#6 DRAKE BULLDOGS (12-15, 7-11 MVC)
vs. #3 WICHITA STATE SHOCKERS (20-9, 12-6 MVC)
Quarterfinal Round State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Tournament
9:07 p.m., Saturday, March 6, 2004 Savvis Center (20,000), St. Louis, Mo.

PROBABLE STARTING LINEUP
Drake Bulldogs: 12-15, 7-11 MVC (Coach: Tom Davis, first year)
Pos. Player (Ht., Yr., Hometown) PPG RPG FG% FT%
G-1 Lonnie Randolph (6-1, Jr., East Chicago, Ind.) 12.1 4.2 .396 .743
G-13 Chaun Brooks (6-1, So., San Antonio, Texas) 8.0 3.3 .432 .675
F-24 Klayton Korver (6-6, Fr., Pella, Iowa) 7.6 3.6 .379 .714
F-35 Pete Eggers (6-4, Jr., Dubuque, Iowa) 5.4 2.6 .369 .647
F-32 David Bancroft (6-9, Jr., Marshfield, Mo.) 4.5 3.2 .475 .575

TOP RESERVES
G-2 Joshua Robinson (6-2, So., Mahwah, N.J.) 8.9 2.3 .429 .732
G-3 Sean Tracy (6-4, So., Silver Spring, Md.) 1.4 1.5 .250 .917
G-10 Nick Grant (6-3, Fr., Annandale, Va.) 8.5 1.7 .361 .618
G-22 Nate Richie (6-2, Jr., Decatur, Ind.) 4.3 0.5 .376 .706
F-23 Quantel Murphy (6-4, So., Denver, Colo.) 5.7 3.6 .458 .617
F-34 Josh Powell (6-7, So., Des Moines, Iowa) 6.8 4.5 .508 .780

RADIO COVERAGE: KPSZ Radio (940 AM) is the flagship station of Drake basketball with Warren Swain and Dolph Pulliam handling the broadcasting. The pregame show begins 30 minutes before tipoff.

TELEVISION: Fox Sports Midwest and Fox Sports Chicago will televise the Drake-Wichita State game live. Sundays semifinal game is live on Fox Sports Midwest but tape delayed (2 p.m. Monday) on Fox Sports Chicago. Mondays championship will be televised live on ESPN.

THE SETTING: Its a brand new season for Drake and Wichita State, which were picked to finish at opposite ends of the Missouri Valley Conference preseason poll. The Shockers, the preseason choice to win the MVC title, finished in a three-way tie for second place in the MVC regular season. Drake, picked to finish ninth in the MVC preseason poll, finished a surprising sixth in the league.

This will be the rubber game of the season series with each team winning on the opponents homecourt.

DRAKE IN MVC TOURNAMENT: This marks the second time in the last three years, that Drake has entered the MVC Tournament as the No. 6 seed. The last time the Bulldogs were a No. 6 seed they lost a controversial 64-63 decision in the quarterfinal round of the 2002 MVC Tournament to Illinois State on a desperation shot at the buzzer.

The Bulldogs own a 9-25 record in the MVC Tournament, including a 4-12 mark in games played in St. Louis. Drake has lost its last five games played in the quarterfinal round of the MVC Tournament (1995, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2002). The last time Drake won a quarterfinal round game occurred in 1993 when the Bulldogs clipped Northern Iowa, 63-58, before falling to Illinois State, 60-59, in the semifinal round.

PLAYING WITH MIRRORS: While Drakes sixth-place standing in the MVC might not raise any eyebrows, consider the short-handed deck first-year coach Dr. Tom Davis was dealt.

Its no secret that Drake fields the youngest team in the league with no scholarship seniors and just two juniors on the roster, while utilizing two freshmen and five sophomores in the rotation.

Davis is not only coaching the youngest and smallest team in the MVC, but no other team in the MVC has been saddled with as many injuries as the Bulldogs.

Davis was named Drakes head coach April 22, with no scholarships available for his first recruiting class.

Then senior Luke McDonald, a preseason All-MVC choice who was destined to become Drakes career scoring leader, ended his career because of nagging injuries to both feet.

Joshua Robinson, the teams leading scorer, has missed six games this season because of illness and injuries. He averaged only 12 minutes of playing time in the last two games that he has played and did not play at Southwest Missouri State Feb. 17.

Freshman guard Nick Grant, the teams top player off the bench, missed a home game against Wichita State.

Sophomore forward Quantel Murphy also missed the Wichita State game Jan. 31 as well as games at Southwest Missouri State and at Akron. He has averaged only 11 minutes of playing time in the last four games he has played.

AMONG NATIONS LEADERS: Drake's pressure defense has paid dividends with the Bulldogs ranked second nationally in steals, averaging 11.5 per game.

The Bulldogs also have become just the fourth team in Missouri Valley Conference history to collect 300 or more steals in a season. Drake has 311 steals, joining Tulsa (345, 1983-84), Drake (337, 1993-94) and Bradley (303, 1985-86) as the only MVC teams to accomplish that feat.

Drake collected a season-high 18 steals in its home finale against Evansville last Saturday. The Bulldogs also recorded 17 steals against Colorado State which went to the 2003 NCAA Tournament.

The Bulldogs have recorded double-digits in steals in 18 games this year. The Bulldogs had only two double-digit efforts in steals all of last season.

The Bulldogs have three players who rank among the top six in the MVC in steals, led by junior Lonnie Randolph, who paces the league with 70 (2.59) and is ranked 12th nationally. Freshman Nick Grant ranks fourth in the MVC with 45 (1.73) and sophomore Chaun Brooks is tied for fifth in the MVC with 46 (1.70).

CLOSE CALLS: A mark of a good team is the ability to win close games. Despite their youthfulness, the Bulldogs are 6-3 in games decided by five points or fewer or in overtime. The Bulldogs own close victories against Cleveland State (83-80), Illinois State (59-55), Bradley (62-57 overtime), Indiana State (69-66), Creighton (78-73 2 overtimes), Akron (82-78 overtime) with the losses to Northern Iowa (84-79 overtime), at Illinois State (73-68) Monday and on a buzzer-beater to Southwest Missouri State (51-50).

MAKING A STATEMENT: Drake is threatening to set a Missouri Valley Conference single-season record for most turnovers forced in a season. Drake has forced opponents into an MVC high 21.1 turnovers per game.

Drake has forced opponents into 20 or more turnovers in 16 games. In two games against Drake, Wichita State has averaged 27.5 turnovers.

In the last 11 games, opponents have averaged 20.4 turnovers (224 total) against Drake. League leader Southern Illinois made a season-high 18 turnovers against Drake Feb. 11, while Indiana State made a season-high 23 turnovers Feb. 4.

In back-to-back games Jan. 28 and Jan. 31, Drake forced Wichita State and Bradley into identical season highs of 28 turnovers. If that wasn't enough, Drake's defense also posted the same amount of steals in each game at 14.

Northern Iowa has matched a season high with 19 turnovers in both games that they have played against Drake. Illinois State committed a season-high 24 turnovers Jan. 14. Creighton had a season-high 22 turnovers Jan. 11. Wichita State committed a then season-high 25 turnovers Jan. 3. Cleveland State committed 22 turnovers in the consolation round of the Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Islander Classic.

The Bulldogs forced 2003 NIT participant Iowa into 23 turnovers Nov. 25 and then came back to force 2003 NCAA Tournament participant Colorado State into 26 turnovers. Iowa State committed a season-high 27 turnovers.

