The Basics
The Drake men's basketball team returns to the Knapp Center for its next pair of games to close out the 2024 calendar year. The Bulldogs host Green Bay on Saturday, Dec. 21 for its final non-conference game of the season followed by the MVC home opener with Belmont on Sunday, Dec. 29.
 
For the game against Green Bay on Saturday, Dec. 21, general admission tickets are on sale for just $10. Use promo code "KNAPP" here to purchase. Tipoff is scheduled for 5 p.m. and tickets purchased at the door will be sold at regular prices.
 
Bulldogs by the Numbers
Drake continued its successful start to the season and is one of four teams that are undefeated in Division I after picking up wins over St. Ambrose and Kansas State in its last two outings. Coming into the contest with Green Bay, the Bulldogs sit at a mark of 10-0 overall and are 1-0 in MVC play. Drake's 10-0 start marks the second time a Bulldog team has won its first 10 games to open the season after the 2020-21 Drake team opened the season with an 18-0 mark.
 
With the win over K-State, Drake picked up its third win over a Power Conference foe this season. The Bulldogs previously defeated Miami and Vanderbilt at the Charleston Classic. Drake is the fifth MVC team in the past six seasons to have multiple wins against "Power" teams.
 
Junior guard Bennett Stirtz leads the Bulldogs in a multitude of categories so far this season while averaging 18.2 ppg, 4.4 rebounds, and 5.9 assists. On top of being the teams leading scorer and assist-man, Stirtz leads Drake in minutes per game (37.4) and steals (24). Sharpshooter Mitch Mascari has been lighting it up from beyond the arc this season as well hitting at a clip of .522 (36-for-69) from three-point land, which has him ranked sixth in nation. Daniel Abreu is the remaining Bulldog with a double figure scoring average at 13.4 ppg while shooting .471 (41-for-87) from the field.
 
Drake Leaders
Bennett Stirtz l 18.2 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 5.9 apg
Mitch Mascari l 13.5 ppg, 2.7 rpg, .522 3pt%
Daniel Abreu l 13.4 ppg, 3.7 rpg, .471 FG%

 
Scouting Green Bay
Green Bay has had its struggles in the early goings to its season posting an overall record of 2-11 and an 0-3 mark in Horizon League play. The Phoenix travel to Des Moines on an eight-game losing streak after falling to Michigan Tech their last time out. Green Bay's two wins this season have come against Western Illinois and SIUE.
 
Green Bay head coach Doug Gottlieb is in his first season at the helm of the program. Coach Gottlieb has a family connection to Drake as his older brother, Gregg Gottlieb, was a reserve guard for the Drake basketball team during the 1993-94 and 1994-95 seasons. He is currently assistant women's basketball coach at San Diego State.
 
The Bulldogs and the Phoenix share a brief history together having matched up three times previously. Drake leads the all-time series, 2-1, but Green Bay got the better of the Bulldogs the last time the two sides squared off 10 years ago on Dec. 13, 2014, in Green Bay (64-84).

Green Bay Leaders
Anthony Roy l 25.7 ppg, 5.3 rpg, .503 FG%
Marcus Hall l 13.5 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 2.5 apg
Jeremiah Johnson l 8.6 ppg, 4.7 rpg, .451 FG%
 

Scouting Belmont
The Bruins have compiled an overall record of 9-3 and sit at 1-0 in conference play. In its conference opener, Belmont defeated Illinois State in an overtime thriller, 99-97, on Dec. 4 in Nashville. Belmont will be plenty rested before its game against the Bulldogs having had a full 10 days off since its last game. The Bruins saw their five-game win streak come to an end in their last time out falling to UC Irvine, 92-84.
 
Casey Alexander is in his sixth season as the head coach at Belmont. During his tenure, the Bruins have gone 127-46. Prior to taking the reins at Belmont, Alexander had coaching stints at Lipscomb and Stetson over the span of eight seasons. Coach Alexander posts a career record of 264-166 in 14 years.
 
The all-time series between Drake and Belmont has been competitive in its short history with the Bulldogs owning the slight advantage, 3-2. In the two matchups last season, the Bulldogs and Bruins split with each team winning on their home court.
 
Belmont Leaders
Jonathan Pierre l 13.0 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 4.0 apg
Isaiah Walker l 12.8 ppg, 5.6 rpg, .538 FG%
Carter Whitt l 12.4 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 5.0 apg
 
Up Next
Drake will dive fully into its conference portion of its schedule to begin 2025 and travel to Chicago for a New Years Day contest with UIC and then return home to host Murray State on Jan. 5.