Wednesday -- DRAKE AT UNI PLAY (20*)

[Muckslinger]

20* -- Drake +14

5* -- Over 122

Big time play on drake in this game.......

Drake is playing really hot right now and they are getting +13.5 OR +14.

This should be considered a rivalry game.

I think UNI wins, but not by double digits at all.

Drake is on a 5 game winning streak in conference play. They are averaging 75 PPG in those wins.


TRENDS

Over is 7-1 in DRAKE last 8 road games.
Over is 9-2 in DRAKE last 11 games as an underdog.

Northern Iowa: NIOWA are 19-7 ATS in their last 26 games overall.
Over is 25-10 in NIOWA last 35 games as a favorite.

Bulldogs are 4-1 ATS in the last 5 meetings in Northern Iowa.
Bulldogs are 5-2 ATS in the last 7 meetings.
Underdog is 6-1 ATS in the last 7 meetings.
Road team is 5-0 ATS in the last 5 meetings.




Cedar Falls, Ia. — Can you name the last men’s basketball team to beat Northern Iowa in the McLeod Center?

Adam Koch not only knows the answer, he still feels the sting of a 47-46 defeat by Drake, on Feb. 18, 2009.

“We remember that,” the Panthers forward said. “So we don’t want that to happen again.”

The Bulldogs return to Cedar Falls for Wednesday night’s Missouri Valley Conference showdown, and Koch could be the X-factor.




The rangy 6-foot-8, 255-pound senior

gives opponents fits in the paint, and is shooting from 17-of-38 from behind the 3-point arc. “It’s a little unusual having a 6-8 guy stepping out,” Drake forward Adam Templeton said. “It’s something you have to adapt to.”

Templeton, a 6-6, 225-pound senior, is a natural shooter who emerged as a tenacious rebounder.

He’s averaged 16.4 points and 9.8 boards while helping the Bulldogs (10-11, 5-4 in the conference) win five straight games.

“It’s fun when you can get into a zone like that,” Koch said of his counterpart. “Hopefully, he’s out of it by the time we play him.”

Koch recently became the 31st player in Northern Iowa history to score 1,000 points (he’s now at 1,020) and is among only a dozen to also record 500 rebounds (511).

The biology and biomedical major from Ashwaubenon, Wis., averages 12.7 points and 4.5 boards for the Panthers (17-2, 8-1).

“He’s a guy with size who can rebound and really defend and has a lot of toughness,” Drake coach Mark Phelps said. “But also is extremely versatile on the offensive end.”

Northern Iowa's individual player statistics

Drake's individual player statistics

Wednesday night’s outcome may hinge on which of the Adams is able to showcase their versatility.

When Templeton grabs at least eight rebounds, Drake is 6-2.

Koch was a combined 8-of-18 shooting (44.4 percent) in Northern Iowa’s two losses, including 0-for-3 from 3-point range.

He’s shot 49.6 percent in 17 victories, and the Panthers are 9-0 when he makes at least one 3-pointer.

“It definitely helps to be able to stretch (defenses) out a little bit,” Koch said. “If you’re just sitting on the block, they can double you and really take you out of things.”

The Bulldogs smothered Koch last year’s meeting, holding him to two points in 27 minutes.

Both teams shot under 40 percent, while combining to commit 38 turnovers.

“We tried to have them beat us more from the outside, than from inside,” Phelps recalled. “It was one of those game that you remember wasn’t a beauty to watch from either side.”

The Panther returned home 10 days later and clinched a share of the Valley’s regular-season title with a 69-62 win over Evansville.

They’re 8-0 at home this season.

“That’s something we’ve talked about for a long time around here, working hard to protect our home floor,” Northern Iowa coach Ben Jacobson said. “We’ve gotten better at that over the course of the last two years.”

Koch has averaged 11.7 points during the Panthers’ nine-game home winning streak.
Templeton averaged 15 points and nine rebounds in his last three road trips.

