No. 16 Drake (23-3) at No. 8 Butler (25-2)

4:05 p.m. Central Time, Hinkle Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, Ind.

PROBABLE STARTING LINEUPS
Drake Bulldogs: 23-3, 14-2 MVC (Coach: Keno Davis, first year)
Pos. Player (Ht., Yr., Hometown) PPG RPG FG% FT%
PG-5 Leonard Houston (6-3, Sr., Holland, Mich.) 14.0 4.1 .426 .794
G-15 Adam Emmenecker (6-1, Sr., Saginaw, Mich.) 7.4 4.5 .500 .802
G-20 Josh Young (6-1, So., Lawton, Okla.) 16.2 2.5 .461 .752
F-24 Klayton Korver (6-5, Sr., Pella, Iowa) 9.4 3.8 .356 .867
F-31 Jonathan Cox (6-8, Jr., Barrington, Ill.) 11.6 8.3 .495 .795

Top Reserves
F-4 Brent Heemskerk (6-8, Jr., Grand Rapids, Mich.) 5.6 3.4 .727 .486
G-11 Jacob Baryenbruch (6-0, Jr., Spring Green, Wis.) 2.2 0.7 .283 .727
G-23 Josh Parker (6-0, Fr., Harvey, Ill.) 2.1 1.0 .353 .700
F- 50 John Michael Hall (6-5, Jr., Moultrie, Ga.) 4.1 1.3 .434 .789

TELEVISION: Ron Franklin and Fran Fraschilla will describe the action on ESPN2.

DRAKE RADIO: KRNT Radio (1350 AM) is the flagship station of Drake basketball with Larry Cotlar and Dolph Pulliam handling the broadcasting. The pregame show begins 30 minutes before tipoff.

SIRIUS SATELLITE RADIO: The Drake-Butler game will be carried on Sirius Satellite Radio, Channel 130.

WESTWOOD ONE RADIO: Westwood One will originate the national radio broadcast of the Drake-Butler game with Kevin Kugler and Bill Frieder handling the announcing duties.

THE SETTING: No. 16 ranked Drake will face its sternest test of the season when it travels to No. 8 ranked Butler (25-2) as part of the O'Reilly ESPNU BracketBusters pairings. It will mark the first meeting between the schools since Dec. 6, 1972 when Drake claimed an 83-68 victory at Veterans Memorial Auditorium in Des Moines.

In its sixth year, BracketBusters is an ESPN television property that was tremendously successful with its first five events. It has allowed Division I conferences to participate in a cutting-edge format that involves “wild-card” pairings for the pool of participating teams. One hundred teams ? representing 16 collegiate athletic conferences ? will compete in the two-day event. Of the 50 games, a minimum of 14 will be televised, with six contests on ESPN 2.

Drake was designated as the No. 1 seeded road team. Last year, Butler, ranked 12th, hosted No. 16 Southern Illinois in a 2007 BracketBusters game that attracted national attention. Southern Illinois, also from the Missouri Valley Conference, won the nationally-televised game, 68-64. Both teams eventually reached the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Men's Basketball Championship.

DRAKE IN BRACKETBUSTERS: Drake owns a 3-1 record in the BracketBusters series, earning victories at Akron (82-78 overtime) in 2004, San Jose State (73-57) in 2005, and Wisconsin-Milwaukee (84-76) last year. Drake lost at UC Irvine, 70-67, in 2006.

MIRRORED IMAGES: The similarities between Drake and Butler are almost frightening. Besides sharing the same nickname, Bulldogs, the two schools have enjoyed success under first-year coaches, while winning games with strong perimeter shooting, tough defense, balanced scoring and hustle.

The teams rank among the nation's leaders in scoring defense, three-point field goals per game, free throw percentage and turnovers per game.

THE SERIES: Butler leads the series, 4-2, winning the first four games when it was a member of the Missouri Valley Conference from 1932-34. This will mark Drake's fourth game played in Indianapolis, Ind., with Butler capturing MVC championships when it beat Drake, 43-21, Feb. 25 1933, and 39-27, Feb. 26, 1934. Drake did earn an 87-77 victory, Dec. 4, 1971, in its last appearance at Hinkle Fieldhouse.

TOP 10 VISIT: This will mark Drake's first game against a top-10 opponent since giving then No. 8 ranked Boston College all it could handle before falling, 87-84, in the semifinal round of the 2005 Las Vegas Invitational

AGAINST TOP 25: Drake has not beaten a non-conference Associated Press top 25 team since Dec. 26, 1980, when it beat No. 19 Utah, 69-68, in the first round of the Far West Classic in Portland, Ore. The Bulldogs have gone 0-23 against nonconference AP top-25 teams since.
BET YOU DIDN'T KNOW: Drake and Butler compete in the best basketball league no one has ever heard of. The schools are charter members of the Pioneer Football League which was formed in 1993 after NCAA legislation dictated that all Division I institutions were required to conduct all intercollegiate sports at the divisional level.

The eight current members have made a name for themselves in college basketball combining for 132 victories (16.5 avg). this season, while receiving national attention. Davidson (20-6) and Dayton (17-7) have been nationally ranked this season, while San Diego (15-12) earned an 81-72 victory at Kentucky Dec. 29. Other PFL members are Jacksonville, Morehead State and Jacksonville.

COMMON OPPONENTS: Drake and Butler have played five common opponents ? Bradley, Evansville, Indiana State, Milwaukee, Southern Illinois ? this season, earning 12 victories in the combined 13 meetings between those teams.

SUCCESS STARTS WITH SENIORS: With graduation claiming four senior starters from last year's 17-15 team, it was easy for prognosticators to pick Drake to finish ninth in the Missouri Valley Conference preseason poll.

