THE SETTING: The Drake basketball team will be looking for better results when it plays the second leg of three consecutive Sunday Missouri Valley Conference encounters.

But the Bulldogs will be facing a roadblock of sizeable proportion when it visits SIU Arena where Southern Illinois has posted a 95-8 record (.922) since the start of the 2001-02 season. Drake opened the MVC season last Sunday dropping a 76-65 decision at Evansville before rebounding to claim an impressive 67-49 victory past Missouri State in its MVC home opener on New Year's Eve.

TELEVISION: Sunday's game will mark the fifth of eight games in which Drake will appear on national television this season. ESPNU will televise the game with Mitch Holthus and Mac McCausland describing the action.

DRAKE RADIO: KRNT Radio (1350 AM) is the flagship station of Drake basketball with Larry Cotlar and Dolph Pulliam handling the broadcasting. The pregame show begins 30 minutes before tipoff.

GETTING TO KNOW YOU: In addition to the Sunday evening game at Southern Illinois, Drake will play two more Sunday night contests on ESPNU with both games at home ? Jan. 11 against Wichita State and Feb. 15 vs. Illinois State.

EARLY SUCCESS STARTS WITH SENIORS: Although graduation claimed three senior starters from last year's school-record 28-5 mark, veteran leadership has been the biggest key in Drake's 9-3 start. Seniors Jacob Baryenbruch, Jonathan Cox, John Michael Hall, Brent Heemskerk 
and Alex White have combined to appear in 380 Drake games during their career. Then there's Drake juniors Bill Eaddy and Josh Young who have combined to appear in 112 games.

THE SERIES: Southern Illinois has won 18 of the last 19 meetings against Drake to own a 50-20 series lead. Drake has lost its last 12 games played in Carbondale, Ill., with its last victory, occurring, 71-68, Feb. 16, 1996.

2007-08 SERIES RECAP:  Drake 61, Southern Illinois 51 (Jan. 2, 2008, Des Moines, Iowa) ? Then sophomore guard Josh Young tied a then career high with 24 points as Drake snapped a 17-game losing streak to Southern Illinois.
   
Young scored 12 of Drake's last 18 points. Senior forward Klayton Korver added 13 points, including 10 in the first half for the Bulldogs who won their MVC home opener for the first time since the 2001-02 season. Drake senior guard Leonard Houston collected 12 points  - all in the second half.
   
Trailing 8-7, Drake went on a 7-0 run to grab a 14-8 lead it would never relinquish. Young, who opened the game making his first three shots, including two three-point baskets, had five points to fuel the charge. Southern Illinois missed five shots and committed five turnovers during the same stretch.
   
Owning a 27-22 halftime lead, Drake opened the second period making five of its first six shots from the floor. Houston led the charge by scoring 10 points in the opening five minutes 39 seconds of the second half to give Drake its biggest lead of the game at 43-30.
   
Then the Bulldogs went 8 minutes 12 seconds without scoring a basket, allowing the Salukis to cut the lead to 47-43 with 6:43 left following a three-point basket by reserve freshman forward Carlton Fay.
   
Drake then forced Southern Illinois guard Bryan Mullins into three straight turnovers. The Bulldogs took advantage with Young scoring five points off the miscues. A layup by Houston pushed Drake's lead back to double digits at 54-43. Young had three steals giving him eight in the last two games.
   
Drake held Southern Illinois to 39.2 percent shooting from the floor, while forcing the Salukis into 18 turnovers. Houston led Drake with seven rebounds, while junior forward Jonathan Cox added six boards.

Southern Illinois 65, Drake 62 (Feb. 13, 2008, Carbondale, Ill.) ? Leonard Houston's three-point basket that could have sent the game into overtime bounced off the rim at the buzzer as Drake fell to defending MVC champion Southern Illinois.
   
The Bulldogs missed three chances to tie the game in the closing 10 seconds. Wesley Clemmons made a layup to give Southern Illinois a 64-62 lead with 1:24 remaining.
   
Drake senior guard Adam Emmenecker tried to answer with a drive through the lane as the clock ticked down to 11 seconds. His shot hit the backboard and rim before falling away.
   
Houston, who had a career-high four steals, tried to tap it in, but failed. Emmenecker grabbed the ball, but was stripped. Drake's Klayton Korver then fouled Southern Illinois' Matt Shaw who made the first free throw to push the score to 65-62.
   
Shaw missed his second attempt with Korver grabbing the rebound allowing Drake to call time out with 2.3 seconds left.
   
The Bulldogs used another time out with 1.7 seconds remaining after guard Josh Young received the inbounds pass at midcourt. That set up the final play for Houston who missed a jumper from the left wing from 22 feet as two Southern Illinois defenders lunged toward him. Young finished with 17 points, including five three-point baskets. It marked the eighth game this season in which he made at least four three-point baskets in a game.
   
Consecutive three-point baskets by Korver, at the top of the key, and Young, from the left baseline, allowed Drake to knot the score at 62-62 with 1:32 left.
   
Drake' Jonathan Cox enjoyed his ninth double-double of the season with 11 points and 10 rebounds. Korver also added 11 points, including three three-point baskets.
   
The Bulldogs made seven three-point baskets in the first half, equaling its entire output of seven treys in the Jan. 2 game against the Salukis.
   
The lead changed hands four times in the first half with Young hitting a three-point basket to give Drake a 36-35 edge before the host Salukis rebounded for a 39-36 halftime lead. Drake's 36 points were the most any opponent had scored in the first half of a game at SIU Arena this season.
   
Drake's bench, which failed to score a point in the previous game against the Salukis, accounted for 15 points in the first half. Freshman reserve guard Josh Parker tied a career high with two three point baskets.
   
THE COACH: A new era in Drake University basketball is underway with Mark Phelps being named the school's 25th head men's basketball coach, April 21, 2008. He succeeded Keno Davis who resigned to become head coach at Providence College.
   
Phelps served as associate head coach at Arizona State the past two seasons. The Virginia Beach, Va., native  had served on the coaching staff at North Carolina State under head coach Herb Sendek from 1996-2006 before joining Sendek at Arizona State in 2006.
   
He was part of Sendek's staff that led North Carolina State to a 53-39 record (.576) in the Atlantic Coast Conference regular season and tournament play in the final five seasons in Raleigh, N.C. The Wolfpack tied for the second most wins in the ACC from 2001-2002 through the 2005-06 season. He joined the North Carolina State staff in 1996, serving as director of basketball operations before becoming assistant coach in 2000. He was promoted to recruiting coordinator, director of scouting and assistant coach with the Wolfpack in 2005.
   
Phelps posted a 148-53 record (.736 winning percentage) in six years as a high school head coach in Virginia. He was head coach at Atlantic Shores Christian High School in Chesapeake, Va.,  where he compiled a 44-12 record. The 1996 Old Dominion graduate  also coached four
years at Rock Church Academy, constructing a 104-41 record while leading teams to three straight Metro Conference championships.

SECOND-HALF SUCCESS: Drake can attribute its strong record to solid play at both ends of the court in the second half of games. Drake is outscoring opponents, 37.8 to 33.1 in the second half, rallying from a 10-point deficit to post a 66-63 victory at Iowa State. The Bulldogs also are limiting opponents to 41.3 percent shooting in the second half.
   
YOUNG GUNS: Consider the start Drake junior Josh Young is enjoying to open the season.  Young is averaging 22.4 points, 8.6 free throws made, 4.0 rebounds, 2.6 three-point baskets and 1.6 steals in his last five games, while shooting 43.3 percent from three-point range (13-30).
   
The personable guard leads the MVC in scoring (18.0 avg.), while pacing the league in free throws made (86) and free throws attempted (96). He set a school record with 32 consecutive free throws made. He has committed just 15 fouls with his first infraction not occurring until the fourth game of the season.

AS STANLEY GOES, SO GOES...: Junior transfer point guard Craig Stanley shot 64.7 percent (22-34) during Drake's recent six-game winning streak. He had a then career-high 10 points along with six assists and three rebounds in a 68-62 win against New Mexico. He dished out a career-high 11 assists against Lincoln and matched a career high with 10 points against Texas-Pan American. He tallied a then career-high 12 points at Iowa State, including the game-winning basket with 3:04 left, and had a career-high 14 points against Georgia Southern on seven-of-10 shooting from the floor.

ON THE REBOUND: Drake is 9-0 when outrebounding opponents and ranks fourth in the Missouri Valley Conference in rebounding margin at plus 4.1. The Bulldogs have outrebounded its last  seven opponents by an average of 6.0 boards. Drake outrebounded Missouri State, 35-30; Iowa, 41-24; Georgia Southern, 40-33; Iowa State, 40-32; and North Carolina Central, 44-26..
   
Drake forwards Adam Templeton (five) and Jonathan Cox (four) combined to grab nine offensive rebounds, one more than the entire taller Iowa State team. The Bulldogs had 11 offensive rebounds and scored 16 second-chance points, compared to just two by Iowa State.
   
Drake had 12 offensive rebounds and scored 13-second chance points against Iowa, while limiting the Hawkeyes to four offensive rebounds and three second-chance points.

SECOND-CHANCE POINTS: Drake has outscored its last three opponents (Missouri State, Evansville, Iowa) on second-chance opportunities, 32-14.

NATIONAL LEADERS: According to the latest NCAA statistics, Drake's Josh Young ranks seventh in free throws made (86) and is 15th in free throw percentage (.896).

WHO'S HOT: Junior guard Josh Young has made 27 of his last 30 free throws covering the last three games. Going a step further, Young has made 25 of 26 free throws in four games away from the Knapp Center...Senior foward Jonathan Cox is averaging 10.8 rebounds in four games away from the Knapp Center.    Fifth-year Drake senior forward Brent Heemskerk is shooting 52.1 percent from the floor (24-46) in his last 12 games. Fifth-year senior forward Jonathan Cox is averaging 8.9rebounds in his last 10 games. Cox also has equalled or set new career highs in three-point baskets with four and five treys, respectively, during that stretch. Sophomore guard Josh Parker is averaging 11.3 points in his last 12 games. Senior forward Alex White is averaging 4.4 rebounds in his last eight games.

WHO'S NOT: Junior transfer guard Craig Stanley has scored just three points in his first two MVC games, while making one of six shots (16.6 percent)...Junior forward Adam Templeton is shooting 16.6 percent from the floor (3-18) in his last four games...Senior forward John Michael Hall has scored only one point in two road games (Vanderbilt, Iowa State) while playing a combined eight minutes...Junior reserve forward Bill Eaddy has made just one basket in the last six games, shooting 14.2 percent from floor during stretch (1-7).

