Drake basketball will leave zero doubt about their NCAA Tournament chances as they secure the auto bid with a win over Bradley in the MVC title game.
General Information:
Team:Â Drake
Location:Â Des Moines, Iowa
Record:Â 30-3 (17-3)
Head Coach: Ben McCollum (First season in D-1)
What to know about Drake basketball:
Darian Devries was vastly successful as the leader of the Bulldogs program from 2018-2024. When Devries ultimately earned the West Virginia gig in the offseason, Drake hired Ben McCollum, one of the most dominant coaches ever at the Division-II level at 43 years old. In his lone year in Des Moines, McCollum brought the program to new heights, breaking the program record of 28 wins set last season. A true power in the Missouri Valley, the Bulldogs are back in the dance for the fourth time in five seasons.
Sure, Drake’s 218th ranked strength of schedule is less than appealing. Quite frankly, they haven’t been truly battle-tested since they secured away-from-home victories over Vanderbilt and Kansas State in November. That said, you can only play who is on your schedule, and the Bulldogs have won 18 of their last 19 games, the lone loss being by a 2-point margin to a top-100 Bradley team. The MVC is a decent conference, and Drake absolutely ran through it. There is a lot that is unknown about the Bulldogs, but that makes them scary, too.
NCAA Tournament prediction for Drake basketball: Round of 32 Exit
Projected seed: 11
If you’re a five or six-seed, Drake is one of the teams you certainly do not what to see adjacent to your school’s name. They have all the makings of a dangerous mid-major.
For starters, the Bulldogs have a superstar play-making guard in Bennett Stirtz. The MVC Player of the Year has everything that matters this time of year: the ability to hit tough, contested shots, a track record of performing in the clutch, and limitless range. Needless to say, they are also extremely well-coached. McCollum is a mastermind schemer on the offensive end and brings a top-50 defense to the table. Plus, it’s difficult to ignore the fact that Drake simply does not lose basketball games. Even with their schedule, 30 wins could easily put them on the nine- or ten-line, contrary to the bracketology consensus.
There are some holes in this team. They have relied heavily on opponents shooting cold against them, which is largely due to good perimeter defense, but a 54.3% two-point percentage against is problematic. Without a great rim protector, the Bulldogs could be vulnerable to a team with lengthy, athletic wings or physical bigs.
Drake’s NCAA Tournament outlook will rely largely on who they are fortunate or unfortunate enough to get matched up with. The Round of 32 prediction acts as a healthy medium among the large range of possible outcomes.