RANDOLPH, KORVER EARN ALL-MVC HONORS: Drake junior guard Lonnie Randolph and freshman forward Klayton Korver were selected to post-season All-Missouri Valley Conference basketball teams Tuesday.

Randolph earned second-team All-MVC playing honors and also was named to the MVC All-Defensive Team. Randolph led the MVC in steals with 70 (2.59 avg.). Randolph, who led Drake with a 12.1 scoring average, ranked fourth in the MVC in assists with 103 (3.8 avg.).

Randolph became the first Drake player to be named to the MVC All-Defensive Team since William Celestine was selected to the 1993-94 speciality unit.

Korver was named to the five-member All-Freshman Team. He averages 7.6 points and 3.6 rebounds, while leading Drake with 38 three-point baskets.

He is the first Drake player to be named to the MVC All-Freshman team since Luke McDonald was named to the 2000-01 team. Klayton also joins his older brother, Kyle, who was named to the 1999-2000 All-MVC Freshman team during his rookie year at Creighton.

TRIO EARN MVC SCHOLAR-ATHLETE HONORS: Drake junior guard Lonnie Randolph has been named a first-team selection to the Missouri Valley Conference Scholar-Athlete Men's Basketball Team. Drake senior guard Brian Hogan and sophomore forward Josh Powell both were named to the MVC Scholar-Athlete Honorable Mention Team.

Nominees for the MVC Scholar-Athlete Team must own a 3.00 cumulative grade-point average based on a 4.0 scale.

Randolph, a business major, has been a two-year starter for Drake and is enjoying his best season yet. He leads Drake with a 12.1 scoring average and leads the league in steals (70-2.59 avg), while ranking fourth in assists (103-3.81 avg). Powell, a business major, is averaging 6.8 points, while Hogan is an actuarial science major.

ROBINSON NAMED TO MVC IMPROVED TEAM: Drake sophomore guard Joshua Robinson was named to the Missouri Valley Conference Most Improved Team.

Robinson is averaging 8.9 points, almost doubling his 4.6 scoring average as a freshman. He has led Drake in scoring in eight games, including a career-high 21 points in a 73-64 victory at Western Illinois. He made four three-point baskets against Iowa State and Southern Utah.

Robinson ranks 13th in the MVC in free throw percentage (.740) and third on the team with 24 three-point baskets.

DRAKE IN MVC STATS: The Bulldogs lead the Missouri Valley Conference in three team categories: steals, 311 (11.5 avg.); turnovers forced, 569 (21.1 avg.); and offensive rebounds, 350 (13.07 avg.).

BALANCE KEY TO SUCCESS: First-year coach Tom Davis relies on plenty of depth for the Bulldogs up-tempo offense and pressure defense. Ten players are averaging 12 or more minutes of playing time. Eight different players have led Drake in scoring this season.

PUT ME IN, COACH: Drakes reserves have scored 20 or more points in 21 games this season, while also outscoring the opponents bench, 769-660. That is an average of 28.5 points per game compared to the opponents 24.4. Drakes bench contributed a season-high 51 points against Bradley. The reserves also scored 45 points against Cleveland State and had 42 in the opener against Simpson.

THE SERIES: Wichita State, having won 22 of the last 33 games, owns an 82-42 lead in the series.

This will be the rubber game of the 2003-04 season series with each team earning victories on the opponents homecourt. When the Bulldogs claimed a 71-60 victory Jan. 3, it marked Drakes first triumph in Wichita since 1996. The Shockers came back to claim a 70-60 victory in Des Moines Jan. 31.

The Shockers swept the 2002-03 season series, earning a 69-61 victory in Wichita and an 80-70 triumph in Des Moines.

DRAKE VS. SHOCKERS IN MVC TOURNAMENT: Drake owns a 1-3 record against Wichita State in the MVC Tournament with the lone victory occurring the last time the teams played each other in the tournament. Drake upset Wichita State, 73-63, in the play-in round of the 1997 MVC Tournament as guard Lynnrick Rogers scored 38 points which still stands as a MVC Tournament single-game high in games played in St. Louis, Mo.

THE LAST TIME: Wichita State 70, Drake 60 (Jan. 31, Des Moines, Iowa) : Jamar Howard scored 11 points in the last 7 minutes 27 seconds as Wichita State overcame a season-high 28 turnovers against Drakes pressure defense.

The Shockers had committed a previous season high 25 mistakes in a 71-60 home loss to Drake Jan. 3. Drake collected 14 steals, marking the 10th time it had reached double figures in that category.

Junior guard Lonnie Randolph had 18 points for Drake, including 13 points in the second half to fuel a rally that enabled Drake to erase a 30-22 halftime deficit. He scored seven straight points to climax an 11-1 run by Drake that turned a 44-35 deficit into a 46-45 lead with 8:52 left.

The Shockers converted 14 of 14 free throws in the last 3 minutes 56 seconds. Sophomore guard Chaun Brooks scored 11 points for Drake which shot just 32.2 percent from the floor. Wichita State outrebounded Drake, 44-35. Randolph led Drake with eight rebounds, while Josh Powell and Joshua Robinson had seven rebounds apiece. Drake junior center David Bancroft recorded career highs of four blocked shots and three steals.

FIRST MEETING OF SEASON: Drake 71, Wichita State 60 (Jan. 3, 2004, Wichita, Kan.) Fifty-nine of Drakes 71 points were scored by the freshmen and sophomores, with rookie guard Nick Grant coming off the bench to score a career-high 19 points, while sophomore Josh Powell enjoyed his first career double -double with career highs of 14 points and 10 rebounds. Freshman Klayton Korver came off the bench to score 11 points, nailing three three-point baskets.

Grants 19-point effort at Wichita State was even more remarkable, considering he played only 17 minutes. He scored 17 points in the second half and collected four steals, while making nine of 10 free throws.

The Bulldogs had three straight possessions in which they scored 10 points in a 68-second span that fueled a 14-2 run which gave Drake a 45-30 lead and had the Shockers playing on their heels the rest of the game. Grant stole a pass near half court, made a dunk and added a free throw. He then made another steal, scored and was fouled making the free throw. The next time down, Korver made a three-pointer while being fouled and added the free throw for a four-point play.

RANDOLPH GETS THE POINT: Drake junior Lonnie Randolph has picked the right time to provide a huge lift from the point guard position for Drake.

Randolph enters the MVC Tournament averaging 22 points, 4.5 steals, 3.0 rebounds, 3.0 three-point baskets in his last three games. He is shooting 50 percent (22-44) from the field during that stretch and has only committed four turnovers in 92 minutes of action.

He scored a career-high 31 points against Northern Iowa Feb. 25, making a career-high five three-point baskets, along with five rebounds, three steals and two assists. Randolph scored 19 points in an 81-71 victory against Evansville while tying a career high with six steals. He did not commit a turnover in 32 minutes. Randolph scored 16 points at Illinois State last Monday while dishing out six assists.

Randolph has 103 assists this season, equaling his entire output from last year while becoming the first player in Drake history to pass the century mark in assists in back-to-back seasons. Five other Drake players have collected 100 or more assists in a season twice but never in consecutive years.

SLEEPING GIANT: After blocking eight shots in two recent road games, unheralded David Bancroft ranks sixth (28-1.04 avg.) in the MVC in that category. The Drake junior celebrated a return to his home area Jan. 25 by blocking three shots at Southwest Missouri State and then rejected an MVC season high five blocked shots at Akron Feb. 21.

