A Dramatic Non-Conference Tune-Up Ended in a 99-94 Defeat for Drake Against NDSU
DES MOINES, Iowa — In their final test before Missouri Valley Conference play, Drake couldn’t curb a red-hot shooting display from North Dakota State, as the Bison staged a furious second-half rally that fell just short at the Knapp Center, 99-94.
Outside conditions in Des Moines suggested a winter storm, but the arena heated up quickly as both teams got off to a scorching start. Drake relied on the perimeter early, with Eli Shetlar and Owen Larson each burying a three to ignite the offense.
NDSU matched the burst, shooting an astonishing 73 percent from the floor in the first half, including a perfect 4-for-4 from beyond the arc. Their early surge produced a seven-point edge, 20-13, prompting Drake head coach Eric Henderson to call time with 12:52 remaining in the period.
Treyson Anderson answered with two more three-pointers to extend the Bison advantage to 26-17. North Dakota State wouldn’t miss from long range for a stretch, and after a brief miss at 11:09, Damari Wheeler-Thomas finished an and-one to keep the gap widening.
Drake responded with an 8-0 burst, highlighted by back-to-back threes from Jaehshon Thomas and Jalen Quinn, trimming the deficit to four. But NDSU countered with a 10-2 run to push the lead back into double digits, 39-27, with 7:25 to go in the half.
As the half neared its end, Drake trimmed the margin to six on a pair of free throws from Okku Federiko, yet the Bison remained hot, closing the period by making four of their last six shots and entering halftime ahead 55-41.
The tempo remained frantic after the break. Andrew Alia connected on consecutive threes to start the second half for Drake, but NDSU immediately answered with more long-range strikes to maintain control and prompt another Drake timeout.
Just before the under-12 media timeout, NDSU drained their 17th three-pointer to seize their largest lead of the night, 80-62.
Drake continued to grind, gradually eroding the deficit. A 3-pointer by Alia brought Drake within eight at 92-86 with 3:50 left. With 29.6 seconds remaining, another Alia triple pulled the Bulldogs within five, 98-93.
A late Trevor Wheeler-Thomas free throw with 11 seconds left sealed the win for NDSU, despite Drake’s late surge.
Postgame, Henderson credited North Dakota State for their performance and noted Drake’s struggle to disrupt the Bison rhythm, especially in the opening half. He added that Drake’s offense clicked, but with 14 made three-pointers on their home floor, they still came up short.
Looking ahead, Drake shifts to Missouri Valley Conference play with a trip to Murray State on Thursday, December 18. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. CT.
Team highlights
- Drake dropped to 6-5 overall after back-to-back losses, with their MVC opener looming at Murray State.
- The Bulldogs were 3-4 at home this season, and their home record since 2018-19 stands at 102-15.
- Drake shot 51.9% from the field (27-52) and matched that percentage from three-point range (14-27).
- The 14 made threes represented the first time in four games with 10 or more threes ended in a loss for Drake this season.
- Drake held a 33-27 rebounding edge over NDSU.
- The Bulldogs trailed by as many as 14 at halftime (55-41) — their largest halftime deficit this season until a similar number against LSU in the Emerald Coast Classic opener.
- NDSU set a season-high with 19 three-pointers, nearly tying their school single-game mark of 20 from last year; entering the game, they had 11 threes in their previous two outings combined.
- Drake forced 23 NDSU turnovers and led 15-0 in that category at halftime.
Individual notes
- Jaden Quinn led Drake with 24 points and eight rebounds? No, seven or six assists — the original text states six assists; he also hit a team-high 12 free throws without a miss, tying a Drake single-game record for free-throw percentage (minimum 10 attempts) by going 12-for-12.
- Quinn had a 10-0 run for Drake in the first half, spanning 3:20 and including two triples and four free throws.
- Okku Federiko contributed 18 points, with 10 coming before the break.
- Eli Shetlar, in his first collegiate start, poured in a career-best 16 points, including five threes (on eight attempts).
- Andrew Alia added a career-high 15 points, matching his best with four three-pointers.
- Owen Larson, Drake’s redshirt-sophomore guard and his first start, connected on a three and dished five assists.
- Wilguens Jr. Exacte came off the bench despite an illness, delivering six points and six rebounds.
Series history
- This win gave North Dakota State its first-ever victory in eight meetings with Drake.
- Drake holds a 6-1 edge against the Bison in games played in Des Moines.
