Drake Men’s Basketball Dominates Simpson, Reaches Season Highs
The Drake men’s basketball team achieved a decisive victory yesterday, defeating Simpson College 89-51 at the Knapp Center in Des Moines, Iowa, while setting season highs in multiple statistical categories.
A dominant 20-3 first-half run propelled the Bulldogs to a commanding lead, with all nine players on the Drake roster contributing to the scoring effort. Braden Appelhans led the team with a season-best 15 points, followed by Jaehshon Thomas with 14, Okku Federiko with 12, and Wilguens Jr. Exacte with 10. Drake coach Eric Henderson utilizes a deep rotation, and this balanced scoring reflects that strategy. The win improves Drake’s non-conference home record to an impressive 50-1 in the last 51 games.
Drake’s performance was marked by significant improvements across the board, achieving season highs in field goals (28), three-pointers (9), field goal percentage (.467), rebounds (48), assists (15), steals (11), and blocks (6). Exacte led the team in rebounding with eight, contributing to Drake’s 48-34 advantage on the boards. This victory comes after a recent overtime loss to Robert Morris, signaling a strong response from the Bulldogs. For more information on college basketball standings, visit NCAA.com.
Simpson struggled to keep pace, shooting just 29% from the field and managing only six free throw attempts compared to Drake’s 24. Levi Gurwell and Colton Rasmussen each scored eight points for the Storm. Drake’s strong performance underscores their potential in the Missouri Valley Conference, a league known for competitive basketball. You can find more about the Missouri Valley Conference here.
The Bulldogs will continue their three-game homestand on Friday night, hosting SIUE at the Knapp Center with a 6:30 p.m. tip-off.