But the media forgot to look at the veteran leadership returning that has made Drake's 23-3 start draw national attention as THE STORY in college basketball this season.

Seniors Adam Emmenecker, Leonard Houston and Klayton Korver have combined to appear in 303 Drake games during their careers. Then there's fourth-year Drake juniors Jonathan Cox and Brent Heemskerk who have combined to appear in 182 games.

REVERSAL OF FORTUNE: Drake lost five MVC games by a combined total of 23 points (4.6 avg.) in 2006-07, en route to a 6-12 league mark. This season the Bulldogs are winning the close games with six of their 14 league victories by a combined total of 26 points. Drake also has cut down on turnovers, owning the lowest average in the league at 12.0. The Bulldogs committed a school-record low four turnovers at Northern Iowa last Saturday.

A SEASON TO REMEMBER: Drake's 23-3 mark is the best start in school history, along with the recent school-record 21-game winning streak. The 21-game winning streak was the fourth longest winning streak by a team in Missouri Valley Conference history, and the longest winning streak since Bradley reeled off 22 straight wins in 1985-86.

The 23 victories are the most at the school since the 1968-69 team, under Maury John, went 26-5 en route to finishing third in the 1969 NCAA FInal Four. That team owned the previous school record winning streak at 12 games until losing in the semifinal round of the Final Four to eventual national champion UCLA, 85-82.

Drake's 13-0 league start marked just the fifth time in the last 50 years that a school has enjoyed a 13-0 start in the MVC. Only 14 previous teams in MVC history have started the conference schedule with 13-0 records. Southern Illinois was the last MVC school to win its first 13 league games, en route to going 17-0 in the 2003-04 season.

Drake has more than doubled its entire MVC victory output of six wins in 2006-07, while the 14 wins are the most MVC victories since the 1969-70 team, under coach Maury John, went 14-2, en route to winning a share of the league title.

AMBITIOUS: Drake is looking to get back to post-season play for the first time since 1986. The Bulldogs played in the NIT that year and last reached the NCAA Tournament in 1971.

Drake's post-season drought is the longest among any MVC member, as every other current member of the league has been in the NCAA Tournament at least once in the past 10 seasons. Drake's NCAA Tournament drought is the eighth-longest nationally (the distinction goes to Harvard, which hasn't been to the NCAA Tournament since 1946).

TITLE TOWN: Drake became the first Division I school to win a conference regular season title this season when it earned a 65-55 victory at Northern Iowa last Saturday. It marked the Bulldogs' first Missouri Valley Conference title since the 1970-71 season.

Drake has seven MVC titles in its history, including three straight from 1969-71, winning one-game playoffs for the crown in 1969 and 1971 and taking an outright title in 1970.

The Bulldogs also have earned the top seed for the State Farm MVC Tournament in St. Louis, Mo., March 6-9. Drake has never been seeded higher than No. 3 (1986) in the history of the 32-year tournament until this year.

BANKING ON HISTORY: Fourteen straight MVC regular-season champions have reached the NCAA Tournament. Illinois State (1992-93) was the last to win the league's regular season crown and not make it to the Big Dance.

THE COACH: Keno Davis was named Drake's 24th head men's basketball coach on March 21, 2007, succeeding his father, Dr. Tom Davis, who retired as head coach but remains at Drake as a special assistant to the athletic director.

Keno Davis served six years as an assistant coach under former Drake head coach Gary Garner at Southeast Missouri State, before being named the first assistant to join the men's basketball coaching staff at Drake under Tom Davis on May 19, 2003.

He also was an assistant coach at Southern Indiana from 1995-97 under coach Bruce Pearl who is now the highly successful coach at Tennessee. Keno earned a bachelor of arts degree in communications studies from Iowa in 1995.

KUDOS FOR KENO: Keno Davis finished fourth in national voting for the Hugh Durham mid-season coaching honor by Collegeinsider.com.

Renamed after the legendary Georgia and Jacksonville head coach Hugh Durham, the award is given annually by Collegeinsider.com to the top mid-major coach in America. Former Winthrop head coach Gregg Marshall was the recipient of the award last season, which was presented at the Final Four in Atlanta.

Saint Mary's head coach Randy Bennett earned the Hugh Durham mid-season coaching honor. Saint Mary's handed Drake its only loss of the season with a second-half rally to claim a 72-66
home victory Nov. 10. Bennett received nine of 20 first-place votes. Davis earned 20 points, garnering one first-place vote. Butler's Brad Stevens finished second in the voting, with Bob Marlin (Sam Houston State), Davis (Drake) and Danny Kaspar (Stephen F. Austin) rounding out the top five

LIKE FATHER, LIKE SON: Besides similar coaching styles, first-year Drake coach Keno Davis is also enjoying the same type of success his father, legendary coach Dr. Tom Davis, encountered.
?Tom Davis was 21-6 in his first year as a college head coach ? at Lafayette in 1971-72.
?Tom Davis won 18 straight games in his first year at Iowa in 1986-87 posting a 30-5 mark

GARNERING RESPECT: Drake enters the Butler game ranked...
? No. 3 in the latest CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major poll
? No. 15 in the latest College Basketball Ratings Percentage Index
? No. 16 in the latest Associated Press poll
? No. 18 in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches poll
? No. 20 in the latest Sagarin NCAA basketball ratings

TOM DAVIS “MENTORS” THE BEST: Some might be surprised at Drake's success under first-year coach Keno Davis, but he has worked under the same mentor who has developed Bruce Pearl and Gary Williams into two of the top college basketball coaches in the United States. Together, the trio have combined to win 1,012 college games and that doesn't include the 598 victories Dr. Tom Davis collected during an illustrious 32-year coaching career.

