DES MOINES, Iowa — The Drake Bulldogs moved to 2–0 on the young season with a hard-fought 75–68 victory over the Southern University Jaguars at the Knapp Center. In a physical contest defined by scoring runs and defensive pressure, Drake utilized a decisive 14–0 surge spanning across the halftime intermission to build a lead they would not relinquish, fending off a late-game rally by a resilient Southern squad.
Key Storylines & Game Flow
- The Halftime Pendulum: Southern jumped out to an early competitive edge, keeping the Bulldogs out of sync with an aggressive defensive approach. However, trailing late in the first half, Drake ignited a momentum-shifting 14–0 run. The Bulldogs closed the first period strong to take a 33–27 halftime advantage and scored the first eight points of the second half to open up a double-digit lead.
- Foul Trouble & Free Throws: The game was heavily disrupted by whistles, turning into a battle of attrition. Southern aggressively attacked the rim, forcing Drake into deep foul trouble and executing efficiently at the charity stripe. The Jaguars stayed within striking distance late into the second half largely by converting 20-of-25 (80%) from the free-throw line.
- Closing the Door: Despite Southern cutting the deficit back down to single digits in the final minutes, Drake’s poised execution down the stretch secured the home victory.
Standout Individual Performances
Drake relied heavily on its frontcourt dominance and balanced perimeter contributions to secure the win:
- Jon Carroll (Drake): The undisputed player of the game. Carroll anchored the interior, notch-ing a dominant double-double with 21 points and 11 rebounds on an efficient 7-of-12 shooting from the floor.
- Dre Kindell (Drake): Provided the necessary perimeter spark, chipping in 17 points to spearhead the Bulldogs’ backcourt scoring.
- Owen Larson & Andrew Alia (Drake): Both players delivered critical secondary scoring, finishing with 11 points apiece to round out Drake’s double-digit scorers.
Southern’s backcourt tandem kept the Jaguars highly competitive throughout the second half:
- Malik Ferguson (Southern): Led the Jaguars with 17 points, doing immense damage at the free-throw line where he went a near-perfect 10-of-11.
- Daniel Dormu (Southern): Conducted the Southern offense effectively, finishing with 15 points and a game-high 5 assists.
What’s Next
With the victory, Drake maintains its perfect start under the early 2026–27 campaign. The Bulldogs will look to extend their winning streak when they hit the road to face South Dakota. Meanwhile, Southern falls to a deceptive 0–3 following a brutal early-season road schedule, but leaves Des Moines with plenty of positives to build on heading into their next matchup.
