The much anticipated showdown of the league’s current leaders in the men’s basketball standings will feature nationally ranked Drake against second-place Loyola from Knapp Center in Des Moines, Iowa, on Saturday-Sunday, Feb. 13-14.   
 
   The first game of the series has shifted to an 11 a.m. CT start to accommodate a national television clearance on ESPN2.   It was originally slated for a 5 p.m. CT tip.   The second game of the series (Sunday) will air at 5 p.m. CT on ESPNU.    Prior to the series next weekend Drake will travel to Valparaiso, Ind., for a two-game set at Valpo and hosts Northern Iowa on Feb. 10; while Loyola entertains third-place Evansville for two games at Gentile Arena in Chicago, Ill.   Schedule updates throughout the season will be posted on mvc-sports.com.   

   Drake moved into the Associated Press Top 25 Poll and The Ferris Mowers Men’s Basketball Coaches Poll, powered by USA TODAY Sports Top 25, Monday, Feb. 1.  The Bulldogs are No. 25 in the AP Poll and No. 25 in the Coaches Poll.

It marks the first time that a league team has been ranked since the final coaches poll of 2018 (Loyola was 7th).   The Ramblers are also among schools receiving votes this week, good for 28th in the AP poll and 29th in the coaches rankings.  Drake was last ranked in the final AP poll of the 2008 season.