Williams, who served as an assistant coach under Davis at Lafayette (1972-78) and Boston College (1978-79 ) has accumulated 602 victories in 30 years as a college head coach, including a school record 395 at Maryland where he guided the Terps to the 2002 NCAA title. Williams began his coaching career as a graduate student at Maryland under then freshman coach Tom Davis. The 1969 freshman team finished with a 12-4 record as Williams bonded with Davis to start a lasting relationship.

Pearl has won 387 games in 16 years as a college head coach at Southern Indiana (1992-2001) Wisconsin-Milwaukee (2001-05) and Tennessee (2005-present) He served as an assistant coach, under Davis, at Boston College (1978-82), Stanford (1982-86) and Iowa (1986-92).
Pearl, Williams and Tom Davis also have been named national college coaches of the year.

GETTING DEFENSIVE: Improved defensive play has been a key to Drake's 23-3 start. Drake has held 17 of its last 24 opponents ? Cornell, Milwaukee, North Carolina Central, Duquesne, Iowa State, Chicago State, Texas-Pan American, Iowa, Wichita State, Southern Illinois, Evansville, Indiana State, Missouri State, Bradley, Creighton (twice), UNI ? to a combined 39.1 (351-897) percent shooting from the floor.
?Drake held Northern Iowa without a basket in the last 5:33 of a 58-54 win Jan. 26.
?The Bulldogs held Indiana State to a season low 29.1 percent shooting in a Jan. 9 game.
?Drake held Missouri State without a basket in the last 4:18 of a 65-54 win.
?Drake forced Southern Illinois All-MVC guard Bryan Mullins into a season-high 7 turnovers.
?The Bulldogs held Wichita State to a home season-low 54 points.
?The Bulldogs held Iowa State to 44 points ? its lowest output since Feb. 2, 2003, when it scored 43 against Texas Tech.
?Drake held Duquesne, which was the nation's top scoring offensive team (95.9 ppg avg.), to 22.9 points below its scoring average, en route to winning the Iowa Realty Invitational title with a 77-73 victory.
?The Bulldogs limited Milwaukee to a season-low 32.8 percent shooting (19-58).

ROAD WARRIORS: The Bulldogs have won a school record nine road games. The Bulldogs also won six straight MVC games on the road for the first time in school history.

ANALYZING THE STREAK: A combination of factors ? rebounding, hot shooting, defense ? were instrumental in the Bulldogs' recent 21-game winning streak:
?Drake outrebounded opponents, 34.5 to 30.6
?Drake averaged 8.0 steals, while forcing opponents into an average of 16.2 turnovers
?Drake outscored opponents, 73.7 to 59.4
?Drake averaged 9.5 three-point baskets per game
?Drake limited opponents to 42.1 percent shooting from the floor

BRADLEY HALTS DRAKE HOME STREAK: Jeremy Crouch's running 18-foot jumper from the right wing with 11.3 seconds left capped an 8-0 run to give Bradley a stunning 72-71 victory past Drake Tuesday, halting the Bulldogs' 16-game home court winning streak.

The Bulldogs had three chances to win the game in the closing seconds. After taking a time out with 4.3 seconds left, Klayton Korver missed a 12-footer from the left baseline and then guard Josh Young fell short on a 10-footer in the paint. A layup by Adam Emmenecker with 5:56 left gave Drake a 69-60 advantage. But the Bulldogs missed nine of their last 10 shots to close out the game, while committing three turnovers.

Bradley made four of its last five and outscored Drake, 12-2, in the final 5 1/2 minutes. Drake led by as many as 13 (51-38) in the second half. Bradley never led in the second half until Crouch's game-winning jumper with 11.3 seconds left.

A tip-in by junior forward Jonathan Cox, which gave Drake a 71-63 lead with 4:55 left, would be the Bulldogs' last basket of the game.

The top two shooting teams in the MVC combined for 19 three-point baskets with Bradley hitting 11 treys. Young, who missed the Jan. 16 game at Bradley while recovering from a sprained ankle, led Drake with 23 points. Cox added 15 points for Drake, including 12 in the first half.

Young scored 11 of Drake's first 13 points in the opening 4 minutes 24 seconds of the second half allowing Drake to enjoy a 46-34 lead. A free throw by Leonard Houston with 13:10 left gave Drake its biggest lead of the game at 51-38.

Drake's last double-digit lead was 67-57 with 7:11 left following two free throws by Emmenecker.

Bradley enjoyed a pair of 11-point leads in the first half with the last at 25-14. Bradley made seven of its first eight shots and hit its first three three-point attempts. The Braves opened the game with a 20-9 run. Drake then went on 14-3 run during a 6 minute 56 second span to tie the game at 28-28 with 3:29 left following a three-point basket by reserve guard Jacob Baryenbruch.

Drake never led until going up 31-30 on a Cox three-point basket with 2:30 left in the first half. Bradley missed eight of its last 11 shots in the first half.

Houston led Drake by tying a career high with seven rebounds. Korver finished with nine points, making three three-point baskets, to move into No. 17 on the school career scoring list with 1,047 points surpassing Bart Friedrick, who scored 1,042 from 1986-89. Drake's Brent Heemskerk blocked a career-high five shots.

Drake which led the MVC in steals, collected a season-low two against the Braves. Emmenecker committed six turnovers, matching his season high. Emmenecker and Young combined for 11 of Drake's 13 turnovers.

SENIORS KEY DRAKE TO TITLE: Senior guards Adam Emmenecker and Leonard Houston scored four points apiece to trigger a 13-2 scoring spree late in the game, enabling No. 14 Drake to beat Northern Iowa, 65-55, last Saturday while winning its first Missouri Valley Conference title since 1971.

The Bulldogs, who were picked to finish ninth in the preseason coaches and media poll, improved their league record to 14-1. Their win, combined with second-place Illinois State's 76-72 loss at Indiana State, allowed Drake to win the regular season title. Illinois State slipped to 10-5 with just three league games remaining.

