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DES MOINES, IA - February 19: The Drake Bulldogs play against the Valparaiso Crusaders during a Missouri Valley Conference men basketball game at Knapp Center on Wednesday, February 19, 2020 in Des Moines, Iowa. (Photo by Dylan Heuer)

Men's Basketball Drake Athletic Communications

Men's Basketball to Visit Illinois State Saturday

Bulldogs play next-to-last road game of the season

Fresh off thrilling back-to-back wins at the Knapp Center, the Drake University men's basketball team takes to the road to face Illinois State Saturday at Redbird Arena. Tipoff is set for 3:30 p.m. on the MVC TV network, including Fox Sports Midwest in Iowa.

Drake leaves campus tied with Indiana State for fifth place in the Missouri Valley Conference standings as it begins the stretch run of league play with an 8-7 league record following Wednesday's overtime win against Valparaiso.

Roman Penn drained the game-winning shot in that victory with 3.7 seconds left to cap an 18-point night in which he continued to increase his national ranking in assist-to-turnover ratio. He ranks 22nd nationally and in the last 10 games, has a 45-to-14 assist-to-turnover ratio.

Illinois State is 3-12 in Valley games and earlier this season, five Bulldogs scored in double figures in an 84-74 Drake win in the series. Liam Robbins led Drake in that win with 19 points and 12 rebounds.

Robbins is coming off a 21-point, 13-rebound double-double in the overtime victory against Valparaiso Wednesday. He has scored in double figures in 17 of the last 20 games and has continued to extend his school record in blocks this season with 80 to rank ninth nationally in blocks.

Robbins has also helped the Bulldogs in getting to the free-throw line as the team has attempted 76 free throws in its last two games with 58 makes. 

The last time the Redbirds and Bulldogs met, ISU's Zach Copeland scored 32 points, the second-most Drake has surrendered to an individual this year as he went 8-of-12 from three-point range. 

Following Saturday's game, the Bulldogs play their final road game of the season Tuesday evening at Loyola. The team then returns home to host UNI Feb. 29 on ESPN2.
 
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Players Mentioned

Roman Penn

#12 Roman Penn

G
5' 11"
Redshirt Sophomore
Liam Robbins

#21 Liam Robbins

F
7' 0"
Sophomore

Players Mentioned

Roman Penn

#12 Roman Penn

5' 11"
Redshirt Sophomore
G
Liam Robbins

#21 Liam Robbins

7' 0"
Sophomore
F