Sept. 12, 2012

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Opponents:
Creighton - Friday, Sept. 14, 6 p.m.
Drake - Saturday, Sept. 15, 7 p.m.
Site:
Friday - D.J. Sokol Arena
Saturday - Knapp Center
Location:
Friday - Omaha, Neb.
Saturday - Des Moines
Radio: Friday - 1180 AM in Omaha
Live Audio: Friday - www.mighty1290koil.com
Live Stats: Creighton -- Drake
Live Video: Friday - www.GoCreighton.com

Missouri State begins the Missouri Valley Conference season on the road this week with two teams at opposite ends of the standings, beginning Friday at 6 p.m. against Creighton (8-1) before playing at Drake (0-9) Saturday at 7 p.m.
The Bears have swept this road trip each of the last three seasons with a player winning MVC Player of the Week honors the following week each time.

The Opponents
Creighton sits tied atop the MVC with an 8-1 record in non-conference matches, good for seven votes and the No. 36 spot in the AVCA poll this week. The Bluejays' only loss came at Kansas State, while they own victories over Wisconsin and Tulsa. CU has four players averaging better than two kills per set, lead the MVC with 3.11 blocks per set, and hit .255 as a team compared to .165 for the opposition.
Drake is winless on the season at 0-9, hitting just .106 as a team thus far. The Bulldogs' Friday match with Wichita State will be their first of the season in Des Moines.

The Series
Missouri State is a combined 79-16 all-time against this week's opponents. MSU is 30-7 against Creighton, winning five of the last six meetings after CU snapped MSU's 19-match winning streak in the series in 2007 with a three-match streak of its own.
Missouri State is 49-9 against Drake and has won 24 of the last 25 meetings, the exception being a loss in Springfield in 2010.