DEC. 31, 2009

DES MOINES, IOWA -- Senior forward Jonathan Cox (Barrington, Ill.) scored a season-high 23 points and grabbed 11 rebounds as the Drake men's basketball team celebrated the New Year early with a 67-49 Missouri Valley Conference victory past Missouri State Wednesday.

Cox, who recorded his 15th career double-double, scored 16 points in the second half as the defending MVC champions shot a sizzling 55 percent from the floor to level their league record to 1-1.

Junior guard Josh Young (Lawton, Okla.) added 16 points for the Bulldogs who recorded their widest victory margin in the 38-game series between the schools.

Drake held the Bears to just 38.3 percent shooting from the floor (18-47) as well as a season-low 49 points.

It also marked the fewest points Drake had allowed in a MVC regular-season game dating back to a 45-41 home win against Illinois State Feb. 14, 2006.

"It was a good bounce back game on the defensive end for us," said first-year Drake coach Mark Phelps, whose team improved to 10-4, entering a Sunday game at Southern Illinois.

Freshman Kyle Weems led Missouri State with 13 points and nine rebounds, while senior forward Wade Knapp added 11 points and seven rebounds.

Senior transfer center Will Creekmore, who was coming off a 19-point 11-rebound performance in the Bears' MVC opener against Illinois State, was held to eight points and four rebounds.

Cox made eight of 11 shots from the field, including four of five beyond the arc. He had made just three of his last 19 three-point baskets entering the game.

"We need Bucky (Cox) to be aggressive when he catches the ball on the perimeter," added Phelps.

Drake made just one of its first eight shots in the opening 6 minutes 15 seconds of the first half with Missouri State taking advantage to enjoy an 8-2 lead. The Bulldogs responded with an 8-0 run to turn a 10-7 deficit into a 15-10 lead which they never relinquished.

A free throw by senior reserve forward Alex White (Albuquerque, N.M.) gave Drake its biggest lead of the game at 65-44 with 2:17 left.

Young, who recorded his first blocked shot in two years, moved into a tie for No. 16 on the Drake career scoring list with Napoleon Gaither (1975-78) with 1,071 points.

Drake junior transfer forward Adam Templeton (Rapid City, S.D.) had seven points and six rebounds to end a shooting slump in which he had made just one of his last 14 shots covering the previous three games.

The Bulldogs outrebounded Missouri State, 35-30.

Drake also collected eight steals with Cox and junior guard Craig Stanley (Plano, Texas) recording two thefts.

DRAKE NOTES: Junior forward Bill Eaddy (Ypsilanti, Mich.) made his first basket in the last six games...Young's next three-point basket will move him into a tie for No. 3 on school career three-point baskets chart at 178 with Armand LeVasseur (1996-2000)....Senior forward John Michael Hall (Moultrie, Ga.) made first appearance in the last three games, collecting three points, two assists, one steal and one blocked shot...Cox had a streak of 12 straight free throws come to end when he missed first attempt.