Over the next several days, I'll be posting previews of each team in the Valley. Today I take a look at the Drake Bulldogs.
Drake
2006-07: 17-15
(6-12 MVC)
01.22 at CREI
01.30 at DRAKE
2006-07 REWIND: Coaching legend Dr. Tom Davis, who put Drake back on the map when he took the head job in Des Moines four years ago, built the Doggies into the best team in the state by his fourth year. Doubt it? They went 4-0 against in-state competition (Iowa, Iowa State and Northern Iowa), including a two-game sweep of arguably the second-best team, UNI. After leading them to their first winning season since the mid-eighties heydey of Gary Garner, Davis retired and handed the reigns over to his son Keno.
In the teams' first meeting in Omaha, Creighton shot 65.9% from the field and routed the Bulldogs 75-59; they hit 18-23 in the second half (78%). The rematch in Des Moines was much more competitive. Drake had a 43-36 lead in the second half before a 14-0 Creighton run gave them the lead; Creighton held on for a 67-62 win.
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Dr. Tom is gone, and so are top scorers Ajay Calvin (16 ppg), Nick Grant (12 ppg), point guard Al Stewart, and center Aliou Keita (49 blocks). But Drake is hardly in rebuilding mode.
Klayton Korver looks to finally be healthy. He played at less-than-full-strength last year and still managed 63 three-pointers, good for tenth in the conference. After off-season knee surgery, a healthy Korver could very well be Drake's best player in 07-08.
Also back is All-Newcomer and All-Freshman winner Josh Young, who was the Valley's top freshman scorer a year ago. He knocked home 57 three-pointers and started 14 games. With both Korver and Young stretching the defense with their range, it should make the job easier for whoever Drake employs in the paint.
Jonathan Cox, a 6'-8" forward, came off the bench last year and shot 60% from the field, including making 35% of his three-point shots. In Drake's foreign trip to the Bahamas this summer, he averaged nearly 20 rebounds a game, giving them a beastly inside presence.
That trip in August allowed Keno Davis to test out his coaching style in exhibition contests, as well as get a look at his players before practice started this fall. Cox may have been the biggest surprise, but senior guard Leonard Houston also had a nice trip, averaging 20 points over the four games and positioned himself to take over for Nick Grant.
They also got a look at freshman point guard Josh Parker, a good recruit from the Chicago area that Keno's father mined so well for players at Iowa. Billed as quicker and more athletic than the guy he hopes to replace (Al Stewart), Parker's growth could be a key for the Bulldogs. A host of JUCO guards will be competing for his minutes if he falters.
Clearly, Drake's strength will be guards who can shoot. Their frontcourt depth and experience is lacking, but they have plenty of talented backcourt players. Will it be enough to compete in the Valley? As Tom Davis' best teams at Iowa showed, if they can force their opponents to play up-tempo and run the floor, they stand a good chance. I think with the Valley so unpredictable this year, they can improve by one game on last year's breakthrough.
PREDICTION: 18-12, Seventh in the Valley.
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