In Wichita, Kansas, Drake, the No. 11 seed, held off a late rally by Missouri, the sixth seed, to claim a 67-57 victory in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament on Thursday night. Bennett Stirtz emerged as the standout performer with 21 points, leading Drake, a team that heavily leans on Division II transfers, to an important win.
Alongside Stirtz, Tavion Banks contributed significantly with 15 points and nine rebounds for the Bulldogs, who have made strides under first-year coach Ben McCollum. This victory sets them up for a second-round clash against either third-seeded Texas Tech or No. 14 seed UNC Wilmington on Saturday.
“We just fought. That’s kind of what we have to do, is just continue to grind and compete,” McCollum commented. McCollum previously achieved great success by winning four national titles at the Division II level with Northwest Missouri State before transitioning to lead the Bulldogs last April. “We have guys that want to do that,” he added.
Missouri, with a record of 22-12, closed the gap from 15 points to just one in the closing moments. However, the Tigers struggled to maintain their momentum, allowing Drake to score the next six points, regaining control and ultimately sealing their victory.
Caleb Grill was a top performer for Missouri with 14 points, while Tamar Bates contributed 10 before fouling out. Reflecting on the season, Missouri coach Dennis Gates noted, “It’s a memorable season for our guys, a great accomplishment to say the least, but it was cut short. There’s no doubt about it. It’s loser goes home, and we didn’t do enough to come away with a win.”
The match-up highlighted contrasting styles: Drake’s nation-leading defense aimed to control the game, while Missouri’s top-10 offense sought to increase the tempo whenever opportunities arose. However, such chances were scarce until the second half.
Drake’s tenacious defense and strategic offense contributed to a 30-23 halftime advantage. It seemed as though the Bulldogs from Des Moines, Iowa, with an enrollment of 4,774, were in command as they expanded their lead to 43-28 with just over 12 minutes left.
Missouri began to exert pressure, hoping to quicken the game’s pace, but struggled with consistency. The Tigers managed to close in with a 10-point streak, coming within 52-51 after Mark Mitchell’s free throw with 4:28 on the clock. Yet, this was as close as Missouri came to taking the lead.
“Drake answered it,” Gates admitted. “I credit them, because they settled back in. We just didn’t execute. We got the shots. We had an opportunity to tie the game; that’s why we were down one. … We just didn’t make enough shots or have enough stops.”
Key Takeaways: Although Drake struggled at the free-throw line, converting just 12 of 24 attempts, they managed to overcome past disappointments and end a four-game losing streak in the first-round of the NCAA Tournament. Missouri, plagued by recent losses, appeared off its pace in the first half, resulting in a deficit too large to overcome.
Looking ahead, the Bulldogs will aim for a spot in their first Sweet 16 appearance since 1971 with their upcoming game on Saturday.