Josh Young News

Drake had lost 27 consecutive basketball games to Iowa when Josh Young arrived on campus.

DES MOINES, Iowa -- A big second-half run by South Dakota ensured that this Binghamton University loss would not be controversial.

By BRIAN LESTER STAFF WRITER Tyler Sparks still wears a knee brace, a reminder of the devastating knee injury he suffered last March during the opening round of the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference tournament.

When a young squad such as the Drake University men's basketball team plays to its full potential and puts its talent on display, one is given a glimpse of where the program is headed.

Nothing comes easy for this year's Drake men's basketball team. The Bulldogs let a 15-point lead slip away, but rallied to beat Binghamton 77-76 Saturday on two Josh Young free throws with 4.4 seconds left.

Josh Young scored 21 points as Drake, lighting it up from 3-point range, pulled away from South Dakota 96-81 Friday night at the Drake Invitational.

FRESHMAN FOREWARD BEN SIMONS jumps above awaiting Iowa State opponents in a game the Bulldogs lost 70-90. Simons and his fellow first-year athletes have brought a youthful vitality to the team that will be key in Drakea s success this season.

Senior Craig Stanley missed a go-ahead lay-up with 10.5 seconds left in the game as Drake lost 60-58 to Southern Illinois-Edwardsville at the Knapp Center Friday.

The Drake Bulldogs are a perplexing squad to watch in action. In Friday's game against Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, one minute they were up 20 points, the next they were left gasping for breath during a time out after the Cougars' forward Mark Yelovich nailed a three-pointer to bring his team within one point of Drake.

Drake was angry when it wanted to be, and composed when it had to be. The Bulldogs opened each half with an intense barrage of points, then withstood North Dakota's rallies Saturday to earn a 72-63 victory in the consolation game of the Hy-Vee Classic before an announced crowd of 4,152 at the Knapp Center.

Drake got 17 points from Josh Young and 16 from Aaron Hawley on Saturday night to defeat North Dakota 72-63. The Bulldogs were ahead 37-27 at halftime and opened the second half with a 12-2 run to build that lead to 49-29. North Dakota got within six, 69-63, in the final minute but ran out of time down the stretch.

Just six games into the season, the Drake men's basketball team already has found six proven scorers.

SENIOR ADAM TEMPLETON keeps his eyes focused on the basket as he pushes into the arc.

BIG RAPIDS, Mich., Nov. 13 -- Ferris State University issued the following press release: * The Games: The Ferris State University men's basketball team officially opens the 2009-10 campaign by visiting Lewis on Sunday, Nov.

Ryan Wedel scored 21 points to lead the Drake men's basketball team to a 78-72 win over Austin Peay on Saturday night and stop a two-game losing skid.

Friday, November 20th, 1:15 p.m. FACTS & STATS: Site: Ocean Center -- Daytona Beach, Florida.

Josh Young took matters into his own hands with Drake clinging to a five-point lead with 27 seconds left Friday.

They'll see the Atlantic Ocean, Michael Jordan's son and LeBron James' high school coach.

It was men versus boys. A heavyweight with reach against a welterweight with doubts.

Lucca Staiger scored a career-high 32 points on 10-of-16 shooting from 3-point range and Iowa State defeated Drake 90-70 Tuesday night to snap a three-game losing streak to the Bulldogs.