DES MOINES, Iowa -- Lonnie Randolph made 15 straight free throws in the final 6:47 and finished with a season-high 30 points, leading Drake to an 81-72 victory over Northern Iowa on Saturday night.
Drake (7-11, 3-7 Missouri Valley) used its accurate free throw shooting to offset 21 turnovers and break a four-game losing streak. The Bulldogs were 34-for-39 at the line, including 26-for-29 in the second half.
Randolph was 22-for-24 on free throws and fell one short of his career high, which came in an overtime loss to Northern Iowa last season. The 22 free throws tied the school record.
Aliou Keita added 10 points for Drake and David Bancroft, who didn't even play in two of the last three games, came off the bench to contribute eight points, nine rebounds and three blocks.
Erik Crawford's 19 points led Northern Iowa (14-7, 5-5), which has lost three of its last four. Ben Jacobson scored 13 for the Panthers and Eric Coleman had 12.
Drake made only four field goals after Keita scored inside to give the Bulldogs a 47-30 lead with 15:19 remaining. One of those baskets was a double-pump shot in the lane by Randolph that put the Bulldogs up 62-49 with 3:26 remaining.
Northern Iowa then chipped away and twice got to within six, the second time at 69-63 on Coleman's dunk with 59.6 seconds left. But Randolph made eight more free throws and Pete Eggers sank two, enabling Drake to close it out.
Randolph's previous best this season had been 22 points against Akron in the opener.
