[December 28, 2011] Indiana State (9-2) at Drake (7-4)

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Jason Svoboda

Jason Svoboda

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Indiana State Sycamores (9-2) at Drake Bulldogs (7-4)​

Knapp Center - Des Moines, IA
Wednesday, December 28, 2011 - 8:05pm Tip​
 

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Drake is 6-0 at home this season. That said, they're 0-2 against the RPI Top 50 and they RPIs of their 7 wins are 61, 248, 280, 201, 170 and 226 -- their 7th win was against non D1 Upper Iowa. They have losses to Ole Miss (RPI 47), Virginia (RPI 38), Boise State (RPI 134) and Iowa (RPI 161). Looks like they have a two pronged attack in Simons (15.2ppg) and Ravonte Rice, who is putting in 18.2 ppg.
 
Saw Drake vs Iowa Game

Watched Drake play Iowa this week and Rice can get to the basket, McWhorter will have a tough time staying in front of him. Walker and Richard ( or other Big's) will play a key role in helping to defend around the basket. Iowa was the more aggressive team and more physical than Drake.
 
Rice looked really quick against Iowa,as usual there are no gimme games on the road in the MVC.It's gonna be tough all season but it should be fun.
 
It's always tough to start on the road in conference play, but if we had to start on the road somewhere I suppose I'd rather it be at Drake rather than at WSU or Creighton.

This is a very winnable game and one that we have to take. If we are serious contenders for the MVC regular season title then we have to win games like this. No excuses.
 
If we are going to make a run to the title we need a home/road sweep of Drake, Bradley, Illinois State, Southern Illinois, Evansville & Missouri State. A split with Creighton, Northern Iowa & Wichita State gives a conference record of 15-3....................might be good enough to win it unless somebody makes an undefeated run? Tall order......................sure is...............but it is possible.
 

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I, among many others here, will be in shock and totally mystified if this team loses 8 games in the Valley this year. I just don't see that happening.
 
BrokerZ said:
It's always tough to start on the road in conference play, but if we had to start on the road somewhere I suppose I'd rather it be at Drake rather than at WSU or Creighton.

This is a very winnable game and one that we have to take. If we are serious contenders for the MVC regular season title then we have to win games like this. No excuses.
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Always liked to start conference play on the road, especially if you have a primarily senior team who has been around the block a few times already. They usually show the extra effort and intensity necessary to compete in conference play and can get a leg up on a younger home team particularly who has not made the conference run before. Those younger teams don't normally have a grasp on what conference intensity really means yet. The Sycamores are a senior-laden team and should do well away from home.
 
ISU_TREE_FAN said:
If we are going to make a run to the title we need a home/road sweep of Drake, Bradley, Illinois State, Southern Illinois, Evansville & Missouri State. A split with Creighton, Northern Iowa & Wichita State gives a conference record of 15-3....................might be good enough to win it unless somebody makes an undefeated run? Tall order......................sure is...............but it is possible.
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I wouldn't include MSU in that group.
 

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I think we will start with Steve. If he can't do a decent job, I expect defense by committee. Go with DL followed by others to get the job done. Try to keep fresh people on him; be a physical as the official allow; and finally, maybe let him have his points and shut down everyone else. I think Steve will man up and do a pretty good job on him--at least I hope so. Is Rice any better than the scorer from Vandy?
 
Sycamore Proud;119709 Is Rice any better than the scorer from Vandy?[/QUOTE said:
We'll see...maybe doesn't have as many outside hot spots, but probably more effective inside the arc, especially while working w/ the 6'8" Simons on the kick out. Outside of those two, the #'s drop in half.
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Sycamore Proud said:
I think we will start with Steve. If he can't do a decent job, I expect defense by committee. Go with DL followed by others to get the job done. Try to keep fresh people on him; be a physical as the official allow; and finally, maybe let him have his points and shut down everyone else. I think Steve will man up and do a pretty good job on him--at least I hope so. Is Rice any better than the scorer from Vandy?
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No he really isn't. ITs not close IMO.
 
Not even close to comparing apples...The two are different style players. Jenkins is one of the best outside shooters and Rice one of the best slashers that drives and scores inside. Not that you can't guard him with the same player but how you guard them is different. Against Jenkins you get in his face and deny him the ball. You don't allow him space. If you try to guard Rice like that and he beats you off his first step, it's going to be a long night.

Lansing strives help defense and that's what it's going to take to contain Rice. Fast feet, quick rotations and clogging up the middle. This is probably going to be a game where we allow them to beat us outside. Rebounding will be a factor in this game.
 
give me heart said:
Not even close to comparing apples...The two are different style players. Jenkins is one of the best outside shooters and Rice one of the best slashers that drives and scores inside. Not that you can't guard him with the same player but how you guard them is different. Against Jenkins you get in his face and deny him the ball. You don't allow him space. If you try to guard Rice like that and he beats you off his first step, it's going to be a long night.

Lansing strives help defense and that's what it's going to take to contain Rice. Fast feet, quick rotations and clogging up the middle. This is probably going to be a game where we allow them to beat us outside. Rebounding will be a factor in this game.
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No you are right but their talent levels and ability to fill it up against good defensive teams are much different. Rice doesn't have the highest iq I have ever seen, basketball that is. He just doesn't find open guys when the help comes regularly. I dont know if rice is a NBA player, I KNOW Jenkins is.
 

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Haven't seen him play but it looks like he avgs 4 or 5 threes a game and only shoots 26%. I don't know how the rest of the team shoots it but, maybe we'll let these guys jack it up and we'll clog the inside. Maybe we'll see a little 2-3.
 
You have to play effective help-side, team defense against a player like Rice. He's going to get his points...that's why he's a good player. For Drake, they are Rice and Simons and some complimentary guys. I'm fine with Rice and Simons scoring their averages as long as others from Drake (Clarke, Hawley, Jeffers, etc.) don't also pour in 15+.

I'm not saying we won't try and lock Rice down, but sometimes you have to concede a little and keep the entire ballgame in prospective.
 
A post from DrakeNation...

"The Indiana State message board seems to be a little more intelligent sounding than ours. I'm guessing the posters aren't more inteeligent. I think they have confidenece in their coach so the discusion comes down to what specifically they need to do to win the game, not the myriad of things that are wrong with their team which will make it unlikely they will win.

One poster said he would be shocked if the Sycamores lost 8 games in the Valley. How fun would it be to have that outlook?"
 
Game Notes from Drake...

http://www.godrakebulldogs.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=15700&ATCLID=205352208

"Drake has won 10 consecutive home games dating back to last season. The Bulldogs have won their first five home dates this season (Upper Iowa, Iowa State, Cal State Northridge, Air Force, Eastern Michigan, Central Arkansas) after winning their final four home games last year (Northern Iowa, Creighton, Detroit, Evansville). The last Bulldogs loss at the Knapp Center came Jan. 25, 2011, a narrow 73-70 setback vs. Missouri State."
 
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