Drake pulled off a 67-57 upset over No. 6 Missouri on Thursday afternoon, marking the program’s first win in the NCAA tournament since 1971. The Bulldogs dominated the game, holding Missouri to just 23 points in the first half and allowing only seven made field goals in that time.
Bennett Stirtz led the charge for Drake with 21 points, shooting 8-of-11 from the field. Tavion Banks added 15 points off the bench as the Bulldogs shot better than 54% from the field overall. Despite struggling at the free-throw line, they outlasted Missouri in the fourth quarter to secure the 10-point win.
The victory marked a milestone for Drake, which had been in four of the last five NCAA tournaments but hadn’t won since 1971. The Bulldogs’ defense proved to be too much for Missouri, holding them to just two made field goals over nearly eight minutes in the second half.
Drake will now face either No. 3 Texas Tech in the second round. With a strong defensive showing and slow-paced strategy, the Bulldogs are on track to make a deep run in the tournament despite not being favored by many. Their first-year head coach, Ben McCollum, has already drawn attention from other coaching openings, but for now, he’s focused on making the most of this momentous win.
Source: https://sports.yahoo.com/college-basketball/article/march-madness-2025-bennett-stirtz-drake-hang-on-to-upset-missouri-for-first-ncaa-tournament-win-in-54-years-021114044.html