EVANSVILLE, Ind. – The Drake University women's basketball team travels to Evansville Thursday and Friday to begin its Missouri Valley Conference road schedule. Tipoff for both road games will be 6 p.m. and will be streamed on ESPN3.
 
Drake (3-6, 1-1 MVC) split its first two Valley games of the season against Bradley last weekend at the Knapp Center. The Bulldogs are looking to win their first back-to-back games this season when takes floor against Evansville (4-3, 0-2 MVC).
 
Drake won its fifth-straight Missouri Valley Conference opener with the 71-56 victory over Bradley on New Year's Day. The Bulldogs' impressive streak in Valley openers started with a win over former MVC member Wichita State on Dec. 30, 2016. The victory over the Braves also snapped a three-game losing streak for the Bulldogs. Monica Burich averaged 10.5 points, 10.5 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 2.0 blocks per game in the series.
 
Evansville dropped its first league series at SIU last weekend. Sophomore Abby Feit, the 2020 MVC Freshman of the Year, leads the Purple Aces in scoring at 17.4 points and 9.3 rebounds per game.
 
Thursday's game will be the eighth road game already this season for Drake. The Bulldogs have a strength of schedule ranked No. 43 in the NCAA's first ranking released Monday.
 
Following the Evansville series, Drake returns home to host Indiana State Jan. 15-16.