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The Drake University Bulldogs have climbed to No. 15 in the AP College Basketball Poll but that ranking and their top spot in the MVC standings could be in jeopardy Tuesday night when they travel to Normal, Ill., to face the Illinois State Red Birds tonight. With a win Drake will win its 20th straight game an accomplishment not expected from a team predicted to finish ninth in the conference according to pre-season predictions. Oddsmakers at online sportsbook Sportsbetting.com have installed Illinois State a 4-point chalk favorite. 

In the last matchup between these MVC rivals, Illinois State had a double-digit lead over the Bulldogs in Des Moines on Jan. 19, before Drake mounted a late comeback to record a 79-73 win. 

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In conference play, Drake and Illinois State are very statistically similar. The Bulldogs top the league in scoring offense, averaging 69.6 points per game, while the Redbirds rank third (65.5). ISU is ranked third in the Valley in scoring defense (61.1 ppg), and Drake follows in fourth at 61.3 points per MVC contest. The Bulldogs are tops in the Valley in scoring margin at +8.4, and ISU ranks second overall in the category (+4.4).

The Redbirds' 46.9 percent field goal mark in conference play leads the league, and Drake, shooting 45.3 percent from the field, is third overall. ISU and Drake are the respective fourth and fifth-ranked three-point field goal shooting teams, at 38.0 and 37.6 percent. Drake leads the Valley in three-point field goal percentage defense (32.5 percent), and ISU is third (35.1).

The Redbirds rank second in assists (14.09 apg), and Drake is fourth (13.27). ISU tops the league in assist/turnover ratio (1.17), and the Bulldogs' 1.13 mark ranks third. Illinois State is the Valley's second-ranked defensive rebounding team (23.00 rpg) in conference play, and Drake ranks third in the category (22.64 rpg).

Drake’s 20-1 mark is the best start in school history, along with the current 19-game winning streak. The winning streak is the fourth longest winning streak by a team in Missouri Valley Conference history, and is the longest winning streak since Bradley reeled off 22 straight wins in 1985-86. 

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