Preview: Valparaiso Beacons at Drake Bulldogs DES MOINES, Iowa (Interstat) — Two teams seeking momentum in a tightly packed Missouri Valley Conference race will meet Monday when the Valparaiso Beacons visit the Drake Bulldogs at Knapp Center. Both teams enter with identical 12-12 overall records, though Drake sits at 12-13. The matchup represents a critical opportunity for either squad to climb above .500 and improve its positioning for the upcoming conference tournament. Valparaiso arrives after a hard-fought 70-63 overtime victory over Evansville on Friday. The Beacons have shown resilience, with three of their last five games decided by four points or fewer or in overtime. Guard Justus McNair has been a consistent offensive catalyst, averaging 14.3 points over his last seven contests. He scored 16 points in 38 minutes in the win over Evansville and had a 17-point performance in a loss at Bradley on Feb. 3. Drake looks to halt a three-game skid, most recently an 86-76 road loss at Illinois State on Friday. The Bulldogs have struggled defensively during the streak, allowing an average of 92 points per game. They will lean on forward Okku Federiko, who is coming off a 17-point, 4-assist effort against the Redbirds. Federiko’s production has been variable, but his ability to contribute scoring, assists, and blocked shots makes him a key piece for Drake. The Beacons have found success recently with balanced contributions. Alongside McNair, Owen Dease scored 18 points against Evansville, and Carter Hopoi added 10 points and two blocks. Drake will counter with its own trio of scorers; alongside Federiko, Owen Larson (14 points, 5 assists) and Andrew Alia (15 points) were productive in the Illinois State game. Historically, games at Knapp Center have been a challenge for Valparaiso. The Bulldogs will aim to protect their home court and reverse their recent fortunes, while the Beacons seek to build on their overtime win and string together consecutive conference victories for the first time since early January. The game is scheduled for a 7 p.m. CST tipoff on Monday, Feb. 9, 2026.