CHARITY TOSSES: One bright spot during the young season for the Bulldogs has been free throw shooting where Drake ranks third in the Missouri Valley Conference, hitting at a 75.7 percent clip (231-305). Drake has made more free throws (231) than its opponents have attempted (185). Five players are shooting 77 percent or better led by Josh Young, who ranks 20th nationally at 89.6 percent (86-96), followed by Bill Eaddy at 90.9 percent (10-11), Jonathan Cox at 79.5 percent (31-39) and Adam Templeton at 77.3 percent (17-22).

CRUNCH TIME FREE THROWS: Drake is 22 of 32 (.687) from the free throw line in the final two minutes of games this season. Drake's opponents have made 11 of 14 free throw attempts (.786) in the final two minutes. Drake is 4-2 in games decided by 10 points or less and 2-1 in games decided by less than three points.

WHAT, ME WORRY?: With graduation claiming Klayton Korver, co-record holder for career three-point baskets at 241, off the 2007-08 Drake team which set a school single-season mark with 310 treys, there might have been some worries about the Bulldogs' perimeter attack this season. But Drake is on pace to eclipse last year's record, averaging 9.0 treys this season. With seven different players making a trey, Drake tied a season high with 15 three-point baskets against North Carolina Central Dec. 6.

THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES? As is customary with the ringing in of a new year, various media outlets look back on the top stories of the previous year. Drake's heartbreaking NCAA Tournament loss to Western Kentucky was ranked No. 7 on ESPN's Top 10 Plays of 2008.
   
Ty Rogers made a desperation 26-foot three-point basket with three defenders in his face and no time on the clock in overtime to give Western Kentucky a 101-99 victory in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

TOURNAMENT TIME: Drake has fared well while taking part in regular-season tournaments. The Bulldogs recently concluded a stretch of playing in three tournaments in three weeks posting a 6-2 record. The Bulldogs tied for third in the 10-team Cancun Challenge  Nov. 30, won the Iowa Realty Invitational Dec. 6 and finished second in the inaugural Drake Hy-Vee Classic Dec. 13, falling to Stephen F. Austin, 66-64, in the championship.
   
The Bulldogs have won 14 of 16 regular season tournament games dating back to 2006, claiming titles at the 2006 Sun Bowl Invitational, the 2006 and 2007 Drake Regency Challenge and the 2007 and 2008 Iowa Realty Invitational.

OVERCOMING DEFICITS: The biggest deficit Drake has overcome to earn a victory this season is 13 points. The Bulldogs trailed at Iowa State, 22-9, before earning a 66-63 victory in Ames Dec. 9. Drake overcame a 25-14 first half deficit against Morehead State to claim an 86-70 home win.
   
Last year Drake rallied from a 12-point deficit (45-33) at home to Illinois State to post a 79-73 win.

VALUABLE POSSESSIONS: Drake is averaging 12.9 assists and 12.8 turnovers per game. Through 14 games last season, those averages were 15.1 assists and 13.6 turnovers per game.   

COX KEYS DRAKE TO FIRST MVC WIN:  Senior forward Jonathan Cox scored a season-high 23 points and grabbed 11 rebounds as Drake celebrated the New Year early with a 67-49 MVC  victory past Missouri State Wednesday.
   
Cox, who recorded his 15th career double-double, scored 16 points in the second half as the defending MVC champions shot a sizzling 55 percent from the floor. Junior guard Josh Young added 16 points for the Bulldogs who recorded their widest victory margin in the 38-game series between the schools.
   
Drake held the Bears to just 38.3 percent shooting from the floor (18-47) as well as a season-low 49 points.
   
It also marked the fewest points Drake had allowed in a MVC game dating back to a 45-41 home win against Illinois State Feb. 14, 2006.
   
Senior transfer center Will Creekmore, who was coming off a 19-point 11-rebound performance in the Bears' MVC opener against Illinois State, was held to eight points and four rebounds.
   
Cox made eight of 11 shots from the field, including four of five beyond the arc. He had made just three of his last 19 three-point baskets entering the game.
   
Drake made just one of its first eight shots in the opening 6 minutes 15 seconds of the first half with Missouri State taking advantage to enjoy an 8-2 lead. The Bulldogs responded with an 8-0 run to turn a 10-7 deficit into a 15-10 lead which they never relinquished.
   
A free throw by senior reserve forward Alex White gave Drake its biggest lead of the game at 65-44 with 2:17 left.
   
Young, who recorded his first blocked shot in two years, moved into a tie for No. 16 on the Drake career scoring list with Napoleon Gaither (1975-78) with 1,071 points.
   
Drake junior transfer forward Adam Templeton had seven points and six rebounds to end a shooting slump in which he had made just one of his last 14 shots covering the previous three games.
   
The Bulldogs outrebounded Missouri State, 35-30. Drake also collected eight steals with Cox and junior guard Craig Stanley (Plano, Texas) recording two thefts.
   
Junior forward Bill Eaddy made his first basket in the last six games.Senior forward John Michael Hall made first appearance in the last three games, collecting three points, two assists, one steal and one blocked shot..

EVANSVILLE SPOILS MVC OPENER: Guard Jason Holsinger hit three straight three-point baskets to key a 12-0 run midway through the second half as Evansville spoiled the MVC opener by Drake with a 76-65 victory last Sunday.
   
Senior guard Josh Young, enjoying his fourth straight 20-plus scoring game, led Drake with 24 points.
   
The defending league champion Bulldogs, who opened the MVC season on the road for an unprecedented fourth straight year, got out of the starting gates slow.
   
Drake shot just 30 percent from the floor in the first half, making nine of 30 shots. But the Bulldogs still managed to go into the locker room at halftime, trailing only 30-26.
   
Two free throws by Young knotted the score at 41-41 with 11 minutes 36 seconds left in the game.
   
But the Purple Aces, fueled by Holsinger, reeled off 12 straight points in the next 3 minutes 32 seconds which proved to be the difference in the game. Drake missed two layups, along with the front end of a bonus free throw situation, during the surge by Evansville
   
The Purple Aces fired at a 56.7 percent clip from the floor in the second half, making 17 of 30 shots and finished the game at 50.9 percent (28-55).
   
Young, who scored a season-low six points in his last visit to Roberts Stadium, scored 16 points in the second half for Drake.
   
He added four rebounds, while tying a career high with three steals. Sophomore guard Josh Parker came off the bench to score 15 points for Drake, while senior forward Jonathan Cox netted 12 points.
   
Evansville outrebounded Drake, 42-29. Cox led Drake with eight rebounds, while collecting a season-high three steals. Senior forward Brent Heemskerk added eight points for his highest point total in the last eight games. 

YOUNG SWEEPS MVC WEEK AWARDS: One day after being named the State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Basketball Player of the Week, Drake's Josh Young was named the MVC Scholar-Athlete of the Week for the second straight week Dec. 23. He scored a game-high 24 points to spur the Bulldogs to a 60-43 victory past Iowa Saturday at the Drake Knapp Center.
   
Young, enjoying his third-straight 20-plus scoring game, recorded career highs of 14 made free throws and 15 free throws attempted. He also grabbed five rebounds for the third time in the last four games. The 6-foot 1-inch guard made two three-point baskets and collected a steal. Young scored seven points during a 16-0 run that turned a 13-10 lead into a 29-10 Drake advantage.
   
Young was named the MVC Scholar-Athlete of the Week for his performance from Dec. 8-14 when he averaged 22.3 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.0 steals in three games as the Bulldogs won at Iowa State (66-63 on Dec. 9), defeated Georgia Southern (84-73 on Dec. 12) and fell to Stephen F. Austin (66-64 on Dec. 13).
   
Young, who has a 3.16 cumulative grade-point average in marketing and management, powered Drake to its road triumph at Iowa State, collecting 19 points, five boards and three steals.  In the Hy-Vee Classic, he averaged 24.0 points, 4.5 rebounds and 1.5 steals per contest to earn all-tournament honors.

STOCK ON THE RISE: Sophomore guard Josh Parker, who was expected to challenge for the starting point guard vacated by the graduation of MVC Player of the Year Adam Emmenecker, has adapted well to his new role as backup off guard.
   
Parker ranks fifth in the MVC in three-point field goal percentage at .458. He had a career-high 22-point outburst against Lincoln (Mo.) and is averaging 11.3 points in his last 12 games. He has scored in double figures in eight games this season. He was named the MVP of the Iowa Realty Invitational after averaging 15.0 points in the two games, while shooting  68.7 percent from the floor (11-16), including 66.7 percent (6-9) from three-point range. He came off the bench to score a game-high 18 points in Drake's opening round 59-57 victory against Texas-Pan American and added 12 points in a 89-46 romp past North Carolina Central.
   
He matched a then career high with 12 points against Vanderbilt in the Cancun Challenge. It marked the second straight game he had scored 12 points after first accomplishing his career-high feat against South Dakota State Nov. 23.

IMPROVEMENT: Drake's Brent Heemskerk has proven to be another weapon in Drake's attack. After averaging just one point in the first two games of the season, Heemskerk has come alive, averaging 6.5 points in his last 11 games, including 12 vs. South Dakota State, eight vs. Vanderbilt, 17 vs. New Mexico, seven vs. Lincoln (Mo.) and Stephen F. Austin, and eight at Evansville   

Heemskerk scored a season-high 17 points, making seven of nine shots, in a 68-62 victory against New Mexico. He also made his first three-point basket since the 2005-06 season.

COX MOVES UP LIST: Preseason All-MVC forward Jonathan Cox, who has appeared in 110 career games, has moved into No. 12 on the Drake career rebounding list at 654, surpassing  Willie Wise (1967-69) who had 626. Wise was named to the all-time ABA team after a distinguished career with Los Angeles, Utah and Virginia.

YOUNG KEYS VICTORY PAST IOWA: Junior guard Josh Young enjoyed his third consecutive 20-plus scoring game, but Drake's defense stole the show en route to a 60-43 victory past Iowa before a sellout crowd of 7,152 at the Drake Knapp Center Dec. 20.   
   
The Bulldogs continued their dominance of in-state schools by winning their 10th straight game against a Big Four school (Iowa, Iowa State, Northern Iowa).
   
