Cael Combs, Cam Manyawu stand out in Drake basketball’s win over Illinois State

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Hills and valleys, in the Valley.

That’s the best way to describe Drake basketball’s performances against Missouri Valley Conference opponents this season.

The Bulldogs opened the season with a 12-game winning streak, which included victories over two conference opponents. Drake dropped back-to-back games against UIC and Murray State, then bounced back with wins over Bradley and Evansville.

Drake extended that winning streak to three games, defeating Illinois State, 66-62, on Wednesday night.

“I thought we played well in spurts, competed in spurts,” Drake coach Ben McCollum said postgame. “I thought we wanted to win more than we wanted to compete. Sometimes that happens during the season, and you just have to survive.

“I thought we survived it. Next game, we need to make sure we come out with a higher level of competitive spirit, to want to compete rather than just win.”

Drake builds a lead, but struggles to sustain it

The Bulldogs jumped out to a massive lead, towering over Illinois State on the scoreboard, 19-5. And that lead held throughout the game, with the Redbirds never surpassing Drake.

Drake’s Daniel Abreu (54) talks with a teammate before taking free throws on Monday, Nov. 4, 2024, at the Knapp Center.

But the 14-point lead disappeared, and Illinois State managed to keep the Bulldogs on their toes at several points throughout the game. How it happened, though, is the question, because on paper Drake played a solid game.

The Bulldogs shot 52.3% overall and 47.8% from 3-point range. It marked the first time since the Kansas State game that the Bulldogs shot over 50% from the field and over 45% from beyond the arc. Drake made multiple desperation shots from long range as the shot clock expired.

It goes back to the win versus compete mentality.

“We got in foul trouble,” McCollum said. “Isaiah (Jackson) is still not full speed. You just don’t put your foot on the throttle, capitalizing on some of those leads. Because you’re like, ‘Well now we can just…

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Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/cael-combs-cam-manyawu-stand-052705627.html

Author : The Des Moines Register

Publish date : 2025-01-16 05:27:00

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