The Missouri Valley Conference women's basketball tournament tipped off this Thursday. This is the ninth time the tournament has been held in the Quad Cities.
Will Mitchell, from Cedar Rapids, said he's come to the tournment for the last three years to support his team, the Northern Illinois University Panthers.
"Oh it's a great experience to come out," Mitchell said. "See really high level basketball being played by the women here in the Valley. It's a great experience with the bands playing great music, and just really high energy with all the fans here supporting their teams."
Drake University will move on to the semifinals after beating Indiana State 79-57.
Drake's head coach, Allison Pohlman, says the audience for women's basketball is growing.
"I think it's growing," Pohlman said. "I think it is a special event to take part of because what better to do than to celebrate women who are having success playing a sport that they love."
The championship game will take place Sunday at 1 pm.