The Bulldogs also have beaten Northern Iowa four straight times and Iowa State three times in a row. It marked the first time in the 63-game series history that Drake has won three straight games against Iowa. The Hawkeyes' 43 points were its fewest scored against Drake since a 35-22 victory Jan. 4, 1936.
   
Drake held Iowa to a season low in scoring, field goal shooting (.313) as well as three-point field goal shooting (.276.)
   
Iowa had entered the game leading the Big Ten Conference in field goal percentage (.489), while ranking 10th nationally in three-point field goal percentage (.421).
   
Young scored 10 points keying a 22-3 run by Drake that turned a 7-7 tie into a 29-10 advantage. Young had seven points and Josh Parker came off the bench to add five points during the final 4 minutes 18 seconds of the surge in which Drake scored 16 unanswered points.
   
The Hawkeyes could never pull closer than nine  went 6 minutes 4 seconds without scoring (10:06 to 4:02), missing seven shots during a drought in the first half before Anthony Tucker hit a jumper.
   
Drake outrebounded Iowa, 41-24, owning a 12-4 advantage on the offensive boards which resulted in 13 second-chance points.
   
Young finished with a game-high 24 points, recording his 13th career 20-plus scoring game, including fourth of season. He is averaging 24.0 points in his last three games including 26 against Georgia Southern and 22 against Stephen F. Austin.
   
Young set career highs with 14 free throws made and 15 attempted. He also collected five rebounds for the third time in the last four games.
   
Parker tallied 14 points after scoring just two points in seven minutes at Iowa last year. It marked Parker's seventh double-figure scoring game of season.
   
Brent Heemskerk had three blocked shots to move in tie for No. 6 on Drake career blocked shot chart at 58 with David Bancroft (2001-05). Senior forward Jonathan Cox grabbed a game-high eight rebounds for Drake.

BIG FOUR COUNTDOWN: Drake has won 12 straight games against schools from Iowa dating back to 2006, including victories this season against Iowa State and Iowa. In fact, the Bulldogs have beaten Iowa three straight times, Iowa State three times, Northern Iowa four times, along with wins against Waldorf and Cornell.
   
Drake will be seeking its third straight state mythical title in the Big Four series involving Iowa's four NCAA Division I basketball programs this season. Drake will entertain Northern Iowa Jan. 17 and travel to Cedar Falls Feb. 18. Iowa State earned a 71-66 victory at Northern Iowa Dec. 3. Iowa beat Northern Iowa 65-46, and claimed a 73-57 home victory past Iowa State Dec. 12.

STANLEY HONORED: Drake's Craig Stanley was named the MVC Newcomer of the Week Dec. 15 for his effort in leading the Bulldogs to two victories.
   
The 5-11 Stanley averaged 11.0 points and 4.0 assists in three games. He shot 56 percent from the field (14-of-25), while establishing career highs in scoring in consecutive games. Stanley collected a then career-high 12 points, including the game winning three-point basket with 3:04 left to key Drake to a 66-63 win at Iowa State. He had a new career high of 14 points in the 84-73 win against Georgia Southern.

WAITING IN THE WINGS: Drake will welcome guards Ryan Wedel and Frank Wiseler who will be eligible for the 2009-10 season. Wedel was a two-year starter at Arkansas State who led the Sun Belt Conference in three-point baskets in 2007-08 with 90 which also ranked second on the school single-season list. He earned third team All-Sun Belt Conference honors last year after averaging 15.1 points, 2.5 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.0 steals. He was named Mr. Kansas Basketball as a senior at Minneapolis High School following the 2005-06 campaign when he averaged 25.6 points, 6.5 rebounds and 6.2 assists.
   
Wiseler, a point guard, was a member of the 2008 Luxembourg National Team. He was a four-year starter at Urspring Academy in Schelkingen/Ehingen, Germany. He was captain of the team which won back-to-back Germany Under-19 national championships in 2007 and 2008.

PACK A SUITCASE: Fifth-year senior Brent Heemskerk, who has appeared in 109 games at Drake, has learned how to pack a suitcase during his career at Drake. He already has made three trips to California along with road trips to Florida and The Bahamas last season, as well as The Top of the World Classic in Fairbanks, Alaska, in 2006, and most recently,  , Mexico.

PARKER NAMED MVP: Sophomore guard Josh Parker, who came off the bench to spark Drake to the championship, was named the most valuable player of the Iowa Realty Invitational. Parker averaged 15.0 points in the two games, while shooting  68.7 percent from the floor (11-16), including 66.7 percent (6-9) from three point range.  He came off the bench to score a game-high 18 points in Drake's opening round 59-57 victory against Texas-Pan American and added 12 points in an 89-46 romp past North Carolina Central.
   
Joining Parker on the all-tournament team were Drake teammates Jonathan Cox and Josh Young. Cox averaged 15.0 points and 7.5 rebounds, scoring 21 points against North Carolina Central, including a career-high five three-point baskets. Young averaged 11.0 points. He hit the game-winning basket with three seconds left to guide Drake to a 59-57 victory past Texas-Pan American and came back with 15 points against North Carolina Central.

COX HONORED: Drake's Jonathan Cox was named recipient of the Cancun Challenge “Overachiever” award after averaging 12.0 points and 10.5 rebounds in two games, while leading Drake to a third-place finish. He had 12 points and seven rebounds vs. Vanderbilt, while tying a then career high with four three-point baskets. Cox collected 12 points and a season-high 14 rebounds against New Mexico.

DRAKE CONTINUES BIG FOUR DOMINANCE: Craig Stanley's three-point basket gave Drake its only lead of the game when it counted the most, propelling the Bulldogs to a come-from-behind 66-63 victory at Iowa State.
   
Stanley hit only his second three-point basket of the season when he took a feed from Josh Young and connected from the right baseline with 3:04 left to give Drake a 64-62 lead. The basket capped a 14-2 run by Drake during a 4-minute 54-second span that erased a 60-50 Iowa State lead.
   
Junior guard Josh Young paced a balanced scoring attack for Drake with 19 points along with five rebounds and a season-high three steals.
   
Senior forward Jonathan Cox recorded his 14th career double-double and second of the season with 14 points and 14 rebounds for Drake. Junior transfer forward Adam Templeton collected his first career double-double with 13 points and career-high 10 rebounds.
   
Drake held Iowa State to just one basket in the final 7:58 of the game. A free throw by Craig Brackins brought Iowa State to within 64-63 but Stanley and Templeton each made a free throw in the final 28 seconds to account for the final margin.
   
It marked the first time Drake has beat Iowa State three straight times since the Bulldogs beat the Cyclones in four consecutive years from 1973-76. It also marked the first time Drake has ever beaten Iowa State in two consecutive trips to Hilton Coliseum. Cox and Templeton combined for 24 of Drake's 40 rebounds as the Bulldogs won the battle of the boards, 40-32.
   
Iowa State went on an 11-0 run to break a 6-6 tie as Drake missed four shots and committed two turnovers during the stretch. The Cyclones erected a 24-11 cushion before Drake went on a 13-3 run to pull within 27-24 following a three-point basket by Templeton.However, Iowa State responded with consecutive three-point baskets from Diante Garrett and Lucca Staiger to push its advantage to 33-24. Drake scored the last five points of the first half to close the gap to 33-29 on three free throws by Young and two by Cox. Drake held Iowa State to just 36.7 percent shooting from the floor in the second half.

DRAKE WINS IOWA REALTY TITLE: Senior forward Jonathan Cox scored 21 points, including a career-high five three-point baskets, as Drake rolled to an 89-46 victory past North Carolina Central  to win the Iowa Realty Invitational for the second straight year. Cox, who played only 21 minutes, surpassed his combined total of 20 points from Drake's previous two games. He made six of his final seven shots to close out the contest.     
   
Drake tied a season high by making 15 three-point baskets. Junior guard Josh Young added 15 points, including three treys, while sophomore guard Josh Parker tallied 12 points off the bench.
   
The Bulldogs shot over 50 percent from the floor for a third straight game, by hitting a season-high 53.3 percent making 32 of 60 shots.
   
With the score tied at 16-16, Drake reeled off 11 straight points to ignite a 16-2 run. Cox hit two three-point baskets during the surge. The Bulldogs erected a 47-25 halftime lead, making eight three-point baskets which rank as the fourth highest one-half total in Drake history.
   
Young more than doubled his entire Friday night scoring output of seven points in a 59-57 victory against Texas-Pan American.
   
Drake outrebounded North Carolina Central, 44-26.  Fifth-year senior Brent Heemskerk  and senior Alex White led Drake with eight rebounds apiece, while Cox grabbed seven boards. Heemskerk's eight boards surpassed his previous two-game combined total of seven.                                                                                                                  

CHAMPIONSHIP BANNERS UNVEILED: Prior to the basketball game against Lincoln (Mo.), both the 2007-08 MVC Championship and NCAA Tournament banners were unveiled.

DRAKE CLAIMS THIRD IN CANCUN: Senior forward Brent Heemskerk, appearing in his 100th career game, scored a season-high 17 points as Drake held off New Mexico, 68-62, to capture third place in the inaugural Cancun Challenge at the Moon Palace Resort in Cancun, Mexico, Nov. 30.        Senior forward Jonathan Cox enjoyed his first double-double of the season with 12 points and a season-high 14 rebounds for the Bulldogs.
   
A jumper by Heemskerk gave Drake its largest lead of the game at 62-48 with 6 minutes 28 seconds left, but the Bulldogs would finish the contest without making a basket, missing their last three shots while committing four turnovers. But Drake preserved the win by making six of eight free throws down the stretch.
   
Young and Craig Stanley added 10 points apiece for Drake. Stanley dished out six assists. Jacob Baryenbruch added seven points, including a trey, while sinking all four free throw attempts in the waning minutes. Drake broke away from a 31-31 halftime tie by making its first five shots from the floor, including three-point baskets from Josh Young, Adam Templeton and Cox to forge to a 45-38 lead with 16:23 remaining. Then Heemskerk gave Drake its first double-digit lead of the game at 50-40 with a trey from the right baseline with 13:06 left. It marked the first three-point basket by Heemskerk since the 2005-06 campaign.
   
Drake finished with eight three-point baskets, coming from five different players. The Bulldogs outrebounded New Mexico, 36-29 Two free throws by Stanley with 27.7 seconds left enabled Drake to tie the game at halftime at 31-31. Drake overcame 36.8 shooting from the floor by sinking 15 of 22 free throws compared to 6 of 10 charity tosses by New Mexico. The Lobos enjoyed a 13-5 lead before Drake went on an 11-2 run to grab its first lead of the game at 16-15 following a layup by Stanley.

