(Des Moines) The undefeated Drake University men’s basketball team begins Missouri Valley Conference play Dec. 27-28 with a two-game series at Indiana State. Tipoff Dec. 27 is set for Noon CST followed by a 4 p.m. CST game on Dec. 28. The contests will be broadcast on ESPN+ and ESPN3, respectively.
The Bulldogs begin conference play with the top record in the nation at 9-0 to set a program record for the best start in history and mark the first time Drake has started league play undefeated since 1960-61. Drake’s nine wins are tied for the most in the nation and the Bulldogs are one of two 9-0 teams.
The Bulldogs have scored 80 or more points in seven of their nine games to average 86.4 points per game, the nation’s 26th best average. Drake’s average margin of victory of 26.4 points ranks 11th. That offense has been fueled by 53.6 percent shooting, the eighth-best mark in the nation. Drake has shot 50 percent or better in six of the last seven games and 47 percent in the lone game it did not shot 50 percent or better.
Drake has had a different leading scorer in six of its nine wins. D.J. Wilkins and Shanquan Hemphill are the only two to lead Drake in scoring more than once. Hemphill has been named the MVC Newcomer of the Week in back-to-back weeks after leading Drake last week. On the week with 17.3 points and 5.0 rebounds per game while shooting 72.4 percent (21-of-29). Against Chicago State, he led Drake with 21 points, his second-most the season, on 9-of-10 shooting with six rebounds. He closed the week with 19 points on 8-of-13 shooting and four steals against North Dakota. In the Bulldogs’ road win at South Dakota, he had 12 points in 21 minutes.
Meanwhile, Wilkins has become a threat on the perimeter, shooting 15-of-25 from the three-point arc in the last four games. On the season, he ranks 21st nationally in three-point accuracy at 51.1 percent.
The Sycamores have managed to play five games this season with three wins. However, the Trees are coming off back-to-back wins against Ball State and Southeast Missouri State.
Following the season-opening series, Drake returns home to host SIU at the Knapp Center from Jan. 3-4.
(Drake Men’s Basketball Press Release)
