Darnell Brodie

DES MOINES — Darnell Brodie scored 20 points on 10-of-10 shooting and grabbed 10 rebounds and the Drake men’s basketball team remained undefeated by beating Illinois State 78-76 in overtime on Sunday.

The Bulldogs became the third Missouri Valley Conference team in the last 50 seasons to win their first 16 games. The other two legendary teams were Wichita State, which started 35-0 in 2013-14, and Larry Bird’s 1978-79 Indiana State team that won 33 games before falling to Magic Johnson and Michigan State in the NCAA championship game.

“I’m happy to come away with a win in a hard-fought Valley game with some big swings,” said Drake head coach Darian DeVries. “It’s league play, you have to find a way sometimes. Today was one of them and we were able to survive it and get the win.”

Howard Fleming Jr. scored on a follow-up to make it 78-76 with 16.5 seconds remaining and the Redbirds got another chance when Drake’s Garrett Sturtz missed the front end of a 1-and-1 free throw. But Fleming missed a driving shot just before the buzzer and the Bulldogs stayed perfect.

Dusan Mahorcic made 1 of 2 free throws for Illinois State with five seconds left in regulation to force the overtime tied at 71 after the Bulldogs missed a shot and tip-in as time ran out.

“You have to figure out a way to win a game,” DeVries said. “You never know how that game is going to play out. For us to go and survive, it is a credit to those guys for gutting one out and figuring out a way. We have to do a better job tomorrow of getting into some things against their zone. But they found a way to win.”

Tremell Murphy had 13 points for Drake (16-0, 7-0 Missouri Valley Conference). D.J. Wilkins added 11 points. Roman Penn had 10 points and nine assists.

Antonio Reeves scored a career-high 27 points and had six rebounds for the Redbirds (5-11, 2-8). DJ Horne added 14 points and seven rebounds. Emon Washington had six rebounds.

Drake 78, Illinois St. 76, OT

ILLINOIS ST. (5-11) — Mahorcic 3-8 3-7 9, Fleming 3-4 0-0 7, Horne 6-15 0-0 14, Reeves 8-16 8-9 27, Washington 2-5 2-2 6, Boyd 2-7 0-0 5, Sissoko 0-1 2-2 2, Ndiaye 2-3 0-0 6, Andrews 0-0 0-0 0. TOTALS 26-59 15-20 76.

DRAKE (16-0) — Brodie 10-10 0-0 20, Hemphill 3-8 0-0 6, Murphy 6-13 1-2 13, Penn 3-15 4-4 10, Wilkins 4-12 0-0 11, Sturtz 3-8 1-2 7, Yesufu 4-6 0-0 9, Ferguson 0-0 2-2 2, Jackson 0-3 0-0 0. TOTALS 33-76 8-10 78.

Halftime–Drake 38-32. 3-Point Goals–Illinois St. 9-21 (Reeves 3-5, Ndiaye 2-3, Horne 2-7, Fleming 1-2, Boyd 1-3, Washington 0-1), Drake 4-30 (Wilkins 3-11, Yesufu 1-3, Jackson 0-3, Murphy 0-5, Penn 0-7). Fouled Out–Brodie. Rebounds–Illinois St. 34 (Horne 7), Drake 37 (Brodie 10). Assists–Illinois St. 11 (Fleming, Horne 4), Drake 14 (Penn 9). Total Fouls–Illinois St. 15, Drake 17. A–947 (7,152).