In a stunning turn of events, Drake University pulled off a significant upset over Southern Illinois University, securing a 67-63 victory at the Enterprise Center. The four-point margin belies the significance of this outcome, as Drake, ranked 206 in the NET rankings, took down a Southern Illinois team that sat 93 spots higher at 113. The first half saw Southern Illinois take a 31-27 lead, but Drake outscored their opponents 40-32 in the second half to complete the comeback.
The implications of this upset are substantial, particularly in terms of seed line projections. Drake's win will undoubtedly send shockwaves through the bracket, potentially altering the postseason landscape. A closer examination of the team statistics reveals a Drake squad that effectively countered Southern Illinois's strengths, ultimately emerging victorious despite being the lower-ranked team. The details of this surprising outcome will be broken down further, but one thing is clear: this result will have far-reaching consequences for both teams.
With the game on the line, a 22-point effort from Jalen Quinn, complemented by 4 rebounds and 1 assist, helped propel Drake to a 67-63 victory. His shooting performance, which included 8-17 from the field and 1-4 from three-point range, was a key factor in the team's success. Erupting for 16 points, Eli Shetlar also made significant contributions, adding 3 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 block to his stat line, while shooting 5-12 from the field and 3-10 from beyond the arc.
The freshman standout Owen Larson's performance was marked by his outside shooting, as he converted 4 of 9 three-point attempts, en route to a 14-point outing. His 3 rebounds and 4 assists rounded out a well-rounded stat line, demonstrating his ability to contribute in multiple facets of the game. In conjunction with Quinn and Shetlar, Larson's efforts helped to form a formidable trio, with his 5-12 field goal shooting also reflecting the team's overall balanced offense.
Finishing with 28 points, Quel'Ron House's performance was a notable bright spot for Southern Illinois, as his 12-22 shooting from the field and 3-5 mark from three-point range kept his team within striking distance. Despite his strong scoring output, House's struggles at the free throw line, where he went 1-5, hindered his overall impact. The team's leading scorer, House's efforts were ultimately not enough to propel Southern Illinois to victory.
His 11 points and 8 rebounds notwithstanding, Davion Sykes was largely contained by the Drake defense, which held him to 5-10 shooting from the field and 0-2 from beyond the arc. Rolyns Aligbe's 16 rebounds were a significant contribution, but his 3-11 shooting from the field and 1-4 mark from three-point range limited his ability to make a more substantial impact on the game's outcome. With Aligbe and Sykes struggling to find their rhythm on offense, Southern Illinois was unable to muster enough scoring punch to overcome the deficit.
Beyond the standout efforts of the top performers, the remainder of the players on both teams generally fell in line with their season-long statistical trends.
CHD Scout Report Card
INCORRECTPredicted
Final
The pre-game prediction, which favored Southern Illinois by nearly 11 points, proved to be inaccurate as Drake emerged victorious by a margin of 4 points. This discrepancy suggests that the model underestimated the Bulldogs' ability to contain Southern Illinois' offense and overestimated the Salukis' overall performance. The actual result was a closely contested game, with Drake's victory defying the predicted double-digit deficit.
A closer examination of the team statistics reveals that the game's outcome was largely influenced by Southern Illinois' struggles with shooting efficiency and Drake's ability to maintain its seasonal form. The Salukis' eFG% and 3PT% were significantly lower than their seasonal averages, indicating a poor shooting performance that hindered their ability to keep pace with Drake. Additionally, Southern Illinois' unusually high OREB rate, while a positive aspect of their game, was not enough to offset their shooting woes, allowing Drake to secure the win despite being outrebounded on the offensive glass.
The outcome of this game has significant implications for both teams' postseason positioning within the Missouri Valley Conference. For Drake, the win bolsters their chances of securing a favorable seed in the conference tournament, potentially avoiding a first-round matchup against a top contender. Meanwhile, Southern Illinois's loss may drop them in the conference standings, making their path to the tournament title more challenging. Given the quad designations, it's clear that Drake faced a more modest opponent in this instance, whereas Southern Illinois had an opportunity to capitalize against a slightly stronger foe, which they failed to do. As the conference tournament approaches, the Salukis' inability to win this Quad 3 game for Drake, but Quad 4 for themselves, raises concerns about their program's trajectory, and it's clear that their season will be defined by their ability to navigate the conference tournament, making the question of whether they can overcome their inconsistencies and make a deep run a pressing one: Can Southern Illinois regain their footing, or will their season fizzle out in the conference tournament, a fate that would underscore the program's ongoing struggles to achieve sustained success.