The Drake University men's basketball team returns to the Knapp Center, where it is undefeated this season, to host Missouri State, Saturday, Jan. 20, at 3 p.m. The game will be another clash of first-place Missouri Valley Conference teams as both Drake and Missouri State are in a three-way tie for first place in the standings with Loyola.
   
The Bulldogs are a perfect 7-0 at home this season and averaging 84.0 points per game at home with an average margin of victory of 20.7 points. That home cooking has helped Drake remain the top scoring team in the MVC at 76.3 points per game. On the other side of the court, Drake has held three of its seven MVC opponents to less than 40 percent shooting.  
Missouri State, the preseason MVC favorite, averages 70.8 points per game with preseason MVC Player of the Year Alize Johnson scoring 15.9 points with 11.9 rebounds per game. The last time the two teams met, Johnson had 23 points and 21 rebounds.
 
In MVC games this season, Drake's Nick McGlynn (Stoughton, Wis.) is averaging 14.3 points and 6.6 rebounds per game. In his last game at the Knapp Center, he scored a career-high 23 points on 9-of-10 shooting against Evansville to help him earn MVC Scholar-Athlete of the Week honors for the second time this season.
 
Following Saturday's game, the Bulldogs remain home to host another MVC title contender, Loyola. Tipoff against the Ramblers is set for 7 p.m. Jan. 24.