It was a March 20, 2025, NCAA Tournament showdown that pits two teams in the first round with all the action taking place, and to the enjoyment of the fans in Wichita, Kansas, they were treated to a game played between the No. 11-seeded Drake Bulldogs and the No. 6-seeded Missouri Tigers in which the latter team won by a score of 67-57.
The Bulldogs came right out, establishing a lead they would not relinquish at any point of that contest. By halftime, the gap had widened considerably. In fact, one of the strengths of the Bulldogs was that their defense was so good it limited Missouri to only 23 points in the first half, a season-low. While there certainly was a strong comeback rally in the second half from Missouri, Drake kept its composure and won.
Key Performances
- Bennett Stirtz (Drake): More than being the top scorer of the game with 21 points, the sophomore guard also handed out four assists.
- Tavion Banks (Drake): Banks scored 15 points and grabbed nine rebounds, playing both ways on offense and defense.
- Caleb Grill (Missouri): Grill was the man for the Tigers with 14 points trying to set up a little fire in the second half, which never really got going.
Coaching Perspectives
Drake’s head coach, Ben McCollum, was impressed with the resilience and performance of his team, particularly in light of the Bulldogs’ overdependence on Division II transfers. The win represented Drake’s first first-round bypass since 1971.
Missouri’s head coach, Dennis Gates, recognized the difficulty presented by Drake’s defense and control of tempo, indicating that the Tigers were unable to establish their rhythm against the Bulldogs’ slow-moving style.
Fan Reactions
In the dying minutes of the game, Drake supporters, as always, celebrated the massive upset with typical zeal and chanted “Overrated SEC,” suggesting that this victory is particularly big in terms of defeating a seed that is higher in a high-rated conference.
Drake would move on to the second round of the NCAA Tournament, where they shall be pitted against whoever emerges victorious from Texas Tech-UNC Wilmington. The Bulldogs would be keen on maintaining this fantastic run and eventually make it to the Sweet 16 for the first time in over 50 years.