Drake wiped out a 29-28 halftime deficit to push its record to 7-1 when trailing at halftime this season, including 6-1 on the road.

With the scored tied at 48-48 reserve forward Brent Heemskerk started Drake's late outburst with a layup off a feed from Emmenecker. Heemskerk caught the Northern Iowa defense sleeping and threw a perfect alley-oop to Houston, whose dunk put the Bulldogs ahead 52-48.

Senior Klayton Korver grabbed a tough rebound and hit a three-point basket at the other end to stretch Drake's lead to 55-48 with 4:13 left. Emmenecker hit a layup in traffic to make it 57-50. Houston's putback pushed Drake's lead to 59-50 with 1:52 left.

This marked the first time Drake has won consecutive road games in back-to-back seasons at Northern Iowa. It also marked Drake's 10th straight victory against an Iowa college (Waldorf, Iowa State-2, Iowa-2, Northern Iowa-4 and Cornell).

Emmenecker had a game-high 13 points along with eight assists, seven rebounds and three steals as Drake set a school record with just four turnovers.

Houston and Josh Young finished with 12 points apiece. Young and Korver hit three three-point baskets to help Drake set a school single-season record with 233 three-point baskets, bettering the previous mark of 232 set in the 2001-02 season.

Despite missing 11 of its first 15 shots, Drake was able to go ahead 20-15 on a three-point basket by junior reserve guard Jacob Baryenbruch. Junior forward Jonathan Cox grabbed a team high seven rebounds for Drake which outrebounded the taller Panthers, 33-25.

Drake made 18 of 19 free throws to overcome 39.2 percent shooting from the floor (20-51).

BALL SECURITY: Drake has finished first or second in the MVC in steals since 2003-04, but taking care of the basketball also has been a key to the team's success this season.Drake is averaging a MVC low 12.0 turnovers per game. Drake set a school record for fewest turnovers in a game with four at Northern Iowa last Saturday, bettering the previous mark of five set, ironically, against UNI in a Jan. 26 game at the Knapp Center.

FREE THROW ADVANTAGE: Drake leads the MVC in free throw percentage at 75 percent and has made more free throws (381) than its opponents have attempted (324). Drake has made 381 of 508 free throws, hitting an uncanny 33 of 35 shots in its last two games (18-19 @ UNI; 15-16 vs. Bradley). All five starters are shooting 75.2 percent or better from the free throw line, led by senior forward Klayton Korver who is shooting 86.7 percent (26-30).

WHAT A DIFFERENCE A YEAR MAKES: Consider the turnarounds Drake has made this season in defense and three-point shooting.

Drake ranked last in the Missouri Valley Conference in 2006-07 in three-point baskets made (6.06 avg.), three-point field goal percentage (.329) and scoring defense (74.2 avg.).

However, the Bulldogs have seen their perimeter attack make a 360-degree turn this season, ranking second in the MVC in both three-point baskets made per game (9.27 avg.) and scoring defense (60.5 avg.). The Bulldogs rank fifth in the MVC in three-point field goal percentage (.375).

Drake shot 52.4 percent (11-21) from three-point range in the victory against Iowa State. Drake shot 50 percent from beyond the three-point arc while making a season-high 13 treys in an 80-59 victory Nov. 24 against a Milwaukee team which ranked first in the Horizon League in three-point field goal percentage defense at .218.

Those were the most treys by a Drake team since the Bulldogs made 13 in a Nov. 27, 2000, home game against Delaware State.

WALK ONS APPROACHING ALL-MVC STATUS: Drake is the only team in the MVC and one of the few in all of major college basketball which has two former walk-ons in the starting lineup in junior forward Jonathan Cox and senior guard Adam Emmenecker. Their development has been paramount in Drake's success with the duo already drawing accolades from opposing league coaches as prime All-MVC candidates.

Cox, a fourth-year junior, who earned a scholarship in 2006-07, leads the MVC in rebounding (8.2 avg.). He has nine double-doubles this season.

Emmenecker was put on scholarship prior to the start of the 2007-08 season and has responded by leading the league in assists with 155 (5.96 avg.). He has scored 193 points, tripling his entire career scoring output of 57 points from the previous three seasons.

During Tom Davis' tenure as head coach at Drake from 2003-07, former walk-ons Pete Eggers and Aliou Keita eventually earned scholarships while making their way into the starting lineup. Eggers was named the most valuable player on the 2004-05 team.

THREE-POINT MARK BROKEN: Drake has set a school single-season record for three-point baskets with 241, eclipsing the previous mark of 232 set in 2001-02.

Drake has made at least 10 three-point baskets in 11 games. Drake has made 69 treys in its last seven games, matching a season high with 13 against UNI, followed by 12 in a home game against Creighton and 10 in road games at Indiana State, Illinois State and Southern Illinois.

GETTING IT DONE OFF THE COURT TOO: Members of the Drake basketball team also have encountered success off the court with nine student-athletes recording grade-point averages of 3.0 or better during the first semester.

Four players in the starting lineup have earned MVC Scholar Athlete of the Week honors, headed by senior guard Adam Emmenecker, a two-time recipient, who also was named to the first team of the CoSIDA Academic All-American District VII University Division team.

Emmenecker owns a 3.97 grade-point average with four majors: management, finance, business and entrepreneurial management. He has received only one B in his college career.

Other players, who own a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better who have been nominated to the MVC Scholar-Athlete team include junior forward Brent Heemskerk (3.67 GPA), Klayton Korver (3.11 GPA), Josh Young (3.05 GPA) and Jonathan Cox (3.05).

Cox, Korver and Young have earned MVC Scholar Athlete of the Week honors this season.