RANDOLPH NAMED MVC PLAYER OF WEEK: Drake junior guard Lonnie Randolph was named
the Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Week Feb. 16. Against the league's top two teams in the standings, Randolph averaged 16.0 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 5.0 assists.

He enjoyed his first career double-double with a season-high 19 points and a career-high 12rebounds, along with six assists and four steals in 78-73 double overtime upset against Creighton.

Against Creighton, Randolph scored four points in the second overtime along with two rebounds, one steal and one assist. He preserved the victory with a key steal and then hit two free throws with 16 seconds left as Drake erased a five-point deficit. Earlier in the week he had 13 points, four assists and two steals at Southern Illinois

He is the second Drake player to earn the honor this season. Earlier, sophomore forward Josh Powell was named the MVC Player of the Week Jan. 3.

LITTLE BIG MAN: Standing 6 feet 1 inch, junior guard Lonnie Randolph might be the smallest starter in the Drake lineup but he certainly has made his presence known. He is averaging 5.1 rebounds in his last 10 games.

Randolph earned his first double-double with a season-high 19 points and a career-high 12 rebounds in a 78-73 double-overtime home victory past Creighton.

He has grabbed nine or more rebounds in three games (9-Southern Utah, 9-Indiana State, 12-Creighton). Randolph, who is averaging 4.3 rebounds for the season, also has grabbed six or more rebounds in six games.

Twice this season he has come close to recording triple-doubles in games. He collected eight points, nine rebounds, six assists, and a career-high six steals against Southern Utah while playing only 30 minutes. Randolph collected eight points, nine rebounds and eight assists against Indiana State Feb. 4.

RANDOLPH MOVES UP CAREER LISTS: Junior guard Lonnie Randolph ranks No. 6 on Drakes career steals list and No. 7 on the career assists lists.

He has 132 career steals, needing two to move into a tie for No. 5 with Stephfon Butler (1980-85) who had 134. Randolph has 291 assists trailing Terry Benka (1973-77, 308) for the No. 6 spot.

Randolph has become the first Drake player to collect 70 steals in a season since William Celestine had 72 in 1993-94. He is the third player in Drake history to reach the 70-plateau. Curt Smith owns the school single-season steals mark of 75 in 1992-93.

WALK-ONS CONTRIBUTE: Two walk-ons juniors Pete Eggers and Nate Richie have played key roles in Drakes 10-man rotation. Eggers, a transfer from Kirkwood (Iowa) Community College, has started the last 14 games and is averaging 5.4 points and 2.6 rebounds. Eggers came off the bench to collect 11 points and five rebounds to spur Drake to a come-from-behind 83-80 victory against Cleveland State. He had a career-high 12 points against Southwest Missouri State Jan. 25 and then had three points in overtime to key Drakes 62-57 win at Bradley Jan. 28.

Richie, who transferred to Drake from Western Michigan in 2002, is averaging 4.3 points, while ranking second on the team with 29 three-point baskets. Richie had made a three-point basket in 12 straight games before having the streak snapped Jan. 17 at Northern Iowa.

Drake Team Quick Facts
-Drakes roster features just 11 scholarship players.
-There are no senior scholarship players on the Drake roster, and three freshmen and five sophomores are in the playing rotation.
-Dr. Tom Davis has used 12 different starting lineups on the season.
-Drake has committed fewer turnovers than opponents in 19 of its 27 games this season.
-Drake ranks third in the nation in steals with an 11.5 average per game while leading the Missouri Valley Conference. The Bulldogs have recorded double-digits in steals in 18 games this year. The Bulldogs had only two double-digit efforts in steals all of last season.
-The Bulldogs have forced opponents into 20 or more turnovers in 16 games.
-Drake has won eight games (Simpson, Western Illinois, Southern Utah, Cleveland State, Wichita State, Bradley, Illinois State, Creighton) in which it has outrebounded opponents.

Player Quick Facts
Lonnie Randolph
-has appeared in the most games (86) and started in the most contests (63) of any player on team
-Earned second team All-MVC playing honors, while being named to MVC All-Defensive Team and MVC Scholar-Athlete Teams
-named MVC Player of Week Feb. 16 after averaging 16.0 pts., 7.0 rebs., 5.0 assists vs. Southern Illinois & Creighton
-had career-high 31 points along with career-high five treys, five rebounds and three steals in home game vs. Northern Iowa
-had 19 points and six assists at Illinois State Monday and 19 points, including four treys, in Bracket Buster game at Akron
-had 19 points and career-high 12 rebounds in double overtime upset past Creighton
-leads the Missouri Valley Conference with 70 steals (2.59 avg.)
-ranks fourth in the Missouri Valley Conference with 103 assists (3.81 avg.)
-ranks 7th in MVC in assist/turnover ratio (1.01)
-has led team in assists in 18 games, including a season-high eight against Bradley and Indiana State
-has grabbed nine or more rebounds vs. Southern Utah (9), Indiana State (9) and Creighton (12)
-is averaging team-high 5.2 free throw attempts per game
-had a career-high six steals against Southern Utah
-leads the team with 103 assists and 70 steals

Chaun Brooks
-tied for fifth in MVC in steals with 46 (1.70 avg.)
-has started last 22 games and responded by collecting four steals vs. Southern Utah & Iowa State
-had career-high 16 points and eight rebounds in victory at Akron
-had career-high six assists vs. Bradley
-had career-high 14 points with four rebounds and three assists vs. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
-had 12 points and four assists in first start vs. Southern Utah

Nick Grant
-provides spark off bench after starting the first five games of the season
-ranks fifth in the MVC in steals with 45 (1.73 avg.)
-averaging 9.8 points in last eight games
-had 18 points and career-high five assists in victory at Akron
-became first Drake freshman to start in season opener since Joey Gaw in 1997-98
-scored career-high 19 points at Wichita State while also collecting four steals
-had 12 points and five steals against Colorado State
-had three dunks at Western Illinois
-had career-high six rebounds vs. Cleveland State

Quantel Murphy
-had first career double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds vs. Southern Illinois
-enjoyed back-to-back double-figure rebounding games including a career-high 11 rebounds at Western Illinois
-has led team in rebounding in five games
-tied a career high with three assists at Western Illinois and Bradley

Josh Powell
-leads team in field goal percentage (.508)
-earned MVC Scholar-Athlete honorable mention honors
-had 13 points and team-high seven rebounds at Illinois State Monday
-named MVC Player of the Week Jan. 5 after averaging 11.0 points and 7.6 rebounds in three games, while shooting 59 percent from the floor
-had first career double-double with career highs of 14 points and 10 rebounds at Wichita State
-named to Islander Classic All-Tournament team after averaging 9.5 points and 6.5 rebounds
-collected 13 points vs. Cleveland State along with six rebounds

Joshua Robinson
-named to MVC Most Improved Team
-had career high four assists and five steals vs. Evansville last Saturday
-tallied a career-high 21 points at Western Illinois
-has missed six games this season with Drake posting 1-5 record in his absence
-made a career-high four three-point baskets vs. Southern Utah and Iowa State

DAVIS SHUFFLE: Coach Tom Davis has utilized 12 starting lineups this season. Guard Lonnie Randolph is the only player who has started all 25 games.

