The Drake University men's basketball team broke it open with a big first-half run and began a season of immense promise with an 87-61 victory over Coe at the Knapp Center on Tuesday night.
Favored to win the Missouri Valley Conference championship after a 26-5 season that included their first NCAA tournament victory in 50 years, the Bulldogs won their sixth straight opener and improved to 31-0 when scoring at least 80 points under coach Darian DeVries.
The offensive balance that carried Drake in some many games last season was evident again, with six players scoring from 8 to 14 points.