The 11th-seeded Drake Bulldogs secured a 67-57 victory over the 6th-seeded Missouri Tigers in the first round of the NCAA tournament. Drake, entering as a 5-point underdog, showcased physical dominance on the boards. Junior guard Bennett Stirtz led the Bulldogs with 21 points. The Bulldogs outscored Missouri 38-22 in the paint and held the Tigers to their lowest first-half point total of the season. Drake’s slow-tempo style led to a 30-23 halftime lead, which grew to 15 points in the second half. Despite a late 12-2 run by Missouri, Drake responded with a 15-6 surge in the final minutes to secure the win. Tavion Banks, contributing 15 points, scored seven crucial points during the closing stretch. This victory marks Drake’s first NCAA tournament win since 2021, bringing their season record to 31-3.
Pat Forde
@ByPatForde
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13h Drake had mediocre analytics and got a low seed because it played a lot of close games. It also won them. It’s about to win another one against Missouri. The only metric that matters with the Bulldogs: 31-3.
Graham Doeren Bracketology
@GrahamDoeren
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12h Congratulations to Drake on their win today, but it leaves me continuing to wonder why they are an 11 seed.
They were 6-0 vs Quads 1/2. Winning should matter more.
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