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DES MOINES, IA - MARCH 9: Members of the Drake Bulldogs line up for the national anthem before the game against the Bradley Braves at Knapp Center on Saturday, March 9, 2019 in Des Moines, Iowa. (Photo by Dylan Heuer)
Dylan Heuer

Women's Basketball Drake Athletic Communications

Women’s Basketball Set for Hoops in the Heartland Action

For the second-straight year, Drake (25-5), which has won back-to-back MVC Tournament championships, will play No. 9 Valparaiso in the quarterfinals Friday at 12 p.m.

MOLINE, Ill. – The Drake University women's basketball team, which claimed its third-straight outright Missouri Valley Conference regular season championship, is the top seed at this week's "Hoops in the Heartland" MVC Tournament, March 14-17, at the TaxSlayer Center in Moline, Ill.
 
For the second-straight year, Drake (25-5), which has won back-to-back MVC Tournament championships, will play No. 9 Valparaiso (8-23) in the quarterfinals. Friday's game against Valpo will tip at noon and be streamed on ESPN+ and broadcast on the radio at 1350 ESPN Des Moines.
 
Drake is seeking to win three-straight MVC Tournament championships for the first time in program history and the first in the Valley since Wichita State in 2013, 2014 and 2015. The Bulldogs own a 45-23 all-time record at the MVC Tournament. The winner of the four-day event claims the Valley's automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament.
 
Valparaiso rallied from a 12-point first-quarter deficit to beat No. 8 Indiana State (11-19), 79-77, Thursday evening in the tournament's first play in game. The Crusaders took their first lead midway through third quarter and the teams traded leads until Valpo led by six with 40 seconds left. The Sycamores pulled all the way to within two points, but the Crusaders overcame a jump ball that went to Indiana State with nine seconds left and then got two defensive stops to secure the win. Senior Meredith Hamlet scored a game-high 25 points to help set up a rematch in the quarterfinals with Drake. The Bulldogs defeated the Crusaders in last season's quarterfinals in Valpo's first year in the league. Drake won both regular season meetings this season.
 
If Drake wins Friday it advances to the semifinals to play the winner of No. 4 Illinois State vs. No. 5 Bradley, which will take place Friday at 2:30 p.m. The semifinal matchup tipoffs Saturday at 1:30 p.m. and will be broadcast online ESPN+.
 
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