ROAD TESTED: Drake owns a 7-1 record when trailing at halftime, including a 6-1 mark on the road with comeback wins in six MVC road games at Evansville (30-32), Bradley (27-29), Creighton (24-30), Indiana State (30-35), Illinois State (38-29) and Northern Iowa (28-29).

Drake shot 68.2 percent in the second half of a 71-68 comeback win at Evansville and 56 percent in the second half of its last two comeback wins at Indiana State (83-77) and Illinois State (73-70).

HE'S B-A-C-K....TRIPLE THREAT YOUNG: After being sidelined for three games while recovering from a sprained right ankle, sophomore guard Josh Young returned to the Drake lineup, sinking a clutch three-point basket in overtime to key the Bulldogs' victory at Creighton Jan. 22. In the rematch in Des Moines he equaled a career-high with 24 points, including six treys.

Young is the only player in the MVC who ranks in the top 10 in scoring, steals, three-point baskets and three-point field goal percentage. He leads the MVC in three-point baskets (70-3.04 avg.), while ranking second in scoring (16.2 avg.) and three-point field goal percentage (.461), while ranking second in scoring (16.2) and ninth in steals (35-1.52 avg.).

He already has surpassed his entire freshman total of 30 steals with at least six games left. When he hit six treys at Milwaukee Nov. 24 following a career-high seven three-point baskets against Cornell Nov. 14, Young became the first player in Drake history to make at least six three-point baskets in consecutive games.

Young has scored 23 or more points in six home games this season. He had a career-high 24 against Southern Illinois and Creighton. He also had 23 in a 92-55 victory past Cornell, a 79-44 romp past Iowa State and an 83-53 win against Chicago State. All seven baskets against Cornell were beyond the three-point arc to mark the first time a Drake player made seven three-point baskets in a game since Dontaie Smith made seven treys against Wichita State Jan. 11, 2001.

POINT OF ATTACK: Standing only 6-1, senior guard Adam Emmenecker's primary duty is to run Drake's offense in his first year as a starter. He leads the MVC in assists with 155 for a 5.96 average, earning his first career double-double with 10 points and a career-high 10 assists at Evansville. He tied a career high with five steals in the season opener against UC San Diego.

But Emmenecker also is averaging 4.5 rebounds -- the most by any point guard in the MVC. He had a career-high eight rebounds in the MVC opener at Wichita State. He pulled down seven rebounds against Saint Mary's, Cornell, Duquesne, Iowa State and Northern Iowa.

With 118 rebounds, Emmenecker has more than tripled his entire 2006-07 total of 33 boards. He has scored 193 points, tripling his total of 57 from his previous three years combined.

SOLID DEFENSE: During its 21-game winning streak, Drake held opponents to a combined 40.8 percent shooting from the floor. Only six teams have shot more than 40 percent from the floor ?Iowa, .420, Bradley .424, Missouri State, .431; Duquesne, .473, Illinois State, .549 , Creighton .419, Indiana State, .556, Illinois State, .549? during Drake's winning steak.

GO BIG BLUE: The state of Michigan has proved to be a fertile recruiting area for Drake with four players from the Wolverine state on the roster and 6-11 prep Sean Jones (Carson City) joining the team next year. Senior guard Adam Emmenecker (Saginaw) leads the MVC in assists (5.96). Senior Leonard Houston (Holland) ranks sixth in the MVC in scoring (14.0 avg.). Junior forward Brent Heemskerk (Grand Rapids) ranks among the MVC leaders in field goal percentage (.727). Sophomore forward Bill Eaddy (Ypsilanti) came off the bench to score a career-high six points at Indiana State.

MINI BUT MIGHTY: Drake might be one of the smaller teams in the Missouri Valley Conference but that hasn't hampered the Bulldogs' ability to rebound. Drake is second in the MVC in rebounding margin at plus 3.5 per game (33.8 to 30.3 avg.). The Bulldogs have outrebounded 18 opponents. The Bulldogs outrebounded Milwaukee, 40-31. Milwaukee?s Torree Johnson, who had earned double-doubles (21.5 ppg, 10.3 rpg.) in his team's initial four games, was held to nine points and a season-low six rebounds.

IT TAKES A THIEF: The Bulldogs rank second in the MVC in steals, averaging 8.0 per game. The Bulldogs have achieved double figures in steals in seven games, collecting a season-high 15 steals in the opener against UC San Diego, as well as Iowa State and Chicago State. Senior guard Adam Emmenecker tied a career high with five steals in the opener against UC San Diego. Leonard Houston and sophomore guard Josh Young had three steals apiece.

Houston and Emmenecker had three against Iowa State. Drake had 14 steals in games against Cornell and North Carolina Central. Drake had 10 or more steals in nine games last year.

KORVER RISES TO OCCASION: Senior forward Klayton Korver is picking the right time to get hot. Korver has made 35 three-point baskets in his last 12 games, surpassing his combined total of 24 in Drake's first 14 games. For the second straight year in a home game against UNI, Korver equaled a career high with 23 points. But this time around he made a career-high seven treys (eight attempts). It marked the second time a Drake player had made seven treys in a game this season as Korver joined sophomore teammate Josh Young who hit seven treys against Cornell.

MAKING UP FOR LOST TIME: Senior guard Leonard Houston ranks sixth in the Missouri Valley Conference in scoring with a 14.0 average. He scored a career high 23 points in home games against Cornell and Duquesne. He had 22 points at Illinois State.

Keep in mind Houston had appeared in 79 career games entering this season without starting a game. He scored a career-high 23 points in just 13 minutes of playing time in Drake's home opener
? a 92-55 victory past Cornell College. Houston made eight of 11 shots from the floor, while collecting three steals, three rebounds and one assist.

