Drake is the preseason favorite in the Missouri Valley preseason basketball poll.
The Bulldogs lost several key players from last years team that won the Valley tournament title and played in the NCAA Tournament but do return reigning conference player of the year Tucker DeVries.
That’s Drake coach Darian DeVries who says the transfer portal makes preseason polls even less reliable.
With veterans like Roman Penn, D.J. Wilkins and Garrett Sturtz no longer playing Tucker DeVries is taking on a bigger leadership role.
Northern Iowa has been picked to finish second in the preseason poll. Point guard Bowen Born returns after averaging 18 points per gasme last season and is approaching this as his final year even though he could return for a COVID season.
Born feels the experienced he has gained is a plus.
