DES MOINES, Iowa – The Drake University women's basketball team hosts Iowa Wednesday night at 6 p.m. inside the Knapp Center.
On Nov. 19, Drake Athletics announced that fans will not be in the Knapp Center to start the season. However, the in-state game will be broadcast on Mediacom MC22 for Mediacom subscribers and streamed on ESPN+.
Its the 2020-21 home opener for Drake (1-1), which last week played two road games, defeating Creighton in the season opener before a close loss to Green Bay.
The Bulldogs' hot-shooting against the Bluejays in the first and second quarters propelled them to the 75-62 victory over its former MVC rival and their sixth-straight season-opening win. The impressive streak started for the Bulldogs on Nov. 15, 2015 when they beat Iowa State. The victory over the Bluejays is third-straight for the Bulldogs in the series. The 2021 opener was
the second time the former MVC rivals started a season against each other with the previous meeting coming on Nov. 8, 2013 as Drake won that game in the first year Creighton was a member of the BIG EAST Conference.
Green Bay rallied for a 69-61 win as the Phoenix erased a one-point deficit at the start of the fourth quarter. The scored seven-straight points in the final period and never relinquished the lead as the Bulldogs shooting went cold in the fourth. They made just three field goals, including one three-pointer, in the fourth as they tried to rally. Overall for the game, Drake shot 34.4 percent (22-of-64) from the floor, including making just 6-of-38 (15.8 percent) from beyond the arc.
On Monday, sophomore
Grace Berg was named the first Missouri Valley Conference Newcomer of the Week this season for her performances last week. Berg, a forward, poured in a career-high 24 points in her debut against Creighton. The Indianola native and Missouri transfer finished 10-of-18 from the floor with two three-pointers and added seven rebounds and dished out three assists. She followed that with 10 points and three rebounds against Green Bay.
Iowa (1-0) defeated UNI, 91-86, in a high-scoring contest at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Freshman Caitlin Clark had an impressive debut with a game-high 27 points to go with eight rebounds and four assists. Clark was one of four Hawkeyes in double-figures. Drake is vying to snap Iowa's three-game winning streak in the series that started in 1979. The two in-state foes have played every season since 1995-96.
Following Wednesday's game, Drake faces another Big Ten opponent Sunday when it visits Minnesota. Tip-off with the Gophers is scheduled for 2 p.m.
