CHICAGO -- Tucker DeVries delivered a career-tying 24-point effort as the Drake University men's basketball team never trailed in a raucous Gentile Arena for an 83-76 win over Loyola on Saturday evening.

"I thought Tucker (DeVries) played great offensively," head coach Darian DeVries said. "He made a lot of plays and obviously a big three-point basket late in the game. He played really hard and had a big game for us."
 
The Bulldogs (19-9 overall, 10-5 in Missouri Valley Conference) began with a 7-0 spurt when Tremell Murphy a wing triple as the first half clock read 17:35. Nearly five minutes into the first half, Drake forced an early Loyola (20-6, 11-4) timeout after back-to-back treys by Tucker DeVries and D.J. Wilkins.

Almost at the halfway point of the first half (10:28), Ayo Akinwole dropped in a floater from the free throw line as Drake was doubling up the Ramblers, 24-12.

"It was great getting off to a fast start," Roman Penn said. "When you get down at Loyola, they are good at maintaining a lead. We played well and executed a great game plan. We were able to put them in tough situations. Brodie (Darnell) gave us a great boost and Tucker (DeVries) really opened it up for us. He's been making big shots for us all year."
 
After Loyola trimmed the deficit to 29-24 with 6:22 left, the visitors responded to lead by as many as 15 points (43-28) as Garrett Sturtz muscled inside to bank in a shot. The Bulldogs led by a dozen at the halftime break, 43-31.

The Ramblers cut the Drake advantage down to five again with 13:29 remaining in the second half when Aher Uguak sank a 3-pointer.

"We knew we would have to stay poised in the second half and withhold the punches from Loyola," Darian DeVries said. "We played physical and our communication was good."
 
Sturtz executed a back cut to convert a layup to increase the margin to double digits again (60-50, 8:49 left in second half). Drake spent its final timeout with 3:49 to go in regulation. Loyola did not go down quietly as a 7-2 run capped off by a Lucas Williamson trey helped the Ramblers climb within two possessions (75-71).

Drake clamped down on defense and with only 59 seconds left in regulation, Tucker DeVries responded with a dagger of a trifecta to push the Bulldogs ahead 78-71. Free throws and an exclamation point dunk by Murphy put the game out of reach.

"It was a critical point in the game and I was open so I just let it fly," Tucker DeVries said. "The veterans have instilled a lot of confidence in me. I'm just taking what they give me. My teammates want me being me and being aggressive."
 
Drake men's basketball has a quick turnaround with Indiana State coming to the Knapp Center on Monday, Feb. 21 for a 7 p.m. tip-off.

TEAM NOTES
•Drake, earning its second straight win, improved its record to 19-9, marking the fourth straight season the program has won at least 19 games. 
•The Bulldogs also moved to 10-5 in the Missouri Valley Conference, marking the fourth time in the last five seasons (including two straight years) the Bulldogs have won 10 or more conference games. 
•Drake improved its road record to 7-2, including an MVC best 6-2 on the road.
•Drake shot over 50 percent from the floor for the second straight game (and eighth time overall this season), hitting 27 of 48 shots. 
•Drake outrebounded Loyola, 32-26, improving its record to 16-2 when outrebounding opponents this season.
•Drake also recorded 10 steals, marking the fourth time this season the Bulldogs have collected 10 or more steals in a game.
•The Bulldogs, who lead the MVC in steals, also collected seven or more steals for the 11^th time in the last 12 games, including the last five straight contests.
•Drake also grabbed 10 offensive rebounds, marking the 17th time (seventh in MVC play) the Bulldogs had reached double-figures in that category.
•Drake improved to 13-3 this season when leading at half after maintaining its 43-31 intermission lead.
•Drake forced Loyola into tying a season high with 18 turnovers, while scoring 25 points off those Loyola miscues.
•Drake is 80-1 during the Darian DeVries coaching era when scoring 80 or more points.
•This marked Darian DeVries' 89th career coaching victory at Drake, while moving his head-to-head record against Loyola to 4-5 

INDIVIDUAL NOTES
•Freshman swingman Tucker DeVries tied a career high with 24 points, while enjoying his fourth 20-plus scoring game of the season. DeVries scored 13 points in the second half.
•It marked the 25^th time DeVries has scored in double figures this season. 
•Senior swingman Garrett Sturtz added 15 points, along with a game-high seven rebounds.
•Guard Roman Penn collected 12 points, including eight in the second half.
•Sturtz, who ranks sixth in the Missouri Valley Conference in steals, also had a career-high five steals, while tying a career high with four assists.
•DeVries pushed his season point totals to 394, closing in on becoming the third Drake freshman to score more than 400 points in a season. He also moved into the No. 13 spot on the MVC all-time single-season freshman scoring list. 
•Tremell Murphy scored nine points, breaking out of a shooting slump beyond the three-point arc by making two three-point baskets. Murphy was 0-14 beyond the three-point arc in his last four games entering the Loyola contest.
•Murphy also had a game-high three blocked shots to move up to No. 8 on the school career blocked shots list with 68, passing William Celestine (1990-94) who had 67.
•Guard Ayo Akinwole had a consecutive streak of 37 straight made free throws (dating back to the 2020-21 season at Omaha) come to an end when he missed his first free throw attempt in the second half. 

THE SERIES
•This marked Drake's third win in the last four games against Loyola.

•It also marked the first time Drake has ever swept the regular-season series against Loyola since the Ramblers joined the Missouri Valley Conference.
•The Bulldogs snapped a nine-game road losing streak at Loyola, while earning its first road win in the series since Dec. 2, 1995 (70-62).

•This also was Drake's first win ever in Gentile Arena.