ASSOCIATED PRESS POLL: Drake, coming off a school-record 28-5 campaign,  received one vote in the inaugural preseason Associated Press Top 25 college basketball poll released Oct. 31. The Bulldogs were ranked nine straight weeks in the 2007-08 Associated Press Top 25 poll, finishing No. 14 in the final poll. Four opponents which Drake will play this season also received votes: Vanderbilt 11, Butler seven, New Mexico three and Creighton seven.
   
A SEASON TO REMEMBER: Picked to finish ninth in the preseason Missouri Valley Conference poll, Drake was the TALK of college basketball in 2007-08, posting a school-record 28-5 mark.            
   
Picked to finish ninth in the MVC preseason poll, the Bulldogs enjoyed a school-record 21-game winning streak, while being ranked in the Associated Press and USA Today/ESPN Coaches poll nine straight weeks. The 21-game winning streak was the fourth longest winning streak by a team in Missouri Valley Conference history, and the longest winning streak since Bradley reeled off 22 straight wins in 1985-86.
   
Drake started off the MVC season with a 13-0 record before finishing at 15-3 for the most league victories ever by a Bulldog team. Drake became just the 12th regular season MVC champion to also win the league tournament title. Drake's 13-0 league start marked just the fifth time in the last 50 years that a school has enjoyed a 13-0 start in the MVC. Drake more than doubled its entire MVC victory output of six wins in 2006-07.

SIZING UP THE BULLDOGS: Despite the loss of graduated seniors Adam Emmenecker, Leonard Houston and Klayton Korver, the Drake basketball team hopes to ride the momentum generated from a record-breaking campaign last year. First-year coach Mark Phelps inherits a roster that has eight returning letterwinners, including All-Missouri Valley Conference performers Josh Young and Jonathan Cox, from a team that posted a school-record 28-5 mark.
   
Veteran leadership, featuring five seniors, will be a key in aiding the transition of a new staff.
   
"When you look at the returning players coming back, especially the seniors, this team has a taste of winning at a high level and that mentality going into games will be every bit as valuable as our on-court preparation, because in big games they've had success and know what it feels like," said Phelps.
   
"Our players have been terrific. I knew that we were coming into a situation where we had really good players and good people but the reception has been outstanding from our guys. It just confirms what we thought all along that we have some terrific people and I think that will translate to success on the court as well."
   
The Bulldogs' biggest calling card to success was outside shooting after setting a school single-season mark with 310 three-point baskets. Despite the loss of Korver, who tied the school career mark with 241 treys, Drake should be lethal again from the perimeter with Young, Cox and the addition of junior transfer forward Adam Templeton from UC Irvine.
   
Young, a 6-foot 1-inch junior guard, led the MVC in scoring last year with a 15.9 average, while ranking second with 86 three-point baskets and third in three-point field goal percentage (.434). Selected to the U.S. Basketball Writers Association All-District VI team, Young enjoyed eight 20-plus scoring games, netting  a career-high 25 in a 71-64 upset at then No. 8 ranked Butler.
   
At 6-8 Cox might be the most versatile frontline performer in the MVC. The former walk-on ranked second in the MVC in rebounding (8.5 avg.), three-point field goal percentage (.440) and defensive rebounding (6.1 avg.). Named to the 2008 MVC Most Improved Team, Cox saved his best for last with a career-high 29 points and 16 rebounds in an NCAA Tournament game against Western Kentucky.
   
"Cox is such a unique front court player because he can play all over the floor and at 6-8 he can score in the low post and can operate off the lane and stretch the defense to the perimeter," Phelps added.
   
Senior forwards John Michael Hall (3.5 ppg), Brent Heemskerk (4.7 ppg) and Alex White (3.7 ppg) look to blossom in more expanded roles. Two-year letterwinner Bill Eaddy, a 6-5 junior swingman, also has make his presence known.
   
The biggest shoe to fill is at point guard where Adam Emmenecker graduated after being named both the Larry Bird MVC Player of the Year as well as the MVC Tournament MVP. He set a school single-season record with 213 assists last year. , will battle Junior Craig Stanley, a transfer from Collin (Texas) County Community College, has won the starting spot, while senior Jacob Baryenbruch, who started in five games last year, is a three-year letterwinner. Sophomore Josh Parker, who was Emmenecker's understudy last year playing in 31 games as a freshman, has moved to off guard.

NEW KIDS ON BLOCK: Newcomers who have contributed immediately are junior transfers Craig Stanley from Collin (Texas) County Community College and  Adam Templeton from UC Irvine. The 6-5 Templeton was a two-year starter at UC Irvine where he was named to the Big West Conference All-Freshman team in 2005-06. He averaged 8.0 points and 3.9 rebounds for the Anteaters in 2006-07, while leading the team with 59 three-point baskets. He led the squad in scoring in five games, with a career-high 19 points at Drake in 2006. He also had a double-double in an upset win vs. South Carolina, collecting 16 points and 10 rebounds. Templeton earned first team all-state honors as a senior at Rapid City (S.D.) Central High School, while averaging 19.0 points and 8.5 rebounds in leading his team to the state tournament.
   
Stanley ranked seventh nationally in assists last year, averaging 5.4 and ninth in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.14). He averaged 11.4 points and 2.3 rebounds in 2006-07, while leading Collin County to a 21-9 record. He enjoyed double-doubles of 10 points and 10 assists against Southwestern Christian College and a career-high 23 points and 10 assists against Jacksonville. He earned first-team All-District 8-5A honors as a senior at West High School in Plano, Texas, in 2006 after leading the team in scoring (13.1 avg.) and assists (3.6 avg.).

RECRUITING CLASS CALLED TOPS IN MVC: Van Coleman, nationally respected college basketball recruiting analyst, calls the 2008 Fall Drake recruiting class the best in the Missouri Valley Conference.

"Drake was clearly the leader in the Missouri Valley Conference during the early fall signing period," said Coleman editor of Hoopmaster.com.

High school basketball standouts Aaron Hawley, a 6-foot 7-inch forward from Rogers, Ark.; Ben Simons, a 6-7 guard from Cadillac, Mich.; David Smith, a 6-3 guard from Chicago;  Reece Uhlenhopp, a 6-7 forward from Urbandale, Iowa; and Seth VanDeest, a 6-9 forward from Bettendorf, Iowa, signed national letters of intent indicating they will join the Drake men's basketball program.
       
“We are very excited to announce the signing of five outstanding young men who will join us as freshmen here at Drake in the fall of 2009,” said Drake coach Mark Phelps. “Each of these young men comes to us with demonstrated success and each has had the privilege of playing for winning high school basketball programs. 
       
“These five men exemplify the type of student-athletes we want to recruit to Drake. They excel in the classroom, they are men of character and integrity and are versatile, talented basketball players. Each of these young men are from terrific families and are very enjoyable to be around.”
       
Hawley will enter his third year as a starter at Rogers High School where he earned Arkansas Class VII all-state honors in 2007-08. Hawley also was named to the all-region teams of the Northwest Arkansas Morning News, The Benton County Daily Record and the KURM Dream Team.
       
The two-time all-league performer averaged 15.4 points and 5.0 rebounds in 2007-08 keying his team to a 21-8 record en route to the quarterfinal round of the Arkansas VII State Tournament. He scored 30 points vs. Little Rock Central as a sophomore, while tallying 28 points vs. Alma last year.
   
“Aaron is a versatile, athletic wing who has the ability to be successful from a variety of areas on the floor,” said Phelps.  “He shoots the ball very well from the perimeter and the ability to also score around the basket.  His competitive nature and desire to excel makes him stand out among his peers.”
       
Simons earned first-team Michigan Class B all-state honors by the Detroit Free Press and the Basketball Coaches Association of Michigan. He was a two-time first team All-Big North Conference performer who averaged 18.8 points, 8.0 rebounds, 3.7 blocked shots, 3.0 assists and 2.0 steals in 2007-08 while leading Cadillac to a 16-6 record. Simons had 29 points vs. Traverse City Central, while grabbing 15 rebounds vs. Mount Pleasant. He is a nominee for the 2009 McDonald's High School All-American game.                                     
       
“Ben is a versatile guard who can put the ball on the floor very well and has a great shooting touch from beyond the college line,” pointed out Phelps. “His high basketball IQ, length and ability to score make him an ideal fit for our style of play.  He grew up in a basketball family and has a great passion for and knowledge of the game.”
       
Smith is a three-year starter at Lake Forest Academy, who has been a two-time first-team all-conference performer. He averaged 13.0 points, 4.6 assists, 3.5 rebounds and 3.1 steals in 2007-08 after guiding the team to a 24-9 record including the Independent School League title with a 13-0 mark. Smith is a nominee for the 2009 McDonald's High School All-American game. A three-time team captain, he had a career-high 22 points as a sophomore vs. Luther North. The versatile athlete also won the high jump in the 2008 Independent School League meet.

Uhlenhopp earned third-team all-state honors in 2007-08 by the Iowa Newspaper Association. He was a first-team all-district choice who averaged 15.3 points and 5.0 rebounds, while shooting 57 percent from floor in 2007-08. He helped lead Urbandale to 13-9 record last year, including its fourth straight Central Iowa Metro League title. He is the step-brother of former Drake women's basketball standout Jill Martin (2003-08) who was a three-time All-Missouri Valley Conference performer.
   
VanDeest earned second-team all-conference honors in 2007-008, while guiding Bettendorf to a 19-4 record including a second-place conference finish. He averaged 8.0 points and 5.0 rebounds, while shooting 57 percent from the floor.
           