He matched that career high with 23 points, including a career-high four three-point baskets, against Duquesne en route to leading Drake to the title in the Iowa Realty Invitational. Houston had a game-high 18 points in an 85-48 victory against North Carolina Central. Houston opened the season with a then career-high 21 points against UC San Diego.

UNSUNG FRONTLINE DUO: Drake junior forwards Jonathan Cox and Brent Heemskerk might not be household names in the Missouri Valley Conference but the duo is starting to draw attention. Cox leads the MVC in rebounding (8.2 avg). Cox has enjoyed nine double-doubles this season. Heemskerk is shooting 72.7 percent from the floor, making 64 of 88 shots. Heemskerk opened the season by making 16 of his first 17 shots from the field, including his first 11 straight shots.

YOUNG SWEEPS WEEKLY MVC AWARDS: Drake sophomore guard Josh Young swept both the Feb. 4 Prairie Farms/Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Week and Scholar-Athlete of the Week awards.

It marked the fourth time this season, including the third consecutive week, that a Drake men's basketball player earned the awards.

Junior forward Jonathan Cox earned MVC Scholar-Athlete of the Week honors Jan. 2 and was a recipient of MVC Player of the Week Jan. 14. Senior guard Adam Emmenecker earned both awards Jan. 22, while senior forward Klayton Korver earned both awards Jan. 28. Young also was named MVC Player of the Week Jan. 2.

Young averaged 21.0 points, 2.5 rebounds, 1.0 assists and 1.5 steals while leading the Bulldogs to a 75-65 triumph over Creighton on Jan. 30 and an 83-77 victory at Indiana State on Feb. 2.

Young, who has a 3.05 cumulative grade-point average in marketing and management, shot 59.1 percent (13-of-22) from the floor, including 10-of-17 performance from three-point range. He tied a career-high with 24 points versus Creighton and connected for 18 points, including 12 in the second half, to key the Drake win at Indiana State.

DRAKE IN KNAPP CENTER: The Bulldogs have won 16 of their last 17 home games, dating back to last year and their last 11 nonconference home games. The 16-game home winning streak was the longest in the 15-year history of the Knapp Center. Drake owns a 126-93 home record in the Drake Knapp Center. Drake is the only private school in the Missouri Valley Conference which plays its home games at an on-campus site.

HOMECOURT ADVANTAGE: Drake has won seven home games this season by 25 or more points including a 92-55 home opening win past Cornell (Iowa) College, an 85-48 victory against North Carolina Central and a 79-44 win against Iowa State.

?Drake's 16-game home winning streak was the third longest in school history, trailing winning streaks of 18 from 1962-64 and 23 from 1969-71.

?Drake has held seven of its last 11 home opponents (Iowa State, Chicago State, Texas-Pan American, Southern Illinois, Indiana State, Missouri State, UNI) to a combined 51.2 scoring average.

?Drake has won 13 home games by an average margin of 18.8 points, including four games by 30 or more points, highlighted by a 79-44 victory against Iowa State which is the largest Bulldog victory margin in the 167 games played between the schools.

KORVER SWEEPS WEEKLY MVC HONORS: Drake senior forward Klayton Korver swept both the Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Week and Scholar-Athlete of the Week honors on Jan. 26. Korver averaging 18.5 points, 5.5 three-point baskets, 2.5 rebounds and 1.0 steals while leading the Bulldogs to two comeback victories. He owns a 3.11 grade-point average majoring in marketing.

Korver shot 50 percent from floor (12-24), including 55 percent (11-20) from three-point range. He had a team-high 14 points, and added four rebounds in the 68-60 overtime win at Creighton. All four baskets were three-pointers.He then tied a career high with 23 points vs. UNI, while making a career-high seven treys ? he was 7 of 8 from three-point range ? in a 58-54 victory.

WHAT A WEEK FOR THE WALK-ON: Former walk-on Adam Emmenecker had a week to remember. On Jan. 16, he capped a career-scoring high by beating the buzzer with a game winning rebound basket helping Drake escape with a 69-68 win at Bradley.

Three days later he topped that effort with a career-high 19 points, six rebounds, six assists and two steals to spur Drake to a come-from-behind 79-73 victory past co-league leader Illinois State.

SOLID RELIEF FROM THE BULLPEN: Senior guard Adam Emmenecker turned down a baseball scholarship at Boston College to join the Drake basketball program as a walk on. He stepped up his game during the three-game absence of injured guard Josh Young, the leading scorer in the Missouri Valley Conference. Emmenecker averaged 13.3 points, 5.6 rebounds and 5.6 assists in the three games, while shooting 60 percent from the floor (12-20). He scored 40 points in that stretch, surpassing a total of 38 points he had scored in the previous six games combined - a 6.3 avg.

EMMENECKER WINS TWO MVC HONORS: Drake senior guard Adam Emmenecker was named the State Farm MVC Player of the Week and the MVC Scholar Athlete of the Week Jan. 21.

Emmenecker, who has a 3.97 cumulative grade-point average in a triple major of finance, business administration and management, scored a career-high 12 points, including the game winning basket on a rebound to beat the buzzer in a 69-68 victory at Bradley. He also collected six rebounds, five assists and one steal. He had a career-high 19 points, including 14 in the second half, to help Drake beat Illinois State, 79-73. He also had six rebounds, six assists and two steals. He averaged 15.1 points, 7.0 rebounds, 5.5 assists and 1.5 steals while leading Drake to two victories. He also shot 55.5 percent from the floor and more than tripled his regular season scoring average of 4.9 entering last week.

COX NAMED MVC PLAYER OF WEEK: Drake junior forward Jonathan Cox was named the State Farm MVC Player of the Week Jan. 14 after averaging 15.5 points and 10.0 rebounds while leading the Bulldogs to two league victories.

