Ryan Wedel scored 22 points and Rayvonte Rice added 17 as Drake defeated Illinois State 76-68 on Tuesday night.
Rice had eight rebounds for the Bulldogs (8-11, 3-5 Missouri Valley), who snapped a three-game losing streak.
Austin Hill had 18 points, Jackie Carmichael 12 and Blake Mishler 10 for the Redbirds (8-11, 0-8), who lost their eighth straight. Illinois State has dropped its first eight league games for the second time in school history, the last in 2002-03.
Ben Simons and Wedel hit 3-pointers to ignite an 11-0 run during a 3:28 second-half stretch that gave Drake a 50-35 advantage. Illinois State trailed by 21 before rallying to within single digits, but could not get over the hump as the Bulldogs sealed the win with four free throws in the final 43 seconds.
