FanHouse AdamEmmenecker

If, for some reason, it hasn't crossed your radar screen just yet, the Drake Bulldogs are the best story of the 2007-08 basketball season. They haven't played in the NCAA Tournament since 1971 but are a six-point road loss at St. Mary's away from an undefeated season. They're 11-0 in the Missouri Valley and were led to their latest win by their walk-on point guard Adam Emmenecker, who scored 12 points in his career high high school performance.

Emmenecker had 20, a college career best, and added eight assists yesterday to lead his squad to a comeback win over Indiana State. The Sycamores held a five-point halftime edge but the Bulldogs got back in the game when Emmenecker set up threes on three consecutive possessions at the start of the final 20 minutes. One by Josh Young and two by Leonard Houston was all the Bulldogs needed to get on track for another win. Drake's return to the tournament is all but assured, will they be joined by another conference team, though?

Illinois State had the inside track on the second spot before a 79-73 loss to Drake started them on a three loss in four game stretch. All the losses were roadies but still diminished the luster of another MVC team looking to end a long postseason drought. They recovered to win at Missouri State yesterday, though, and if they can beat Drake in Normal on Tuesday, they'll have restored their place near the front of the at-large line.

It's fixing to be a pretty memorable week in Des Moines and, for the first time all month, it has nothing to do with Barack Obama. It has to do with Keno Davis, Adam Emmenecker, Leonard Houston and the rest of the Drake Bulldogs. When this week's AP Top 25 comes out, it would be a shocker if Drake isn't included among its ranks for the first time since 1975.

They beat Illinois State 79-73 yesterday to take over sole possession of first place in the Missouri Valley. It was also their 15th straight win and last week's top "Other Receiving Votes" school should leapfrog losers like Clemson and Rhode Island into the rear end of the rankings. That's an exciting start for Davis, who replaced his father as the team's coach this season, and for a school that wasn't picked to do all that much in the MVC this season.

Emmenecker, a former walk-on, had 19 points, six rebounds and six assists and Houston added 19 points of his own. Drake overcame Josh Young's absence for the third straight contest and, for the third straight game, had a different leading scorer. They also overcame a 12-point ISU lead with under 14 to play. The Redbirds had won nine straight behind tight defense and good shooting. The shooting remained strong at 55% but their defense and ballhandling undid them.

What happens when a Bulldog fights a Redbird? I'm not sure who wins but the balance of power shifts in the MVC regardless of the outcome. Drake and Illinois State both improved to 6-0 in conference on Wednesday to set up a seismic battle on Saturday but took very different routes to the game.

The Redbirds dominated Wichita State in Normal, leading 34-18 at the half en route to a 72-51 victory. The Shockers wilted under the ISU defensive pressure, turning the ball over 24 times and making just 35% of their first-half buckets. No surprise there, the Redbirds lead the conference in each metric and are near the top of the national rankings as well. Offensively, they don't set your hair on fire with their scoring totals but every man on the team can shoot and pass which leads to open looks galore. Osiris Eldridge has 21 points, center Levi Dyer had five assists off the bench and the reserves scored 26 as a unit to propel victory 9 in a row.

They'll need all those charms when they head to Drake on Saturday, even after the Bulldogs barely eked out a win in Peoria.