When the women’s basketball team takes on the Drake Bulldogs on Tuesday night at Hilton Coliseum, it will attempt to sweep the intrastate portion of its schedule for the second straight year.

The Cyclones (5-1) beat Northern Iowa 80-74 on Nov. 20 and defeated Iowa by the same score in Iowa City on Nov. 30.

“We’re excited to have the opportunity for the second year in a row to win all of our in-state games,” said coach Bill Fennelly. “It’s very important to our team, and it’s very important to our fan base. It’s a very big thing for us.”

Fennelly said the three intrastate rivals – Iowa, Northern Iowa and Drake – are programs that play at a high level and represent their conferences well. Iowa is in the Big Ten, and Drake and Northern Iowa both compete in the Missouri Valley Conference.

Following the win over Iowa, Fennelly said he got lots of e-mails from fans throughout the country congratulating him and his team.

“If we could for the second straight year win them all, that would say a lot about our kids – about our team,” Fennelly said. “I think it would be a great sense of pride for Iowa State alumni all over the country.”

The Bulldogs enter the game with a 4-1 record and are coming off their first loss of the season. After winning their first four games, Drake fell 59-58 at the hands of Marshall in the Caribbean Classic in Cancun, Mexico, on Nov. 24.

The Bulldogs are led by talented post player Jill Martin. Martin, a 6-foot-1-inch senior, is averaging 20 points per game and should challenge the Cyclone defense all game long.

“She can score inside and outside, and there are not a lot of players that can do that,” Fennelly said of Martin. “She’s kind of got that NBA, face-up game in the post.”

Four Cyclones are averaging double-digit scoring this season, led by senior Lyndsey Medders at 14.8 points per game. Medders recorded a career high in scoring last year against Drake, pouring in 32 points en route to a 69-57 win.

Freshman Rachel Pierson is expected to start Tuesday, with sophomore Nicky Wieben coming off the bench. Pierson made her first start as a Cyclone during the last game, scoring 12 points and grabbing five rebounds. She only played 12 minutes because of foul trouble. Wieben played well off the bench, scoring 19 points while shooting 55 percent from the floor.

Drake leads the all-time series, 25-20, but Iowa State has won the last two meetings. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m.