THE BASICS
In the midst of playing three games in five days, Drake men's basketball has little time to savor a regular season series sweep against defending league champion Loyola, when it hosts Indiana State Monday. The Bulldogs close out this hectic stretch by playing its final road game at Valparaiso Wednesday.
SCOUTING INDIANA STATE
The Sycamores are currently 11-16 overall and 4-11 in Missouri Valley Conference play after a 76-72 loss to Southern Illinois in the Hulman Center on Saturday. Indiana State led SIU 37-32 at halftime. Junior forward Kailex Stephens led the Sycamores with 21 points while redshirt junior guard Cameron Henry recorded a double-double of 10 points and 11 rebounds.
Junior guard Cooper Neese paces Indiana State with 16.5 points per game and 55 made 3-pointers this season. Henry averages a team-best 6.0 rebounds per game to along with 14.5 points per game.
INDIANA STATE SERIES NOTES
This will be the 95th meeting between Drake and Indiana State in men's basketball. The series is currently tied, 47-47.
Drake defeated Indiana State, 85-67 in Terre Haute on Feb. 2. All five Bulldog starters scored in double figures and
Roman Penn dished out six assists in the decisive road victory.
SCOUTING VALPARAISO
The Beacons are 12-15 overall and 5-10 in the Missouri Valley Conference entering Monday's (Feb. 21) game against Evansville.
Junior forward Ben Krikke averages a team-leading 14.6 points per game and scored 20 points against the Bulldogs during the first matchup this season.
VALPARAISO SERIES NOTES
This will be the 16th meeting between Drake and Valparaiso in men's basketball. Valpo leads the all-time series, 8-7
Drake defeated the Beacons, 73-66 at the Knapp Center in Des Moines back on Dec. 2, 2021.
Darnell Brodie scored a season-high 14 points and
Tucker DeVries delivered 11 points off of the bench.
WIRE-TO-WIRE
Making four of its first five shots beyond the arc, Drake raced to a 16-5 lead in the opening four minutes en route to an 83-76 win at league leader Loyola Saturday, earning its first victory in Chicago since 1995.
Freshman swingman
Tucker DeVries tied a career high with 24 points, including 13 points in the second half. 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 also had a career-high five steals, while tying a career high with four assists.
The Bulldogs forced defending league champion Loyola into a season-high 18 turnovers Saturday, scoring 25 points off those miscues.
PENN CLOSING IN ON 400 ASSISTS AT DRAKE
Roman Penn dished out six assists against Missouri State Feb. 9 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.
Penn tied his season high with six assists in just 13 minutes during a 73-51 home win over Evansville this past Wednesday. Penn only needs two assists to become the only player in Drake men's basketball history to reach the 400 assist plateau.
MORE MILESTONE MARKS
D.J. Wilkins (1,241) and
Roman Penn (1,117) joined the 1,000 career point club this season.
D.J. Wilkins (96) needs four steals to reach 100.
Tucker DeVries (394) needs six points to reach 400.
Garrett Sturtz (985) needs 15 points to reach 1,000.
Sturtz (146) needs four assists to reach 150.
UP NEXT
Drake is scheduled to close out the regular season at home on in the Suit Up Against Pediatric Cancer Game and Senior Day on Saturday (Feb. 26) at 3 p.m. against Southern Illinois.
