THE BASICS
Coming off back-to-back Missouri Valley Conference home losses for the first time since 2018, Drake will try to regain its winning form where it has enjoyed success - the road. The Bulldogs will visit Carver Arena to take on Bradley at 7 p.m. on Saturday (Feb. 12).
SCOUTING BRADLEY
The Braves are currently 14-11 overall and 8-5 in Missouri Valley Conference play after a 68-61 win over Loyola on Wednesday. Mast ripped down a game-high 14 rebounds while Mikey Howell and Zek Montgomery each provided 12 points off the bench.
Mast, a sophomore forward, averages 11.1 points per game and a team-high 8.4 rebounds per contest.
Junior guard Terry Roberts averages a team-best 15.2 points per game while also leading the Braves in assists (112) and steals (40).
Brian Wardle is in his seventh season as the head coach of the Braves with a 107-113 record.
BRADLEY SERIES NOTES
This will be the 160
th meeting between Drake and Bradley in men's basketball. The Braves lead the all-time series, 91-68.
Bradley defeated the Bulldogs 83-71 on Jan. 19 in Des Moines and snapped Drake's 13-game home winning streak.
FREE BASKETBALL
Drake has tied a school single season record by playing five overtime games so far. The 1969-70 Drake team, guided by legendary coach Maury John, played five overtime games en route to a 22-7 record capped by finishing runner-up in the 1970 NCAA Midwest Regional.
The Bulldogs own a 3-2 record in overtime games this season (1-1 home/ 2-0 road/0-1 neutral).
NOT PLAYING LIKE A ROOKIE
He might be a freshman, but swingman
Tucker DeVries is quickly becoming a household name in the Missouri Valley Conference.
DeVries, who was the highest ranked incoming recruit nationally (No. 98) by any MVC school, has scored the most points of any freshman in the MVC with 334 and as well as the most three-point baskets at 58. He leads Drake in scoring (13.4 avg.), reaching double figures in 21 of 25 teams. He also has made a team-high 58 three-point baskets, making three or more treys in 11 games.
DeVries has a chance to set Drake freshman single-season records for three-point baskets and scoring, currently ranking third and fifth, respectively, in those categories.
PENN BREAKS ASSISTS RECORD
Roman Penn dished out a season-high six assists against Missouri State Wednesday en route to becoming Drake's career leader in that department at 389, passing previous record holder Glenn Martin who had 384 assists from 1984-88. In his first year as a starting guard at Drake in 2019-20, the Siena transfer dished out 192 assists which ranked No. 2 on the Drake single-season list, trailing only the school-record 192 assists by All-American Adam Emmenecker in 2007-08.
UP NEXT
Drake's next scheduled game is at home against Evansville Wednesday (Feb. 16) at 7 p.m. on Relays Night.