Cox also averaged 2.0 blocked shots and 2.0 steals in victories over Indiana State and Missouri State, while shooting 64.7 percent from floor (11-17) and 57.1 percent (4-7) from three-point range.

He had 18 points, 14 rebounds, two steals and one blocked shot in helping hand Indiana State its first conference loss of season, 75-50, Jan. 9. He made six of eight shots from floor, including two of three beyond the arc. Cox had 13 points, six rebounds, three blocked shots and two steals in a 65-54 win past Missouri State. He made five of nine shots from floor, including two treys.

SECOND HALF ICE MAN: Forward Jonathan Cox has saved his best for last ? literally ? in the second half of three road games. Cox scored six of his 10 points in the second half, including a key three-pointer, in a 56-51 win at Iowa Dec. 14. He tallied 15 points -- all in the second half - in a 62-54 win at Wichita State. Then he scored 12 of his team-high 19 points in the second half of a 71-68 win at Evansville, scoring a trey to preserve the victory with 23 seconds halve.

PRODUCTIVE BENCH: After failing to score any points against Southern Illinois Jan. 2, Drake's bench was productive with 21 points at Evansville Jan 6. Junior forward Brent Heemskerk led the way with eight points, five rebounds, two assists and one steal. Junior guard Jacob Baryenbruch added two three-point baskets, while junior forward John Michael Hall collected five points and three rebounds.

SO MUCH FOR THAT LAYOFF: Any concerns that Drake might play sluggish in its MVC opener, following a 14-day layoff, were quickly erased at Wichita State Dec. 29. The Bulldogs had played just one game ? a 56-51 victory at Iowa Dec. 14 ? in a 20-day stretch before resuming action at Wichita State.

But Drake enjoyed a 30-25 halftime lead at Wichita State, building its advantage to as many as nine points in the second half.

It marked the second time Drake had earned a victory on the road this season following a long layoff, rolling to an impressive 80-59 victory at Milwaukee Nov. 24 after being idle since Nov. 14.

YOUNG NAMED MVC PLAYER OF WEEK: Drake sophomore guard Josh Young was named the State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Week Dec. 10 after averaging 20 points while leading the Bulldogs to three victories. He also shot 57.8 percent (11-of-19) from three-point range. He had 23 points, including four three-point baskets, while equaling a career high in rebounds (five) along with one steal in a 79-44 home victory past Iowa State.

Young collected 23 points, including six treys while equaling a career high in rebounds (five), along with setting a career high in steals (four) in an 83-53 first-round victory against Chicago State in the Drake Regency Classic. Young added 14 points and three steals while keying Drake to an 83-55 victory past Texas-Pan American in the championship of the Drake Regency Classic. He also was named to the Drake Regency Classic All-Tournament team.

ASSISTS PILE UP: After collecting a season-high 21 assists at Milwaukee, the Bulldogs eclipsed that figure with 22 against North Carolina Central. Senior guard Adam Emmenecker collected seven assists against North Carolina Central. Senior guard Leonard Houston collected a career-high six assists at Milwaukee, while senior guard Klayton Korver dished out a season-high four assists.

DRAKE IN MVC OPENERS: With a victory at Wichita State, Drake improved its record to 35-58 in its Missouri Valley Conference openers (15-32 road/20-26 home) and this marks the third straight year the Bulldogs have played their MVC opener on the road. The last time Drake won its MVC opener occurred in 2005-06 when it claimed a 79-68 victory at Evansville Dec. 28, 2005.

TOURNAMENT TIME: The Drake Regency Classic, presented by Hy Vee and Mediacom, marked the third tournament the Bulldogs have played after opening the season with a runner-up finish at the Saint Mary's (Calif.) Classic in Moraga, Calif. Drake captured the title in the inaugural Iowa Realty Invitational Dec. 1. It marked the second straight year Drake is playing in three-regular season tournaments. The Bulldogs opened the 2006-07 season finishing fourth in the Top of the World Classic in Fairbanks, Alaska; won the 2006 Drake Regency Challenge; and also captured the Sun Bowl Tournament in El Paso, Texas.

TOURNAMENT HISTORY: Drake improved its overall record of 62-38 in regular-season tournaments. The Drake Regency Classic was the fifth different regular-season tournament Drake has hosted. The Bulldogs own a 4-1 record in the Drake Regency Challenge which started in 2005. Drake also owns a 9-3 record in the Heritage Cablevision Drake Classic which was held from 1985-90, winning titles in 1985, 1986, 1987 and 1989. Drake hosted the AAA-Drake Classic in 1983 and 1984, posting a 2-2 mark. The Bulldogs also hosted the Corn Bowl at the Drake Fieldhouse from 1946-49, compiling a 4-3 mark.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY: The Bulldogs' home opener with Cornell marked the fifth time in the last six years Drake has played a small college team from Iowa during the regular season. The Bulldogs set a Missouri Valley Conference record outlasting Grinnell, 162-110, Dec. 11, 2002. Drake opened the 2003-04 campaign beating Simpson, 87-72, at home. The Bulldogs also trimmed Cornell (Iowa), 102-62, Nov. 30, 2005, and Waldorf, 104-51, last season.

SIZING UP THE BULLDOGS: Keno Davis takes over the program from his father ? the legendary Dr. Tom Davis, who accumulated 598 victories during a 32-year college coaching career. Keno Davis is surrounded by some familiar faces, along with a talented cast of newcomers. Graduation claimed starting forward Ajay Calvin, along with guards Nick Grant and Al Stewart Calvin earned honorable mention All-Missouri Valley Conference honors last year while being the only player to rank in the top seven in the league in scoring (third, 16.3 avg.) and rebounding (seventh, 6.4 avg.). Both Grant, who led the MVC in steals (62-1.9 avg.), and Calvin were named to the MVC Most-Improved Team.

