Conor Enright's career-high night pushes Drake men's basketball past Grambling State

What happens in Vegas doesn’t always stay in Vegas, as Drake men’s basketball built on Saturday’s victory over Nevada with another tally in the win column, this time against Grambling State.

The Bulldogs (10-1) paired aggressive defense with a somewhat sloppy but still successful shooting performance to hand the Tigers (2-8) a 68-56 loss on Thursday at the Knapp Center.

Drake made 38.2% of its shots from the field (21-of-55). The Bulldogs actually shot better from 3-point range (10-of-26 for 38.5%) than they did on 2-point attempts (11-of-29 for 37.9%).

Drake is riding a seven-game win streak that includes three straight impressive performances.

The Bulldogs beat Saint Louis on Dec. 7, which was the first time since 1985 that Drake had beaten the Billikens.

Then Drake held Nevada to its lowest point total of the season and handed the Wolf Pack a loss on their home turf.

"I think we're definitely building on stuff," guard Conor Enright said. "Defensively and offensively, we're building chemistry. I just think we need to stay consistent and bring that energy every single game."

Have yourself a night, Conor Enright

Enright scored a career-high 18 points and added five rebounds and three steals. The sophomore from Mundelein, Ill., scored the Bulldogs' first nine points.

It began with a missed jumper by Tucker DeVries. Kevin Overton grabbed the rebound and passed it to Enright. He sent it to Atin Wright, who gave it to DeVries, who sent it back to Wright, who tossed the ball in Enright’s direction.

The 6-foot sophomore guard let off a 3-point shot that eased through the hoop, grabbed a steal on the other end, and drove downcourt for two more points.

A few minutes later — after Grambling State took back the lead — Wright battled for an offensive rebound in heavy coverage and found an open Enright once again. He took a shot from beyond the arc. Tigers forward Jonathan Aku fouled Enright on the shot, and Enright nailed both the 3-pointer and the free throw.

"Conor's been playing terrific, and shooting the ball unbelievably well," Drake coach Darian DeVries said. "Defensively, he's been great and now he's starting to add some of that scoring, certainly a really good night for him."

Enright embodies a Bulldog mentality. His style of play is best described as blue-collar: aggressive, fast-paced, and not overly flashy. Enright isn’t one to back down from a fight, and he seems to feed off pestering opponents. He puts his head down and works hard.

It paid off on Thursday with a career-best night.

"Seeing it go in tonight was pretty cool," Enright said. "Starting instills a little bit more confidence in me, just 'cause it's a role I played a lot in high school. Taking more responsibility, being a leader, I feel like that has helped me take a big step."

He posted a perfect first half: 5-of-5 overall, 4-of-4 on 3-pointers, 2-for-2 from the charity stripe. All but two of his points came before halftime.

Atin Wright plays bigger than his size

The 6-foot-1 junior guard recorded just one rebound against Grambling State, but it was the one described above: a grab that required Wright to out-muscle opponents with a serious height advantage over him.

This is nothing new.

Wright, a first-year Bulldog, has played like a much taller player since the moment he joined the program. The Cal Northridge transfer finds a way to maneuver around larger opponents and, like Enright, isn't afraid to take on larger defenders. He's patient on offense, too, which pays off.

He scored nine points and had three assists in the win.

"Atin's a high-energy guy, and he can be one of those guys that can change a game at both ends of the floor," Darian DeVries said. "He's had to learn how to play this game and become efficient as a scorer."

Drake extends success streak in the Knapp Center

The Bulldogs have now won 42 consecutive non-conference home games, tying Wichita State for the longest streak in the Missouri Valley Conference since 1975-76. The Shockers won 42 consecutive non-conference home games from February 2011 to December 2016.

Drake’s streak began in December 2016.

"It's been a terrific home-court advantage for us these last few years," Darian DeVries said. "The crowds definitely help, our guys have a comfort level here ... and we certainly play with a lot of confidence here."

Alyssa Hertel is the college sports recruiting reporter for the Des Moines Register. Contact Alyssa at ahertel@dmreg.com or on Twitter @AlyssaHertel.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Conor Enright's career high helps Drake basketball vs. Grambling State