Drake Bulldogs (16-8, 10-3 MVC) at Belmont Bruins (16-8, 11-2 MVC)
Nashville, Tennessee; Saturday, 5 p.m. EST
BOTTOM LINE: Belmont hosts Drake after Kendal Cheesman scored 30 points in Belmont’s 73-61 loss to the Northern Iowa Panthers.
The Bruins have gone 8-2 at home. Belmont ranks seventh in the MVC in rebounding averaging 32.3 rebounds. Cheesman paces the Bruins with 7.7 boards.
The Bulldogs have gone 10-3 against MVC opponents. Drake is second in the MVC scoring 77.0 points per game and is shooting 44.9%.
Belmont is shooting 42.4% from the field this season, 1.4 percentage points higher than the 41.0% Drake allows to opponents. Drake averages 10.3 made 3-pointers per game this season, 4.3 more made shots on average than the 6.0 per game Belmont allows.
The matchup Saturday is the first meeting of the season between the two teams in conference play.
TOP PERFORMERS: Jailyn Banks is averaging 12 points and 3.2 assists for the Bruins. Cheesman is averaging 15.3 points over the last 10 games.
Katie Dinnebier is scoring 20.0 points per game with 4.4 rebounds and 7.5 assists for the Bulldogs. Anna Miller is averaging 14.5 points, 9.7 rebounds and 1.7 blocks over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Bruins: 9-1, averaging 75.6 points, 33.5 rebounds, 17.7 assists, 7.9 steals and 2.5 blocks per game while shooting 46.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 61.1 points per game.
Bulldogs: 7-3, averaging 74.9 points, 36.6 rebounds, 19.4 assists, 8.0 steals and 3.8 blocks per game while shooting 44.0% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 70.1 points.
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