while Carlsen added 11 points.
Drake returns to the Knapp Center next week to host St. Thomas on Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2026. Tipoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. in Des Moines, with broadcasts available on ESPN+, 1350 AM, and 102.1 ESPN Des Moines.