DES MOINES, Iowa – Braden Appelhans' record-breaking 3-point shooting helped the Drake men's basketball team celebrate its return to the Knapp Center with an entertaining record-setting victory.
 
Appelhans knocked down a school-record 10 threes in scoring a career-high 30 points and four teammates joined him in double figures as the Bulldogs rode torrid shooting from the start to a 108-57 victory over Western Illinois on Tuesday night.
 
A 6-foot-6 redshirt junior who transferred in after three seasons at New Mexico, Appelhans finished 10-for-14 from deep to break Jeff Allen's program record of nine, set on Jan. 13, 1994, against Tulsa. The 10 treys also are the most by a Missouri Valley Conference player this season. His previous highs had been five threes and 18 points.
 
The lanky left-hander was far from the only Bulldog with a hot hand on this night. Jaehshon Thomas hit 9-of-12 shots, including four 3-pointers, in scoring 22 points – one short of his career high. Jalen Quinn added 17 points on 6-for-7 shooting, Okku Federiko went 5-for-6 from the field in finishing with 12 points and Eli Shetlar scored 11 while matching his career highs of three 3-pointers and three steals. He also grabbed a team-best eight rebounds.
 
Drake (6-3), coming off a split of two games in Florida, made its first five shots, six of its first seven and wound up at 69.6 percent for the game (39-for-56), a season high and the best for a Valley team in the early going. The Bulldogs also reached season bests for 3-pointers (19), 3-point percentage (.633) and free throw percentage (.917). The 19 3s are a school record, one better than the previous mark, and the most by an MVC team this season.
 
The 108 points are Drake's most since a 124-48 victory over St. Ambrose on Dec. 21, 2022, and the most against a Division I opponent since a 111-67 romp past Chicago State on Dec. 20, 2020.
 
Appelhans' first two 3s came during a 15-2 run that pulled the Bulldogs into a 23-9 lead 8 minutes into the game. The lead was 36-24 when Drake blew it open, getting two more treys from Appelhans and one each from Shetlar and Thomas in a 16-2 burst that made it 52-26. The Bulldogs led 54-28 at halftime when Quinn floated into the lane for a bucket at the buzzer.
 
The break didn't slow the Bulldogs' momentum at all. After Federiko converted an old-fashioned three-point play to start the second half, the next eight Drake baskets came from behind the arc. Appelhans made four during that barrage, while Thomas, Quinn, Andrew Alia and Shetlar each knocked down one.
 
When Thomas broke the string with a jumper inside the arc, Drake led 83-37 and there were still 11 minutes to play.  Thomas went on to score 10 of the team's next 12 points as the lead grew to 93-47. Appelhans had eight threes at that point and the only question was if he would make any more to set a record.
 
He did.
 
Appelhans swished one from the right corner to send the Bulldogs past the century mark, 102-55, and finished his memorable night with a final three-ball with 56 seconds left, a fitting end because those were the final points of the game.
 
Quinn made his first six shots of the evening in continuing a recent tear. Named the latest MVC Newcomer of the Week, Quinn is shooting 63.9 percent over the past three games (23-of-36) while averaging 22.7 points and making 19 of his 20 free throws in that stretch.
 
He also treated the crowd to a handful of highlight plays. A left-hander, Quinn made three of his six field goals with his right hand, including that floater to end the first half.  He flipped a no-look pass to Federiko for a layup midway through the first half and fired a pinpoint behind-the-back pass to Appelhans, who honored his teammate by drilling a triple from the right corner.
 
Quinn didn't miss a shot until the 13:26 mark in the second half. But Appelhans grabbed the rebound and promptly buried a three. It was that kind of night for the Bulldogs, who finished with 22 assists – six from Quinn and four from Thomas.
 
"What a special night here in the Knapp Center," Drake head coach Eric Henderson said. "To be able to have a night like this, on epilepsy awareness night, when it's so personal to my family makes it even that more special. [Braden Appelhans] was pretty special here tonight too. Just very, very proud of our guys effort and our ability to continue to get better."
 
Drake will remain at home for is next game, a visit by UAB on Friday night. Tip-off time is 6:30 p.m.
 
Team Notes
—Drake improved its record to 6-3 overall, including 3-2 at home this season.
—The Bulldogs have posted a 102-13 record at home since the 2018-19 season.
—Eric Henderson improved his overall collegiate record to 135-63 in seven seasons.
—Drake set a MVC season high with a school-record 19 three-point baskets
—It marked the third game the Bulldogs have made 10 or more treys in a game. Drake is 3-0 this season when that feat happens.
—Drake owned a 54-28 halftime lead, improving its record to 5-0 when leading at half.
—The 54 points by Drake were the second highest by a Bulldog team in a half this season, trailing only 57 points scored in the second half against Buena Vista Nov. 21.
—Drake set a school record and MVC high with 19 three-point baskets. The previous Drake school record was 18 treys vs. St. Ambrose Dec. 21, 2022.
—Drake set MVC team highs in field goal percentage-.696; three-point field goal percentage- .633; and three-point baskets made-19
—Five players scored in double figures for Drake
—This marked the second straight game Drake had two players score 20 or more points with Braden Appelhans scoring 30 and Jaehshon Thomas 22. Jalen Quin had 31 and Okku Federiko had 20 in last Saturday's 84-74 win against Georgia Tech.
 
Individual Notes
—Braden Appelhans led Drake with a career-high 30 points, while setting a school record with 10 three-point baskets. The previous Drake single-game school record was nine three-point baskets by Jeff Allen against Tulsa Jan. 13, 1994.
—Appelhans' 10 three-point baskets were the most by any player in the MVC this season and tied the second highest by a player in the NCAA this season. 
—Jaehshon Thomas added a season-high 22 points, including 13 in the second half. He has now made a three-point basket in eight of Drake's nine games this season, including the last four straight contests.
—Guard Jaden Quinn collected 17 points, making six of seven shots, and added six assists.
—Forward Okku Federiko had 12 points while guard Eli Shetlar scored 11 point and led the team with eight rebounds and tied a career high with three steals. Shetlar also matched his season high with three three-point baskets.
 
The Series
—Drake, winning its fourth straight game against the Leathernecks, improved its series record against Western Illinois to 5-1 including 4-0 in games played in Des Moines.