“Seth is a skilled center with tremendous toughness and determination,” Phelps said. “He has very good footwork, is an excellent passer and has a variety of post moves. Seth also has an excellent shooting touch for a player his size. Seth has a strong desire to reach his full potential. His grit and work ethic stood out to our staff during the recruiting process.”














































































   














PROBABLE STARTING LINEUPS
Drake Bulldogs: 10-4  (Coach: Mark Phelps, first year)
Pos.    Player (Ht., Yr., Hometown)        PPG    RPG    FG%    FT%
G-3    Craig Stanley (5-11, Jr., Plano, Texas)        6.8    1.2    .500    .583
G-20    Josh Young (6-1, Jr., Lawton, Okla.)        18.0    3.4    .418    .896
F-4    Brent Heemskerk (6-8, Sr., Grand Rapids, Mich.)    5.4    5.9    .500    .524
F-31    Jonathan Cox (6-8, Sr., Barrington, Ill.)        13.0    8.3    .462    .795
F-44    Adam Templeton (6-5, Jr., Rapid City, S.D.)    6.1    4.0    .366    .883
Top Reserves
F-2    Alex White (6-6, Sr., Albuquerque, N.M.)    1.9    3.4    .526    .625
G-11    Jacob Baryenbruch (6-0, Sr., Spring Green, Wis.)    2.4    1.0    .273    .800
F-22    Bill Eaddy (6-5, Jr., Ypsilanti, Mich.)        3.1    1.8    .343    .909
G-23    Josh Parker (6-0, So., Harvey, Ill.)        10.3    1.7    .495    .675
F- 50    John Michael Hall (6-5, Sr., Moultrie, Ga        2.2    1.1    .318    .571

THE SETTING: The Drake basketball team will be looking for better results when it plays the second leg of three consecutive Sunday Missouri Valley Conference encounters.
   
But the Bulldogs will be facing a roadblock of sizeable proportion when it visits SIU Arena where Southern Illinois has posted a 95-8 record (.922) since the start of the 2001-02 season. Drake opened the MVC season last Sunday dropping a 76-65 decision at Evansville before rebounding to claim an impressive 67-49 victory past Missouri State in its MVC home opener on New Year's Eve.

GETTING TO KNOW YOU: In addition to the Sunday evening game at Southern Illinois, Drake will play two more Sunday night contests on ESPNU with both games at home ? Jan. 11 against Wichita State and Feb. 15 vs. Illinois State.

EARLY SUCCESS STARTS WITH SENIORS: Although graduation claimed three senior starters from last year's school-record 28-5 mark, veteran leadership has been the biggest key in Drake's 9-3 start. Seniors Jacob Baryenbruch, Jonathan Cox, John Michael Hall, Brent Heemskerk 
and Alex White have combined to appear in 380 Drake games during their career. Then there's Drake juniors Bill Eaddy and Josh Young who have combined to appear in 112 games.

THE SERIES: Southern Illinois has won 18 of the last 19 meetings against Drake to own a 50-20 series lead. Drake has lost its last 12 games played in Carbondale, Ill., with its last victory, occurring, 71-68, Feb. 16, 1996.

2007-08 SERIES RECAP:  Drake 61, Southern Illinois 51 (Jan. 2, 2008, Des Moines, Iowa) ? Then sophomore guard Josh Young tied a then career high with 24 points as Drake snapped a 17-game losing streak to Southern Illinois.
   
Young scored 12 of Drake's last 18 points.    Senior forward Klayton Korver added 13 points, including 10 in the first half for the Bulldogs who won their MVC home opener for the first time since the 2001-02 season. Drake senior guard Leonard Houston collected 12 points  - all in the second half.
   
Trailing 8-7, Drake went on a 7-0 run to grab a 14-8 lead it would never relinquish. Young, who opened the game making his first three shots, including two three-point baskets, had five points to fuel the charge. Southern Illinois missed five shots and committed five turnovers during the same stretch.
   
Owning a 27-22 halftime lead, Drake opened the second period making five of its first six shots from the floor. Houston led the charge by scoring 10 points in the opening five minutes 39 seconds of the second half to give Drake its biggest lead of the game at 43-30.
   
Then the Bulldogs went 8 minutes 12 seconds without scoring a basket, allowing the Salukis to cut the lead to 47-43 with 6:43 left following a three-point basket by reserve freshman forward Carlton Fay.
   
Drake then forced Southern Illinois guard Bryan Mullins into three straight turnovers. The Bulldogs took advantage with Young scoring five points off the miscues. A layup by Houston pushed Drake's lead back to double digits at 54-43. Young had three steals giving him eight in the last two games.
   
Drake held Southern Illinois to 39.2 percent shooting from the floor, while forcing the Salukis into 18 turnovers. Houston led Drake with seven rebounds, while junior forward Jonathan Cox added six boards.

Southern Illinois 65, Drake 62 (Feb. 13, 2008, Carbondale, Ill.) ? Leonard Houston's three-point basket that could have sent the game into overtime bounced off the rim at the buzzer as Drake fell to defending MVC champion Southern Illinois.
   
The Bulldogs missed three chances to tie the game in the closing 10 seconds. Wesley Clemmons made a layup to give Southern Illinois a 64-62 lead with 1:24 remaining.
   
Drake senior guard Adam Emmenecker tried to answer with a drive through the lane as the clock ticked down to 11 seconds. His shot hit the backboard and rim before falling away.
   
Houston, who had a career-high four steals, tried to tap it in, but failed. Emmenecker grabbed the ball, but was stripped. Drake's Klayton Korver then fouled Southern Illinois' Matt Shaw who made the first free throw to push the score to 65-62.
   
Shaw missed his second attempt with Korver grabbing the rebound allowing Drake to call time out with 2.3 seconds left.
   
The Bulldogs used another time out with 1.7 seconds remaining after guard Josh Young received the inbounds pass at midcourt. That set up the final play for Houston who missed a jumper from the left wing from 22 feet as two Southern Illinois defenders lunged toward him. Young finished with 17 points, including five three-point baskets. It marked the eighth game this season in which he made at least four three-point baskets in a game.
   
Consecutive three-point baskets by Korver, at the top of the key, and Young, from the left baseline, allowed Drake to knot the score at 62-62 with 1:32 left.
   
Drake' Jonathan Cox enjoyed his ninth double-double of the season with 11 points and 10 rebounds. Korver also added 11 points, including three three-point baskets.
   
The Bulldogs made seven three-point baskets in the first half, equaling its entire output of seven treys in the Jan. 2 game against the Salukis.
   
The lead changed hands four times in the first half with Young hitting a three-point basket to give Drake a 36-35 edge before the host Salukis rebounded for a 39-36 halftime lead. Drake's 36 points were the most any opponent had scored in the first half of a game at SIU Arena this season.
   
Drake's bench, which failed to score a point in the previous game against the Salukis, accounted for 15 points in the first half. Freshman reserve guard Josh Parker tied a career high with two three point baskets.
   
THE COACH: A new era in Drake University basketball is underway with Mark Phelps being named the school's 25th head men's basketball coach, April 21, 2008. He succeeded Keno Davis who resigned to become head coach at Providence College.
   
Phelps served as associate head coach at Arizona State the past two seasons. The Virginia Beach, Va., native  had served on the coaching staff at North Carolina State under head coach Herb Sendek from 1996-2006 before joining Sendek at Arizona State in 2006.
   
He was part of Sendek's staff that led North Carolina State to a 53-39 record (.576) in the Atlantic Coast Conference regular season and tournament play in the final five seasons in Raleigh,
N.C. The Wolfpack tied for the second most wins in the ACC from 2001-2002 through the 2005-06 season. He joined the North Carolina State staff in 1996, serving as director of basketball
operations before becoming assistant coach in 2000. He was promoted to recruiting coordinator, director of scouting and assistant coach with the Wolfpack in 2005.
   
Phelps posted a 148-53 record (.736 winning percentage) in six years as a high school head coach in Virginia. He was head coach at Atlantic Shores Christian High School in Chesapeake, Va.,  where he compiled a 44-12 record. The 1996 Old Dominion graduate  also coached four
years at Rock Church Academy, constructing a 104-41 record while leading teams to three straight Metro Conference championships.

SECOND-HALF SUCCESS: Drake can attribute its strong record to solid play at both ends of the court in the second half of games. Drake is outscoring opponents, 37.8 to 33.1 in the second half, rallying from a 10-point deficit to post a 66-63 victory at Iowa State. The Bulldogs also are limiting opponents to 41.3 percent shooting in the second half.
   
YOUNG GUNS: Consider the start Drake junior Josh Young is enjoying to open the season.  Young is averaging 22.4 points, 8.6 free throws made, 4.0 rebounds, 2.6 three-point baskets and 1.6 steals in his last five games, while shooting 43.3 percent from three-point range (13-30).
   
The personable guard leads the MVC in scoring (18.0 avg.), while pacing the league in free throws made (86) and free throws attempted (96). He set a school record with 32 consecutive free throws made. He has committed just 15 fouls with his first infraction not occurring until the fourth game of the season.

AS STANLEY GOES, SO GOES...: Junior transfer point guard Craig Stanley shot 64.7 percent (22-34) during Drake's recent six-game winning streak. He had a then career-high 10 points along with six assists and three rebounds in a 68-62 win against New Mexico. He dished out a career-high 11 assists against Lincoln and matched a career high with 10 points against Texas-Pan American. He tallied a then career-high 12 points at Iowa State, including the game-winning basket with 3:04 left, and had a career-high 14 points against Georgia Southern on seven-of-10 shooting from the floor.

ON THE REBOUND: Drake is 9-0 when outrebounding opponents and ranks fourth in the Missouri Valley Conference in rebounding margin at plus 4.1. The Bulldogs have outrebounded its
last  seven opponents by an average of 6.0 boards. Drake outrebounded Missouri State, 35-30; Iowa, 41-24; Georgia Southern, 40-33; Iowa State, 40-32; and North Carolina Central, 44-26..
   
Drake forwards Adam Templeton (five) and Jonathan Cox (four) combined to grab nine offensive rebounds, one more than the entire taller Iowa State team. The Bulldogs had 11 offensive rebounds and scored 16 second-chance points, compared to just two by Iowa State.
   
Drake had 12 offensive rebounds and scored 13-second chance points against Iowa, while limiting the Hawkeyes to four offensive rebounds and three second-chance points.

SECOND-CHANCE POINTS: Drake has outscored its last three opponents (Missouri State, Evansville, Iowa) on second-chance opportunities, 32-14.

NATIONAL LEADERS: According to the latest NCAA statistics, Drake's Josh Young ranks seventh in free throws made (86) and is 15th in free throw percentage (.896).

WHO'S HOT: Junior guard Josh Young has made 27 of his last 30 free throws covering the last three games. Going a step further, Young has made 25 of 26 free throws in four games away from the Knapp Center...Senior foward Jonathan Cox is averaging 10.8 rebounds in four games away from the Knapp Center.    Fifth-year Drake senior forward Brent Heemskerk is shooting 52.1 percent from the floor (24-46) in his last 12 games. Fifth-year senior forward Jonathan Cox is averaging 8.9rebounds in his last 10 games. Cox also has equalled or set new career highs in three-point baskets with four and five treys, respectively, during that stretch. Sophomore guard Josh Parker is averaging 11.3 points in his last 12 games. Senior forward Alex White is averaging 4.4 rebounds in his last eight games.