RANDOLPH TO THE RESCUE AGAIN: Junior guard Lonnie Randolph continued his solid floor play with 19 points, while matching a career high with six steals to pace Drake to an 81-71 victory past Evansville in its home finale last Saturday. Behind Randolph, the Bulldogs employed a menacing pressure defense that forced Evansville into a season-high 24 turnovers. Drake collected a season-high 18 steals. Randolph, who leads the MVC in steals, enjoyed the fifth straight game in which he has collected three or more steals. Randolph has scored 50 points, collected nine steals and committed just one turnover in his last two games while playing a combined 64 minutes.

Freshmen Nick Grant and Klayton Korver combined for 31 points for Drake. Grant had 17 points including 11 in the first half. Korver matched a career high with 14 points, scoring seven points to trigger a 23-0 run by Drake during a 4 minute 21-second span as the Bulldogs turned a 4-0 deficit into a 23-4 advantage. A three-point basket by Randolph gave the Bulldogs their biggest lead of the game at 33-10 with 9:12 left.

Joshua Robinson came off the bench to score eight points, while collecting a career high five steals and four assists as Drake improved to 12-14. A layup by Justin Petty pulled Evansville within 76-71 with 1:02 left in the game. But Drake made five of six free throws in the final minute, including three by Grant to secure the victory.

WORKING OVERTIME: Drake already has played four overtime games (3-1 record) this season, the most since the Bulldogs played four in the 1992-93 campaign. Three of the last six games Drake has played have gone overtime, including two of the last three home games. The Bulldogs rallied from three 11-point second-half deficits to earn a 78-73 double overtime victory against Creighton Feb. 14. Drake claimed an 82-78 overtime victory at Akron Feb. 21 and then blew a four-point lead with 1:38 left in regulation en route to dropping an 84-79 overtime setback to Northern Iowa Feb. 25..

Drake trailed by as many as 13 points at Bradley Jan. 28 before rallying to claim a 62-57 overtime victory. The Bulldogs had dropped three straight double-overtime games before its home victory against Creighton. The Bulldogs last double-overtime victory was a 76-74 home triumph against Indiana State Feb. 9, 1993.

O BROTHER, WHERE ART THOU?: Creighton coach Dana Altman is not surprised that freshman Klayton Korver has played his way into Drakes rotation. Korvers older brother, Kyle, was an All-American for Altman at Creighton last year and is now an NBA rookie with the Philadelphia 76ers.

They have great work ethic, the Korvers do, Altman said. We knew Klayton was a really good player, and it hasnt surprised me at all that he is playing a lot for them and has a great career. He (Klayton) looks so much like Kyle with his moves and when the ball leaves his hand. Our whole staff has such strong feelings for the Korver family.

Klayton has improved immensely since we started working with him, added Drake coach Tom Davis. Hes got a great work ethic, a great personality and obviously a great role model within his own family. Hes got the same size, quickness and speed that Kyle had at that age and great hands just like Kyle had. Hes got some instincts that are hard to teach.

SENIOR SALUTE: Walk-on guard Brian Hogan is the lone senior on Drakes squad.. A three-year member of the squad, Hogan recently earned honorable mention All-MVC Scholar Athlete honors in basketball. The actuarial science major has played in six games this season

COLD SHOOTING DOOMS DRAKE IN OT: Drake made just one of 13 shots in overtime en route to dropping an 84-79 decision to Northern Iowa Feb. 25. The loss overshadowed a brilliant floor game by Drake junior guard Lonnie Randolph who scored a career-high 31 points. Hot shooting by Randolph allowed Drake to rally from a 63-52 deficit with 9:45 left in the game. Randolph scored 13 points to fuel a 23-8 surge, which enabled the Bulldogs to grab a 75-71 lead.

Randolph started the Drake run with a three-point basket and then closed out the rally with a three-point basket with 2:24 left. He finished the game with a career-high five three-point baskets.

Drake had a chance to increase its advantage but Quantel Murphy missed two free throws with 1:38 left. Northern Iowa responded with layups by Chris Foster and Matt Schneiderman to tie the score at 75-75.

Drakes Chaun Brooks then missed a running eight-foot jumper with eight seconds left that forced the game into overtime. After a baseline jumper by Josh Powell had given Drake a 77-75 lead with 4:48 left in the overtime, the Bulldogs proceeded to miss their next 13 shots.

Randolph collected three steals, marking the 15th straight game in which he has collected two or more thefts. Freshman forward Klayton Korver and junior center David Bancroft added nine points apiece for Drake. Sophomore Sean Tracy came off the bench to grab a career-high nine rebounds for Drake. Drake had 13 steals against Northern Iowa, marking the 17th time Drake has recorded 10 or more steals in a game this season.

FRESHMEN KEY ROAD VICTORY: Freshmen Nick Grant and Klayton Korver combined for seven of Drake's 10 points in overtime as the Bulldogs earned their third overtime victory of the season with an 82-78 victory at Akron in a Bracket Buster contest that featured teams from the MVC and the Mid-American Conference. It also marked Drake's second overtime victory within a week after the Bulldogs had captured a 78-73 double overtime home triumph against Creighton Feb. 14.

Drake squandered an 11-point lead with 5 minutes 7 seconds left in regulation against Akron. Trailing 70-63, with 1:13 left in the second half, the Zips outscored Drake, 9-2, to send the game into overtime. Junior guard Lonnie Randolph led Drake with 19 points, while Grant came off the bench to contribute 18 points.

With Drake owning a 72-69 lead with 28 seconds left in regulation, Randolph missed two free throws that gave Akron an opportunity to tie the game.

A tip-in basket by Korver with 3:45 left in overtime gave the Bulldogs a 74-72 edge. Junior forward David Bancroft's layup gave Drake a 76-74 lead it would never relinquish.

Grant then made five of six free throws in the last 57 seconds to secure the victory for Drake. Grant also set a career high with five assists. Bancroft blocked five shots the most by any player in the MVC this season.

Drake sophomore guard Chaun Brooks added a career-high 16 points and a career-high eight rebounds. He had scored a combined 14 points in his previous two games.

Brooks (11) and Grant (10) combined for 21 points in the first half. Drake used a 16-2 run in the last 5 minutes 57 seconds of the first half to construct a 41-30 halftime lead. Drake scored the final 10 points of the first half. Brooks fueled the charge with a three-point basket and then a layup following a steal by Sean Tracy. Korver hit a three-point basket to make it 39-30 with 54 seconds left in the first half and then junior reserve guard Nate Richie hit a running jump from the left wing just before the buzzer sounded.

Drake finished the game, shooting 50.9 percent from the field. The Bulldogs made nine three-point baskets with Randolph tying a career high with four treys. The Bulldogs' pressure defense came up with 14 steals with Randolph and Korver each collecting three thefts. Drake entered the game ranked third nationally in steals with an 11.3 average per game. Junior forward Pete Eggers added six rebounds and two steals for Drake.

A GAME TO REMEMBER: Drake came up with four steals in the second overtime, to erase a five-point deficit en route to a 78-73 MVC upset victory past Creighton Feb. 14 before a crowd of 6,947 fans at the Drake Knapp Center.

Trailing 71-66 with 2:40 left in the second overtime, the Bulldogs used a 12-2 scoring spurt to close out the game while snapping a two-game losing skid.

Drake scored seven of its 14 points in the second overtime off Creighton turnovers.

Junior guard Lonnie Randolph earned the first double-double of his career with a game-high 19 points and a career-high 12 rebounds to pace Drake.

Seldom-used reserve Sean Tracy keyed Drakes comeback. After a layup by Randolph pulled Drake within 73-71 with 27 seconds left, Tracy stole a pass from Johnny Mathies and hit a running jumper to tie the game. Tracy was fouled on the play and made a free throw to give the Bulldogs a 74-73 edge with 17 seconds left.

