Preview: Evansville at Drake in Missouri Valley Clash

DES MOINES, Iowa (Interstat) — The Drake Bulldogs look to build on a key road win and climb above .500 when they host the struggling Evansville Purple Aces in a Missouri Valley Conference men’s basketball game Wednesday night at Knapp Center.

Drake (11-10, 4-4 MVC) is coming off a 76-62 victory at Indiana State last Saturday, led by a 21-point, 7-rebound performance from standout guard Owen Larson. The junior has been on a scoring tear, averaging 18.3 points over his last three contests. His backcourt mate, Jalen Quinn, erupted for 27 points in the win over the Sycamores.

The Bulldogs will face an Evansville team (5-15, 1-7) mired in a six-game losing streak. The Purple Aces’ last outing was a 76-49 loss at Illinois-Chicago on Jan. 20. Guard Joshua Hughes, the team’s primary offensive threat, scored 16 points in that defeat. Hughes has averaged 12.3 points per game over his last six contests, including a 14-point effort in Evansville’s most recent victory, a 72-69 win at Indiana State on Jan. 10.

This matchup is a quick rematch of a Dec. 21 meeting in Evansville, which Drake won 66-65. Larson was held to just two points in that narrow victory, while Hughes scored four for the Aces.

For Evansville, stopping Larson and Quinn will be paramount. The Aces have allowed an average of 78.2 points during their current skid. Drake, meanwhile, has shown offensive potency at home, scoring 101 points in a win over Murray State on Jan. 21.

The game tips off at 7 p.m. CST Wednesday. Drake will host Bradley next on Saturday, while Evansville travels to face Northern Iowa.