DES MOINES, Iowa – Indiana State men's basketball dropped their Sunday afternoon contest against the Drake Bulldogs, 74-72. The Sycamores fell to 8-8, 1-4 MVC, while Drake moved to 8-7, 2-2 MVC.
 
Ian Scott paced five Sycamores in double figures with 16 points, pulling down six rebounds and recording three assists. Scott was a perfect 8-for-8 from the line. Jo Van Buggenhout scored 13 points making 4-of-8 from the field and 3-of-7 from deep, adding in four rebounds and four assists.
 
Bruno Alocen came off the bench and finished with 11 points, six rebounds (three offensive), three assists, and three steals, all with no turnovers in 30+ minutes. He made 3-of-5 from downtown. Both Derek Vorst and Camp Wagner each scored 10. Vorst recorded six rebounds and two assists, while Wagner grabbed four rebounds.
 
The Sycamores started the game a little slow, attempting only one field goal shot (and made it) by Van Buggenhout through the first media timeout at 15:39. The only other two points came from Scott at the line. Drake led 9-5.
 
The Bulldogs went up 15-9, but back-to-back baskets by Sterling Young and Enel St. Bernard brought the game back within one, 15-14, with just about 12 minutes on the clock.
 
After another one-point, 20-19 deficit, Drake scored five unanswered to lead 24-19 at the next media break (7:43). Despite already having six turnovers in the game, the Sycamores were shooting an efficient 58.3% from the field.
 
Drake built to a seven-point lead, but Indiana State cut it back within three, 29-26, after a triple by Vorst at the 5:23 mark.
 
After a Bulldog three-pointer, Indiana State recorded seven points in a single trip down the court to swing the momentum. Van Buggenhout drained a three-pointer, but a Bulldog committed a foul on the play that sent Scott to the line and gave the Sycamores the ball back after the free throws. Scott knocked down both, and after a missed shot, Alocen pulled in the offensive rebound that led to a Scott slam. This sequence put Indiana State on top 33-31 with 4:21 remaining.
 
Indiana State held a 39-33 led at the 3:05 mark, and neither team would find the basket before the half. Wagner swatted a shot near the rim with about 10 seconds left that helped keep Drake scoreless, sending the game into the halftime break.
 
The Sycamores ended the half on a 13-2 run overall, shooting 51.9% from the field and 46.7% from downtown. From the 6:30 mark through the end of the half, the overall Sycamore streak was 18-4 making 6-of-8 from the field and 4-of-5 from three.
 
A pair of free throws by Vorst opened the half for Indiana State, but Drake made a run to trail by a point, 41-40, still with 18:21 left to play. The Sycamores countered, scoring off a pair of layups and a triple by Young. Drake tied the game at 49 all with 15:08 to play.
 
Over the next nine minutes of action, the game remained tight – neither team led by more than three points. At the media timeout at 6:47, it was Indiana State that held a one-point, 61-60 advantage. In the stretch, both teams were fairly even – the Sycamores made 5-of-10 from the field compared to the Bulldogs' 4-of-9.
 
After a pair of free throws by Scott with five minutes to play, Drake came back down the court and made a three-pointer, tying the game at 68 apiece at the final media timeout (3:45).
 
Drake took the lead with 1:08 on the clock on a layup. Each team missed a shot attempt in the next minute, then a free throw by Drake gave the Bulldogs the lead 74-72, with 10 seconds to play.
 
The Sycamores couldn't capitalize on two attempts inside three seconds remaining, letting Drake hold on to the 74-72 victory.
 
News & Notes

• The Sycamores got back on track from the free throw line, making 16-of-19 (84.2%). It's the best effort since December 7 against Southern Indiana (9-of-10, 90%). With a minimum of 11 attempts as a team, 84.2% is a season high.
• With 16 assists on 23 made field goals (69.6%), it's the second-best percentage dating back through the starter of the LA Tech MTE (85.7% against Belmont on December 29).
• Indiana State has dished out more assists than their opponents now in three-straight games. The Sycamores have accomplished this 14 games out of 16 this season.
• The Sycamores in three of the last four games have finished better than 37.0% from three after making 10-of-27 for 37.0% against Drake.
• Indiana State recorded 32 rebounds compared to Drake's 29. It's the first time the Sycamores outscored the opposition since December 7 against Southern Indiana.
• Sycamore opponents have shot 52.0% or better from the field in three of the last four games.
• The 51 field goal attempts are the second-lowest number of the season (46 at Illinois State).
  • Sunday afternoon marks the second game in a row where all the Sycamores' shots came inside the paint or beyond the arc. This has occurred three of the last four games (Drake, Northern Iowa, Illinois State).
• Sunday afternoon was only the third time this season five Sycamores reached double-digit scoring in the same game.
• With 16 second chance points, it's the most by the Sycamores since November 28 against Alcorn State (18). It's the third most this season.
• Jo Van Buggenhout knocked down three triples, tying for the most by him this season (three against Ball State on November 22).
• Bruno Alocen made a season high three three-pointers after his 3-for-5 effort. He also tied his steals high of three.
• Ian Scott went perfect from the free throw line, 8-for-8, tying for the most free throw makes in his career. Before this afternoon, Scott has games of 6-for-6 five times in his career, with only one other game making 8-for-8.
• Enel St. Bernard moves his stretch of 4+ rebound games off the bench to nine in a row.

 
Up Next
Indiana State will return to action on Saturday, January 10 at home against the University of Evansville. Game time is set for 1 p.m. ET with the doors opening at noon.
 
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