Randolph came up with another steal on Creightons next possession and converted two free throws to move the margin to 76-73 with 16 seconds left. Mathies missed a three-point try with eight seconds left and Drake freshman Klayton Korver was fouled grabbing the rebound. Korver sank two free throws to account for the final margin as Drake snapped a three-game losing streak to the Bluejays.

Drake erased three 11-point leads in regulation. Trailing 52-41, the Bulldogs scored 14 unanswered points during a 6-minute span to grab a 55-52 lead. Freshman reserve Nick Grant keyed the rally with five points, while sophomore forward Josh Powell added four points.

Two free throws by Randolph put Drake ahead, 53-52 , for the first time in the game since leading 3-2 on a three-point basket by Pete Eggers.

A tip-in by Powell gave Drake a 60-59 edge with 11.2 seconds left in regulation. Creightons Nate Funk was fouled with 3.1 seconds left but made just one of two free throws, forcing the game into the first overtime.

Drake grabbed a 64-62 lead with 50 seconds left in the first overtime on a basket by junior Pete Eggers. A layup by Creightons Joe Dabbert tied the game at 64-64 with 19 seconds left.

Korver missed a three-point attempt from the right wing with two seconds left sending the game into the second overtime.

Randolph collected four thefts while dishing out six assists. Korver finished with a career-high 14 points for Drake, while Powell added 12 points.

Tracy who had made just four baskets on the season, added two steals, one assist and one rebound. Drake outrebounded Creighton, 43-38, with Korver, Chaun Brooks and David Bancroft each collecting five rebounds.

EVEN MORE REMARKABLE: What made the victory against Creighton all the more incredible was that Drake played without starters Joshua Robinson and Quantel Murphy for the entire second half and both overtime periods. Starting forward Josh Powell also did not play in either overtime period.

Walk-ons Pete Eggers and Nate Richie were forced to play 10 and eight minutes, respectively, in the two overtimes for the Bulldogs.

TRENDS, TRENDS, TRENDS: When Drake rallied to beat Creighton, it marked the third time in 13 games the Bulldogs won a contest in which they trailed at halftime. The Bulldogs also overcame halftime deficits to beat Bradley and Illinois State...Drake owns a 9-3 record when leading at halftime with the losses coming on the road at Indiana State, Evansville and Illinois State...The Bulldogs are 8-2 when outrebounding opponents...Drake has attempted 25 free throws or more in 15 games this season, reaching the 30-plateau mark in six games including a season high 42 against Cleveland State.

HERES TO YOU MR. ROBINSON: How much difference does having sophomore guard Joshua Robinson make in the Drake lineup?

Drake played four straight games without the services of Robinson, who was the teams leading scorer. Robinson has missed six games this season and his absence has been felt. The Bulldogs are averaging 73.8 points in the 21 games Robinson has played and 58.3 points in the six games
he has missed. He returned to the lineup Jan. 28, scoring a team-high 12 points in Drakes 62-57 overtime victory at Bradley.

In the five games Robinson was sidelined, Drake suffered four of its lowest scoring outputs of the season by netting a season-low 50 points vs. Southwest Missouri State Sunday; 56 points at Iowa and Northern Iowa while tallying 59 points in a home victory against Illinois State.

TOPSY TURVY FREE THROW SHOOTING: Inconsistency at the free throw line has cost Drake three potential victories. The Bulldogs, who rank fifth in the Missouri Valley Conference in free throw percentage (.685), have lost three games in which they have shot 60 percent or worse at the charity line. Drake hit 60 percent (9-15) in a 51-50 home loss to Southwest Missouri State Jan. 25, missing the front end of two bonus free throw situations.

Drake hit 50 percent (14-28) in a 76-69 home loss to Colorado State and a season low 46.4 percent (13-28) in a 76-72 loss at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. That was the fourth lowest percentage in Drake history. The next night Drake made 33 of 42 free throws (78.6 percent) in an 83-80 win vs. Cleveland State.

THE FUTURE IS NOW: Drake might field the youngest team in the MVC without any senior scholarship players. But that hasnt curbed the scrappy play that enabled Drake to win two straight MVC games by double figures (Wichita State, Bradley) for the first time since the 1993-94 season when it earned consecutive home victories past Southwest Missouri State (76-63) and Creighton (77-64).

Fifty-nine of Drakes 71 points were scored by the freshmen and sophomores when Drake claimed its first victory at Wichita State since 1996. Rookie guard Nick Grant came off the bench to score a career-high 19 points, while sophomore Josh Powell enjoyed his first-career double double with career highs of 14 points and 10 rebounds. Freshman Klayton Korver came off the bench to tie a career-high with 11 points, nailing three three-point baskets.

KORVER, RANDOLPH RESCUE DRAKE: Lonnie Randolph collected eight points, a career-high nine rebounds and tied a season high with eight assists in helping Drake hold off Indiana State, 69-66, Feb. 4. The Bulldogs had enjoyed a 63-52 lead with 5:28 left but freshman guard Eric Gray scored six points during a 9-0 run that pulled Indiana State within 63-61. Randolph then came up big down the stretch with heroics that preserved the victory. Randolph stole the ball from Indiana State forward Darron Evans and dribbled the length of the court for a layup to give Drake a 65-61 lead with 1:44 remaining.

A basket by Wilfred Antoine with 1:10 left pulled Indiana State to within 65-63. But Randolph threw a pass to freshman reserve forward Klayton Korver who hit a desperation 35-foot shot just before the shot clock expired with 32 seconds left to give Drake a 68-63 advantage.

Gray answered with his sixth three-point basket of the game on the Sycamores' next possession to narrow the deficit to 68-66, then Randolph was fouled and made one of two shots with 17.4 seconds left.

Indiana State missed three shots in the final eight seconds including three-point attempts by freshmen Russell Trudeau and Tyson Schnitker.

Chaun Brooks and Joshua Robinson led a balanced Drake scoring attack with 10 points apiece. Korver added nine points. Quantel Murphy and Pete Eggers collected eight points apiece.

Eggers added a career-high four steals for Drake which used pressure defense to race to a 17-4 lead. Drake scored 25 points off miscues by the Sycamores. A basket by Murphy gave Drake a 37-21 lead with 3:59 left in the half. Two free throws by Murphy with 17:00 left enabled Drake to enjoy its biggest lead at 45-28.

ONLY IN PEORIA: Junior walk-on Pete Eggers scored three points in overtime as Drake snapped a three-game losing streak with a 62-57 victory at Bradley Jan. 28. The Bulldogs, who won for the first time in Peoria since 1993, held Bradley scoreless in overtime.

Eggers hit a twisting layup with 3 minutes left in overtime to give Drake a 59-57 lead. Josh Powell added two free throws with 22 seconds left to push the advantage to 61-57. Eggers sealed the victory when he made a free throw with 15 seconds left and then grabbed the rebound off his second attempt allowing Drake to run out the clock.

Drakes relentless defense forced Bradley into a season-high 28 turnovers with the Bulldogs scoring 25 points off those miscues. Drake also collected 14 steals with sophomore guard Chaun Brooks leading the way with four steals. Joshua Robinson, who was sidelined the last four games, scored a team-high 12 points to lead Drake. Robinson came off the bench to hit seven points in the first half. Powell and Brooks added 10 points for the Bulldogs. Powell also grabbed nine rebounds and collected a career-high three blocked shots.Drake enjoyed a pair of six-point leads in the second half, while rallying from a 28-24 halftime deficit. Two free throws by Robinson gave Drake a 57-55 lead but the Bulldogs failed to score on their last five possessions in regulation. Drake missed three free throws down the stretch. A layup by Bradleys James Gillingham tied the score at 57-57. Drake had the last possession of regulation but was unable to get off a decent shot.

NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK: Newcomers who have immediately are sophomore guard Chaun Brooks and freshman guard Nick Grant. Brooks is a transfer from Howard (Texas) Community College, who averaged 10.1 points, 3.9 assists, 3.4 rebounds and 2.1 steals while leading his team to a 29-4 record in 2002-03. Howard was ranked No. 15 in the final National Junior College Athletic Association poll. He earned first team Texas Class 5A all-state honors as a senior in 2000-01 at John Jay High School in San Antonio.

Grant was ranked among the top 50 shooting guards in the United States by InsidersHoop.com last year. He was named the outstanding performer of the 2003 Washington Catholic Athletic Association All-Star game after collecting 20 points and 10 rebounds, while also winning the slam dunk contest. Grant played in the 2003 Jordan Capital Classic in Washington D.C., playing for the Capital All-Stars. He averaged 14.3 points, 4.3 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 3.4 steals and 1.4 blocked shots while leading Paul VI to its best season in school history with a 22-7 mark last year.

FAMILY TREE: Did you know in tracing the bloodlines of several Drake players that...

Freshman Klayton Korvers brother, Kyle, is a reserve on the Philadelphia 76ers. Kyle Korver was a two-time player of the year in the Missouri Valley Conference in 2002 and 2003 during his career at Creighton. He was picked in the second round of the 2003 NBA Draft by the New Jersey Nets before being traded to Philadelphia.

Thomas Diezis sister, Dominique, competed in the 1996 Olympics as a member of the Switzerland national swimming team.

Pete Eggers uncle, Kevin Kunnert, was a standout player at Iowa (1970-74) and also played in the NBA with the Houston Rockets.

Zach Eglis father, Tom Egli, lettered in basketball at Drake from 1976-78 as well as football in 1978.

NAACP HONORS DRAKE'S FINAL FOUR TEAM : As part of the Martin Luther King Holiday activities and in recognition of Drakes 1968-69 NCAA Final Four team's racial diversity trailblazing, the Des Moines Branch of the NAACP awarded plaques to the University, its Athletic Department and Jean John, widow of coach Maury John, during a halftime ceremony of the Jan. 14 Drake-Illinois State game.

It also marked the 50th anniversary of the Supreme Court's decision in Brown vs. Board of Education, striking down racial segregation in the public schools. Although the Brown decision came down in 1954, the barriers imposed by segregation were just beginning to yield in 1969. Fifteen years after Brown, segregation still barred black athletes from playing at many universities. At other schools, unspoken quotas limited the number of black players who could be on the court at the same time, to only two players.

In contrast, the 1968-69 Drake team started as many as four African American players and had an African American assistant coach, Gus Guydon, who many considered to be the first black assistant coach in Division I. The Drake team was a family, and they integrated both on and off the court.

Bradley took advantage of cold shooting by Drake to race to an 18-4 lead as the Bulldogs made just two baskets out of eight shots in the opening 12 minutes of the game.

But pressure defense allowed the Bulldogs to rally, going on a 16-3 scoring flurry to pull within 21-20 following a basket by Brooks off a steal with 4:40 left. Drake forced Bradley into five turnovers during the comeback. Drakes Klayton Korver grabbed a career-high seven rebounds, including six in the first half which equaled his previous high.

IMPRESSIVE VICTORY: Drakes victory at Bradley was all the more impressive considering it rallied from a halftime deficit on the road (28-24) and won despite being outrebounded (39-35). In fact, Drake had an 0-8 record when being outrebounded by opponents entering the Bradley game. The Bulldogs also were able to win despite shooting a dismal 55.6 percent from the free throw line (15-27).

THE LAST MEETING: Southwest Missouri State 51, Drake 50 (Jan. 25, 2003, Des Moines, Iowa) Merrill Andrews 10-foot jumper from the left baseline with three-tenths of a second left rallied Southwest Missouri State. It marked the second straight year that Andrews hit the game winning shot against the Bulldogs in Des Moines. Andrews made a five-foot jumper from the right baseline with 1.7 seconds remaining to give the Bears a 74-72 double overtime victory at Drake in 2002.

Andrews released the shot with 1.1 seconds left over Drake freshman forward Klayton Korver. With six seconds left Korver had batted a missed shot by the Bears Monwell Randle to the top of the key into the hands of SMS guard Trevyor Fisher who spotted Andrews open on the left baseline.

A basket by Chaun Brooks gave Drake a 50-49 edge with 1:13 remaining. The Bulldogs had a chance to increase the margin following an errant pass by SMS guard Blake Ahearn with 47 seconds left. But Drakes Lonnie Randolph missed a running 15-foot jumper with 18 seconds left.

The Bulldogs made just three baskets in the last 12 minutes 27 seconds of the first half and Southwest Missouri State capitalized, going on a 19-7 run to grab a 25-17 halftime lead. Freshman reserve Tyler Chaney scored eight of his career-high 12 points to fuel the Bears flurry.

Brooks scored a game-high 13 points, including nine in the second half. Pete Eggers tallied a career-high 12 points for Drake, including a career-high three three-point baskets. Drake began the second half by making its first five baskets from the field. Drake used a 10-1 run, keyed by three-point baskets from Eggers and Korver, to grab a 43-42 lead with 6:42 left following a basket by Nick Grant. Drake forced SMS into 17 turnovers, while Randolph had four steals.

UNDERCLASSMEN KEY UPSET: Drake surprised preseason league favorite Wichita State by earning a 71-60 road victory Jan. 3 for its first triumph in Wichita since 1993. Fifty-nine of Drakes 71 points were scored by the freshmen and sophomores with rookie guard Nick Grant coming off the bench to score a career-high 19 points, while sophomore Josh Powell enjoyed his first-career double double with career highs of 14 points and 10 rebounds. Freshman Klayton Korver came off the bench to tie a career-high with 11 points, nailing three three-point baskets.

Grants 19-point effort at Wichita State was even more remarkable, considering he played only 17 minutes. He scored 17 points in the second half and collected four steals, while making nine of 10 free throws.

The Bulldogs had three straight possessions in which they scored 10 points in a 68-second span that fueled a 14-2 run which gave Drake a 45-30 lead and had the Shockers playing on their heels the rest of the game. Grant stole a pass near half court, made a dunk and added a free throw. He then made another steal, scored and was fouled making the free throw. The next time down, Korver made a three-pointer while being fouled and added the free throw for a four-point play.

DRY SPELL DOOMS DRAKE: Drake dug itself in a hole early, going without a basket for 8 minutes 37 seconds in the first half, en route to dropping a 76-56 MVC decision at Northern Iowa Jan. 17. The Bulldogs shot just 32.8 percent from the floor. Lonnie Randolph led Drake with 13 points, while sophomore forward Pete Eggers added 10 points and a career-high eight rebounds.

Northern Iowa took advantage of cold shooting by Drake to turn an 11-10 lead into a 33-13 advantage. The Bulldogs went 8 minutes 36 seconds without scoring a basket, missing 13 shots during the dry spell. A layup by Randolph ended the drought with 3:12 left in the period.

