March Madness is in full swing, and the first big upset of the tournament came in the West Region, where No. 11 seed Drake stunned No. 6 seed Missouri, 67-57, in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Thursday night.
Drake’s Bennett Stirtz led the charge with 21 points, as the Bulldogs—built largely on Division II transfers—held off Missouri despite nearly letting a 15-point lead slip away. Tavion Banks added 15 points and nine rebounds for Drake (31-3), which advanced to face No. 3 seed Texas Tech in the second round on Saturday.
Missouri (22-12) fought back after a sluggish first half, reducing its deficit to just one point in the final minutes. But the Tigers, who struggled to crack Drake’s nation-leading defense all night, ran out of gas. The Bulldogs responded with six straight points to regain control and secure the win.
As expected, this game was a battle between Drake’s suffocating defense and Missouri’s high-powered offense. The Bulldogs slowed the game to their tempo, making every Missouri possession a grind.
Stirtz, one of four former Northwest Missouri State players who followed first-year coach Ben McCollum to Drake, was the offensive catalyst. Whether hitting a key three-pointer or driving to the rim, he found ways to exploit Missouri’s defense.
Drake led 30-23 at halftime, then extended its advantage to 43-28 with 12:40 to play, seemingly on the verge of a comfortable win. However, Missouri ramped up its full-court pressure, and the Bulldogs began to unravel.
The Tigers reeled off 10 straight points and closed within 52-51 after Mark Mitchell sank a free throw with 4:28 remaining. But that was as close as they would get. Drake regrouped and answered with a decisive 6-0 run, sealing the victory.
Caleb Grill led Missouri with 14 points, while Tamar Bates added 10 before fouling out. The Tigers entered the tournament having lost four of their last five games, and their early offensive struggles proved costly.
Missouri’s top-10 scoring offense never found its rhythm against a Drake team that dictated the pace and made every shot difficult. The Tigers’ second-half push fell short, as they simply couldn’t sustain the energy needed to complete the comeback.
Drake survives despite free throw struggles. The Bulldogs shot just 12-of-24 from the foul line, but their defense carried them to their first NCAA Tournament win since 2021, snapping a four-game first-round losing streak.
Missouri’s late-season slide continues. The Tigers’ recent struggles carried over into the tournament, as their high-powered offense failed to break through Drake’s disciplined defense.
Ben McCollum’s impact is real. The first-year coach, who built a Division II powerhouse at Northwest Missouri State, already has Drake playing like a seasoned tournament team.
Drake moves on to face No. 3 seed Texas Tech on Saturday, looking to reach the program’s first Sweet 16 since 1971. With a defense capable of frustrating even the best teams, the Bulldogs have a real chance to keep their Cinderella run alive.
