The Live Blog

Tough loss to Vanderbilt last night. For those who missed it, we ended up getting beat 72-57. All I can say is that they outrebounded and outshot us, and were in control pretty much the whole way. Overall Drake shot 37.2% to Vandy's 46.2%. Tough loss and hopefully we can rebound against NM.

I spent most of the day on the road, so I obviously don't have much of a followup on yesterday's game and no time to research New Mexico. But, I'd like to post so I'm going to try something new -- tonight I'm going to live blog the game with updates throughout. So here it goes.

Drake (2-2, 0-0) versus New Mexico (3-3, 0-0) LIVE blog:

• Gametime -- Trying to see if KRNT online and CBS College Sports will sync together -- I'd much rather listen to Larry Cotler and Dolph than the jokers on The Junior Circuit sports channel any day. I will admit, I've been on the road all day and haven't had a chance to research NM so I'm going into this blind. Let's see what happens. All I know from the pre-game interview is that they are athletic and young (dangerously, sounds like Vandy). One reassurring fact is that Steve Alford is definitely no Kevin Stallings. Let's get this baby started!
• 19:30 -- We won the tip and Craig Stanley has already airballed a three 30 seconds into the game. Meanwhile, KRNT streaming online hasn't even announced the tipoff. Pissed at the lag and that I will not be able to hear the KRNT crew while watching the video on CBSC. Dammit. Back to the jokers.
• 18:30 -- NM has already nailed two threes and we are looking slow on the offensive end. Rough start for the Drakies, down 6-1.
• 17:30 -- Templeton drills a three... the color guy says how he is the guy that needs to step it up for us to have a good year... maybe this guy isn't so bad after all.
• 16:45 -- Stanley is looking aggressive and is driving early and often. Craig just dropped a no look bounce pass to Brent, but he keeps Cordoving his free throws (see the last post), going 1-2 on two separate trips to the line early. We're down 8-5 now.
• 16:00 -- We are getting busted up inside by Ferris, a 6-10 guy. This is reminding me of Ogilvy (big man on Vanderbilt) that had his way against us last night. We can't keep giving up easy post points if we're also going to give up open threes. 10-5 at the first timeout. Already starting to miss Dolph's awesome voice...
• 14:30 -- Color guy mentions how we are moving a lot on offense (which we are) but have absolutely no backdoor action going on so they're extending their defense. It's a good point, but I think it might have to do with us being matched up against taller, more athletic teams that can cover more space quickly. Toppert on NM throws an inbounds pass, steps right into the corner to get it back and buries a three... Josh gets two free throws to shave it to 13-7.
• 14:00 -- Danridge on NM gets a steal and 1 on 1 against Templeton... refs completely miss a travel and blow the whistle on Templeton. He fouled him, but after the guy took four steps. Tough break.
• 12:00 -- After the first timeout, they show a floor level wideshot of the gym, wish all Drake fans could see how absolutely ridiculous this place is. If you missed Andrew Logue's blog from the DSM Register, he mentioned how this is seriously in a hotel ballroom -- they brought a gym floor, baskets, and a set of bleachers into. You can see the chandeliers. Wow. After a great offensive rebound by Brent, Stanley rives and dishes to an open layup for Brent. Great move... followed up by a turnover by NM... let's get on a scoring run here!
• 10:00 -- Brent takes a guy on the post for a sweet reverse layup. Now down to 15-13 them, which is followed by another turnover by NM.
• 9:00 -- Alex White comes on and is described by the play-by-play man as a "well built gentleman". Didn't think of this until now, but White does not move an INCH when setting picks... realize it is fun to watch opposing team members run into the equivalent of a brick wall. We get an offensive rebound and they call a foul on Alex White for essentially being too enormous while fighting for post position... Color guy tells them to let them play... liking the color guy even more... realize that he is still not Dolph... he's cool for now I guess...
• 8:00 -- Bucky for three!!!! Got it from the corner after he was set up from the dribble drive from Parker. 19-17 Bulldogs!
• 6:30 -- Ferris gets an and-1 on a strong posession from NM. We have to keep them from making those interior passes. Stanley follows up with a great drive and gets to the line. I'm very impressed tonight with their aggressiveness and ability to get to the line tonight. Craig hits both and we are up 25-20.
• 4:30 -- Realized that Josh Young has not shot well in three games (he is 0-4 already, was 1-9 last night, and struggled against SDSU)... getting more worried about Drake's offense... NM nails threes from both corners to cut it to 28-26 good guys going into a timeout. We have given them wayyy too many open threes.
• 2:30 -- Alex White gets a foul while setting a pick... I think the officials are so scared of him they are trying to foul him out of the game... Hoping that Alex will flex at one of the refs to freak them out...
• 1:00 -- Comeback from NM capped off by a drive/dish to one of their big men who strokes it from 15. This came after two missed free throws by Stanley. At this point I am attempting to summon the ghost of Josh Young to see if we can get some shots to fall. We're down 31-29.

