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Two MVC games Tuesday, Dec. 17

Da Coach

Da Coach

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Staff member
There are two MVC games today, Tuesday, Dec. 17- https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/scoreboard/_/date/20241217/group/18
Valparaiso (5-4) at Ohio State ^-4) - 7:00 pm on Peacock Network - Ohio State favored by 21.5 points
Drake (9-0) vs Kansas State (6-3) - 7:00 pm on ESPN+ - Kansas State favored by 1.5 points

In the only MVC game last night (Monday, Dec. 16), Northern Iowa beat Montana 104-76 for their 4th win in a row. They improve to 7-4. - https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/boxscore/_/gameId/401715920
 
This game should tell us just how good Drake is. If they win that one, I don't know that we can consider ourselves the Valley favorite anymore (but maybe some have already reached that conclusion, just not me).
 
Tommy said:
This game should tell us just how good Drake is. If they win that one, I don't know that we can consider ourselves the Valley favorite anymore (but maybe some have already reached that conclusion, just not me).
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Kansas State is not a great team, so I wouldn't be surprised if Drake wins. By most analytic formulas, Drake is the better team.
Drake's NET is 46, Kansas State's NET is 105.
In RPI- Drake is 12, Kansas State is 102
In Kenpom ranking- Drake 73, Kansas State 69

Kansas State is 6-3, but they have possibly the worst non-conference Strength of Schedule of any Power Conference team.
Their 6 wins were against some of the worst teams in the country-
New Orleans (NET 336)
Cleveland State (NET 281)
Mississippi Valley State (NET 364- dead last among D1 programs)
George Washington (NET 153)
Longwood (NET 251)
Arkansas-PIne Bluff (NET 362 out of 364)

Their 3 losses were:
76-65 loss to LSU (NET 63)
67-65 loss to Liberty (NET 61)
88-71 loss to St. John's (NET 37)

It should be a good game to watch. :)
 
Dubl R 1 said:
Leon Bond w/37pts for Northern Iowa vs Montana.
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Leon Bond III looks like one of the top "steals" of the 2024 transfer portal. He averaged only 4.1 ppg in 12 minutes per game off the bench at Virginia last season as a redshirt-freshman. He took only 2 three point shots for the season. This season at UNI, he is averaging 11.2 ppg and 5.1 rpg, and he is shooting 50% from three (9-18 ). He was 4-5 from three in last night's win over Montana.
 
Da Coach said:
Kansas State is not a great team, so I wouldn't be surprised if Drake wins. By most analytic formulas, Drake is the better team.
Drake's NET is 46, Kansas State's NET is 105.
In RPI- Drake is 12, Kansas State is 102
In Kenpom ranking- Drake 73, Kansas State 69

Kansas State is 6-3, but they have possibly the worst non-conference Strength of Schedule of any Power Conference team.
Their 6 wins were against some of the worst teams in the country-
New Orleans (NET 336)
Cleveland State (NET 281)
Mississippi Valley State (NET 364- dead last among D1 programs)
George Washington (NET 153)
Longwood (NET 251)
Arkansas-PIne Bluff (NET 362 out of 364)

Their 3 losses were:
76-65 loss to LSU (NET 63)
67-65 loss to Liberty (NET 61)
88-71 loss to St. John's (NET 37)

It should be a good game to watch. :)
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I can always count on your for all the detailed info, Coach. Thanks!

I am rooting for a Drake loss. I don't like to see them continuing to win. They're going to get way too used to it!
 
Kansas State may not be a great team, but for Drake it is a road test for sure and a win would continue to build national interest in the undefeated Bulldogs. I had hoped we would be the team from the Valley that made national noise this year. We still can, but the Braves will have to "prove 'em" now in conference and the tournament(s). The loss to Santa Clara -- not a great team -- on a neutral court really stings.
 
The Drake game vs. Kansas State is not a true road game. It is called The Wildcat Classic, a 1-game event at a neutral site, the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, MO. It's a 19,000 seat arena in downtown KC, about 120 miles from Manhattan, KS. That might help Drake's chances, though the crowd should still favor Kansas State.

Drake is getting close to being ranked. They have a bunch of votes, but are just outside the Top 25 - https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/rankings
After tonight's Kansas State game, they have another game at home Saturday against Green Bay. If they can get through this week undefeated, I think they could move into the Top 25.
 
Tommy said:
I can always count on your for all the detailed info, Coach. Thanks!

I am rooting for a Drake loss. I don't like to see them continuing to win. They're going to get way too used to it!
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I am hoping Drake wins and only loses three games before the NCAA tournament. 1 to us in Peoria, 1 to us in Des Moines, and 1 to us in StL. It will only help our NET if they are good and we beat them.
 
egib52 said:
I am hoping Drake wins and only loses three games before the NCAA tournament. 1 to us in Peoria, 1 to us in Des Moines, and 1 to us in StL. It will only help our NET if they are good and we beat them.
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That's a fair point, egib. I guess when you put it that way, the only losses that really matter to me are the ones that come at our hand, so I agree!
 
Drake's Mitch Mascari can't miss from distance. He is 6-for-6 from 3-point range. K-State has come back but Drake holds a 9-point lead at half.
 
BUSongwriter said:
Drake's Mitch Mascari can't miss from distance. He is 6-for-6 from 3-point range. K-State has come back but Drake holds a 9-point lead at half.
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Kansas State continues to slowly close the gap. Drake now leads 39-36 with about 16 minutes left.
Drake's Mitch Mascari is now 6-7 from three, and the rest of the team is 0-3.
 
I love our guys but I am not sure we are the favorite to win the Valley right now. Drake is a problem-we’ve got to find a way to turn up our defense and rebounding.
 
Bennett Stirtz hit a 3 with 4 seconds to go in overtime and survived a potential tieing 3 at the buzzer to win 73-70 to go to 10-0. This was a 1 possession game for the last 11 1/2 minutes of the 2nd half as neither team could get any kind of run going.K State had a chance to win it in regulation but took too long to get the play going and could only put up a contested 3 which they air balled. In OT Drake got the lead to 70-64 with 2:00 to go but K State scored 6 straight, with former Illini Coleman Hawkins making a 3 with :13 left to tie it at 70. Drake didn't take a timeout and Stirtz brought the ball up the court and made his only 3 of the night to win it. Hawkins led K State with 16 points, had 5 rebounds, 5 assists and 4 steals but was just 3-8 from the FT line. Not quite sure how Drake is doing it as they don't go more than 6-7 deep. In fact Stirts has played every minute in 8 of their 10 games. He had 22 points on 8-13 shooting. Mitch Mascari, who has played every minute in 6 of their 10 games, was an unreal 8-10 from 3 and Isiah Jackson, while 0-6 from 3, had 8 rebounds and 8 assists. They are constant motion on offense and play real physical which we have had issues with in our 2 losses this season so we better be ready to bring it.
 
There may be a little bit of bias in this but the teams Drake has beat especially the power conference teams have not been impressed with them when I've watched (especially Miami and was not impressed with K state, have watched them play other games) can't speak much to Vandy. I think they have played a somewhat easy schedule although I'm very impressed with stirtz he is a damn good player
 
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