GRAND FORKS, N.D. – The Drake University women's basketball team is set to open the 2016-17 regular season at North Dakota Friday afternoon at 3 p.m. The game will be broadcast on 1350 ESPN Des Moines and an online stream will be available at WatchBigSky.com.
 
Drake, the preseason favorite in the Missouri Valley Conference, won both of its preseason exhibition contests at the Knapp Center. The Bulldogs defeated Winona State, 74-63, on Nov. 1 and followed that with a blowout win over MidAmerica Nazarene, 106-62, on Nov. 5. Senior Lizzy Wendell (Blue Springs, Mo.), the preseason MVC Player of the Year, averaged 23.5 points in the two wins while sophomore Sara Rhine (Eldon, Mo.) averaged 17.5 points and 9.5 rebounds. Senior point guard Caitlin Ingle (Runnells, Iowa) averaged 11.5 assists.
 
Drake and North Dakota met last season at the Knapp Center as the Bulldogs held on for a 10-point win over the Fighting Hawks. The teams have played seven times all-time with Drake holding a 5-2 advantage in the series. The Fighting Hawks are picked to finish second in the preseason Big Sky Coaches poll.
 
Following Friday's season opener, Drake travels to Omaha, Neb., on Nov. 17 to play former MVC-rival Creighton at 7 p.m.