McDonald, who has been a prolific scorer in his first three seasons as a Drake basketball player and should pass Red Murrell as the school’s career leader, sprained his left ankle in practice two days ago and is expected to miss the Bulldogs’ three games Saturday and Sunday in Mexico.

"I don’t think I’d be able to go all-out (in the games)," McDonald said before today’s practice.

Indeed, it’s likely McDonald won’t even make the trip to Cancun with new coach Tom Davis and the Bulldogs.

"It’s not going to break my heart if I don’t go," the 6-5, 215-pound senior said. "I just want to get healthy."

McDonald said, however, he and his teammates are excited about playing the 2003-2004 season under the 64-year-old Davis, who had a 269-140 record in 13 seasons at Iowa before being replaced by Steve Alford after going 20-10 in 1998-99.

"Everybody is revved up and ready to go," McDonald said. "The energy level is pretty high."

Eggers is a transfer from a strong program at Kirkwood Community College in Cedar Rapids, where he said he averaged about 14 points last season.

"Eggers hasn’t been mentioned much," Davis said. "He’s out of Wahlert High School, and wasn’t recruited at the Division I level. He can play. He’s got a good game.

"His team won the Prime Time League championship this summer (in North Liberty). I could see watching tape of (the championship game) that he’s someone who could help us."

Eggers said Iowa players Greg Brunner and Adam Haluska were among his teammates on the PTL team.

Davis described Eggers as a "long-armed kid who can get his hand on a lot of basketballs. He’s got a good all-around game and is a very intelligent kid. He comes from pretty good bloodlines—his mother is Kevin Kunnert’s sister and his father was an outstanding player at Loras College."

Kunnert was an outstanding player at Iowa and later in the National Basketball Association.

Eggers, a left-hander, intends to study pre-law at Drake and is eager to show he can compete at the Division I level.

"I was looking at Division II schools," he said. "Then, with Coach Davis coming here to Drake, it was exciting. He’s a very knowledgeable guy and we all believe in what he’s doing.

"I used to follow him when he coached at Iowa. I like his style of play. His teams go hard all the time."

Drake plays Quintanaroo Select at 8 p.m. Sunday at Playa del Carmen.

The thing that made the trip appealing to Davis was that his new players could go on it because classes have already begun.

"Today is our ninth day of practice, and the third day since the new players joined us," Davis said. "One positive has been the attitude of the players."

Davis said he plans to keep an open mind, using a different starting lineup in every game in Mexico.

"We’ll start 15 players to give everybody a shot," he said.

Davis said he feels good about making the decision to return to coaching.

"I’ve enjoyed the city, the school and the people," he said. "The people here are trying so hard to make this (rebuilding job) happen. I can’t do it alone—it’s got to be a group effort."

Drake’s schedule is complete. The first thing that sticks out when you look at it is that the opening road game is Nov. 25 at Iowa—where Davis won so many big games. The Bulldogs play Iowa State on Dec. 20 at the Knapp Center and have two Missouri Valley Conference games against Northern Iowa—Jan. 17 in Cedar Falls and Feb. 25 in Des Moines.

Of the Iowa game, Davis said, "The only time I think of it is when people ask about it. It’s probably best that I don’t think about it, and treat it as another game."

"So," Davis said with a smile as he finished his answer to radio talk-show host Larry Cotlar, "stop asking me about it."

Drake also will play a game against an as-yet unannounced opponent Feb. 21 in the Bracket Buster.

"From what I understand from the league office, the game will be televised at some level," Davis said. "It depends on how good we are. The way it works is that we’re on the road for that game, but the next year we’re guaranteed a home game against that team."

Nov. 8—Grand View, 7:05 (exhibition)

Nov. 12—Dream Builders, 7:05 (exhibition)

Nov. 21—Simpson, 7:05

Nov. 25—at Iowa, 7:05

Nov. 29—Colorado State, 7:05

Dec. 2—at Western Illinois, 7:05

Dec. 6—Southern Illinois (MVC-TV), 3:05

Dec. 13—Southern Utah, TBA

Dec. 20—Iowa State, 7:05

Dec. 29—at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, 7:05

Dec. 30—Cleveland State or Georgia Southern at Corpus Christi, Texas, 5:05

Jan. 3—at Wichita State, 7:05

Jan. 8—Bradley, 7:05

Jan. 11—Creighton, TBA

Jan. 14—Illinois State, 7:05

Jan. 17—at Northern Iowa, 7:05

Jan. 22—at Indiana State, 7:05

Jan. 25—Southwest Missouri State, 2:05

Jan. 28—at Bradley, 7:05

Jan. 31—Wichita State, 7:35

Feb. 4—Indiana State, 7:05

Feb. 7—at Evansville, 7:05

Feb. 11—at Southern Illinois, 7:05

Feb. 14—Creighton (MVC-TV), 7:05

Feb. 17—at Southwest Missouri State, 7:05

Feb. 21—Bracket Buster, TBA

Feb. 25—Northern Iowa, 7:05

Feb. 28—Evansville, 2:05

March 1—at Illinois State, 7:05

March 5-8—Missouri Valley Conference tournament, St. Louis, TBA