THE BASICS
The Drake men's basketball team returns to the Knapp Center to put its 13-game home winning streak on the line against Indiana State on Wednesday night at 7 p.m. before a primetime Saturday evening matchup at Southern Illinois. Drake enters the week 12-3 overall and 3-1 in Missouri Valley Conference play.
Andy Katz ranked the Indiana State at Drake game as the 10th best matchup of the week in NCAA men's basketball.
BROADCAST INFORMATION
Wednesday's game will be televised live on the MVC TV Network (Bally Sports Midwest and NBC Sports Chicago Plus) while simulcasting on ESPN+ with Brad Wells (play-by-play) and Adam Emmenecker (analyst). Saturday night's game will be broadcasted nationally on ESPN2 with Clay Matvick (play-by-play) and Kevin Lehman (analyst).
Drake men's basketball can be heard all season long on 1350/102.1 ESPN Des Moines and the Varsity Network App with Michael Admire (play-by-play) and Paul Doerrfeld (analyst).
SCOUTING INDIANA STATE
Indiana State is the only team remaining this season unbeaten in Missouri Valley Conference play. The Sycamores are off to a 4-0 conference start and 13-2 overall with their only two losses coming against Power Five opponents Alabama (102-80 on Nov. 10) and Michigan State (87-75 on Dec. 30). Indiana State travels to Des Moines from Cedar Falls, after a 77-66 win at UNI last Sunday when Jayson Kent was dominant with 24 points (8-13 FG shooting) and 13 rebounds.
Southern Indiana transfer guard Isaiah Swope leads the Sycamores in scoring (18.9 points per game) and total steals (27). Another transfer guard Ryan Conwell (South Florida) has been a welcome addition for Indiana State averaging 15.1 points and 5.3 rebounds. After taking the MVC by storm last season, sophomore center Robbie Avila has not slumped averaging 14.9 points and a team-best 6.6 rebounds while proving to be a consistent distributor with 54 total assists to his credit. Kent (13.9 points per game) and junior guard Julian Larry (10.2 points per game) round out Indiana State's double digit scorers.
Josh Schertz is in his third season leading the Sycamores with a 47-35 mark after an incredible 13-year run at NCAA Division-II Lincoln Memorial, where he guided the Railsplitters to 337 victories and three trips to the Division-II Final Four.
The Sycamores were predicted to finish fourth in the 2023-24 MVC preseason poll.
SERIES HISTORY VS. INDIANA STATE
Series: Drake leads 49-48
Streak: Drake, W1
Last 10: Drake leads 8-2
Last Meeting: Jan. 24, 2023 | Drake (home) won 70-68
First Meeting: Dec. 17, 1945 | Indiana St. (home) won 64-37
In Des Moines: Drake leads 32-13
In Terre Haute: Indiana St. leads 33-16
Neutral: Indiana St. leads 2-1
SCOUTING SOUTHERN ILLINOIS
Southern Illinois enters the week 11-4 overall (3-1 in MVC play) taking a five-game winning streak to Valparaiso on Wednesday (Jan. 10).
Graduate student guard Xavier Johnson ranks second in the NCAA in scoring with 24.3 points per game and he has dished out 92 total assists this season. Junior forward Clarence Rupert averages 9.1 points and a team-best 6.1 rebounds while swatting away 18 shots.
Bryan Mullins is in his fifth season at the helm of the Salukis with a 78-59 record at his alma mater.
SIU was picked to finish ninth in the MVC preseason poll after losing transfers to Big Ten foes (Marcus Domask – Illinois and Lance Jones – Purdue).
SERIES HISTORY VS. SOUTHERN ILLINOIS
Series: SIU leads 61-43
Streak: Drake, W2
Last 10: Drake leads 7-3
Last Meeting: March 4, 2023 | Drake (neutral) won 65-52
First Meeting: Feb. 7, 1976 | SIU (home) won 72-57
In Des Moines: Drake leads 27-24
In Carbondale: SIU leads 35-13
Neutral: Drake leads 3-2
BOUNCING BACK
Drake is 2-0 this season in games following a loss and 33-12 under head coach Darian DeVries in games after a loss including a 19-8 mark in games following a conference loss.
The Bulldogs are 17-3 in home games following a loss since the beginning of the 2018-19 season and have won eight consecutive home games immediately following a loss. Drake's last home loss coming off a loss occurred on Feb. 29, 2020 vs. UNI.
MVC STATISTICAL STANDOUTS
Drake is second in the the Missouri Valley Conference for assists per game (16.0) while Indiana State is the league's leader in that category (17.5).
Darnell Brodie (7.9) leads the MVC in rebounds per game and is second in the conference for field goal percentage (63.9 percent).
Tucker DeVries ranks third in the MVC for points per game (18.8) and ninth in assists per game (3.8).
Colby Garland is tied for first in the MVC with an assist/turnover ratio of 2.50.
UP NEXT
The Bulldogs head to Normal, Ill., for a midweek contest at Illinois State on Jan. 17 at 7 p.m.
