DES MOINES, Iowa — The Drake Bulldogs may have a new head coach and team this season, but that didn’t prevent them from getting to the Big Dance.
The Bulldogs officially punched their ticket to the NCAA Tournament after a dominating performance in the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament. The championship game took place in St. Louis on Sunday between the top seed, Drake, and the second seed, the Bradley Braves.
The final score was 63 – 48.
This is Drake’s third-consecutive conference tournament title, and it’s the first time since 2008 that the Bulldogs won both the regular season championship and the conference tournament.
This has been a historic season for Drake as they won 30 games, the most in program history. They only lost three times this season. One of the losses was to the Bradley Braves earlier this year.
This season’s dominance is much to the credit of new head coach, Ben McCollum, and his team, that includes four players McCollum brought with him from Northwest Missouri State.
-
Drake’s Bennett Stirtz celebrates with teammates following a victory over Bradley in the championship game of the Missouri Valley Conference NCAA college basketball tournament Sunday, March 9, 2025, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson) -
Drake’s Bennett Stirtz reaches a loose ball as Bradley’s Christian Davis (5) and Ahmet Jonovic, right, defend during the first half of the championship game in the Missouri Valley Conference NCAA college basketball tournament Sunday, March 9, 2025, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson) -
Drake head coach Ben McCollum hugs Nate Ferguson (24) in the final seconds against Bradley in the championship game of the Missouri Valley Conference NCAA college basketball tournament Sunday, March 9, 2025, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson) -
Drake head coach Ben McCollum applauds during the second half against Bradley in the championship game of the Missouri Valley Conference NCAA college basketball tournament Sunday, March 9, 2025, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson) -
Drake’s Bennett Stirtz, right, loses control of the ball on his way to the basket as Bradley’s Christian Davis (5) defends during the first half of the championship game in the Missouri Valley Conference NCAA college basketball tournament Sunday, March 9, 2025, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson) -
Bradley head coach Brian Wardle is seen on the sidelines during the first half of the championship game against Drake in the Missouri Valley Conference NCAA college basketball tournament Sunday, March 9, 2025, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson) -
Bradley’s Demarion Burch reacts after making a basket during the first half of the championship game against Drake in the Missouri Valley Conference NCAA college basketball tournament Sunday, March 9, 2025, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson) -
Drake’s Bennett Stirtz (14) looks to pass as Bradley’s Christian Davis (5) defends during the first half of the championship game in the Missouri Valley Conference NCAA college basketball tournament Sunday, March 9, 2025, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson) -
Drake’s Mitch Mascari and Bradley’s Christian Davis, right, chase a loose ball during the first half of the championship game in the Missouri Valley Conference NCAA college basketball tournament Sunday, March 9, 2025, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson) -
Drake’s Cam Manyawu heads to the basket past Bradley’s Ahmet Jonovic (14) during the first half of the championship game in the Missouri Valley Conference NCAA college basketball tournament Sunday, March 9, 2025, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson) -
Drake’s Daniel Abreu (54) and Bradley’s Christian Davis (5) chase a loose ball during the first half of the championship game in the Missouri Valley Conference NCAA college basketball tournament Sunday, March 9, 2025, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson) -
Drake’s Isaia Howard (23) looks to pass as Bradley’s Zek Montgomery, left, defends during the first half of the championship game in the Missouri Valley Conference NCAA college basketball tournament Sunday, March 9, 2025, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson) -
Drake’s Tavion Banks (6) shoots over Bradley’s Almar Atlason (1) during the first half of the championship game in the Missouri Valley Conference NCAA college basketball tournament Sunday, March 9, 2025, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
“Our objective was to get the toughest, highest character, most connected kids we could possibly have first and foremost. And that’s what we did. I felt like we did a good job with that,” McCollum said to CBS Sports.
Conference Player of the Year and junior at Drake, Bennett Stirtz led the Bulldogs with 24 points and was named the most outstanding player.
“We put in a bunch of work and we trusted the skies. We knew what we were capable of, no one else did, and we just stuck together as a team,” he said to CBS Sports.
The Bulldogs will learn their seed in the NCAA Tournament on Selection Sunday. Most are projecting they will be named the 11th or 10th seed.
Leave a Reply