Indiana State Sycamores (8-7, 1-3) vs. Drake Bulldogs (7-7, 1-2)
Knapp Center - Des Moines, IA
Sunday, January 4th, 2026
Tip: 3:00PM EST
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[January 4, 2026] Indiana State (8-7) at Drake (7-7)
- Thread starter Jason Svoboda
- Start date
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Indiana State Sycamores (8-7, 1-3) vs. Drake Bulldogs (7-7, 1-2)
Knapp Center - Des Moines, IA
Sunday, January 4th, 2026
Tip: 3:00PM EST
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Drakes leading scorer is a guy we recruited out of high school and went to Loyola originally.
They also have Eli Shetlar, who replaced SIU's Trent Brown as @SycamoreStateofMind's favorite Valley player.
They also have Eli Shetlar, who replaced SIU's Trent Brown as @SycamoreStateofMind's favorite Valley player.
Drake is not good, and especially not good at home. We need to make a statement in this game, and play with an edge. Drake has fucked us over the last 5 years. Time for some payback.
Yeah, his music has gone downhill over the last couple years.
Really been in a tailspin after Kendrick Lamar.
Well lets hope they not like us on Sunday.
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All I ever wanted was us to split this Iowa swing... So if we can get a win here it will have been a successful road trip. Play like you did in the first half against UNI for 40 minutes and you win by double digits.
Drakes issue is they are giving Sheltlar 22 minutes a game. Sit his ass on the bench and you win 30+ a game and are the talk of the college basketball. Coaching malpractice
GoSycamores
The Renn Level
DES MOINES, Iowa – Indiana State men's basketball looks to get back on track during the backend of the Iowa swing trip, playing Drake on Sunday afternoon.
More...
Prisonmate
The Varsity Level
Drake has 0 home wins over a top-300 team. This is a road game the boys gotta get.
Prisonmate
The Varsity Level
Just saw his hometown is the one with that abandoned strip mall ghosttown of ~125 empty stores an hour+ from Terre Haute.
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Haslametrics has Drake a 76-71 winner.
ANALYSIS:
Per this website's calculations, Drake is somewhere between an average to slightly above-average D1 ball-club. Haslametrics has them ranked 160th overall (out of 365) in All-Play Percentage, and the team holds a record of 7-7. They are also ranked by this site as the #7 team (out of 11) in the MVC (average ranking 133.5).
Drake will likely rely on their offense more than anything else to win games. The team is ranked 146th in offensive efficiency and scores more than 110 points for every 100 trips upcourt vs. AO. Drake will likely shoot a fair share of three-pointers each contest. The team ranks 93rd in ratio of three-point attempts to total field goal attempts. When it comes to actually making their three-point attempts, the squad shoots a so-so 35.2% from beyond the arc vs. AO. If Drake does have a weakness offensively, it would have to be the team's difficulties obtaining second-chance opportunities from offensive rebounds. The squad only has a rating of 11.32 vs. AO in potential points off of second chances, which ranks 45th-worst in college hoops.
Drake plays at roughly the same level defensively as they do offensively. The team ranks 162nd nationally in defensive efficiency, allowing about 108 points every 100 trips upcourt vs. AO. Drake does a bang-up job preventing the opposition from draining jumpers in between the three-point line and the low post. They're ranked 15th in Division I in defensive mid-range field goal percentage, allowing AO to make good on only 30.0% of their attempts from that distance.
On the road, Drake performs somewhat better than their norm, as the squad is nationally ranked 41st in our away-from-home metric.
Per this website's calculations, Drake is somewhere between an average to slightly above-average D1 ball-club. Haslametrics has them ranked 160th overall (out of 365) in All-Play Percentage, and the team holds a record of 7-7. They are also ranked by this site as the #7 team (out of 11) in the MVC (average ranking 133.5).
Drake will likely rely on their offense more than anything else to win games. The team is ranked 146th in offensive efficiency and scores more than 110 points for every 100 trips upcourt vs. AO. Drake will likely shoot a fair share of three-pointers each contest. The team ranks 93rd in ratio of three-point attempts to total field goal attempts. When it comes to actually making their three-point attempts, the squad shoots a so-so 35.2% from beyond the arc vs. AO. If Drake does have a weakness offensively, it would have to be the team's difficulties obtaining second-chance opportunities from offensive rebounds. The squad only has a rating of 11.32 vs. AO in potential points off of second chances, which ranks 45th-worst in college hoops.
Drake plays at roughly the same level defensively as they do offensively. The team ranks 162nd nationally in defensive efficiency, allowing about 108 points every 100 trips upcourt vs. AO. Drake does a bang-up job preventing the opposition from draining jumpers in between the three-point line and the low post. They're ranked 15th in Division I in defensive mid-range field goal percentage, allowing AO to make good on only 30.0% of their attempts from that distance.
On the road, Drake performs somewhat better than their norm, as the squad is nationally ranked 41st in our away-from-home metric.
Common sense.
Or is it math?
You have college basketballs biggest lucky charm in your locker room. You have to know how to use ‘em if you want a job in 4 years
Common Core? You sonuva...
It’s game day and I have to wonder…
Is Drake a shell of their former self?
Or are they not to be underestimated?
Are we most like last game’s first half team or last game’s second half team?
Or is the truth somewhere in the middle?
How long will Hunter remain “out” on the injury report?
If Sterling Young remains his consistent self coming off the bench, could he be named MVC Sixth Man of the Year?
Will it be the same officiating crew as that of the UNI game?
How many more free throws will Drake shoot compared to us?
Will free throws decide the game?
When will Ian Scott have a dominating “take control” type of game in MVC play?
Could today be that game?
Is Drake a shell of their former self?
Or are they not to be underestimated?
Are we most like last game’s first half team or last game’s second half team?
Or is the truth somewhere in the middle?
How long will Hunter remain “out” on the injury report?
If Sterling Young remains his consistent self coming off the bench, could he be named MVC Sixth Man of the Year?
Will it be the same officiating crew as that of the UNI game?
How many more free throws will Drake shoot compared to us?
Will free throws decide the game?
When will Ian Scott have a dominating “take control” type of game in MVC play?
Could today be that game?
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Going 1-1 in the Iowa road swing is typically the goal in 90% of the seasons. This one is no different. Just get it done Sycs!
SycamoreSuperFan
The Sycamore Level
I’ll be honest, don’t know anything about Drake, hopefully we can win
Announcer just said the younger Harding is out. What happened?