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Drake University Athletics

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Composite Calendar
wright
67
Bradley BRAD 22-11,13-7 MVC
72
Winner Drake DRA 27-6,16-4 MVC
Bradley BRAD
22-11,13-7 MVC
67
Final
72
Drake DRA
27-6,16-4 MVC
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Bradley BRAD 38 29 67
Drake DRA 38 34 72

Game Recap: Men's Basketball | | Drake Athletic Communications

Wright Leads Drake to Fourth Straight MVC Tournament Championship Appearance

Drake men's basketball fended off Bradley to secure its place in the Arch Madness title game yet again.

ST. LOUIS – Junior guard Atin Wright scored 20 points, including 15 in the second half, powering No. 2 Drake to its fourth straight trip to the championship of the State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Tournament following a 72-67 victory past No. 3 seed Bradley Saturday at the Enterprise Center.

The Bulldogs will face No. 1 seed Indiana State in the championship at 1:10 p.m. with the game nationally televised on CBS. The two teams split the regular season series. Drake's fourth straight appearance into the championship only trails the six straight appearances Tulsa made into the championship from 1982-87. 

Drake, earning its fourth straight win, improved to 27-6 overall, marking the third time the Bulldogs have won at least 27 games in program history (2007-08, 28-5; 2022-23, 27-8). 
The Braves fell to 22-11, while losing their fourth straight game to Drake. 

Wright tied a season high with five three-point baskets, while also collecting three steals.

Junior swingman Tucker DeVries, the two-time MVC Player of the Year, added 17 points, including nine in the second half. He also led the team with six rebounds and four assists. He also moved into No. 32 on the MVC all-time career scoring list at 1,826 points, passing Tulsa's Tracy Moore who scored 1,823 points from 1984-88. 
Bradley guard Connor Hickman scored 21 points, enjoying his 10th game of the year with three or more treys, after only two combined in the previous two meetings with Drake.  Guard Duke Deen finished with 13 points and five assists. 

Drake held on to win despite making just three baskets in the final 11:31 of the game. Drake went on an 8-0 run, aided by two back-to-back three point baskets from Wright to grab a 64-58 lead it never relinquished. Almar Atlason scored five straight points enabling Bradley to pull within 64-63 with 4:30 left. Freshman Kevin Overton then sank three straight free throws to extend Drake's lead to 67-65. 

A free throw by Wright extended Drake's lead to 68-65 but Hickman answered with a basket to cut the deficit to 68-67. After DeVries nailed a basket to give Drake a 70-67 advantage with 25 seconds left, Bradley worked for a three-point basket to send the game into overtime but Hickman misfired from the top of the key and DeVries grabbed the rebound, making two free throws with 1.5 seconds left to seal the victory.

Drake improved to 14-0 when making 10 or more three-point baskets after sinking 11 treys. The Bulldogs outrebounded Bradley 35-28, moving to 17-1 when out rebounding opponents this season.
Bradley first-team All-MVC forward Malevy Leons was held without a basket for the first time this season, but made six free throws and collected a game-high eight rebounds.

Bradley shot 60.9 percent (14-23) in the first half with Hickman (12) and  Deen (11) combining for 23 points, while shooting a combined 9 of 13 from the floor. 

Enright, who had scored just three points in each of the previous two  games against Bradley had 10 points in a 2:53 span to end the half. Bradley owned a 26-15 lead before Drake closed out the half on a 23-11 run with 10 points from Enright and eight from DeVries.

TEAM NOTES
  • Drake, earning its fourth straight win, improved to 27-6 overall, marking the third time the Bulldogs have won at least 27 games in program history (2007-08, 28-5; 2022-23, 27-8).
  • Drake pushed its MVC Tournament record to 28-43 while advancing to the championship for the fifth time including the fourth straight year (all under coach Darian DeVries).
  • Drake moved to 7-2 as the No. 2 seed and has a 7-9 MVC Tournament record against Bradley. Head coach DeVries improved his MVC Tournament record to 12-4.
  • Drake earned its fourth straight win against Bradley but still trails in the all-time series, 92-72.
  • Drake improved to 14-0 when making 10 or more three-point baskets after sinking 11 treys.
  • Drake outrebounded Bradley, 35-28, moving to 17-1 when out rebounding opponents this season.
INDIVIDUAL NOTES
  • Atin Wright led Drake in scoring for the ninth time this season, with 20 points, including 15 in the second half, along with a game-high three steals. It marked his eighth 20-plus scoring game of the season, while tying a season high with five three-point baskets.
  • Junior Tucker DeVries, the two-time MVC Player of the Year, added 17 points, including nine in the second half. He also led the team with six rebounds and four assists.
  • DeVries moved into No. 32 on the MVC all-time career scoring list at 1,826 points, passing Tulsa's Tracy Moore who scored 1,823 points from 1984-88.
  • DeVries made nine of 10 free throws pushing his career total to 353 made, just three shy of moving into a tie for No. 5 with Lonnie Randolph (2001-05) at 356.
  • Conor Enright added 10 points, and a team-best four assists.
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