SENIOR ADAM TEMPLETON keeps his eyes focused on the basket as he pushes into the arc. Templeton grabbed key rebounds in the final minutes of play against Austin Peay. Photo: Sarah Andrews
The Drake men’s basketball team opens a four-game homestand this weekend when they host North Dakota, Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville and University of Texas-Arlington at the Hy-Vee Classic. The Bulldogs are coming off of a 78-72 win at Austin Peay last Friday, and hold a 2-4 record.
“The win at Austin Peay was a big confidence builder for the team,” junior point guard Ryan Wedel said. “Winning on the road is always a key to success for any team.”
Drake will face SIU-Edwardsville on Friday, while North Dakota will play University of UT-Arlington. The winners of the two games will play Saturday, and the losing teams will play in the consolation game.
Wedel, a transfer from Arkansas State, has been a key addition to the Bulldog backcourt this season. He leads all Missouri Valley players in 3-point baskets with 18, shooting 56.3 percent behind the arc. He is also Drake’s leading scorer averaging 15.5 points per game.
Senior Josh Young played in his 100th career game against Austin Peay and broke out of a shooting slump. He started the year 2-for-17 from 3-point range, but made three of five, scoring 13 points. Young needs 33 to become Drake’s all-time 3-point leader.
Young needs 330 points to become the university’s all-time scoring leader. He currently ranks seventh.
Drake has been doing most of its damage from the perimeter this season, averaging 9.5 3-point baskets per game. They have already had 10 or more in three games this season, compared to only seven games last season with double-digit 3-pointers. Wedel and freshman Ben Simons lead Drake in shooting, combining for more than half of the team’s 3-point field goals.
“This team has a lot of guys that can score and that means the defense cannot key on just one player,” Wedel said.
Beginning the season, Drake has done especially well from the free-throw line. The Bulldogs are shooting 77.9 percent, and neither Wedel nor Simons have missed an attempt yet. Young is shooting 85.7 percent at the line.
Drake’s first opponent, SIU-Edwardsville, is in the second year of a four-year Division I reclassification process. SIU-Edwardsville has lost to Missouri Valley members Illinois State and Evansville this season. Sophomore forward Mark Yelovich leads the Cougars in scoring, averaging 13.7 points per game.
The Bulldogs will play either North Dakota or UT-Arlington Saturday. North Dakota is also in the second year of the Division I reclassification process, and is coming off a 16-12 season. UT-Arlington was 16-14 last year, finishing third in the West Division of the Southland Conference.
Rebounding was one concern Head Coach Mark Phelps had coming into the season. Losing two-time Missouri Valley Conference-leading rebounder Jonathan Cox to graduation, Phelps was concerned who would take his place.
“It will be a challenge,” Phelps had said in a Drake press release. “We will have to rebound by committee. Everyone in the front court will certainly have to have a major focus on rebounding.”
Senior Adam Templeton and freshman center Seth VanDeest have worked to fill the void. Templeton is averaging 5.3 rebounds per game, while VanDeest is averaging 4.7.
Despite the slow start to the season for the young team, Wedel is confident the Bulldogs will get back on track.
“We have made a lot of improvements since the first game,” he said. “We are playing much better together as a team and we have a lot of confidence as a whole.”
