Drake basketball ‘excited to see where we’re at’ against Iowa State

Things are going well for the Drake men’s basketball team right now.

The Bulldogs are 6-1, their best start since 2013-14. It's the 13th time in program history that Drake has started 6-1 or better.

Under first-year coach Darian DeVries, the Bulldogs have looked tough. They currently rank first in the Missouri Valley Conference in points per game (80.4), scoring margin, 3-point percentage defense, 3-point field goals made, blocked shots and assists.

“Our guys are hungry to get better,” DeVries said this week, “and their camaraderie and connectedness is about as good as you could’ve hoped for as a new coach with a lot of new guys. I’m excited about where they’re at, and they’re hungry to get better.

“They’re never satisfied, so that part’s been really good.”

Here, DeVries takes a quick moment, then continues.

“This Iowa State game will really give us a good measurement of where we’re at this season.”

Indeed, the Bulldogs are approaching Saturday’s game against the Cyclones (8-2) as a sort of litmus test. The two will square off at 3:30 p.m. at Wells Fargo Arena in what’s being billed as the final edition of the Hy-Vee Classic.

“Iowa State is going to be a challenge,” senior forward Nick McGlynn said. “It’ll test our composure and how we stay with our principals of toughness and discipline. Ultimately, it’s going to be fun. The Big Four has always been fun for the whole team.

“I’m looking forward to Saturday and seeing what we can do out there.”

The Cyclones will be Drake’s toughest test to date. The Bulldogs’ schedule ranks 194th in the country in terms of strength, according to Ken Pomeroy’s College Basketball Ratings. That same measuring system says Iowa State is the No. 16 team in the country.

As such, the Bulldogs will be in for a fight. The Cyclones feature a bevy of talented playmakers, guys like Marial Shayok, who leads the Big 12 in scoring (20 points per game); Tyrese Haliburton, who just set Iowa State’s single-game assist record with 17 against Southern; and Michael Jacobson, who ranks sixth in the Big 12 in shooting percentage (62.4 percent).

There are more, of course. The Cyclones lead the Big 12 in scoring offense (82.5 points per game), despite not having Lindell Wigginton and Solomon Young. They will test Drake’s defense but also its mettle.

“The biggest thing Iowa State brings is their versatility at a lot of different positions,” Devries said, “and their length. They can hurt you in a lot of different ways. They’re really good in the open floor, and in the halfcourt, they can get to the rim, they can drive and spray.”

The Bulldogs will counter with their own playmakers. McGlynn, D.J. Wilkins and Nick Norton all average 15 points per game. Norton leads the Valley at 6.3 assists per game. Drake may be without Tremell Murphy, who DeVries said is still rehabbing from an elbow injury.

“That’s a day-to-day deal,” DeVries said. “We’re hopeful we’ll get him back sooner than later, but we don’t have a timetable for when his return might be.”

Saturday’s game will be the Bulldogs’ third straight away from the Knapp Center, and it will also be the first of three in a five-day span. Most of all, Drake is excited for the opportunity to see how they stack up against a tough Cyclones team.

“We just have to take it game by game,” senior guard Brady Ellingson said. “We have some quality opponents coming up, so we just need to focus on taking it step by step.”

Cody Goodwin covers wrestling and high school sports for the Des Moines Register. Follow him on Twitter at @codygoodwin.