THE BASICS
The Drake men's basketball has entered the final week of non-conference play, starting with a home game against Alcorn State on Tuesday, Dec. 19 at 7 p.m. before heading to UAB on Friday, Dec. 22 at 2 p.m.
BROADCAST INFORMATION
Tuesday's game will air locally on Mediacom MC22 and will stream on ESPN+. Friday's game at UAB will be streamed on ESPN+. Both games will be broadcast on 1350/102.1 ESPN Des Moines and the Varsity Network App.
SCOUTING ALCORN STATE
Alcorn State are 1-10 in the 2023-24 season and have lost nine consecutive games.
Senior forward Jeremiah Kendall, who is averaging team-high marks of 15.8 points and 7.0 rebounds. Senior point guard Byron Joshua averages 11.8 points and has handed out a team-high 3.1 assists per game.
The Braves are coming off a 100-82 loss at UNI on Sunday. Kendall led Alcorn State with 23 points and six rebounds. Graduate student guard Jeremiah Gambrell poured in 20 points in the losing effort against the Panthers. Alcorn State has played a difficult schedule to this point with road losses at Arkansas, UAB, Michigan State, TCU, Clemson, VCU and Maryland.
Landon Bussie is in his fourth year as the head coach at Alcorn State. Bussie earned the title of SWAC Coach of the Year in the 2021-22 season, leading the Braves to the SWAC regular season title in 2022-23 with a conference record of 15-3. Before coaching at Alcorn State, Bussie spent time on the coaching staffs of the Prairie View A&M men's and women's basketball.
Alcorn State was picked to finish third in the Southwestern Athletic Conference 2023-24 preseason poll.
SERIES HISTORY VS. ALCORN STATE
Alcorn State and Drake have met on the hardwood only once. The only previous meeting between the two programs occurred on Dec. 28, 1987 in Des Moines, when the Bulldogs prevailed 63-49.
SCOUTING UAB
The Blazers are currently 6-5 overall after winning back-to-back games over Alabama A&M and Montevallo. UAB fell to Missouri Valley Conference foe Bradley in overtime, 73-71 to open the 2023-24 season before taking Clemson to the brink (77-76 loss) and defeating Maryland (66-63 at the Asheville Championship Nov. 10 and Nov. 12 respectively. The Blazers outlasted Furman, 92-86 on Nov. 25 before suffering a three-game losing streak to the likes of McNeese State, Southern Miss and Arkansas State from Nov. 28-Dec. 9.
2022-23 C-USA honorable mention guard Eric Gaines runs the show averaging 13.0 points and dishing out 4.5 assists per game. Redshirt senior forward Javian Davis has been balanced for UAB averaging 11.0 points and 6.9 rebounds.
Andy Kennedy is in his fourth season leading the Blazers with a record of 84-30 after he spent 2006-18 at Ole Miss. Kennedy's overall head coaching mark is 350-199 over 17 seasons.
UAB was picked to finish fourth out of 14 teams in the American Athletic Conference 2023-24 preseason poll.
SERIES HISTORY VS. UAB
Friday will be the first meeting between the two programs.
NICK NORTON HOMECOMING
Nick Norton is in his third season on the Drake coaching staff and his first as assistant coach - director of player development. Norton was a successful student-athlete at UAB from 2014-18, Norton made 97 starts for the Blazers. Norton was consistent throughout his career including the 2015-16 campaign when he averaged 8.9 points, 5.0 assists and 1.6 steals.
Norton grad-transferred to Drake in 2018 and made 14 starts putting up 14.0 points, 5.9 assists and 4.1 rebounds per game before an injury ended his collegiate career. His father Randy, is currently the head women's basketball coach at UAB.
IN THE POLLS
The Bulldogs were picked to win the Missouri Valley Conference in its official preseason poll for the third straight year, but that's not all. Drake has garnered respect in national and mid-major polls.
Drake is third in the Field of 68 Media Network Cinderella Top 25 poll while checking in at No. 4 in the most recent CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top 25.
On Dec. 18, Drake was No. 36 in the Andy Katz NCAA Power 36 rankings.
D-FENSE
The Bulldogs have limited opponents to under 60 points on four occasions this season, including three of their last four games. Drake has recorded nine or more steals as a team three times this season.
Drake has not committed more turnovers than its opponent through each of its first 11 games this season.
HOME SWEET HOME
The Bulldogs finished 14-1 at home during the 2022-23 regular season and have gone 75-9 at home since the 2018-19 season.
2023-24: 6-0
2022-23: 14-1
2021-22: 14-3
2020-21: 14-1
2019-20: 14-2
2018-19: 13-2
Longest Non-Conference Home Winning Streaks in the MVC Since World War II
61 - Bradley (Dec. 1962 - Dec. 1969)
51 - Cincinnati (Dec. 1957 - Dec. 1963)
42 - Drake (Dec. 2016 - current)
41 - Wichita State (Feb. 2011- Dec. 2016)
38 - Bradley (Dec. 1949 - Dec. 1957)
34 - Evansville (Dec. 2014 - Dec. 2019)
UP NEXT
The Bulldogs resume MVC play on Jan. 2 at 8 p.m. inside the Knapp Center against Illinois State.