Drake shot 23.3 percent from the floor, making only seven of 30 shots. It marked the second straight game in which Drake had struggled without the services of its leading scorer guard Joshua Robinson. Drake shot just 17.6 percent in the first half against Illinois State, making only four of 23 shots.

The Bulldogs scored eight straight points, behind three-point baskets by Randolph and Klayton Korver, to grab an 8-4 lead before Northern Iowas flurry.
Randolphs three-point basket ended a five-game streak in which he had failed to make a three-point basket, missing his previous eight attempts from beyond the arc.

POWELL NAMED MVC PLAYER OF WEEK: Drake sophomore forward Josh Powell was named the MVC Player of the Week Jan. 5 after averaging 11.0 points and 7.6 rebounds in three games, while shooting 59 percent from the floor. He grabbed at least six rebounds in the first half of all three games.

He enjoyed his first career double-double with career highs of 14 points and 10 rebounds in Drake's 71-60 upset victory at preseason MVC favorite Wichita State. Earlier that week, he was named to the Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Islander Classic All-Tournament team after leading Drake to a third-place finish. He scored 13 points, hitting six of eight shots, while adding six rebounds in an 83-80 consolation victory past Cleveland State. In first game of tournament he grabbed a then career-high seven rebounds against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, along with six points.

Drake freshman Nick Grant was nominated for the MVC Newcomer of the Week after coming off the bench to score a career-high 19 points along with four steals at Wichita State.

AVOID THOSE SLOW STARTS: Drake has dug itself in a hole early in four games, thanks to cold shooting. Drake missed its first 10 shots in home games against Colorado State and Southern Illinois. Then Drake made just one of its first 12 shots in the opening 10 minutes nine seconds of a home game against Iowa State, falling behind 23-6. The Bulldogs trailed Cleveland State, 9-0, before rallying to win the game, 83-80.

HISTORY LESSON : When he signed with Drake out of Mahwah, N.J., guard Joshua Robinson said he wasn't aware that Drake had been to a Final Four. He made that discovery when he started playing in the Knapp Center, and saw the 1969 Final Four banner hanging from the rafters. He scored 19 points, hitting a career-high four three-point baskets, against Southern Utah then was the first to cross the court, shaking hands with members of the 1968-69 team who returned for a 35-year reunion

"They're superstars in my mind,'' said Robinson, grabbing Willie McCarter's hand and shaking it.

"It was like a transferring of the stick,'' said McCarter, a former All-American point guard.

DOG TAGS: The 87 points scored against Simpson marked the most points scored by Drake in a season opener since the Bulldogs beat Augustana (S.D.), 116-83, Dec. 2, 1980...Drakes record in Missouri Valley Conference openers fell to 34-56 (20-25 home/14-31 road), including a 1-3 mark against Southern Illinois (1-1 home/0-2 road)...Pete Eggers and Nick Grant are the only southpaws on the team...With an 87-72 win over Simpson, Drake improved its record to 62-36 in season openers including a 9-3 mark in season openers played at the Knapp Center...The Bulldogs also own a 65-33 record in home openers..

ROBINSON KEYS VICTORY AT WESTERN ILLINOIS: Joshua Robinson scored a career-high 21 points, including 15 in the second half, to rally Drake to a 73-64 nonconference victory at Western Illinois Dec. 2. Robinson scored seven points to key a 17-3 run by Drake midway through the second half, turning a 38-37 deficit into a 54-41 lead.

The Bulldogs shot 58.6 percent in the second half. Drake also outrebounded Western Illinois, 37-33, with Quantel Murphy grabbing a career-high 11 rebounds. Drake overcame cold shooting to grab a 25-23 halftime lead on a layup by Lonnie Randolph with four seconds left. That broke a drought of 10
minutes 53 seconds in which Drake had failed to make a basket. Randolph had a steal and then fed Nick Grant for a dunk that gave Drake an 18-17 lead with 10:57 left. But the Bulldogs would miss their next 10 shots, while tallying their next five points at the free throw line. Drake limited Western Illinois to just three baskets in the last 11 minutes of the first half. Randolph finished with 17 points and eight rebounds. Grant had 10 points, including three dunks.

RICHIE RICH: Nate Richie was a collective zero for eight from three-point range before hitting four of five three-point shots at Iowa Nov. 21. He had played a total of 11 college games - one season at Western Michigan, two at Drake - entering the Iowa game. He had one career field goal in 13 attempts, and that basket came in the Bulldogs' school-record 162-point game against Grinnell last season. Richie was just two of 12 from three-point range in Drake's two exhibition games this season.

NICE OPENING ACT: Sophomore forward Quantel Murphy came off the bench to score a game-high 19 points, including 11 in the second half, as Drake trimmed Simpson, 87-72, in the season opener. Dr. Tom Davis became the first coach to win his Drake coaching debut since Howard Stacey guided the Bulldogs to a 123-71 home romp past Wisconsin-Platteville Dec. 1, 1971. Ironically, Wisconsin-Platteville is the alma mater of Davis. Stacey had succeeded the legendary Maury John who moved from Drake to Iowa State. Since then, the next five Drake coaches (Bob Ortegel, Gary Garner, Tom Abatemarco, Rudy Washington, Kurt Kanaskie) lost in their debuts.

Murphy hit eight of 12 shots from the floor and also pulled down a game-high seven rebounds while collecting four steals. Lonnie Randolph added 18 points, including 12 in the second half, for Drake. Pete Eggers came off the bench to tally 11 points, including seven in the first half. The Bulldogs made their first three shots to open the game, then erected a pair of 14-point leads (23-9, 25-11) in the first half.

The Bulldogs owned a 44-35 halftime lead before Simpson shot a sizzling 56.5 percent in the second half to cut the deficit to 55-52 with 12:17 left in the game. Then Murphy and Randolph took control, combining to score 11 of Drakes next 14 points. Murphy had seven points during the surge, including a dunk to push Drakes advantage at 69-55 with 9:36 left. Drake outrebounded Simpson, 41-30 and also forced Simpson into 28 turnovers. Randolph and Joshua Robinson each added three steals. Robinson also scored 10 points.

1969 FINAL FOUR REUNION: Members of the 1968-69 Drake team, which posted a school-record 26-5 mark en route to reaching the NCAA Final Four, were recognized Dec. 12-13. The team is considered one of the greatest squads assembled in the history of the MVC with four members (Willie McCarter, Willie Wise, Gary Zeller, Al Williams) of the team playing professional basketball in either the NBA or ABA, while a fifth player (Dolph Pulliam) turned down an opportunity to play for the Boston Celtics after being drafted. Drake placed third in the 1969 NCAA Tournament and was ranked No. 11 in the final Associated Press poll. Drake went 22-4 during the regular season, earning a share of the MVC title. Drake beat Colorado State, 84-77, in the championship of the Midwest Regional to advance to the Final Four. Drake gave eventual national champion UCLA all it could handle in the semifinal round of the NCAA Final Four before falling, 85-82. Drake rebounded to whip North Carolina, 104-84, in the third-place consolation game. Maury John was named the National Coach of the Year by the U.S. Basketball Writers Association.

Guard Willie McCarter, a two-time first-team All-MVC choice, earned All-American honors by the Helms Athletic Foundation. Forward Willie Wise would go on to a distinguished career with the Utah Stars of the American Basketball Association.

