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Drake seeks to bounce back from Rice’s departure

Sports

October 8th, 2012 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Drake’s Mark Phelps has what every coach in the country wants: five returning starters. But Phelps also enters his fifth season with the Bulldogs trying to replace perhaps the best starter he had. Drake suffered a major blow in the offseason when Rayvonte Rice, a guard who averaged nearly 17 points a game in 2011-12, announced he was transferring. Rice eventually landed at Illinois. Phelps will attempt to replace him with more production from five players coming back and the eight new guys. The Bulldogs, who are 62-69 in four seasons under Phelps after winning the Missouri Valley in 2007-08, open at Detroit on Nov. 17.