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NORMAL, ILL. -- Senior guard Leonard Houston and sophomore guard Josh Young combined for 39 of Drake's 44 second-half points, helping the No. 15 ranked Bulldogs rally from an 11-point deficit en route to a 73-70 victory at Illinois State Tuesday night.

Drake extended its school-record winning streak to 20 games which is the second longest active streak in the NCAA, trailing only the 21-game string by top-ranked Memphis.

The Bulldogs improved their record to 21-1 which are the most victories at the school since the 1970-71 team, under coach Maury John, went 21-8.

It also marked just the 14th time in Missouri Valley Conference history that a school has enjoyed a 12-0 start in the league, with Southern Illinois being the last to accomplish the feat, going 17-0 to start the 2003-04 MVC season.

Drake silenced a crowd of 8,185 at Redbird Arena with its comeback while snapping a 13-game home winning streak by Illinois State.

The Bulldogs, who swept the season series against the Redbirds for the first time since 200-01, own a four-game lead over the second-place Redbirds (16-7 overall, 8-4 MVC) with just six league games remaining.

The script for success followed a similar path Drake has used in winning its last five MVC road games ? rallying from a first-half deficit.

Drake erased a 38-29 halftime lead while improving its record to 6-0 when trailing at half.

For the second straight road game, the Bulldogs shot a blistering 56 percent from the floor in the second half making 14 of 25 shots - the exact same second- half shooting percentage used in an 83-77 win at Indiana State last Saturday.

Young, the leading scorer in the MVC (16.1 avg.) who missed the previous game against Illinois State because of a sprained ankle, scored 17 of his 18 points in the second half.

Houston tallied 12 of his game-high 22 in the second period.

The duo combined to score 20 points in a 27-8 surge by Drake during a 9 minute 19 second span that turned a 46-35 deficit into a 62-54 advantage.

Young scored 14 points in the outburst, including four straight three-point baskets. Houston added six points.

After a three-point basket by Young pulled Drake within 52-51, he stole the inbounds pass and fed Houston for a layup that gave the Bulldogs a 53-52 lead they would never relinquish.

Senior forward Klayton Korver added a rebound layup, while senior guard Adam Emmenecker made a basket off his own steal to give Drake a 62-54 cushion with 6:53 left.

Korver punctuated the rally with a three-point basket at the top of the key with 6:53 left to give the Bulldogs' their biggest lead of the game at 62-54 with 6:53 left

Drake answered the bell down the stretch. Clinging to a one possession lead of either two or three points in the final 3:27, the Bulldogs managed to expand on the lead by making free throws or forcing Illinois State into two turnovers.

Drake sealed the victory by scoring six of its last eight points at the free throw line.

Emmenecker, who scored a then career-high 19 points in a 79-73 home win against Illinois State Jan. 19, collected 14 points, eight assists, four rebounds and two steals.

Korver added 10 points, while junior forward Jonathan Cox grabbed a team-high six rebounds.

Drake finished with 10 three-point baskets marking the 10th game in which the Bulldogs have made 10 or more treys this season.

BULLDOG BITES: This marked the first time Drake has won 12 MVC games since the Bulldogs posted a 14-2 record in 1969-70...The 21 wins by coach Keno Davis are the most ever by a first-year head coach at Drake...The Bulldogs extended their school record streak to six straight MVC wins on the road. ..The Bulldogs have won eight road games, the most at the school since the 1969-70 team won seven games on the road. ..Drake snapped a four-game losing streak at Illinois State, while earning its first victory in Normal, Ill., since a 59-48 triumph Feb. 15, 2003.