Drake and UNI return to basketball action

The Drake and UNI men return to college basketball action this evening. The Bulldogs take a 1-2 mark to Western Illinois and coach Tom Davis is hoping some leaders emerge. He says no one has jumped out yet as far as standout individual play. Davis says that’s either a positive or negative, depending on how you look at it.The Panthers are at home against Louisiana Tech after a three point loss at Iowa State on Sunday. UNI coach Greg McDermott says they have a short time to prepare with just one practice between games, so it’s a matter of working on what his team does well. He says mistakes have been costly in a 1-2 start. He says their ability to take care of the basketball has not been good. The Panthers have dropped their last two games at the wire and McDermott hopes the experience gained in late game situations is a benefit down the road. He says they try to simulate the games in practice, but he says there’s no way to simulate the pressure the players are under.