Robert Morris vs Drake College Basketball Betting Preview

College basketball’s opening week continues Thursday night with a fascinating mid-major matchup between the Robert Morris Colonials and the Drake Bulldogs. Both programs enter the 2025–26 season with new challenges, new faces, and plenty of intrigue.

For Robert Morris, it’s a quick turnaround after a tough opening-night loss to Iowa. For Drake, it’s a chance to build on Monday’s strong performance in a neutral-site win over Northern Arizona.

The storyline surrounding this game adds a layer of familiarity and strategy that makes it one of the more compelling early-season contests. Free picks and predictions from The GoldSheet below!

A Familiar Opponent for Robert Morris

Robert Morris begins its campaign with a challenging road swing through the state of Iowa — facing the Hawkeyes first, and now Drake.

Unfortunately for the Colonials, their first stop didn’t go as planned. They were soundly defeated by Iowa in a game that marked Ben McCollum’s coaching debut for the Hawkeyes.

That’s where the intrigue deepens. McCollum spent last season coaching at Drake, meaning that Robert Morris will see many of the same offensive and defensive concepts in back-to-back games. In essence, Thursday’s matchup feels like a continuation of Tuesday’s opener — only against a different team running a similar system.

This level of schematic familiarity could pose another challenge for Robert Morris. The Bulldogs’ system under McCollum emphasized spacing, pace, and perimeter play — all areas where Iowa excelled in its victory earlier this week.

Robert Morris Rebuilds After a Historic Season

While the Colonials enter this contest off a lopsided loss, the program’s trajectory remains impressive. Robert Morris is coming off a Horizon League championship and made waves in last year’s NCAA Tournament, where they gave Alabama a legitimate scare before bowing out.

However, in the modern era of college basketball, sustaining success at the mid-major level is rarely simple. The transfer portal reshaped the Colonials’ roster during the offseason, with several key contributors moving to higher-profile programs:

Alvaro Fulgueiras departed for Iowa, now playing under McCollum.
Amarion Dickerson transferred to USC.
Josh Omojafo landed at South Florida.

These departures leave significant production to replace. Head coach Andy Toole faces the challenge of rebuilding around new pieces while maintaining the toughness and cohesion that defined last season’s Horizon League run.

The result is a Robert Morris team still searching for its rhythm — especially on the defensive end, where stopping skilled perimeter teams has been a weakness early on.

Drake Bulldogs: A New Era Under Eric Henderson

The Drake Bulldogs also have a new face on the sidelines. Eric Henderson, who joined the program after a successful six-year stint at South Dakota State, now leads the Bulldogs. Henderson’s track record speaks to a clear identity: disciplined defense and efficient scoring.

That defensive approach was already visible in Drake’s 77–71 win over Northern Arizona earlier this week. Five Bulldogs scored in double figures, showcasing their balanced offensive attack. But it was their defense that truly stood out.

Under Henderson’s direction last season at South Dakota State, his teams allowed opponents to attempt three-pointers at one of the highest rates in the country while locking down the interior.

Opponents took 47.8% of their total field goal attempts from beyond the arc, a strategy built on forcing low-percentage perimeter shots and eliminating easy looks near the rim.

That formula worked to near perfection in Monday’s game. Drake limited Northern Arizona to 17-of-49 (34.7%) shooting from two-point range, demonstrating the same ability to protect the paint that made Henderson’s defenses so effective in the Summit League.

If the Bulldogs can replicate that effort, Robert Morris could struggle once again, especially after showing offensive inconsistency in their opener.

Robert Morris vs Drake Prediction: Under 149.5

For the Bulldogs, the combination of balanced scoring and elite rim protection should continue to define their early-season identity. For Robert Morris, the key lies in adjusting quickly to life without its departed stars and finding a way to generate consistent offense against a disciplined opponent.

Both programs are navigating transition periods, but their contrasting strengths — Robert Morris’s resilience versus Drake’s structured defense — set the stage for an intriguing early-season clash.

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