DES MOINES, IOWA - Sparked by a pair of 16-point performances from senior
Ryan Wedel (Minneapolis,
Kan./Minneapolis) and freshman
Rayvonte Rice (Champaign, Ill./Centennial) Drake
opened Missouri Valley Conference play with a 69-55 triumph over Southern Illinois
on Wednesday (Dec. 29) in the Knapp Center.
The victory marked the Bulldogs first win at home in a
league opener since a 66-62 victory over Wichita State on Jan. 4, 1996 and
improved Drake to 6-6 overall and 1-0 in conference play. The setback dropped the Salukis' ledger
to 6-6 and 0-1 in the MVC.
After falling behind 5-3 on a basket and free throw from
Carlton Fay with 17:06 left in the first half, the Bulldogs' offense started to
simmer as Drake went on a 15-0 run over the next 7:16 to assume a lead, 18-5,
it didn't relinquish.
Fueling the surge was seven and six points, respectively,
from sophomore Ben Simons (Cadillac, Mich./Cadillac) and Wedel.
While the Bulldogs were hot from the field, Southern
Illinois failed to connect on a field goal over a span of 8:05 before Mamadou
Seck snapped a Drake's run with a basket with 9:01 left in the half.
Wedel led all scorers with 11 points in the initial stanza
to take the Bulldogs into the intermission holding a 33-23 advantage.
Drake connected on 9-of-24 attempts in the first 20 minutes
for a 37.5 percent shooting mark, while the Salukis registered a 29.2 field
goal percentage.
Southern Illinois cut the deficit to eight points, 38-30,
with 14:43 remaining in the contest off a free throw by Seck, but could get no
closer en route to suffering its fourth-straight loss to the Bulldogs.
Three Drake players finished in double-figures led by Rice
and Wedel with 16 apiece, while sophomore Seth VanDeest (Bettendorf, Iowa/Bettendorf)
chipped in 10 points.
The Salukis garnered 17-, 15- and 14-point efforts from
Justin Bocot, Seck and Fay.
Redshirt junior Kraidon Woods (Henrysville, Pa./Pocono Mountain
East) was outstanding on the glass for the Bulldogs pulling down a team-high
nine rebounds, including five in the second half after returning following
receiving a laceration on his right eye in the first half.
Contributing eight points for Drake was junior Kurt Alexander (Toronto,
Ontario/Pine Ridge Secondary), while Simons and junior Frank Wiseler (Luxembourg City,
Luxembourg/Urspringschule) recorded eight and seven points in reserve action.
Buoyed by a 45.5 percent shooting mark in the second half,
the Bulldogs finished the affair draining 41.3 percent of their attempts, while
limiting Southern Illinois to a 32.2 percent mark.
The Salukis won the battle of the boards, 39-37, although
Drake bettered Southern Illinois on the defensive glass, 29-23.
The Bulldogs return to action on Saturday (Jan. 1) with a
7:05 p.m. showdown at Creighton.
