DES MOINES, Iowa – The Drake University women's basketball team hosts UNI Friday night in a "Blue Out" game presented by AARP. Tipoff for the in-state contest is set for 6 p.m. on ESPN3 and fans are encouraged to wear blue to "Blue Out" the Knapp Center.
Drake (18-5, 10-1 MVC) is coming off a 2-0 road trip at Valparaiso and Loyola in its only action outside of the Knapp Center this month. The Bulldogs led from start-to-finish in both wins. Drake, which has ranked in the top 10 in assists per game the past five seasons, including leading the nation last year, handed out 59 assists on 68 field goals in the wins. The Bulldogs' assists per game average of 22.3 ranks only behind No. 1 Baylor (23.5).
In the Loyola win,
Becca Hittner (Urbandale, Iowa) along with
Maddy Dean (Jordan, Minn.) and
Sara Rhine (Eldon, Mo.) each made three three-pointers while
Sammie Bachrodt (Wichita, Kan.) and
Nicole Miller (Walker, Iowa) each made two. Rhine has made a career-high 16 three-pointers this season while Hittner and Miller rank first and second in three-point percentage in the MVC at 44.3 and 43.4, respectively. Dean is sixth at 39.4 while Bachrodt is 10
th at 37.2. No other MVC school has more than two in the top 15 in three-point shooting.
UNI (15-8, 8-3 MVC) has won five of its past six games since Drake won 88-64 in the first meeting Jan. 18 in Cedar Falls. The Panthers have the second-best scoring defense in the league, holding opponents to 63.0 points. Sophomore Karli Rucker leads the team in scoring at 14.1 points.
Following Friday's game, Drake continues its season long homestand when it hosts Evansville for its annual Pink Game presented by MercyOne Des Moines. Tipoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. and it will be streamed on ESPN+.
