The Basics
Drake (18-6, 9-4) men's basketball is on the road for its next two games starting with a 6 p.m. tip-off at Valparaiso on Saturday, Feb. 4 following a Tuesday night, Feb. 7 matchup at Murray State beginning at 7 p.m.
Broadcast Information
Both games on Saturday and Tuesday will be streamed live on ESPN+.
102.1/1350 ESPN Des Moines is the radio home of Drake men's basketball with Michael Admire back to describe the play-by-play with Paul Doerrfeld providing analysis.
Scouting Valparaiso
The Beacons (10-14, 4-9) took Missouri State to overtime in Springfield, Mo., on Wednesday, but fell by a final score of 76-67. Missouri State outscored Valpo by an 11-2 margin during the extra period. Senior forward Ben Krikke led the way for Valpo with 19 points and seven rebounds while 5th-year guard Kobe King added 14 points and seven boards of his own against the Bears in the OT defeat.
Krikke is one of the top scorers in the Missouri Valley Conference averaging 18.2 points while grabbing 6.2 rebounds per game. King contributes 16.6 points per contest. Glenville State transfer Nick Edwards paces the Beacons with 122 total assists (5.1 assists per game).
The Beacons got off to an 0-7 start in MVC play. •Valpo was picked to finish ninth in the 2022-23 MVC preseason poll.
Matt Lottich is in his seventh season as the head coach of the Valparaiso men's basketball program with an overall record of 107-110.
Series vs. Valparaiso
Drake holds the series edge, 9-8.
The Bulldogs held off the Beacons, 68-63 on Dec. 29. Darnell Brodie scored a season-high 19 points that night to pair with nine rebounds while Garrett Sturtz recorded a double-double of 14 points and 11 rebounds.
Drake is 4-6 in games played in Valparaiso. The Bulldogs have won three straight games in the series.
Scouting Murray State
As of Feb. 3, Murray State carries a 13-10 overall record including an 8-5 mark as a first-year member of the Missouri Valley Conference. The Racers are 9-1 at home thus far this season with its only home loss occurring on Dec. 29 versus Southern Illinois.
Stetson transfer Rob Perry paces the Racers with 15.1 points per game while shooting 33.6 percent from behind the arc. DJ Burns has hauled in a team-best 7.0 rebounds per game while JaCobi Wood has dished out 107 total assists at this point of the season.
Steve Prohm is in his second stint as the head coach at Murray State after six years at the helm of Iowa State (2015-21).
Series vs. Murray State
The all-time series is tied 2-2, with Drake defeating Murray State back on Jan. 7 by a final score of 82-64.
The Region
The section of the Chicago metropolitan area that overflows past the Indiana border is known as 'The Region'. D.J. Wilkins (Merrillville, Ind.) and Roman Penn (Calumet City, Ill.) will make their last visits home as a collegiate basketball player.
SportsCenter Top 10
Nate Ferguson's dunk off of a Roman Penn inbounds pass ended up No. 3 on SportsCenter's Top 10 plays after Wednesday night's game against UNI.
Free Basketball
After Wednesday's thrilling double overtime win over UNI, Drake has played in three overtime games this year. Drake set a school single season record by playing six overtime games last season. The 1969-70 Drake team 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 2-1 record in overtime games this season (1-1 home/ 1-0 road).
DeVries on Drake's All-Time Coaching Win List
Darian DeVries enters Saturday's game at Valpo with 113 career wins (113-47 overall record), which is tied with E.O. (Bill) Williams for the second-most victories in Drake history only behind legendary Bulldog head coach Maury John (211-131 at Drake).
Up Next
Drake will play host to Southern Illinois at the Knapp Center on Saturday, Feb. 11 at 1 p.m. on men's basketball Alumni Day.
