MOLINE, ILL. – The Drake University women's basketball team begins play at the 2016 Missouri Valley Conference Tournament on Friday, March 11 at 6 p.m. at the iWireless Center in Moline, Ill. The Bulldogs play the winner of Thursday nights' No. 7 Illinois State vs. No. 10 Evansville contest. Drake game notes will be posted following the conclusion of the Evansville vs. Illinois State game.
 
For the ninth-straight season, the MVC Tournament is being played at a neutral site. The iWireless Center is the new site this year for the league's annual postseason tournament. The tournament has a new name as well - "Hoops in the Heartland" - in the first of a multi-year contract for the event. Just six Division I conferences host stand-alone women's basketball tournaments (Big Ten, Big 12, ACC, SEC, Pac-12 and MVC). Every game of the MVC tournament will be available online via The Valley On ESPN3.
 
Drake (21-8, 14-4 MVC) won its final four regular-season contests, including a 71-64 win at SIU in the season finale, to claim the tournament's second seed for the second-consecutive year. Drake and Missouri State both finished 14-4 in league play, but the Bulldogs held the tiebreaker with their season sweep of the Lady Bears.
 
The Bulldogs are seeking to win their sixth MVC Tournament title and first since 2007 when they take the court on Friday evening against the Redbirds or the Purple Aces. Drake swept both Evansville (2-27, 1-17 MVC) and Illinois State (8-21, 6-12 MVC) during the regular season as the Bulldogs are vying for their 20^th all-time trip to the semifinals. Drake owns a 38-22 all-time record at the MVC Tournament. The winner of the four-day event claims the Valley's automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament.
 
If Drake wins Friday it advances to play the winner of No. 3 Missouri State vs. No. 6 Indiana State, which will take place Friday night at 8:30 p.m. The semifinal meeting will tipoff on Saturday at 4 p.m.