HAWKEYES SPOIL HOMECOMING: Iowa went on an 18-6 run in the opening eight minutes of the second half to break away from a 36-32 halftime lead en route to a 74-56 nonconference victory against Drake Nov. 25. A crowd of 12,567 saw the return of Davis to Carver Hawkeye Arena where he became Iowa's winningest coach with 269 victories from 1987-1999. Davis was presented a basketball by Iowa coach Steve Alford during a brief pregame ceremony.

The undermanned Bulldogs, playing without starting guard Joshua Robinson, gave taller Iowa all it could handle in the first half. Nate Richie scored nine of his team-high 12 points in a 65-second span late in the first half. Richie hit three straight three-point baskets during the stretch with his last trey giving Drake a 25-24 lead with 5:34 left in the first half. A layup by Jared Reiner gave Iowa a 26-25 edge it would never relinquish. The Hawkeyes hit a sizzling 63.6 percent during their hot surge to open the second half, making seven of 11 shots. Drake shot just 29.2 percent in the second half. Nick Grant and Chaun Brooks each added nine points for Drake. Grant scored Drake's first five points with a three-point basket giving the Bulldogs a 5-4 lead. But he picked up his third foul with 8:06 left in the first half and didn't play the remainder of the period. He fouled out with 7:08 left in the game.

Drake's pressure defense did force Iowa into 23 turnovers. Lonnie Randolph led Drake with three steals, while Brooks, Eggers, David Bancroft and Quantel Murphy each collected two steals. Murphy and Marcin Konarzewski led Drake with six rebounds apiece. Klayton Korver came off the bench to add six points coming on a pair of treys along with four rebounds for Drake.

THE YOUNG GOT EVEN YOUNGER: First-year Drake coach Tom Davis has inherited a team that was the youngest in the Missouri Valley Conference in 2002-03, fielding six freshmen and four sophomores. And that team became even younger when senior all-conference guard Luke McDonald, who was the only scholarship senior on the squad, left the program because of a nagging foot injury. Freshman redshirt center Shaun Wumkes also has left the team, leaving Davis with only 11 scholarship players.

Right before preseason I could see I wasnt healthy enough to get through the season, said McDonald, a two-year starter who was the lone senior on the team. Everything is pretty beat up. If doctors had recommended surgery and said it wasnt that big of a deal, I would have done it. But I think it was more than that. Thats probably why they didnt recommend it."

LABOR DAY TRIP TO CANCUN: The Bulldogs were fortunate during Labor Day weekend to play three games in Cancun, Mexico. Drake won all three games on the trip, defeating the University of LaSalle, 82-63; the Belize National Team, 84-60; and the Quintanaroo Select Team, 98-64. Earlier, Belize beat Arkansas.

McDonald, who was the teams top returning scorer after averaging 13.8 points last year, has suffered a series of injuries to his feet and ankles throughout his career. He had bone spurs on both feet in 2002-03. He earned first team All-MVC playing honors after leading the league in scoring with a 17.9 average as a sophomore in 2001-02.

McDonald suffered a sprained ankle during Drakes preseason practice in August and was unable to accompany the team for a Labor Day weekend trip to Cancun, Mexico, for three exhibition games. He entered the 2003-04 season ranking No. 7 on the Drake career scoring list with 1,328 points

SLOW START DOOMS DRAKE: Drake dug itself in a hole early then saw a valiant
second-half comeback fall short en route to dropping a 76-69 nonconference decision to Colorado State Nov. 29. The Bulldogs missed their first 10 shots from the floor and Colorado State took advantage, racing to a 9-0 lead. The Rams relied on the inside play of 7-foot junior center Matt Nelson who scored 10 of his teams first 15 points. Nelson finished with a game-high 22 points, hitting eight of 10 shots from the floor.

Colorado State, which competed in the 2003 NCAA Tournament after winning the Mountain West Conference tournament, enjoyed a pair of 21-point leads in the first half with the last one coming following a layup by Stephen Verwers with 37 seconds left that gave the Rams a 40-19 cushion. Nick Grant and Lonnie Randolph ignited a furious second-half rally that cut the deficit to four points. Grant finished with 12 points, including 10 in the second half, while Randolph scored all 10 of his points in the second period.

The Bulldogs forced Colorado State into 26 turnovers. Drake capitalized scoring 21 points off Rams miscues. Drake limited Colorado State to just nine baskets in the second half, while forcing 17 turnovers during that period. But the Rams made 18 of 22 free throws in the second half. Fifteen of Colorado States last 17 points were scored at the free throw line in the last 6:41. The Bulldogs were their own worse enemy, hitting just 14 of 28 free throws.
Drake collected 17 steals with Grant recording a game-high five thefts. Joshua Robinson and freshman Klayton Korver each added three steals. Randolph scored five points during a 17-6 surge by Drake in a 4 minute 39-second span that cut a 49-30 deficit down to eight points at 55-47 with 9:02 left, following a layup by Quantel Murphy. A 10-2 run enabled Drake to pull within 71-67 with 34 seconds left following a layup by Murphy. Drake shot just 39.4 percent from the floor (26-66), including a paltry three of 19 from three-point range.

SIZING UP THE BULLDOGS: A major problem facing first-year coach Tom Davis will be replacing five key players from last years team, including the squads top three leading scorers and rebounders.

The biggest holes to fill are at off-guard where all-league performer Luke McDonald is gone along with center where three-year starter Greg Danielson led the Missouri Valley Conference in rebounding (8.9), while earning second-team all-league honors last year. Meanwhile, departed senior forward J.J. Sola led the 2002-03 Bulldogs with a 14.4 scoring average.

Lonnie Randolph returns at point guard after averaging 8.9 points, while ranking sixth in the MVC with 3.5 assists. Randolph enjoyed three 20-plus scoring games including a career-high 29 against Florida Atlantic. He averaged 15.4 points in his last seven games of 2002-03 while shooting 53.3 percent from the floor. The up-tempo offense and pressure defense employed by Davis should allow Quantel Murphy and Joshua Robinson to blossom, showcasing their athleticism.

Robinson, a 6-2 guard, started in 13 games last season, averaging 4.3 points while ranking third on the team in three-point baskets (25). The 6-4 Murphy averaged 2.9 points but scored a career-high 25 against Grinnell while setting a MVC single-game record by going 10-for-10 fro the floor. Two-year letterwinner David Bancroft has the most experience of any returning front liner. The 6-9 forward averaged 2.2 points and 1.6 rebounds last year. Josh Powell (1.3 ppg, 1.6 rpg) also returns at forward after starting in three games.

HOMESTATE TALENT: Drakes roster includes eight players from Iowa, headed by freshman forward Klayton Korver who earned first-team Iowa Class 3A all-state honers by both the Iowa Newspaper Association and the Des Moines Register in 2002-03 after leading Pella to its second straight Iowa Class 3A state title. Sophomore forward Josh Powell averaged 19.5 points and 12.4 rebounds as a senior at Lincoln High School in Des Moines in 2001-02 , while earning first team Iowa Class 4A all-state honors by the Iowa Newspaper Association. Junior Pete Eggers earned first team Iowa Class 4A all-state honors as a senior at Wahlert High School in Dubuque in 2000-01.

Senior guard Brian Hogan earned first team All-Southeast Seven Conference honors at Fort Madison High School in 2000-01. Freshman guard Jonathan Crane earned second-team Iowa Class 4A all-state honors as a senior at Hoover High School in Des Moines in 2002-03. Other Iowans on the Drake squad include freshman guard Zach Egli (Ankeny), freshman forward Robert Gaffey (Iowa City Regina) and freshman guard Mark Larsen (Cedar Falls).