Drake at Wichita State

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Drake: Rice is one of the MVC's top freshmen and leads Drake with 19 steals. He is shooting 37.7 percent from the field and 31.5 percent from three-point range. Drake ranks last in the MVC in rebound margin (-6.5) and is facing the MVC's leader at +9.7. The game also matches the MVC's best three-point shooters (WSU has made 39.4 percent) against the MVC's top three-point defense (Drake allows 30.6 percent). Wedel, from Minneapolis, makes 41.4 percent of his threes.

Wichita State: In two MVC games, WSU out-rebounded its opponents 80-56 and held Evansville and Bradley to 36.3-percent shooting. Kyles is 1 of 11 from three-point range in the past two games. His season percentage of 47.4 ranks second in the MVC behind Evansville's Colt Ryan at 49.3. Durley grabbed a season-high eight rebounds in Saturday's win over Bradley. The Shockers are attempting to go 3-0 in the MVC for the first time since the 2004-05 season and the 10th time since joining the MVC for the 1945-46 season. Drake is 2-8 in its last 10 trips to Wichita, most recently winning in 2008.

RPIs as of Monday: DU 233, WSU 44.

 

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Fracture does not slow Blair


Wichita State's Gabe Blair doesn't play like a man with a hairline fracture in a vertebra. He plays like fans expect ? diving for loose balls, throwing his body into rebounding scrums and dunking.

"He's just a beast around the basket," WSU guard Toure Murry said. "He's definitely our X-factor."

The Shockers (11-2, 2-0 Missouri Valley Conference) play Drake (6-7, 1-1) tonight, and they expect Blair to ignore the pain in his back and play his usual energetic game. He is coming off one of his best efforts of the season ? 11 points, nine rebounds and three steals in 23 minutes in Saturday's win at Bradley.

Blair, a 6-foot-8 senior forward, is WSU's leading rebounder (5.4) despite averaging fewer than 17 minutes. Coach Gregg Marshall watches Blair carefully in an attempt to keep the hairline fracture from getting worse. Blair and trainer Todd Fagan decide how much he practices.

"We're managing it," Marshall said. "Unless he overexerts, I think we'll be fine. I hope we'll be fine, because he certainly gives us a lot of energy."

Blair, a senior from Gastonia, N.C., never plays like the pain bothers him. Early in Saturday's game, he deflected a pass near half-court and saved the ball while flying out of bounds. The hustle gave Murry a layup.

"If I'm out there, I've got to play the position," Blair said. "That's part of accepting the role of playing hurt."

Blair wants to play for all the usual reasons. He transferred to WSU from East Carolina because he wanted to win. After going to the NIT last season, the Shockers plan on bigger things in 2011. Blair also wants to play professionally after this season, so he is not going to waste away on the bench.

"It hurts, but this my last year, and I'm trying to get paid," he said. "I can't really describe (the pain), it's just back pain. I try not to think about it until after the game."

As a junior, Blair gave WSU that same kind of production with his quickness and leaping. This season, Marshall sees a player who isn't relying as much on athletic ability.

He challenged Blair to polish up fundamentals, such as defending shooters with better balance and footwork. Last season, Blair would close out on shooters at an angle, giving them a lane to drive. Marshall called it a surfboard approach.

"He's always been a gifted athlete," Marshall said. "(I told him to) hone your craft by being more diligent in the small things ? not blowing sets and always being in the right place at the right time."

 

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Drake basketball: Ryan Wedel hopes to show off a bit


The Ryan Wedel Fan Club won?t be quite as visible when Drake visits Wichita State on Tuesday night.

Heck, even the Drake shooting guard?s parents are unlikely to be in attendance, opting to take in a high school contest involving a younger son instead.

But make no mistake that the 7 p.m. game at Charles Koch Arena is vitally important to Wedel, a native of nearby Minneapolis, Kan. Especially after what happened last year.

?I definitely wanted that. It was disappointing to lay an egg,? Wedel said in November of his 2-of-12 shooting performance in a 61-38 Drake loss in Wichita on New Year?s Day 2010. ?I always want to play well at Wichita State.

"There was a lot of people that came to see me from Minneapolis, about 100, 150 people, and that meant a lot to me. I get one more chance. I?ll definitely circle that on the schedule.?

Drake men's basketball 2010-11 individual statistics

The poor offensive play wasn?t confined to Wedel, however, as the Bulldogs (6-7, 1-1 Missouri Valley Conference) made just 23 percent of their shots, including 2-of-22 from 3-point range. A repeat of that effort would be disastrous tonight against a Shockers team picked to win the league title.

?We stunk up the gym,? Drake coach Mark Phelps recalled. ?They get really juiced up on their court. The crowd?s going to be great; you can?t let the crowd be spectacular. You can?t let them get running and making transition baskets.?

Wedel, a 5-foot-11 senior, is averaging 11.8 points per game in his second Drake season after transferring from Arkansas State. But he?s coming off another frustrating performance, being held to three points in a loss Saturday at Creighton while being hounded by 6-foot-5 Kaleb Korver.

?They did do a good job shadowing him. I thought it was a good game plan,? Phelps said. ?He still got off eight shots and only made one. It?s important for Ryan to get shots, but at the same time if they take him away, we have to make adjustments and other guys have to hit shots.?

Blog: Kurt Alexander rises to the forefront of Drake's backcourt

Wedel is accustomed to being guarded by taller opponents. He said he just needs to alter his approach when his outside shots aren?t falling.

?I?ve got to find other ways to score, getting to the free-throw line and into the paint more,? he said.

?The size doesn?t really bother me necessarily. I?ve got a quick release. It?s just more than anything when you get open looks, capitalizing on them.?

Breaking out of the slump at Wichita State (11-2, 2-0), a team that didn?t recruit Wedel, would be a highlight of 2011 for him, although he was low-key about that possibility Monday.

?It?s always fun going back home and playing in front of familiar faces,? he said.
?No nerves at all. I?m excited about it.?

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ABOUT THE BULLDOGS: Are coming off a poor shooting night in a loss at Creighton (21-of-59) and now face a defense that is limiting opponents to 40.2 percent from the field. Rice was 2-of-11 from the floor Saturday, scoring just seven points, in his worst performance since the opening week of the season.

ABOUT THE SHOCKERS: Are 7-0 at home and have started Valley play with convincing victories over Evansville and Bradley.

WHAT TO WATCH: Murry, a 6-5 junior guard from Houston, may be the most complete player in the Valley, although he?s struggled with his shooting so far this year. He is an accomplished defender and will make things tough for Drake on the perimeter.