WHO'S NOT: Junior transfer guard Craig Stanley has scored just three points in his first two MVC games, while making one of six shots (16.6 percent)...Junior forward Adam Templeton is shooting 16.6 percent from the floor (3-18) in his last four games...Senior forward John Michael Hall has scored only one point in two road games (Vanderbilt, Iowa State) while playing a combined eight minutes...Junior reserve forward Bill Eaddy has made just one basket in the last six games, shooting 14.2 percent from floor during stretch (1-7).

CHARITY TOSSES: One bright spot during the young season for the Bulldogs has been free throw shooting where Drake ranks third in the Missouri Valley Conference, hitting at a 75.7 percent clip (231-305). Drake has made more free throws (231) than its opponents have attempted (185). Five players are shooting 77 percent or better led by Josh Young, who ranks 20th nationally at 89.6 percent (86-96), followed by Bill Eaddy at 90.9 percent (10-11), Jonathan Cox at 79.5 percent (31-39) and Adam Templeton at 77.3 percent (17-22).

CRUNCH TIME FREE THROWS: Drake is 22 of 32 (.687) from the free throw line in the final two minutes of games this season. Drake's opponents have made 11 of 14 free throw attempts (.786) in the final two minutes. Drake is 4-2 in games decided by 10 points or less and 2-1 in games decided by less than three points.

WHAT, ME WORRY?: With graduation claiming Klayton Korver, co-record holder for career three-point baskets at 241, off the 2007-08 Drake team which set a school single-season mark with 310 treys, there might have been some worries about the Bulldogs' perimeter attack this season. But Drake is on pace to eclipse last year's record, averaging 9.0 treys this season. With seven different players making a trey, Drake tied a season high with 15 three-point baskets against North Carolina Central Dec. 6.

THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES? As is customary with the ringing in of a new year, various media outlets look back on the top stories of the previous year. Drake's heartbreaking NCAA Tournament loss to Western Kentucky was ranked No. 7 on ESPN's Top 10 Plays of 2008.
   
Ty Rogers made a desperation 26-foot three-point basket with three defenders in his face and no time on the clock in overtime to give Western Kentucky a 101-99 victory in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

TOURNAMENT TIME: Drake has fared well while taking part in regular-season tournaments. The Bulldogs recently concluded a stretch of playing in three tournaments in three weeks posting a 6-2 record. The Bulldogs tied for third in the 10-team Cancun Challenge  Nov. 30, won the Iowa Realty Invitational Dec. 6 and finished second in the inaugural Drake Hy-Vee Classic Dec. 13, falling to Stephen F. Austin, 66-64, in the championship.
   
 The Bulldogs have won 14 of 16 regular season tournament games dating back to 2006, claiming titles at the 2006 Sun Bowl Invitational, the 2006 and 2007 Drake Regency Challenge and the 2007 and 2008 Iowa Realty Invitational.

OVERCOMING DEFICITS: The biggest deficit Drake has overcome to earn a victory this season is 13 points. The Bulldogs trailed at Iowa State, 22-9, before earning a 66-63 victory in Ames Dec. 9. Drake overcame a 25-14 first half deficit against Morehead State to claim an 86-70 home win.
   
Last year Drake rallied from a 12-point deficit (45-33) at home to Illinois State to post a 79-73 win.

VALUABLE POSSESSIONS: Drake is averaging 12.9 assists and 12.8 turnovers per game. Through 14 games last season, those averages were 15.1 assists and 13.6 turnovers per game.   

COX KEYS DRAKE TO FIRST MVC WIN:  Senior forward Jonathan Cox scored a season-high 23 points and grabbed 11 rebounds as Drake celebrated the New Year early with a 67-49 MVC  victory past Missouri State Wednesday.
   
Cox, who recorded his 15th career double-double, scored 16 points in the second half as the defending MVC champions shot a sizzling 55 percent from the floor. Junior guard Josh Young added 16 points for the Bulldogs who recorded their widest victory margin in the 38-game series between the schools.
   
Drake held the Bears to just 38.3 percent shooting from the floor (18-47) as well as a season-low 49 points.
   
It also marked the fewest points Drake had allowed in a MVC game dating back to a 45-41 home win against Illinois State Feb. 14, 2006.
   
Senior transfer center Will Creekmore, who was coming off a 19-point 11-rebound performance in the Bears' MVC opener against Illinois State, was held to eight points and four rebounds.
   
Cox made eight of 11 shots from the field, including four of five beyond the arc. He had made just three of his last 19 three-point baskets entering the game.
   
Drake made just one of its first eight shots in the opening 6 minutes 15 seconds of the first half with Missouri State taking advantage to enjoy an 8-2 lead. The Bulldogs responded with an 8-0 run to turn a 10-7 deficit into a 15-10 lead which they never relinquished.
   
A free throw by senior reserve forward Alex White gave Drake its biggest lead of the game at 65-44 with 2:17 left.
   
Young, who recorded his first blocked shot in two years, moved into a tie for No. 16 on the Drake career scoring list with Napoleon Gaither (1975-78) with 1,071 points.
   
Drake junior transfer forward Adam Templeton had seven points and six rebounds to end a shooting slump in which he had made just one of his last 14 shots covering the previous three games.
   
The Bulldogs outrebounded Missouri State, 35-30. Drake also collected eight steals with Cox and junior guard Craig Stanley (Plano, Texas) recording two thefts.
   
Junior forward Bill Eaddy made his first basket in the last six games.Senior forward John Michael Hall made first appearance in the last three games, collecting three points, two assists, one steal and one blocked shot..

EVANSVILLE SPOILS MVC OPENER: Guard Jason Holsinger hit three straight three-point baskets to key a 12-0 run midway through the second half as Evansville spoiled the MVC opener by Drake with a 76-65 victory last Sunday.
   
Senior guard Josh Young, enjoying his fourth straight 20-plus scoring game, led Drake with 24 points.
   
The defending league champion Bulldogs, who opened the MVC season on the road for an unprecedented fourth straight year, got out of the starting gates slow.
   
Drake shot just 30 percent from the floor in the first half, making nine of 30 shots. But the Bulldogs still managed to go into the locker room at halftime, trailing only 30-26.
   
Two free throws by Young knotted the score at 41-41 with 11 minutes 36 seconds left in the game.
   
But the Purple Aces, fueled by Holsinger, reeled off 12 straight points in the next 3 minutes 32 seconds which proved to be the difference in the game. Drake missed two layups, along with the front end of a bonus free throw situation, during the surge by Evansville
   
The Purple Aces fired at a 56.7 percent clip from the floor in the second half, making 17 of 30 shots and finished the game at 50.9 percent (28-55).
   
Young, who scored a season-low six points in his last visit to Roberts Stadium, scored 16 points in the second half for Drake.
   
He added four rebounds, while tying a career high with three steals. Sophomore guard Josh Parker came off the bench to score 15 points for Drake, while senior forward Jonathan Cox netted 12 points.
   
Evansville outrebounded Drake, 42-29. Cox led Drake with eight rebounds, while collecting a season-high three steals. Senior forward Brent Heemskerk added eight points for his highest point total in the last eight games. 

YOUNG SWEEPS MVC WEEK AWARDS: One day after being named the State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Basketball Player of the Week, Drake's Josh Young was named the MVC Scholar-Athlete of the Week for the second straight week Dec. 23. He scored a game-high 24 points to spur the Bulldogs to a 60-43 victory past Iowa Saturday at the Drake Knapp Center.
   
Young, enjoying his third-straight 20-plus scoring game, recorded career highs of 14 made free throws and 15 free throws attempted. He also grabbed five rebounds for the third time in the last four games. The 6-foot 1-inch guard made two three-point baskets and collected a steal. Young scored seven points during a 16-0 run that turned a 13-10 lead into a 29-10 Drake advantage.
   
Young was named the MVC Scholar-Athlete of the Week for his performance from Dec. 8-14 when he averaged 22.3 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.0 steals in three games as the Bulldogs won at Iowa State (66-63 on Dec. 9), defeated Georgia Southern (84-73 on Dec. 12) and fell to Stephen F. Austin (66-64 on Dec. 13).
   
Young, who has a 3.16 cumulative grade-point average in marketing and management, powered Drake to its road triumph at Iowa State, collecting 19 points, five boards and three steals.  In the Hy-Vee Classic, he averaged 24.0 points, 4.5 rebounds and 1.5 steals per contest to earn all-tournament honors.

STOCK ON THE RISE: Sophomore guard Josh Parker, who was expected to challenge for the starting point guard vacated by the graduation of MVC Player of the Year Adam Emmenecker, has adapted well to his new role as backup off guard.
   
Parker ranks fifth in the MVC in three-point field goal percentage at .458. He had a career-high 22-point outburst against Lincoln (Mo.) and is averaging 11.3 points in his last 12 games. He has scored in double figures in eight games this season. He was named the MVP of the Iowa Realty Invitational after averaging 15.0 points in the two games, while shooting  68.7 percent from the floor (11-16), including 66.7 percent (6-9) from three-point range. He came off the bench to score a game-high 18 points in Drake's opening round 59-57 victory against Texas-Pan American and added 12 points in a 89-46 romp past North Carolina Central.
   
He matched a then career high with 12 points against Vanderbilt in the Cancun Challenge. It marked the second straight game he had scored 12 points after first accomplishing his career-high feat against South Dakota State Nov. 23.

IMPROVEMENT: Drake's Brent Heemskerk has proven to be another weapon in Drake's attack. After averaging just one point in the first two games of the season, Heemskerk has come alive, averaging 6.5 points in his last 11 games, including 12 vs. South Dakota State, eight vs. Vanderbilt, 17 vs. New Mexico, seven vs. Lincoln (Mo.) and Stephen F. Austin, and eight at Evansville
    
Heemskerk scored a season-high 17 points, making seven of nine shots, in a 68-62 victory against New Mexico. He also made his first three-point basket since the 2005-06 season.

COX MOVES UP LIST: Preseason All-MVC forward Jonathan Cox, who has appeared in 110 career games, has moved into No. 12 on the Drake career rebounding list at 654, surpassing  Willie Wise (1967-69) who had 626. Wise was named to the all-time ABA team after a distinguished career with Los Angeles, Utah and Virginia.

