Imagine the thrill of a high-stakes basketball showdown where one team's fiery comeback nearly flips the script, only to fall just short—leaving fans buzzing with 'what ifs.' That's the gut-punch reality Drake faced in their non-conference wrap-up, dropping a heartbreaker to North Dakota State, 99-94, right in the heart of Iowa's snowy capital. But here's where it gets controversial: Was this just a case of unstoppable shooting, or did some overlooked defensive lapses seal the deal? Stick around, because we're diving deep into the action, stats, and the debates that make college hoops so addictive.
In Des Moines, as flurries blanketed the streets outside, the Knapp Center was sizzling with intensity. Both the Bulldogs and the Bison were on fire early, turning the court into a shooting gallery. Drake kicked things off strong from downtown, with Eli Shetlar knocking down two three-pointers and Owen Larson adding another to ignite their offense and get the crowd roaring.
Yet, NDSU wasn't backing down, matching every basket with their own blistering pace. They drained shots at an eye-popping 73 percent from the field, including a flawless 4-for-4 from long range, building a seven-point edge to 20-13 by the time Drake's head coach, Eric Henderson, hit the pause button with a timeout at 12:52.
The Bison kept the heat on, sinking two more threes courtesy of Treyson Anderson to stretch their lead to 26-17. Even when they finally missed from beyond the arc at 11:09, Damari Wheeler-Thomas kept the momentum with a classic and-one play, adding three points the hard way. Drake fought back with a swift 8-0 surge, highlighted by consecutive long-range bombs from Jaehshon Thomas and Jalen Quinn, slicing the gap to just four points. But NDSU had a response ready, unleashing a 10-2 run to restore their double-digit cushion at 39-27, with 7:25 left in the half.
As the first half wound down, Drake clawed back to within six after Okku Federiko's free throws. Still, NDSU's hot streak continued—they nailed four of their final six shots, heading into the break with a commanding 14-point lead, 55-41. For beginners in the game, think of free throws as those easy points from the charity stripe after fouls; they're crucial in tight games like this.
The second half exploded with points flying at lightning speed right from the jump. Andrew Alia heated up for Drake, swishing back-to-back threes to spark hope. But echoing the first period, NDSU retaliated with three of their own long balls, forcing Henderson to call another timeout. Just before the under-12 media break, the Bison hit their 17th three of the game, ballooning their lead to its peak at 80-62. And this is the part most people miss: Those turnovers—Drake coughed up 23 points off them overall, with NDSU dominating 15-0 in the first half alone—might have been the hidden dagger.
Drake refused to fold, chipping away relentlessly over the next eight minutes. They closed to 92-86 on another Alia three with 3:50 to play, then to 98-93 on his junior-year gem at 29.6 seconds. But Wheeler-Thomas iced it with a free throw at 11 seconds, ending Drake's rally just shy of glory.
'You’ve got to hand it to North Dakota State,' Henderson reflected afterward. 'They came in and delivered an outstanding performance, shooting lights out. Obviously, they were on fire. We’ve got to keep searching for our groove. Honestly, it was brutal, especially on defense—I felt we struggled to disrupt their flow, particularly early on, and they rode that wave. We managed to put points on the board, but when you hit 14 threes on your home turf, you expect to come out on top, and we didn’t.'
Now, shifting gears to Missouri Valley Conference play— that's the prestigious league where teams like Drake battle for dominance in the Midwest— the Bulldogs head out on the road for their opener against Murray State on Thursday, December 18. Tip-off is at 7 p.m. CT.
Let's break down the team stats to paint a fuller picture:
— With this second consecutive defeat, Drake sits at 6-5 overall, gearing up for MVC action.
— They're 3-4 at home this year, but boast a stellar home record of 102-15 since the 2018-19 season— a testament to their fortress-like Knapp Center.
— Drake shot an impressive 51.9 percent from the floor (27-52), and even hotter from three-point land at 51.9 percent (14-27).
— Those 14 threes marked their first loss in four games where they hit double digits from deep— a rare hiccup in an otherwise potent offense.
— The Bulldogs dominated the boards, out-rebounding NDSU 33-27, which can be a game-changer by giving extra scoring opportunities.
— They matched their biggest halftime hole of the season at 55-41, similar to trailing LSU 38-24 in the Emerald Coast Classic opener.
— NDSU set a season high with 19 threes— just one shy of their all-time single-game record of 20 from last year— after combining for only 11 in their prior two contests.
On the individual front, here's where the stars shone:
— Senior transfer guard Jaden Quinn paced Drake with 24 points, half in the first half, plus a team-leading six assists.
— Quinn shattered a Drake record for free-throw accuracy (with at least 10 attempts) by going 12-for-12— a clutch performance under pressure.
— He poured in 10 straight points over a 3-minute-20-second span in the first half (from 9:52 to 6:32), mixing two threes and four free throws.
— Sophomore Okku Federiko chipped in 18 points, including 10 in the opening frame.
— Redshirt sophomore guard Eli Shetlar, in his first-ever college start, exploded for a career-best 16 points, including a career-high five threes on eight tries.
— Redshirt junior Andrew Alia notched a personal high of 15 points and matched his best with four threes.
— Sophomore transfer guard Owen Larson earned his first career start, sinking a three and dishing five assists.
— Junior forward Wilguens Jr. Exacte, pushing through illness, came off the bench for six points and six rebounds— a gritty effort.
Finally, looking at the rivalry:
— This marked NDSU's inaugural win in the eight-game series between the squads.
— Drake holds a 6-1 edge in Des Moines matchups, showing their home-court magic.
So, fans, what do you think? Was NDSU's shooting spree just an unstoppable hot streak, or could Drake's defense have done more to cool them off? And is Henderson right that finding their 'identity' is key, or might lineup tweaks spark the turnaround? Share your takes below—do you side with the comeback kings or the sharpshooters? Let's debate!
