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Drake University Athletics

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Composite Calendar
Ellingson at UMKC
66
Winner Drake DU 3-1
63
UMKC UMKC 0-6
Winner
Drake DU
3-1
66
Final
63
UMKC UMKC
0-6
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Drake DU 30 36 66
UMKC UMKC 29 34 63

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

Bulldogs Hold Off UMKC For A 66-63 Road Win

Men's basketball team finds a way to win for the second-straight game.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Despite making just three field goals in the final nine minutes of the game, the Drake University men's basketball team outlasted UMKC in a 66-63 victory Wednesday evening at Kansas City's Municipal Auditorium.

Drake (3-1) made 16-of-18 free throws in the second half fend off UMKC (0-6) and earn the road victory on a night were both squads struggled mightily shooting the ball.

"I'm proud of our guys, that was one they had to grind out and find a way tonight," said Drake head coach Darian DeVries. "We got down 10 and had a chance to fold, but they kept fighting and made some plays down the stretch. That's back-to-back games they've been able to close out a game."

With 24 seconds left in the game and Drake holding the 66-63 advantage, senior Nick Norton (Bloomington, Ill.) dribbled out the shot clock before letting a three-pointer fly that was ultimately off its mark.

However, the heady play left little chance for UMKC to tie the game as the Kangaroos were forced to hoist a 28-foot shot as time expired. Fortunately for the Bulldogs' that attempt fell off the left side of the rim to give the Bulldogs the road victory in UMKC's home opener.

UMKC's Xavier Bishop led all scorers with 27 points in the loss on 10-of-18 shooting. As a team, UMKC shot 36.2 percent and 18.2 percent from the three-point arc.

The Bulldogs didn't fare much better from the field, converting on 35.2 percent of their shots and 33.3 percent from three-point range. However, the team's 19-of-26 showing from the free-throw line, including 9-of-10 in the final five minutes proved to be the difference.

"We were trying to get downhill and force them to foul," DeVries said. "We wanted to get to the rim and force the action."

A D.J. Wilkins' (Merrillville, Ind.) three-pointer with 9:30 left in the contest keyed a 10-0 Bulldog spurt over the next two minutes to give Drake a 52-49 lead with less than seven minutes remaining in the contest. The Kangaroos briefly tied the game at 54-54 with 4:35 left in the contest before another Wilkins basket followed by a Nick McGlynn (Stoughton, Wis.) three-pointer put the Bulldogs back on top for good.

McGlynn and Wilkins both finished with nine points in the win, as did true freshman Garrett Sturtz (Newton, Iowa). Sturtz played 26 minutes in his first collegiate game and was 5-of-6 from the free-throw line.
"We threw him out there for 26 minutes and I thought he was great," DeVries said. "He made so many winning plays and helped us get stops. He's a gritty, tough player."

The Bulldogs carried a slim, 30-29, lead after a first half marred by fouls and turnovers. Both teams shot 35 percent or less and combined for 17 turnovers to open the game. However, Brady Ellingson's 13 first-half points on three three-pointers helped the Bulldogs take an early advantage.

Drake held an early 15-8 lead to open the game, but seven-straight points from Bishop knotted the contest and both teams kept pace with each other for the remainder of the first half.

Bishop found another hot streak for the Kangaroos to open the second half by scoring eight-straight points as part of an 11-2 run to open the half. UMKC extended its lead to as many as 10 points before the Bulldogs started chipping away at the deficit en route to the win.

Drake returns to action following the Thanksgiving holiday to host Boise State, Tuesday, Nov. 28, in the MWC/MVC Challenge. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. at the Knapp Center.
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