YOUNG KEYS VICTORY PAST IOWA: Junior guard Josh Young enjoyed his third consecutive 20-plus scoring game, but Drake's defense stole the show en route to a 60-43 victory past Iowa before a sellout crowd of 7,152 at the Drake Knapp Center Dec. 20.   
   
The Bulldogs continued their dominance of in-state schools by winning their 10th straight game against a Big Four school (Iowa, Iowa State, Northern Iowa).
   
The Bulldogs also have beaten Northern Iowa four straight times and Iowa State three times in a row. It marked the first time in the 63-game series history that Drake has won three straight games against Iowa. The Hawkeyes' 43 points were its fewest scored against Drake since a 35-22 victory Jan. 4, 1936.
   
Drake held Iowa to a season low in scoring, field goal shooting (.313) as well as three-point field goal shooting (.276.)
   
Iowa had entered the game leading the Big Ten Conference in field goal percentage (.489), while ranking 10th nationally in three-point field goal percentage (.421).
   
Young scored 10 points keying a 22-3 run by Drake that turned a 7-7 tie into a 29-10 advantage. Young had seven points and Josh Parker came off the bench to add five points during the final 4 minutes 18 seconds of the surge in which Drake scored 16 unanswered points.
   
The Hawkeyes could never pull closer than nine  went 6 minutes 4 seconds without scoring (10:06 to 4:02), missing seven shots during a drought in the first half before Anthony Tucker hit a jumper.
   
Drake outrebounded Iowa, 41-24, owning a 12-4 advantage on the offensive boards which resulted in 13 second-chance points.
   
Young finished with a game-high 24 points, recording his 13th career 20-plus scoring game, including fourth of season. He is averaging 24.0 points in his last three games including 26 against Georgia Southern and 22 against Stephen F. Austin.
   
Young set career highs with 14 free throws made and 15 attempted. He also collected five rebounds for the third time in the last four games.
   
Parker tallied 14 points after scoring just two points in seven minutes at Iowa last year. It marked Parker's seventh double-figure scoring game of season.
   
Brent Heemskerk had three blocked shots to move in tie for No. 6 on Drake career blocked shot chart at 58 with David Bancroft (2001-05). Senior forward Jonathan Cox grabbed a game-high eight rebounds for Drake.

BIG FOUR COUNTDOWN: Drake has won 12 straight games against schools from Iowa dating back to 2006, including victories this season against Iowa State and Iowa. In fact, the Bulldogs have beaten Iowa three straight times, Iowa State three times, Northern Iowa four times, along with wins against Waldorf and Cornell.
   
Drake will be seeking its third straight state mythical title in the Big Four series involving Iowa's four NCAA Division I basketball programs this season. Drake will entertain Northern Iowa Jan. 17 and travel to Cedar Falls Feb. 18. Iowa State earned a 71-66 victory at Northern Iowa Dec. 3. Iowa beat Northern Iowa 65-46, and claimed a 73-57 home victory past Iowa State Dec. 12.

STANLEY HONORED: Drake's Craig Stanley was named the MVC Newcomer of the Week Dec. 15 for his effort in leading the Bulldogs to two victories.
   
The 5-11 Stanley averaged 11.0 points and 4.0 assists in three games. He shot 56 percent from the field (14-of-25), while establishing career highs in scoring in consecutive games. Stanley collected a then career-high 12 points, including the game winning three-point basket with 3:04 left to key Drake to a 66-63 win at Iowa State. He had a new career high of 14 points in the 84-73 win against Georgia Southern.

WAITING IN THE WINGS: Drake will welcome guards Ryan Wedel and Frank Wiseler who will be eligible for the 2009-10 season. Wedel was a two-year starter at Arkansas State who led the Sun Belt Conference in three-point baskets in 2007-08 with 90 which also ranked second on the school single-season list. He earned third team All-Sun Belt Conference honors last year after averaging 15.1 points, 2.5 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.0 steals. He was named Mr. Kansas Basketball as a senior at Minneapolis High School following the 2005-06 campaign when he averaged 25.6 points, 6.5 rebounds and 6.2 assists.
   
Wiseler, a point guard, was a member of the 2008 Luxembourg National Team. He was a four-year starter at Urspring Academy in Schelkingen/Ehingen, Germany. He was captain of the team which won back-to-back Germany Under-19 national championships in 2007 and 2008.

PACK A SUITCASE: Fifth-year senior Brent Heemskerk, who has appeared in 109 games at Drake, has learned how to pack a suitcase during his career at Drake. He already has made three trips to California along with road trips to Florida and The Bahamas last season, as well as The Top of the World Classic in Fairbanks, Alaska, in 2006, and most recently,  , Mexico.

PARKER NAMED MVP: Sophomore guard Josh Parker, who came off the bench to spark Drake to the championship, was named the most valuable player of the Iowa Realty Invitational. Parker averaged 15.0 points in the two games, while shooting  68.7 percent from the floor (11-16), including 66.7 percent (6-9) from three point range.  He came off the bench to score a game-high 18 points in Drake's opening round 59-57 victory against Texas-Pan American and added 12 points in an 89-46 romp past North Carolina Central.
   
Joining Parker on the all-tournament team were Drake teammates Jonathan Cox and Josh Young. Cox averaged 15.0 points and 7.5 rebounds, scoring 21 points against North Carolina Central, including a career-high five three-point baskets. Young averaged 11.0 points. He hit the game-winning basket with three seconds left to guide Drake to a 59-57 victory past Texas-Pan American and came back with 15 points against North Carolina Central.

COX HONORED: Drake's Jonathan Cox was named recipient of the Cancun Challenge “Overachiever” award after averaging 12.0 points and 10.5 rebounds in two games, while leading Drake to a third-place finish. He had 12 points and seven rebounds vs. Vanderbilt, while tying a then career high with four three-point baskets. Cox collected 12 points and a season-high 14 rebounds against New Mexico.

DRAKE CONTINUES BIG FOUR DOMINANCE: Craig Stanley's three-point basket gave Drake its only lead of the game when it counted the most, propelling the Bulldogs to a come-from-behind 66-63 victory at Iowa State.
   
Stanley hit only his second three-point basket of the season when he took a feed from Josh Young and connected from the right baseline with 3:04 left to give Drake a 64-62 lead. The basket capped a 14-2 run by Drake during a 4-minute 54-second span that erased a 60-50 Iowa State lead.
   
Junior guard Josh Young paced a balanced scoring attack for Drake with 19 points along with five rebounds and a season-high three steals.
   
Senior forward Jonathan Cox recorded his 14th career double-double and second of the season with 14 points and 14 rebounds for Drake. Junior transfer forward Adam Templeton collected his first career double-double with 13 points and career-high 10 rebounds.
   
Drake held Iowa State to just one basket in the final 7:58 of the game. A free throw by Craig Brackins brought Iowa State to within 64-63 but Stanley and Templeton each made a free throw in the final 28 seconds to account for the final margin.
   
It marked the first time Drake has beat Iowa State three straight times since the Bulldogs beat the Cyclones in four consecutive years from 1973-76. It also marked the first time Drake has ever beaten Iowa State in two consecutive trips to Hilton Coliseum. Cox and Templeton combined for 24 of Drake's 40 rebounds as the Bulldogs won the battle of the boards, 40-32.
   
Iowa State went on an 11-0 run to break a 6-6 tie as Drake missed four shots and committed two turnovers during the stretch. The Cyclones erected a 24-11 cushion before Drake went on a 13-3 run to pull within 27-24 following a three-point basket by Templeton.However, Iowa State responded with consecutive three-point baskets from Diante Garrett and Lucca Staiger to push its advantage to 33-24. Drake scored the last five points of the first half to close the gap to 33-29 on three free throws by Young and two by Cox. Drake held Iowa State to just 36.7 percent shooting from the floor in the second half.

DRAKE WINS IOWA REALTY TITLE: Senior forward Jonathan Cox scored 21 points, including a career-high five three-point baskets, as Drake rolled to an 89-46 victory past North Carolina Central  to win the Iowa Realty Invitational for the second straight year. Cox, who played only 21 minutes, surpassed his combined total of 20 points from Drake's previous two games. He made six of his final seven shots to close out the contest.     
   
Drake tied a season high by making 15 three-point baskets. Junior guard Josh Young added 15 points, including three treys, while sophomore guard Josh Parker tallied 12 points off the bench.
   
The Bulldogs shot over 50 percent from the floor for a third straight game, by hitting a season-high 53.3 percent making 32 of 60 shots.
   
With the score tied at 16-16, Drake reeled off 11 straight points to ignite a 16-2 run. Cox hit two three-point baskets during the surge. The Bulldogs erected a 47-25 halftime lead, making eight three-point baskets which rank as the fourth highest one-half total in Drake history.
   
Young more than doubled his entire Friday night scoring output of seven points in a 59-57 victory against Texas-Pan American.
   
Drake outrebounded North Carolina Central, 44-26.  Fifth-year senior Brent Heemskerk  and senior Alex White led Drake with eight rebounds apiece, while Cox grabbed seven boards. Heemskerk's eight boards surpassed his previous two-game combined total of seven.                                                                                                                  

CHAMPIONSHIP BANNERS UNVEILED: Prior to the basketball game against Lincoln (Mo.), both the 2007-08 MVC Championship and NCAA Tournament banners were unveiled.

DRAKE CLAIMS THIRD IN CANCUN: Senior forward Brent Heemskerk, appearing in his 100th career game, scored a season-high 17 points as Drake held off New Mexico, 68-62, to capture third place in the inaugural Cancun Challenge at the Moon Palace Resort in Cancun, Mexico, Nov. 30.        Senior forward Jonathan Cox enjoyed his first double-double of the season with 12 points and a season-high 14 rebounds for the Bulldogs.
   
A jumper by Heemskerk gave Drake its largest lead of the game at 62-48 with 6 minutes 28 seconds left, but the Bulldogs would finish the contest without making a basket, missing their last three shots while committing four turnovers. But Drake preserved the win by making six of eight free throws down the stretch.
   
Young and Craig Stanley added 10 points apiece for Drake. Stanley dished out six assists. Jacob Baryenbruch added seven points, including a trey, while sinking all four free throw attempts in the waning minutes. Drake broke away from a 31-31 halftime tie by making its first five shots from the floor, including three-point baskets from Josh Young, Adam Templeton and Cox to forge to a 45-38 lead with 16:23 remaining. Then Heemskerk gave Drake its first double-digit lead of the game at 50-40 with a trey from the right baseline with 13:06 left. It marked the first three-point basket by Heemskerk since the 2005-06 campaign.
   
