Drake Bulldogs (12-12, 6-7 MVC) at Illinois State Redbirds (15-8, 7-5 MVC)
Normal, Illinois; Friday, 8 p.m. EST
BOTTOM LINE: Drake visits Illinois State after Jalen Quinn scored 22 points in Drake’s 103-90 loss to the Belmont Bruins.
The Redbirds are 9-2 in home games. Illinois State is second in the MVC in team defense, allowing 66.4 points while holding opponents to 41.8% shooting.
The Bulldogs have gone 6-7 against MVC opponents. Drake ranks sixth in the MVC with 13.9 assists per game led by Quinn averaging 3.3.
Illinois State’s average of 8.3 made 3-pointers per game is 1.2 fewer made shots on average than the 9.5 per game Drake allows. Drake has shot at a 45.1% clip from the field this season, 3.3 percentage points greater than the 41.8% shooting opponents of Illinois State have averaged.
The Redbirds and Bulldogs face off Friday for the first time in MVC play this season.
TOP PERFORMERS: Chase Walker is scoring 14.0 points per game with 5.7 rebounds and 2.0 assists for the Redbirds. Johnny Kinziger is averaging 10.4 points and 3.0 rebounds while shooting 33.3% over the past 10 games.
Quinn is averaging 19.5 points and 3.3 assists for the Bulldogs. Eli Shetlar is averaging 11.4 points over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Redbirds: 5-5, averaging 70.1 points, 34.5 rebounds, 11.8 assists, 5.8 steals and 2.4 blocks per game while shooting 43.9% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 65.2 points per game.
Bulldogs: 5-5, averaging 78.1 points, 32.2 rebounds, 12.9 assists, 5.6 steals and 2.8 blocks per game while shooting 44.3% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 81.0 points.
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