Drake basketball’s season of success ends in March Madness 2nd round

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Drake men’s basketball coach Ben McCollum reflects on job rumors

Drake lost to Texas Tech, 77-64, in the second round of the 2025 NCAA men’s basketball March Madness tournament. Drake coach Ben McCollum has been a popular name for college basketball coach openings.

WICHITA, Kan. — There are very few certainties during March Madness, as the name implies.

From top-seeded teams losing in early rounds to players carrying their squads with displays of individual excellence, expecting the unexpected is the best approach to a month full of unpredictable moments.

But if there is one thread that serves as a common denominator among all the madness, it’s that people love the Cinderella story.

Each year, like clockwork, a handful of teams achieve success beyond what was expected. In the NCAA Tournament, it lends to some interesting storylines. And for fans of college basketball, those teams often serve as a unifier, a rallying point.

And throughout 33 games leading into March Madness, Drake basketball turned into that team.

Look up articles on Cinderella picks from before the start of the tournament, and the Bulldogs were included in breakdowns from the big names in sports journalism. The Athletic, ESPN, Fox Sports, Sports Illustrated, USA TODAY – it was Drake’s world, and seemingly every reporter was happy to be living in it.

But sometimes entering the tournament as a beloved – and hyped-up – underdog puts a team on too high of a pedestal, and that fall from the top hurts.

“I wish it wasn’t over,” Drake guard Mitch Mascari said after Saturday’s 77-64 loss to Texas Tech in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. “But that’s the way it goes sometimes. I mean, this team is really special.”

The SparkNotes version of the Bulldogs became this: First-year head coach Ben McCollum rebuilt a depleted roster, mostly with Division II talent, and led Drake (31-4) to its winningest season in program history.

And nothing – regardless of a second-round exit or what could occur…

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Source link : https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/sports/college/drake/drake-bulldogs/2025/03/22/drake-basketball-season-of-success-ends-march-madness-2nd-round-texas-tech-ncaa-tournament/82585517007/

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Publish date : 2025-03-23 02:20:00

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