THE BASICS
The Drake University men's basketball team will make the two-hour drive to Omaha for an 8 p.m. tip-off on Wednesday (Dec. 9) from Baxter Arena.
After opening the Missouri Valley Conference season with a 73-66 victory over Valparaiso on Thursday, Drake began a stretch of playing seven straight non- conference games by defeating St. Thomas 74-64 on Sunday.
SENIOR CLASS AWARD
Senior forward
ShanQuan Hemphill was named a candidate for the prestigious men's basketball Senior CLASS Award.
STELLAR STARTING DEBUT
Freshman swingman
Tucker DeVries responded to his first collegiate start with a career-best performance in helping Drake top St. Thomas.
DeVries, the son of head coach
Darian DeVries, scored 21 points and grabbed eight rebounds in 34 minutes -- all highs in his young career. He scored the first two points of the game for Drake. Late in the second half with Drake clinging to a 54-49 lead DeVries scored the Bulldogs' next nine points in a 3:02 span.
PENN SIDELINED
Drake guard
Roman Penn, a first-team all-conference performer who led the MVC in assists last season (5.5 avg.) will be sidelined indefinitely after suffering a small fracture in his left foot. Penn missed Drake's final seven games of last season with a similar injury.
MID-MAJOR TOP 25 POLL
Drake is ranked No. 9 in the latest men's basketball CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top 25 poll.
OMAHA SERIES NOTES
The Omaha Mavericks (Summit League) enter Wednesday's contest 1-7 overall currently on a seven-game losing streak after winning the season opener against Hastings.
Drake owns a 9-1 record in the series against Omaha, earning an 87-66 victory in the Knapp Center on Dec. 3, 2020 behind 19 points from D.J.Wilkins which included four three-point baskets. Drake guard
Roman Penn enjoyed a double-double with 10 points and 10 assists.
The Bulldogs own a 1-1 record against the Mavs in games played in Omaha, dropping a 75-73 decision in its last visit Nov. 19, 2017. Drake went 8 minutes 35 seconds without scoring a basket mid- way through the second half enabling host Omaha to rally from a seven-point deficit
Wednesday's game will be a homecoming of sorts for Drake guard
Ayo Akinwole who is a grad transfer from Omaha (bachelor's degree in communications) where he was a two-year starter and two-time team captain.
AKINWOLE HOMECOMING
Akinwole started all 25 games as a senior in 2020-21 for the Mavericks, averaging 13.0 points, 3.6 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 0.9 steals. He shot 45.6 percent beyond the three-point arc and 87.1 percent at the free throw line.
The Papillion, Neb., native had 14 points, including four treys, along with three rebounds and two steals as Omaha's starting point guard last year in an 87- 66 loss at Drake.
Akinwole, who is pursuing a master's degree in communications at Drake, enjoyed his second longest playing stint of the season Sunday against St. Thomas, playing 18 minutes 42 seconds while collecting two points and a season-high three rebounds.
UP NEXT
The Bulldogs head to Atlanta for their Holiday Hoopsgiving matchup against Clemson at State Farm Arena in Atlanta on Saturday (Dec. 11) at 1 p.m. (CT).
