THE BASICS
Coming off a stretch of playing six of its last nine games on the road, Drake welcome rival UNI to the Knapp Center on Saturday (Feb. 5). Since the last meeting between these in-state rivals two weeks ago in Cedar Falls, both UNI and Drake have gone 3-0, with both programs now holding the league's two longest active winning streaks: Drake at four and UNI three.
Drake made 10 3-point baskets in Wednesday's 85-67 victory at Indiana State, marking the eighth time the Bulldogs made 10 or more treys in a game.
SCOUTING UNI
The Panthers are currently 12-9 overall and 8-3 in Missouri Valley Conference play after a 78-65 win over Bradley on Wednesday as Trae Berhow and Noah Carter each scored 19 points.
Junior guard AJ Green continues to pace UNI with 18.6 points per game and has dished out a team-best 43 assists.
Carter is averaging 14.2 points per game as UNI's second leading scorer. Nate Heise leads UNI in re- bounding (4.9 per game) and steals (22).
The Panthers were picked to finish third in the MVC preseason poll.
UNI SERIES NOTES
This will be the 82nd meeting between Drake and UNI in men's basketball. The Panthers lead the all-time series, 50-31.
Drake has won four straight games in the series including an 82-74 comeback victory at UNI on Jan. 22.
Drake trailed by as many as 11 points in the second half and faced a 69-59 deficit with only 3:20 to play in regulation before forcing overtime. The Bulldogs only allowed one Panther field goal in the extra period.
NEWCOMER OF THE WEEK
Tucker DeVries was selected as Missouri Valley Conference Newcomer of the Week, the league announced on Monday (Jan. 31).
DeVries helped the Bulldogs to a pair of victories this past week over Illinois State and Loyola with an average of 15.5 points per game. He scored a team-high 18 points, distributed six assists and poked loose two steals on the road in an 89-88 overtime win over the Redbirds on Wednesday (Jan. 26). DeVries added 13 points (3-for-5 from beyond the arc) with three assists and a pair of steals in an 77-68 home win against Loyola on Sunday (Jan. 30).
ROOKIE ACCOLADES
DeVries has a chance to set Drake freshman single-season records for three-point baskets and scoring, currently ranking fourth and fifth, respectively, in those categories.
DeVries earned his first double-double in Drake's previous game with UNI, collecting 11 points and a career-high 11 rebounds.
DRAKE FRESHMEN 3PT BASKETS SINGLE SEASON
1. Luke McDonald (2000-01) 86
2. Reed Timmer (2014-15) 73
3. Josh Young (2006-07) 57
4. Tucker DeVries (2021-22) 55
DRAKE FRESHMEN POINTS SINGLE SEASON
1. Rayvonte Rice (2010-11) 428
2. Luke McDonald (2000-01) 412
3. Reed Timmer (2014-15) 355
4. Josh Young (2006-07) 342
5. Tucker DeVries (2021-22) 311
PENN APPROACHING ASSISTS RECORD
Roman Penn needs just five assists to become Drake's career leader in that department at 385, the current record holder is Glenn Martin who had 384 assists from 1984-88.
Penn dished out six assists at Indiana State Wednesday, surpassing Stephon Butler (1981-85, 378) into the No. 3 spot at 380. He only trails Lonnie Randolph (2001-05) who has 382 and Martin on the Drake all-time list.
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 the Knapp Center on Wednesday (Feb. 9) against Missouri State. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m.
