The 11th-seeded Drake Bulldogs beat the sixth-seeded Missouri Tigers 67-57 to give the program its first NCAA Tournament win since 2021.
“For our guys, I think we just fought. That’s kind of what we have to do is continue to fight, and to continue to grind, and to continue to compete,” said first-year Drake head coach Ben McCollum during the Bulldogs’ postgame press conference. “I’m really proud of their effort. Really proud of their execution. Everybody that came in and everybody on the bench. It was certainly a fun atmosphere to be a part of.”
“The stage allows you to pass a message, which is: tough kids, connected kids, kids that love each other and serve each other still can win. Kids that maintain a level of loyalty… can still win,” he continued. “It’s good that other people see it. That’s our message.”
After the Bulldogs went up 43-28 in the second half, the Tigers were able to cut the lead to 52-48 with a little over six and a half minutes left in the game. Drake didn’t waver, though, finishing the game on a 15-9 run.
“I thought, really, all of our guys maintained a level of poise,” McCollum said. “When we did turn it over, we sprinted back. Those are the tough ones. The ones that no one else thinks you should get. Like the stops that no one thinks you should get, those are the ones that we got.”
Felt an upset special would happen when @DrakeBulldogsMB face @SEC @MizzouHoops – Coach Ben McCollum with his 31st win as they beat Mizzou 67-57 McCollum won 4 Div 2 National titles having a great 1st yr at Drake. The Bulldogs r so efficient offensively & play gr8 Team D .
— Dick Vitale (@DickieV) March 21, 2025
Despite winning his first NCAA Tournament game at the Division I level, McCollum didn’t plan on taking much time to celebrate the victory because he knew his guys were going to win the game.
“Maybe in a couple of years, I might reflect back on it. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t expect it,” McCollum explained. “I expected it. That’s what I expected. I expected exactly this. I expected them to compete. I brought winners with me.”
On Saturday, Drake will play Texas Tech at 6:10 p.m. EST in the Round of 32, which means McCollum will be facing his best friend, Red Raiders head coach Grant McCasland. Regardless, that won’t influence McCollum’s approach to the game.
“He’s going to try to beat us. We will try to beat him. It’s all love,” he said. “It’s just like playing pick-up with your teammates. When you’re playing pick-up, sometimes you kind of get after each other a little bit, but afterwards, it’s all love.”
