Don’t expect a high-scoring game when the No. 25-ranked Wichita State Shockers (17-6) visit Drake to take on the Bulldogs (6-18). Action gets underway at 8:00 pm ET on Tuesday, Feb. 9 and will air on EFC and ES3.
The Bulldogs are hoping to rebound after their 82-66 loss to Northern Iowa on Saturday. Reed Timmer was the team’s high scorer with 18 points. The Shockers are coming off a 58-53 loss against Illinois State on Saturday. Shaquille Morris had a team-high 10 points.
Fred VanVleet has been on fire over the last five games for the Shockers, averaging 14.4 points, 2.4 rebounds, 6.6 assists, 2.2 steals, and 1.8 three-pointers.
Half-court execution will be at a premium as Drake ranks 310th in the nation in possessions per game (66.3 possessions per game), while Wichita State is 315th (66.1). The Shockers should also expect to protect the ball well. They rank 31st at avoiding errors (TO% of 16.0%). Conversely, the Bulldogs force the 10th-fewest turnovers in the nation (opponents’ TO% of 15.0%).
This is the second game of the season between these two teams, with the Shockers winning the first matchup 67-47. Ron Baker was a top performer in the victory with 14 points, five rebounds, one steal, and three three-pointers.
The Bulldogs enter the game with records of 6-18 Straight Up (SU) and 7-14 Against The Spread (ATS). In their last 10 games, they are 8-2 ATS. The Bulldogs have seen an uptick in scoring as of late, averaging 75.9 points during the last 10 games compared to their season average of 68.9 points per game. Drake is excellent from the perimeter, shooting an impressive .403 from three-point range. The Drake defense has been shutting down opposing offenses over the past 10 games, only allowing an average of 58.7 points per game, well under their season average of 72.5.
On the other side, the Shockers head into the game with records of 13-8 ATS and 17-6 SU. Wichita State has been particularly bad ATS over its past 10 matchups, going 2-8. Offensively, the Shockers have really sputtered in the last 10 games. Their season average has fallen to 73.8 points per game after averaging only 65.3 during that stretch. The Shockers rarely make costly errors handling the ball. They have the 38th-best assist-to-turnover ratio in the country at 1.36. The Wichita State defense as a whole has been firing on all cylinders so far, ranking ninth in Division I with only 61.2 points allowed per game.
With the Shockers’ last win against Drake, their SU record rises to 9-1 over Drake in their most recent games. Furthermore, Wichita State leads the matchup ATS with a record of 7-2-1. When it comes to field goals, rebounds, and three-pointers, Wichita State held the edge in all three of these categories three times in the last five meetings. Drake never did so in those games.
Predictions: SU Winner – Wich, ATS Winner – Wich
Notes
Drake scores an average of just 68.9 points per game (ranked 205th). Wichita State ranks ninth in points allowed, giving up 61.2 points per game.
Wichita State scores 74.2 points per away game (ranked 70th). Drake ranks a poor 182nd in points allowed at home, allowing 71.3 points.
Ranked 66th, the Wichita State Shockers have an offensive rating of 111.7. The Drake Bulldogs rank 310th with a defensive rating of just 109.8.
The Drake Bulldogs average a field goal percentage of 45.6% this season. The Wichita State Shockers have a losing record of 1-2 when opponents have a FG% of 45.6% or greater.
The Drake Bulldogs and the Wichita State Shockers both rank higher in average effective field goal percentage when compared to their field goal percentages. Drake is 96th and 63rd in the nation for FG% and eFG% respectively, while Wichita State is 212th and 175th in these categories.
Wichita State ranks 38th in the nation with an assist-to-turnover ratio of 1.36. Drake is ranked lower at 280th with an A/TO of .90.
Ranked fourth, Wichita State averages a forced turnover percentage of 24.2% this season. When the Drake Bulldogs suffer a turnover rate equal to or exceeding this, the team is winless with a 0-5 record.
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