DRAKE BULLDOGS (0-1)  vs. CHICAGO STATE COUGARS (0-1)
7:05 p.m., Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2009
Drake Knapp Center (7,152), Des Moines, Iowa

ABOUT DRAKE

The Bulldogs are coming off a 70-68 season-opening loss at UMKC. The game included many bright spots, including senior Jordann Plummer's (St. Louis, Mo./Cardinal Ritter) 22-point, nine rebound performance. She also led the team with four assists and four steals and her nine boards were just one away from a career-high (10 - at Oregon State, 11/26/05).

Fellow senior Monique' Jones (Lee's Summit, Mo./Lee's Summit North) had a spectacular game in front of her hometown crowd. The senior put up a career-high 20 points and pulled down eight boards while shooting six-of-nine from the floor and eight-of-12 from the free throw line.

Redshirt sophomore Morgan Herrick (Cedarburg, Wis./Cedarburg) went four-of-four from the floor and tallied nine points and four rebounds in her first regular season game back from knee surgery. Herrick was a medical redshirt last season.

Drake hosts back-to-back home games this week, playing host to Chicago State Wednesday (7:05) then welcoming Iowa State to the Knapp Center Sunday (2:05).

ABOUT CHICAGO STATE              

The Cougars dropped a 76-41 decision to Bowling Green last Friday in the opening round of the preseason WNIT in Bowling Green, Ohio. Chicago State shot just 30 percent from the floor and allowed Bowling Green to hit 11 three-pointers. CSU forward Courtney Waldon scored a team-high 15 points and pulled down six boards while sophomore guard Jael Pena put up 10 points and two assists.

COUGAR TOWN

Drake is 1-1 all-time against Chicago State, earning its only win against the Cougars 20 years ago. The teams also played in a 78-66 Chicago State win last season.

DRAKE VS CHICAGO STATE (1-1)

DATE                 LOCATION                     RESULT

12/02/89       Des Moines, Iowa      W, 79-47

12/22/08       Chicago, Ill.               L, 66-78

NO WORRIES

Drake dropped its season-opener 70-68 to UMKC, putting its record in season-opening contests at 22-14 all-time. The Bulldogs have been 0-1 just twice during the Amy Stephens era, but have rebounded both times to post  winning records. The Bulldogs last dropped their season opener in 2007-08, then went on to a Missouri Valley Conference regular season championship and a WNIT Berth.

0-1 TEAMS UNDER AMY STEPHENS

YEAR             RECORD       MVC

2003-04        16-15       11-7

2007-08        23-11       13-5*

* Missouri Valley Conference Champions

BACK STRONG

Redshirt sophomore Morgan Herrick played in her first regular season game last week since suffering a season-ending knee injury last November. Herrick tabbed her second-career start last week against UMKC and scored nine points on four-of-four shooting.\

MORGAN HERRICK CAREER STARTS

DATE               OPPONENT         FG    P     R     A     S

11/29/08        Columbia       4-4  10   2    0    0

11/13/09        at UMKC         4-4  9    4    1    1

DRAKE IN HOME OPENERS

    • The Bulldogs are 27-8 all-time in home openers, including 4-2 under Amy Stephens.

    • Drake won the 2008-09 home opener against Texas State 72-54 (11/04/08).

    • Drake is 159-45 all-time in the Knapp Center.

    • The Bulldogs have a chance to win consecutive home openers for the first time since 2005-

        06 and 2006-07.

IN LINE FOR THE CLUB

Senior guard Jordann Plummer is just 43 points away from cracking Drake's 1,000-point club. Plummer would be the 20th member of the exclusive club that boasts all-time scoring leader Lorri Bauman (1980-84, 3,115 pts.), second leading scorer Wanda Ford (1982-86, 2,636 pts.), 2008 inductee Lindsay Whorton (2004-08, 1,564 pts.) and current assistant coach Linda Sayavongchanh (2002-06, 1,129 pts).

FASTBREAK LUNCHEONS

Drake will once again provide a unique glimpse into Bulldog women's basketball with the monthly Fastbreak Luncheons. The events will be held at All-Play in downtown Des Moines from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Dec. 1, Jan. 5 and Feb. 2.