Drake’s males’s basketball staff rebounded from a cold first part on Thursday to overcome Valparaiso 68-63 on the Knapp Heart.
Drake shot 26% within the first part and trailed 26-24 at halftime. The Bulldogs heated up after the damage, taking pictures 59% to earn the Missouri Valley Convention victory.
“4 of our remaining 5 video games (towards Valparaiso) were determined by way of 5 issues or much less,” trainer Darian DeVries mentioned after the sport. “It is more or less like what occurs when Valpo and we hook up. It is by no means simple…This night used to be no other, particularly whilst you get into convention play.”
Darnell Brodie led the Bulldogs (11-3, 2-1 MVC) with 19 issues and had 9 rebounds, one thieve and one block. Tucker DeVries completed with 18 issues and 7 rebounds. Garrett Sturtz added 14 issues and a team-high 11 rebounds. Ben Krikke led Valparaíso (6-8, 0-3) with 15 issues.
Drake had entered the Christmas damage after a document recreation towards St. Ambrose on December 21. The Bulldogs completed their non-conference agenda with a 124-48 victory over the Preventing Bees, the biggest margin of victory in class historical past. Drake additionally posted a program-high 18 three-pointers prior to a week-long damage from recreation motion.
The Bulldogs confirmed some rust towards Valparaíso. The Beacons stayed on and saved the sport shut till the overall buzzer.
A a hit surge in the second one part
One thing modified for the Bulldogs between the primary and 2nd part, however that is not precisely information for a Drake staff that has come from at the back of a couple of instances.
After a gradual get started, the Bulldogs got here out of the locker room with new lifestyles. DJ Wilkins scored a 3 to actually get issues going. Brodie added issues with a layup prior to Tucker DeVries added a step again and some other 3-pointer.
“Brodie used to be implausible,” Tucker DeVries mentioned. “He made numerous nice bodily performs, setbacks, rebounding. He did so much to modify the momentum and everybody else can feed off of that. (He) actually carried us thru the ones first 6-8 mins that 2nd part and set issues in movement. stroll for us.”
Sturtz put the exclamation level at the force with a layup on a thieve, giving Drake his first lead since halfway in the course of the first part.
Drake went from two fast damage issues within the first part to 9 prior to midway thru the second one part. The Bulldogs advanced their taking pictures percentages and noticed pictures drop once they wanted them maximum.
And due to the Bulldogs’ protection, Valparaíso used to be not able to compare Drake because the Beacons were early on.
Drake controlled to increase his lead lengthy sufficient in the second one part to drag out a win over a convention opponent. However the Bulldogs will want to piece in combination sooner towards harder fighters.
Subsequent up for Drake: At Missouri State on Sunday for a 2 pm contest in Missouri Valley.
Maintaining with Krikke
Krikke from Valparaíso is among the MVC’s most sensible scorers. He averaged 18.3 issues according to recreation going into Thursday’s contest, trailing handiest Northern Iowa’s Bowen Born and Drake’s DeVries.
Drake did a just right activity restricting the senior Beacons. He completed with 15 issues, 4 rebounds and one block. Krikke dedicated 3 fouls within the first part.
Alyssa Hertel is the school sports activities recruiting reporter for the Des Moines Sign in. Touch Alyssa at [email protected] or on Twitter @AlyssaHertel.