• 20:00 -- All nodded up at 31 at the half. I feel like we've been outplayed but have managed to get to the line enough to stay in it. Let's see if we can get something going in the second half...
• 19:00 -- Five straight points from Ferris coming out of half. He is eating us up inside. Meanwhile, Stanley is having a hell of a game with a great dish to Brent (layup) and a great floater. 36-35 NM.
• 17:00 -- Stanley in transition sets up Josh Young for THREE!!! Great to see Josh stroke it from three, hopefully he can get it going. Templeton answers on his own from the corner!!! 42-36 Drake.
• 16:00 -- Bucky Cox joins the parade and hits another three. Good to see some threes go in after shooting 2-12 in the first half. Drake up by seven 45-38.
• 13:00 -- Some sloppy play for a few minutes ends when Craig Stanley dribbles around, creates confusion, and hits Heemskerk for a trey from the corner. Been quite some time since I've seen him hit a three (the announcer soon gives me stats to back it up -- last one was in 2006)... either way, we are ow 4-6 from three in this half, and now up 50-40.
• 11:30 -- Timeout. Braylon Edwards is starring in a 5-hour-energy in a commercial. I wish he would promote 5-hour-stop-being-such-a-shitty-fantasy-football-player and start scoring my team some points. Holy Cow, WAY off topic, back to the Bulldogs...
• 11:00 -- Alex White comes out of nowhere and man-blocks a dunk attempt into the front row... I think the officials were too scared of the beast to whistle a foul. Meanwhile, Drake has got sloppy and NM has gotten back into it via the three. It's now 53-47.
• 8:00 -- Stanley misses a long three, but Heemskerk keeps it alive and Cox tips in Brent's miss. Play-by-play man on CBSC mentions how the bench and Drake's radio crew are going crazy getting into the game. I am then reminded that I am not listening to KRNT and proceed to get mad... but then get over it when I realize we are up 58-48 and are showing fire.
• 6:00 -- Heemskerk beats Ferris twice with two impressive moves to his left, one a scoop and the other a fadeaway. He now has 13 points and 4 boards. I'm extremely impressed how he is playing against quality competition tonight and am fired up for the potential of this offense if he can offer a true post presence to complement the outside shooting. We're up 62-48.
• 5:00 -- Play-by-Play announcer mentions how Baryenbruch is a Dean's list student and how Cox is a Presidential Scholar. Don't know about you, but I absolutely love whenever any media figure talks about how great Drake's players excel in the classroom. Makes Drake a better school and makes me a proud alum. Important point, but while on my soapbox, Drake has been very careless with the basketball and NM is making a run. Stanley checks back in -- excellent move coach -- we need a ballhandler! Lead gets down to 8.
• 1:30 -- Drake can't put them away. Josh misses an open three and NM answers with a three by Garth (no, not Wayne's World). Have to say, I'm both impressed by the lack of quit in NM and am disappointed in Drake's inability to put them away. The 16 point lead that existed is now down to five as NM has gone on an 11-0 run.
• 0:33 -- Baryenbruch misses a three, NM gets the rebound and brings it down and runs a play that gets one of their gunners open in the corner. Fortunately, he misses and Baryenbruch gets put on the line. He drains both, big shots by Jacob. 66-59 good guys.
• 0:21 -- Toppert buries a three after a great shot fake to make it a four point game, 66-62. Timeout Alford.
• 0:10 -- Josh Parker buries two clutch free throws and NM misses a corner three, well defended by Drake. Timeout Drake, and it looks like we have this game in hand. 68-62.

That's how it ended, Drake winning 68-62. While we are surely a work in progress, I have to say I'm impressed with the run that Drake put together in the second half and the pure fact that they beat a solid team. We took a step forward tonight, regrouped after a rocky start, and beat an athletic team from a solid conference in the MWC.