But Keno Davis calls on seven returning letterwinners, including five players who have had previous starting experience, with some new additions who will be expected to contribute quickly. Drake set a State Farm MVC Tournament single-game record with 15 three-point baskets in a 101-96 first-round overtime victory against Evansville last year. The nucleus of that perimeter attack is back, headed by forward Klayton Korver and guard Josh Young.

Korver is the team's top returning veteran who looks to close his collegiate career on a high note after being hampered the past two seasons with a knee injury. Korver made the 2003-04 All-MVC Freshman team but was redshirted in 2005-06 while recovering from knee surgery. He averaged 9.3 points last year, while leading the team with 63 three-point baskets. Korver made four or more three-point baskets in six games last year, including a career-high six treys en route to a career-high 23 points that sparked a 74-61 victory past Northern Iowa.

Young was one of two players named to both the MVC All-Newcomer Team and MVC All-Freshman team last season. He scored more points (342) than any freshman in The Valley. The three-time MVC Newcomer of the Week averaged 10.7 points, while saving his best for last. He scored in double figures in 10 of Drake's last 12 games, including a career-high 23 points with a career-high five treys, in the MVC Tournament win against Evansville.

Senior guard Leonard Houston, who averaged 4.5 points last year, has helped Drake's perimeter attack. Junior guard Jacob Baryenbruch is a returning two-year letterwinner as well. The backcourt had to deal with the loss of point guard Stewart, who set a Drake single-season record for assists with 174 last year, including a MVC season-high 12 against Missouri State. Adam Emmenecker, a three-year letterwinner at point guard, has figured in the equation. In the front court, Davis is relying on 6-8 junior forward Jonathan Cox, a two-year letterwinner, along with 6-7 junior redshirt Brent Heemskerk and 6-5 sophomore Bill Eaddy. Cox averaged 5.6 points and 3.4 rebounds and was named to the All-Sun Bowl Tournament team after helping lead the Bulldogs to the championship crown. Cox scored a career-high 23 against Troy in the championship of the Drake Regency Challenge. Heemskerk averaged 5.6 points and 3.6 rebounds in 2005-06.

NEW KIDS ON BLOCK: Newcomers who are contributing are junior college transfers Alex White (Cochise College, Ariz.) and John Michael Hall (Abraham Baldwin College, Ga.) in the front court and Josh Parker, a freshman from Thornton High School in Harvey, Ill., in the backcourt. At 6-6, weighing 235 pounds, White earned All-Region I accolades while averaging 11.5 points and 9.1 rebounds to lead Cochise to 48 wins and two league titles the last two years. Hall averaged 12.8 points while leading Abraham Baldwin College to a 27-5 record in 2006-07, including a No. 11 ranking in the final National Junior College Athletic Association Division I poll.

ADDITION BY SUBTRACTION: Dr. Tom Davis might have retired as head basketball coach at Drake last March, but his successor -- his son Keno -- made sure to keep status quo the number of assistants with the last name of Davis. Keno Davis retained both assistant coaches, associate head coach Chris Davis (no relation) and Justin Ohl, while adding another Davis to the mix in Rodell (also no relation).

“We got the law firm going ? Davis, Davis, Davis and Ohl,” Keno Davis joked.

Rodell Davis played for Tom Davis at Iowa and was someone Keno also wanted to add to his staff some day. Rodell Davis spent the past four years as the head coach at Laramie (Wyo.) County Community College.

HIGH SCHOOL RECRUITS JOIN PROGRAM: High school standouts Sean Jones from Carson City, Mich., and Jared Vlastuin from Lennox, S.D., have signed national letters of intent at Drake University, indicating they will join the Bulldog men's basketball program.

Jones, a 6-foot 11-inch center who earned Michigan first team Class C all-state honors last season, is in his fourth year as a starter at Carson City-Crystal High School.

Vlastuin, a 6-5 forward, earned second team South Dakota Class A all-state honors as a junior last season after averaging 17.2 points, 8.1 rebounds and 4.1 assists, while shooting 61.2 percent from floor.

Jones averaged 17.3 points, 10.5 rebounds and 5.4 blocked shots last season, while shooting 67.2 percent from the floor.Jones also earned first team Class C all-state honors by both the Detroit Free Press and Lansing State Journal, while being named the Greenville Daily News Player of the Year. Jones was named the 2007 Central Athletic Association Player of the Year after leading Carson City-Crystal High School to a 19-2 record.

en route to winning the league championship.Jones continues Drake's Michigan connection. The 2007-08 Drake roster includes four players who hail from Michigan; seniors Adam Emmenecker (Saginaw) and Leonard Houston (Holland), junior Brent Heemskerk (Grand Rapids) and sophomore Bill Eaddy (Milan).

Jones played AAU basketball last summer for the Grand Rapids Storm and is the third member of the team to play at Drake, joining Houston and Heemskerk.

Vlastuin led Lennox to an 18-8 record including district and regional championships en route to a seventh-place finish in the 2007 South Dakota Class A state tournament.A two-time first team All-Big 8 Conference performer, Vlastuin also played AAU basketball for the South Dakota Heat which won the 2007 Hoosier Shootout in Indianapolis, Ind., during the July recruiting period. Vlastuin won the all-class state title in the long jump at the 2007 South Dakota High School Championships, soaring 23 feet 4.5 inches. That leap ranks fifth on the all-time South Dakota prep list. He also placed third in the triple jump and sixth in the high jump at the 2007 state track and field meet.

Vlastuin has competed on the Lennox varsity golf team since the eighth grade, winning medalist honors in the 2007 Big 8 Championships, while finishing 12th in the 2006 and 2007 state meets.

Vlastuin will be the second player from South Dakota on Drake's roster, joining UC Irvine transfer Adam Templeton, who attended Central High in Rapid City, S.D.



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