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Drake University Athletics

Timmer vs. Fresno State
Mohamad Izzuddin Suhaimi
68
Winner Jackson State JACKST 3-6
63
Drake DU 1-8
Winner
Jackson State JACKST
3-6
68
Final
63
Drake DU
1-8
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Jackson State JACKST 29 39 68
Drake DU 31 32 63

Game Recap: Men's Basketball | | Drake Athletic Communications

Men’s Basketball’s Shooting Cools In 68-63 Loss To Jackson State

Wampler scores a career-high 20 points in the loss

DES MOINES, Iowa — In its first game under head coach Jeff Rutter, the Drake University men's basketball team fell to visiting Jackson State, 68-63, at the Knapp Center Saturday, Dec. 10.

Sophomore Billy Wampler (Eau Claire, Wis.) got Drake's (1-8) offense off to quick start with 12 early points to help Drake take a 9-point lead midway through the first half. Wampler finished with a career-high 20 points on 4-of-9 shooting from the three-point arc. Reed Timmer (New Berlin, Wis.) added 19 points in the loss and became the 24th Bulldog to reach the 1,000 career points mark as he now has 1,016 career points and is one of two active Missouri Valley Conference players to have more than 1,000 career points.

Paris Collins led Jackson State (3-6) with 16 points as well as four assists and five rebounds. Janarius Middleton had a game-high 13 rebounds in addition to his five points and three assists. Jackson State's 18 offensive boards led to 17 second-chance points for the Tigers.

"I'm proud of our guys for a number of reasons, but of course we're disappointed with the loss," said head coach Jeff Rutter. "We came out with great energy and hit a stretch of about nine possessions where we came up empty but were still able to take a lead heading into halftime."

After Wampler helped the Bulldogs to an early lead, JSU rallied back in the first half with an 11-0 run to briefly take the lead before Drake closed the half with a 31-29 lead.

The Bulldogs stretched that lead out to eight in the first five minutes of the second half but JSU outscored Drake 21-7 over the next nine minutes to take a 6-point, 56-50, lead. Seven ties or lead changes followed before JSU took the lead for good with 90 seconds remaining.

Drake shot 24.1 percent in the second half and were held to just two field goals in the final six minutes of the game.

"The changing defenses that Jackson State played … mission accomplished," Rutter added. "It gets you out of your rhythm and isn't how you normally play offense. We felt good about the looks get got and the shots just didn't drop today. But still under two minutes, it was anyone's game and they hit some shots."

The Bulldogs aim to reverse their fortunes next Saturday, Dec. 17, against Iowa State in the Hy-Vee Classic at Wells Fargo Arena. Tipoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. and the game will broadcast live on Mediacom MC22 and 1350-AM ESPN Des Moines.

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