ST. LOUIS, Mo. – The Drake University men's basketball team was predicted to finish first in the Missouri Valley Conference preseason poll, the league announced on Wednesday, Oct. 19.
The Bulldogs were selected as the preseason favorite for the 2022-23 season in the MVC receiving 52 out of 54 possible first place votes. The voting panel was made up of MVC coaches, sports information directors and media members. Bradley and Southern Illinois both earned one first place vote. Drake finished the 2021-22 campaign tied for third with a 13-5 conference record. With the departure of Loyola, The Valley added Belmont, Murray State and UIC to the conference.
2021-22 MVC Freshman of the Year
Tucker DeVries was named MVC Preseason Player of the Year. DeVries averaged a team-high 13.9 points per game last season en route to a spot on last year's All-MVC Second Team.
Roman Penn will join DeVries on the 2022-23 MVC Preseason First Team. Penn set the Drake program record for assists last season while averaging 11.1 points per game and 3.9 assists per game running the point.
Garrett Sturtz earned a place on the All-MVC Second Team last season and is a Preseason All-MVC Second Team member this season. The guard from Newton, Iowa, became a mainstay in the starting lineup leading the team in rebounds (7.1 per game) and total steals (52).
D.J. Wilkins enters the 2022-23 campaign on the Preseason All-MVC Third Team. The lockdown defender was on the MVC All-Defensive Team last season. He surpassed the 1,000 career point mark in 2021-22 averaging 10.3 points per game and shot 39.0 percent from beyond the arc.
Drake will play host to Minnesota Duluth Nov. 3 at the Knapp Center in its lone exhibition contest at 7 p.m. before welcoming IUPUI on Nov. 9 for the 2022-23 season opener.
Tickets (including group and mini-plans) are available at draketix.com/mbb.
Pl. Points
1. Drake (52) .. 646
2. Bradley (1) .. 542
3. Southern Illinois (1) .. 537
4. Missouri State .. 418
5. UNI .. 416
6. Belmont .. 388
7. Indiana State .. 344
8. Murray State .. 324
9. Valparaiso .. 234
10. Illinois State .. 186
11. UIC .. 109
12. Evansville .. 68
PRESEASON PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Tucker DeVries, Drake
FIRST TEAM
Tucker DeVries, Drake
Marcus Domask, Southern Illinois
Ben Krikke, Valparaiso
Rienk Mast, Bradley
Roman Penn, Drake
Ben Sheppard, Belmont
SECOND TEAM
Bowen Born, UNI
Donovan Clay, Missouri State
Lance Jones, Southern Illinois
Cooper Neese, Indiana State
Garrett Sturtz, Drake
THIRD TEAM
Cameron Henry, Indiana State
Kobe King, Valparaiso
Rob Perry, Murray State
Austin Phyfe, UNI
D.J. Wilkins, Drake
