NORMAL, Ill. – The Drake University women's basketball team travels to central Illinois for a pair of Missouri Valley Conference road contests starting at Illinois State Friday at 7 p.m. The Bulldogs end the trip at Bradley Sunday at 2 p.m. Both games will be streamed on ESPN3.
Drake (12-5, 4-1 MVC) is coming off blowout home wins over Indiana State and Evansville. The Bulldogs cruised past the Sycamores, 105-65 and by the Purple Aces, 108-44. It is the first-ever time Drake surpassed the century mark in consecutive MVC games. The 108 points against Evansville are the most points against a league foe in a regulation game behind just the 112 points the 1993 Drake team scored in a four-overtime marathon loss to UNI.
Drake's big offensive performances at the Knapp Center helped it move into the top-10 in several national team offensive statistical categories. The Bulldogs handed out 56 combined assists in the two victories and rank second in assists per game at 22.1 and third in assists with (375). Their field goal percentage of 49.2 ranks fourth while their scoring offense of 83.5 points per game and free throw percentage of 78.2 each rank sixth.
The Bulldogs have featured a balanced scoring attack in MVC action.
Becca Hittner with a 21.0 scoring clip leads a group of 10 Bulldogs that average 4.0 or more points against conference foes. Also key to the team's success has been its bench led by the duo of
Monica Burich and
Maggie Negaard. Burich averages 9.4 points while Negaard has a 3.4 assists clip to go with 6.4 points.
The Evansville victory was the 100th MVC regular season win for Drake head coach Jennie Baranczyk. Baranczyk is one of just nine coaches in league history to win 100 or more Valley games.
Illinois State is one of five Valley teams that includes Drake that is undefeated at home this season. The Redbirds are 8-0 on Doug Collins Court inside Redbird Arena. Illinois State has the third-best MVC defense has it holds opponents to 61.9 points.
Bradley (14-2, 5-0 MVC) is 5-0 in MVC play for the first time in school history. The Braves' 14-2 overall start to the year is also the best in school history through 16 games. Sophomore Lasha Petree averages a league-best 18.5 points per game and has won MVC Player of the Week honors the past two weeks.
Following this weekend, Drake returns to the Knapp Center for Des Moines' Hometown Team Weekend against Valparaiso Jan. 31 at 6 p.m.
