Game Notes: NCCU at Drake (Dec. 19, 2012)
NCCU Sports Network broadcast link (NCCU at Drake)
THE GAME
North Carolina Central University begins a season-long four game road swing heading into the meat of there 2012-13 schedule looking to get back on track after dropping a tough 63-57 decision to Easten Kentucky on Dec. 4. The Eagles will play two games prior to the holiday break with the other two remaining games heading into 2013. NCCU is 1-2 on the road to begin the season.
THE SERIES
NCCU and Drake have met on two previous occasions since the Eagles made the transition to the NCAA Division I level with the Bulldogs owning a 2-0 lead in the series. The first meeting took place on Nov. 30, 2007 as DU beat NCCU 85-48 with the second matchup occuring the next season on Dec. 6, 2008 with Drake winning 89-46.
THE NCCU SPORTS NETWORK
Tune in to the Champps Pregame Show at 7:45 p.m. (EST) as play-by-play voice of the NCCU Sports Network will count listeners down to tipoff as the Eagles take on the Bulldogs live from the Knapp Center in Des Moines, Iowa. Fans can also send e-mails to Hooks at
nccusn@nccu.edu. Interact with Hooks on twitter by following @NCCUAthletics and by using the hashtag #NCCUMBB.
DRAKE UNIVERSITY "BULLDOGS"
The Drake University Bulldogs enter the week 4-5 on the year coming off a tough 86-77 defeat at the hands of the Cyclones of Iowa State University in the Big Four Classic at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines, Iowa. The Bulldogs trailed by only four at the break (37-33), but foul trouble did Drake in as four players amassed fouled out allowing the Cyclones to pull away for the victory. Looking at Drake’s season thus far, the Bulldogs have lost three of the last five contests to team’s like Xavier (74-70), Saint Mary’s (CA) (88-73), and Iowa State (86-77). The other two defeats on DU’s slate include Detroit (85-79) and California (73-70). The Bulldogs are led by former NC State assistant coach during the Herb Sendek era, Mark Phelps, who is in his fifth season where he has compiled a 66-74 record. Entering the 2012-13 campaign, there was plenty of optimism in Des Moines as Drake was coming off qualifying for postseason play where the Bulldogs North Dakota in the first-round of the Collegeinsider.com Postseason Tournament which was Drake’s first victory beyond the conference tournament since 1975. DU won 18 games last season and looks to repeat that performance again in the extremely tough Missouri Valley Conference. Drake is led by 6-8 small forward Ben Simons who averages 15.2 points a game. Simons has drilled 24 three-pointers this season to top a team who shoots 41.3 percent from the outside (No. 1 in the Missouri Valley Conference). DU is sixth in the nation at three-point field goals per game (9.0) and seventh in three-point field goal percentage (41.3 percent). Entering play this past weekend, Drake was fourth in the league in scoring 76.9 points a game, but were 10th in allowing 72.8 points a contest. In the loss to Iowa State, Drake was 6-for-20 (30.0 percent) from the outside. Three other Bulldogs average double-figures as 6-11 center Seth VanDeest is second on the team at 11.1 points a game, while 6-0 guard Jordan Clarke (10.4 points a game), and 6-8 forward Richard Carter (10.1 points per contest) are third and fourth respectively.
UP NEXT
The Eagles will head out west to continue the two game, five-day road trip before the holiday break as NCCU travels to Orem, Utah to battle the Utah Valley University Wolverines in the return match. The maroon and gray bested the UVU on Nov. 27 70-52 to earn their first-ever victory over Utah Valley. The Eagles and Wolverines meet on Saturday, Dec. 22 at 6:00 p.m. (EST) from the UCCU (Utah Community Credit Union) Center.