Drake finished with eight three-point baskets, coming from five different players. The Bulldogs outrebounded New Mexico, 36-29 Two free throws by Stanley with 27.7 seconds left enabled Drake to tie the game at halftime at 31-31. Drake overcame 36.8 shooting from the floor by sinking 15 of 22 free throws compared to 6 of 10 charity tosses by New Mexico. The Lobos enjoyed a 13-5 lead before Drake went on an 11-2 run to grab its first lead of the game at 16-15 following a layup by Stanley.

ASSOCIATED PRESS POLL: Drake, coming off a school-record 28-5 campaign,  received one vote in the inaugural preseason Associated Press Top 25 college basketball poll released Oct. 31. The Bulldogs were ranked nine straight weeks in the 2007-08 Associated Press Top 25 poll, finishing No. 14 in the final poll. Four opponents which Drake will play this season also received votes: Vanderbilt 11, Butler seven, New Mexico three and Creighton seven.
   
A SEASON TO REMEMBER: Picked to finish ninth in the preseason Missouri Valley Conference poll, Drake was the TALK of college basketball in 2007-08, posting a school-record 28-5 mark.            
   
Picked to finish ninth in the MVC preseason poll, the Bulldogs enjoyed a school-record 21-game winning streak, while being ranked in the Associated Press and USA Today/ESPN Coaches poll nine straight weeks. The 21-game winning streak was the fourth longest winning streak by a team in Missouri Valley Conference history, and the longest winning streak since Bradley reeled off 22 straight wins in 1985-86.
   
Drake started off the MVC season with a 13-0 record before finishing at 15-3 for the most league victories ever by a Bulldog team. Drake became just the 12th regular season MVC champion to also win the league tournament title. Drake's 13-0 league start marked just the fifth time in the last 50 years that a school has enjoyed a 13-0 start in the MVC. Drake more than doubled its entire MVC victory output of six wins in 2006-07.

SIZING UP THE BULLDOGS: Despite the loss of graduated seniors Adam Emmenecker, Leonard Houston and Klayton Korver, the Drake basketball team hopes to ride the momentum generated from a record-breaking campaign last year. First-year coach Mark Phelps inherits a roster that has eight returning letterwinners, including All-Missouri Valley Conference performers Josh Young and Jonathan Cox, from a team that posted a school-record 28-5 mark.
       
Veteran leadership, featuring five seniors, will be a key in aiding the transition of a new staff.
   
"When you look at the returning players coming back, especially the seniors, this team has a taste of winning at a high level and that mentality going into games will be every bit as valuable as our on-court preparation, because in big games they've had success and know what it feels like," said Phelps.
   
"Our players have been terrific. I knew that we were coming into a situation where we had really good players and good people but the reception has been outstanding from our guys. It just confirms what we thought all along that we have some terrific people and I think that will translate to success on the court as well."
   
The Bulldogs' biggest calling card to success was outside shooting after setting a school single-season mark with 310 three-point baskets. Despite the loss of Korver, who tied the school career mark with 241 treys, Drake should be lethal again from the perimeter with Young, Cox and the addition of junior transfer forward Adam Templeton from UC Irvine.
   
Young, a 6-foot 1-inch junior guard, led the MVC in scoring last year with a 15.9 average, while ranking second with 86 three-point baskets and third in three-point field goal percentage (.434). Selected to the U.S. Basketball Writers Association All-District VI team, Young enjoyed eight 20-plus scoring games, netting  a career-high 25 in a 71-64 upset at then No. 8 ranked Butler.
   
At 6-8 Cox might be the most versatile frontline performer in the MVC. The former walk-on ranked second in the MVC in rebounding (8.5 avg.), three-point field goal percentage (.440) and defensive rebounding (6.1 avg.). Named to the 2008 MVC Most Improved Team, Cox saved his best for last with a career-high 29 points and 16 rebounds in an NCAA Tournament game against Western Kentucky.
   
"Cox is such a unique front court player because he can play all over the floor and at 6-8 he can score in the low post and can operate off the lane and stretch the defense to the perimeter," Phelps added.
   
Senior forwards John Michael Hall (3.5 ppg), Brent Heemskerk (4.7 ppg) and Alex White (3.7 ppg) look to blossom in more expanded roles. Two-year letterwinner Bill Eaddy, a 6-5 junior swingman, also has make his presence known.
   
The biggest shoe to fill is at point guard where Adam Emmenecker graduated after being named both the Larry Bird MVC Player of the Year as well as the MVC Tournament MVP. He set a school single-season record with 213 assists last year. , will battle Junior Craig Stanley, a transfer from Collin (Texas) County Community College, has won the starting spot, while senior Jacob Baryenbruch, who started in five games last year, is a three-year letterwinner. Sophomore Josh Parker, who was Emmenecker's understudy last year playing in 31 games as a freshman, has moved to off guard.

NEW KIDS ON BLOCK: Newcomers who have contributed immediately are junior transfers Craig Stanley from Collin (Texas) County Community College and  Adam Templeton from UC Irvine. The 6-5 Templeton was a two-year starter at UC Irvine where he was named to the Big West Conference All-Freshman team in 2005-06. He averaged 8.0 points and 3.9 rebounds for the Anteaters in 2006-07, while leading the team with 59 three-point baskets. He led the squad in scoring in five games, with a career-high 19 points at Drake in 2006. He also had a double-double in an upset win vs. South Carolina, collecting 16 points and 10 rebounds. Templeton earned first team all-state honors as a senior at Rapid City (S.D.) Central High School, while averaging 19.0 points and 8.5 rebounds in leading his team to the state tournament.
   
Stanley ranked seventh nationally in assists last year, averaging 5.4 and ninth in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.14). He averaged 11.4 points and 2.3 rebounds in 2006-07, while leading Collin County to a 21-9 record. He enjoyed double-doubles of 10 points and 10 assists against Southwestern Christian College and a career-high 23 points and 10 assists against Jacksonville. He earned first-team All-District 8-5A honors as a senior at West High School in Plano, Texas, in 2006 after leading the team in scoring (13.1 avg.) and assists (3.6 avg.).

RECRUITING CLASS CALLED TOPS IN MVC: Van Coleman, nationally respected college basketball recruiting analyst, calls the 2008 Fall Drake recruiting class the best in the Missouri Valley Conference.

"Drake was clearly the leader in the Missouri Valley Conference during the early fall signing period," said Coleman editor of Hoopmaster.com

High school basketball standouts Aaron Hawley, a 6-foot 7-inch forward from Rogers, Ark.; Ben Simons, a 6-7 guard from Cadillac, Mich.; David Smith, a 6-3 guard from Chicago;  Reece Uhlenhopp, a 6-7 forward from Urbandale, Iowa; and Seth VanDeest, a 6-9 forward from Bettendorf, Iowa, signed national letters of intent indicating they will join the Drake men's basketball program.
       
“We are very excited to announce the signing of five outstanding young men who will join us as freshmen here at Drake in the fall of 2009,” said Drake coach Mark Phelps. “Each of these young men comes to us with demonstrated success and each has had the privilege of playing for winning high school basketball programs. 
   
“These five men exemplify the type of student-athletes we want to recruit to Drake. They excel in the classroom, they are men of character and integrity and are versatile, talented basketball players. Each of these young men are from terrific families and are very enjoyable to be around.”
       
Hawley will enter his third year as a starter at Rogers High School where he earned Arkansas Class VII all-state honors in 2007-08. Hawley also was named to the all-region teams of the Northwest Arkansas Morning News, The Benton County Daily Record and the KURM Dream Team.
       
The two-time all-league performer averaged 15.4 points and 5.0 rebounds in 2007-08 keying his team to a 21-8 record en route to the quarterfinal round of the Arkansas VII State Tournament. He scored 30 points vs. Little Rock Central as a sophomore, while tallying 28 points vs. Alma last year.
       
“Aaron is a versatile, athletic wing who has the ability to be successful from a variety of areas on the floor,” said Phelps.  “He shoots the ball very well from the perimeter and the ability to also score around the basket.  His competitive nature and desire to excel makes him stand out among his peers.”
       
Simons earned first-team Michigan Class B all-state honors by the Detroit Free Press and the Basketball Coaches Association of Michigan. He was a two-time first team All-Big North Conference performer who averaged 18.8 points, 8.0 rebounds, 3.7 blocked shots, 3.0 assists and 2.0 steals in 2007-08 while leading Cadillac to a 16-6 record. Simons had 29 points vs. Traverse City Central, while grabbing 15 rebounds vs. Mount Pleasant. He is a nominee for the 2009 McDonald's High School All-American game.                                     
       
“Ben is a versatile guard who can put the ball on the floor very well and has a great shooting touch from beyond the college line,” pointed out Phelps. “His high basketball IQ, length and ability to score make him an ideal fit for our style of play.  He grew up in a basketball family and has a great passion for and knowledge of the game.”
           
Smith is a three-year starter at Lake Forest Academy, who has been a two-time first-team all-conference performer. He averaged 13.0 points, 4.6 assists, 3.5 rebounds and 3.1 steals in 2007-08 after guiding the team to a 24-9 record including the Independent School League title with a 13-0 mark. Smith is a nominee for the 2009 McDonald's High School All-American game. A three-time team captain, he had a career-high 22 points as a sophomore vs. Luther North. The versatile athlete also won the high jump in the 2008 Independent School League meet.
           
Uhlenhopp earned third-team all-state honors in 2007-08 by the Iowa Newspaper Association. He was a first-team all-district choice who averaged 15.3 points and 5.0 rebounds, while shooting 57 percent from floor in 2007-08. He helped lead Urbandale to 13-9 record last year, including its fourth straight Central Iowa Metro League title. He is the step-brother of former Drake women's basketball standout Jill Martin (2003-08) who was a three-time All-Missouri Valley Conference performer.
   
VanDeest earned second-team all-conference honors in 2007-008, while guiding Bettendorf to a 19-4 record including a second-place conference finish. He averaged 8.0 points and 5.0 rebounds, while shooting 57 percent from the floor.
           
“Seth is a skilled center with tremendous toughness and determination,” Phelps said. “He has very good footwork, is an excellent passer and has a variety of post moves. Seth also has an excellent shooting touch for a player his size. Seth has a strong desire to reach his full potential. His grit and work ethic stood out to our staff during the recruiting process.”