THE BASICS
Drake men's basketball will play host to Loyola at 1 p.m. for the last time as Missouri Valley Conference members on Sunday (Jan. 30) inside the Knapp Center in its 'White Out Game' presented by Drake West Village. The contest will be televised live on ESPN2.
SCOUTING LOYOLA
The Ramblers are currently alone in first place in the MVC standings at 7-1 after escaping Carbondale with a 44-39 victory over Southern Illinois on Thursday. Loyola held the Salukis to 29.6 percent shooting from the field as SIU went 1-for-14 from behind the arc. Senior forward and Dartmouth transfer Chris Knight scored a season-high 16 points to lead the way for Loyola.
Graduate student guard Lucas Williamson paces the Ramblers in points per game (12.4), rebounds per game (4.9) and total steals (23).
Loyola video coordinator C.J. Rivers played at Drake from 2014-18 with 111 appearances in a Bulldog uniform.
The Ramblers are currently receiving votes in both the AP Media poll and USA Today Coaches poll. Loyola is ranked fourth in the CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major poll.
LOYOLA SERIES NOTES
This will be the 37th meeting between Drake and Loyola in men's basketball. The Ramblers lead the all-time series, 22-14.
Drake and Loyola split the regular season series in Des Moines last year, including a 51-50 Bulldog victory on Feb. 14, 2021. Once March rolled around, the Ramblers defeated Drake in the MVC Tournament Final by a 75-65 decision.
Three of the last eight meetings between the two teams in Des Moines have gone to overtime.
SPREADING THE WEALTH
Drake is the only team in the MVC that has had six players score in double figures in two games this season. The Bulldogs have enjoyed four games this season with five players or more reaching double figure scoring.
The Bulldogs had six players reach double-figure scoring an 89-88 overtime win at Illinois State Wednesday after earlier achieving the feat in a 90-80 overtime loss to Clemson. Guard D.J. Wilkins and swingman Tucker DeVries had 18 apiece against the Redbirds, while Shanquan Hemphill came off the bench to add 15 points followed by 14 from Garrett Sturtz and 10 each from Tremell Murphy and Roman Penn.
All five starters scored in double figures in Drake's 82-74 overtime win at UNI on Jan. 22. Penn had a season high 18 points followed by 16 apiece from Wilkins and Sturtz. Murphy and DeVries added 11 apiece. Drake had six players score in double figures against Clemson: DeVries 19, Hemphill 15, Wilkins and Sturtz 13, Darnell Brodie & Murphy 10. Earlier in a 78-70 win at Omaha, DeVries led the way with a career-high 24 points followed by 13 from Murphy, 11 from Sturtz and 10 apiece from Hemphill and Wilkins.
TANK GOODNESS
Shanquan (Tank) Hemphill, who was sidelined the last four games because of a foot injury, col- lected 15 points (eight in first half), including two dunks, in 21 minutes to help key Drake's 89-88 overtime win Wednesday. Hemphill also collected seven rebounds – his second highest output of the season.
It marked Hemphill's first appearance in a Drake game since Jan. 8 at Evansville.
He's a welcomed addition back to Drake's rotation after being named the 2021 MVC Newcomer of the Year, while earning second team All-MVC honors last year in addition to being selected to the MVC All-Newcomer and All-Defensive teams.
RISING TO THE OCCASION
When needed, Drake's defense has risen to the occasion in its last two games –both played on the road.
Drake's defense limited UNI to just one basket in 11 shots from the floor in overtime during an 82-74 win Jan. 22.
On Wednesday, the Bulldogs held Illinois State to one basket in the final 5:49 of regulation en route to an 89-88 overtime win at Redbird Arena.
