Drake Basketball: 2022-23 season preview and outlook for the Bulldogs

Projected Starting Lineup

For the second straight season, Drake will be one of the oldest teams in the country. While the star of this team is a sophomore, three graduate students and one senior are in the starting lineup.

Tucker DeVries – Small Forward

The coach’s son was the Valley’s ‘Freshman of the year’ and a second-team, all-conference player last year. DeVries is a 6’6 wing who can score from anywhere on the floor. As a former four-star high school player, much was expected of him last season and he delivered.

He led the team in scoring (13.9), three-point baskets (75), and blocked shots (30). His knack for scoring from deep, opened the way for him to drive the lane where he scored or earned free-throws, making 79 of those last season.

DeVries contributed right away but grew into his collegiate game. Wilkins says he’s been watching DeVries since the coach’s son was playing in high school and ‘the dude can play’ but tells us the sophomore wing puts in all the hard work necessary.

DeVries could be this season’s Valley’s Player of the Year.

Roman Penn – Point Guard

Penn is what great point guards all are. He is a floor general, looks for and leads his teammates and does whatever it takes to win games. He has battled injuries during his time at Drake, so he has missed time and played hurt. Most of last season he soldiered on with a broken bone in his foot.

While not a great three-point shooter, he averaged 11.1 points and 3.9 assists per game. Penn is the master of getting to the paint and making something happen and has accumulated over 500 collegiate assists. He has landed on some MVC all-conference team each of his three seasons in Des Moines.

The 6’1 graduate student was a first-teamer when he was fully healthy in 2020-21 and has scored over 1,200 collegiate points.

D.J. Wilkins – Guard

Drake has faced adversity and bad timing with injuries. Last season Wilkins, who is the team’s best three-point shooter and an outstanding defender, injured his knee during the final regular season game. Without the 6’2 Wilkins, the Bulldogs won two games at Arch Madness, but fell in the final to Loyola.

This grad student has also accumulated over 1,200 career points. Last season he averaged 10.3 points per game and converted 39 percent of his shots from deep and 88 percent from the line. Coach DeVries says he and Penn who had offseason surgeries should both be fully ready for the regular season opener.

When healthy, Wilkins is an explosive leaper and dunker.

Garrett Sturtz – Guard

The third graduate student in the mix is Garrett Sturtz. He came to Des Moines as a walk-on and earned his way into becoming a rotational player and then into a league-wide star. Twice he has been named to Valley’s ‘all-bench’ team and last season was a second-team all-conference player.

His 11-point-per-game scoring average and his team-leading 7.1 rebounds per game only scratch the surface of his value to the squad. Sturtz led the team with 52 steals and 81 free throws.

As a prolific high school scorer, the Newton, Iowa native realized he had to do something else in college to earn playing time. He says the ‘dirty work’ became important.

“I fell in love with doing the ‘dirty work’,” said Sturtz. “Being a big scorer in high school, I wasn’t familiar with it, but I came to love it.”

Wilkins says the 6’3 Sturtz competes and fights everyday and his teammates feed off his hard work.

Darnell Brodie – Center

Brodie is practically a newcomer since this is just his third season at Drake.  The 6’10 senior started his career at Seton Hall. He started 31 games two seasons ago and played in all 36 last season, starting 15.

Brodie (275 pounds) gives Drake interior defense and occasional scoring (5.8 ppg).