The Drake University men's basketball team returns home for its next two games beginning with Sunday's contest against SIU. Tipoff is scheduled for 3 p.m. with the contest being broadcast on ESPNU.
Sunday's game is also the first of a doubleheader with the women's basketball team. Following the men's game, the women take on Illinois State at 6 p.m. In addition to the two games, it is 'Super Hero Day' at the Knapp Center. All youth wearing a superhero costume receive free admission to the game. Fans can meet superheroes before the game and get their pictures taken with them. The first 500 youth in attendance will receive a free set of Drake Basketball Trading Cards courtesy of Christian Printers
The Bulldogs are aiming for their first MVC win of the season after starting the Valley season with five-straight losses to fall to 5-12 overall. SIU makes its annual trek to Des Moines with a 15-3 record and a 4-1 mark in MVC action. SIU is also 6-0 on the road this season.
The Salukis are led by Anthony Beane's 20.2 points per game, the second highest average in the MVC. Meanwhile, Drake's is led by Reed Timmer's 17.1 points per game after a 19-point showing in Tuesday's loss at Evansville.
Timmer will be aiming to recapture some of the magic he enjoyed against the Salukis as a freshman. In the last meeting between the two teams, he scored a then career-high 25 points on 9-fo-16 shooting. Previously he scored 19 points against SIU. In those two games he is averaging 22.0 points, shooting 51.9 percent from the field and 55.6 percent from three-point range against SIU.
Drake currently ranks 10th nationally in three-point percentage at 41.2 percent. However, the Bulldogs have shot 35.4 percent in their four MVC games to date while SIU ranks third n the MVC in three-point percentage defense at 32.3 percent.
The Bulldogs have shot 40 percent or better from the arc in 11 of their 17 games this season and over the last three seasons the team is 7-27 when failing to shoot 40 percent or better from the arc. Three Bulldogs - Reed Timmer (.473), Graham Woodward (.402) and Kale Abrahamson (.400) - rank in the top 11 in the MVC in three-point percentage.
Timmer and Abrahamson also rank in the top 10 in the MVC in scoring at 17.1 and 14.4 points per game, respectively.
Following Sunday's game, the Bulldogs remain home to host Missouri State on Wednesday, Jan. 20 in the Knapp Center. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Mediacom MC22 and The Valley on ESPN3. Wednesday will also be a 'Half-Price Wednesday' with half-price general admission tickets available the day of the game.