“I think he’s starting to realize that he’s one of the people we need to step up,” Drake guard Josh Young said of Templeton. “He’s taken the role of a senior, a veteran and a guy who knows how to play in the league.” Wednesday's Drake-UNI basketball game WHO: Drake (10-11, 5-4 Valley) at No. Iowa (17-2, 8-1) WHERE: McLeod Center TIPOFF: 7:05 p.m. TV/RADIO: Mediacom/KXNO-AM 1460 STATISTICAL LEADERS: For the Bulldogs — Josh Young 13.2 ppg and 2.6 apg, Adam Templeton 7.0 rpg; for the Panthers — Jordan Eglseder 12.7 ppg and 8.3 rpg; Adam Koch 12.7 ppg, Kwadzo Ahelegbe 2.8 apg. ABOUT THE BULLDOGS: Held second-half leads in nine of their 11losses, before winning five straight. ABOUT THE PANTHERS: Since 1992, all 27 teams to be in first place midway through the Valley schedule have earned postseason bids — five NITs and 22 NCAA Tournaments. WHAT TO WATCH: Drake star Josh Young has never lost at Northern Iowa, helping the Bulldogs to three wins. He scored a game-high 16 points in last year’s visit.

Northern Iowa's scores and schedule

Drake's scores and schedule

Missouri Valley Conference standings

Injury update: Northern Iowa coach Ben Jacobson said during Tuesday’s Missouri Valley teleconference that sophomore guard Johnny Moran remains questionable for Wednesday night’s game with Drake.

Moran sustained ankle and foot injuries during last week’s game at Wichita State, and missed Sunday’s road win over Indiana State.

“Johnny is still day to day,” Jacobson said. “He did feel a little bit better (Monday) afternoon, but did not work out.

“We’ll see how he’s doing (Tuesday) afternoon.”

Moran averages 5.7 points and 3.6 rebounds while setting a defensive tone for the Panthers.

Kerwin Dunham replaced Moran in the lineup Sunday and scored a career-high 14 points.



CEDAR FALLS - Johnny Moran passed a very important test Monday morning.

On Tuesday, the Northern Iowa basketball squad received the results of Moran's MRI on his right foot, and the test came back 'negative' ... which is positive.

"Both the X-rays and the MRI, neither one of them showed anything structurally wrong, which is good," said Panther coach Ben Jacobson.

Moran, a sophomore guard, sprained his right foot and ankle last week in a loss at Wichita State, though he promptly returned to the floor and played 29 total minutes that night. The shooting guard sat out Sunday's contest at Indiana State, after pain failed to subside in his foot.

"It's kind of the bottom of my foot," Moran noted. "I guess it's the fifth metatarsal."

Moran, who started the first 50 games of his collegiate career, has averaged 5.7 points per game and 3.6 rebounds this season. Considering he averaged 26.1 minutes per game prior to his injury, the sophomore had a hard time sitting on the bench at Indiana State.

"I can't stand sitting there and watching," said Moran, "but I made it through it and they got the win."

In recent days Moran spent plenty of time in the training room, in a walking boot, and on treadmills and stationary bikes. On Tuesday, he returned to practice. Now, he hopes to return to the hardwood tonight, against Drake.

"We'll just see how he feels," said Jacobson, "after moving around (at practice Tuesday). We'll just see how his foot responds and make our decision from there."

[agent318]

Gl

[NightCap424]

Drake has played really solid lately....best of luck~

[dafranchise808]

GL brother!

[FalconFreak]

nice info gl tonite

[fat-freddie]

Thanks for the info Muck, good luck with Drake man, looks good




fATS.............................................. .....................

[vikesfan]

Good luck muckslinger with the big play on drake.

[50cent]

gl...

[ptotheb]

I really can't believe they are getting 14? All their transfers are starting to gel, Drake has looked great. 14?

[The Chief]

Good luck with it. Public seems to be seeing the same thing. 71% of the $$ is on the Drake. Vegas can't hit them all, but I did want to bring that to your attention. I'm seeing the line at 14.5 in some places.

[Bustamove22]

gl muckslinger !!

[Muckslinger]

If this line keeps moving above 15 points I'll put another 10* on it....

[Muckslinger]

Got it at 15...bought .5.....10* +15.5 (-120)

[allstr921]

gl muck.

[Stud50]

these are ur two squads muck, nobody knows more about these two teams than you..... this play is a MUST TAIL- lets get em' brotha