Drake’s McCollum: From D-II Domination to D-I disruption
The roar of the crowd in Kansas City’s T-Mobile center was deafening. But inside the Drake University locker room, a different kind of intensity reigned. head coach Ben McCollum,a man known for his strategic brilliance,addressed his team before their clash with Kansas State.
His assistants had noted a quietness among the players during warmups. This wasn’t just any game; it was the Wildcat Classic, a high-stakes matchup against a Big 12 opponent. For players like star point guard Bennett Stirtz, who’d attended the event as a fan the previous year, and Isaiah Jackson, a Kansas City native playing in his hometown arena for the first time, the pressure was palpable. Jackson even FaceTimed his parents after practice to share the momentous occasion.
Four starters had followed McCollum from their Division II powerhouse, Northwest Missouri State, to Drake. They were battle-tested, but this was a different level. McCollum, drawing on a speech he’d delivered before the 2021 Division II national championship game, offered a unique viewpoint.
“It’s always engaging in these kinds of environments, what some people can do and what some people quite frankly can’t do, that they can do in a regular surroundings,” McCollum said.
He used the analogy of a balance beam, starting at ground level and gradually increasing its height. His message was clear: the ability to perform remains, but distractions can hinder success. “The same balance beam that you just told me you could walk across when it was on the ground because there was no repercussions to it, all of a sudden it lifts a little bit and you can’t walk across it anymore? Why?” McCollum asked. “Because you lost the ability to walk? No. You can still do that. As you’re distracted by everything else around you.”
The Bulldogs, heeding his words, emerged victorious, defeating Kansas State on a last-second Stirtz shot in overtime.This win was a testament to McCollum’s coaching prowess and the team’s unwavering focus.
Drake started 2025 as one of the last four undefeated teams in Division I, a remarkable feat fueled by McCollum’s strategic brilliance and the experience his players brought from their D-II days. While they suffered their first loss in their Missouri Valley Conference opener against UIC, their 12-1 start, including three wins over high-major programs, is a testament to their unexpected success.
“They look good on film, but when you watch them in person, they’re even better,” Vanderbilt coach Mark Byington observed, adding, “And what they’re better at in person is some details that you might not catch by watching film. And then when you see them in person, they hit every single detail.” Byington even reached out to McCollum after Drake’s victory over Vanderbilt to discuss their strategies.
McCollum’s 15-year tenure at Northwest Missouri State was marked by 12 regular-season conference titles and four national championships. His offensive schemes were studied by Division I coaches long before his move to Drake. While his success at the D-I level was anticipated, the speed and magnitude of his impact have surprised many.
Coach McCollum’s Unexpected Return to the Court: Building a Drake Dynasty
Darrin McCollum, a four-time Division II national champion with Northwest Missouri State University, has traded the Bearcats’ den for the Drake Bulldogs’ court. His move to Division I basketball wasn’t just a career leap; it was a carefully orchestrated recruitment of key players, a testament to his coaching prowess and the allure of a program with a rich history.
McCollum’s success at Northwest Missouri State speaks for itself. “They’re a well-tuned machine,” commented opposing coach,Byington,after a game against McCollum’s team. “I shook his hand after our game and told him this group can make a deep run in the (NCAA) Tournament. Not just win a game; they can make a run.” This sentiment underscores the high expectations surrounding McCollum’s new team at Drake.
The transition to Division I wasn’t immediate.”I’m a slow trigger by nature,” McCollum admitted, “as I evaluate every decision quite a bit.” He considered several opportunities in recent years but was hesitant to uproot his family. Drake, however, presented a unique prospect – a program with a winning tradition in a competitive conference, and a personal connection as an Iowa native. Even then, the decision took five days. ”We had a good setup,” he explained. “And, you know, your culture doesn’t necessarily travel.”
But McCollum’s culture proved surprisingly portable. Three returning starters from Northwest Missouri State – point guard Stirtz, distributor and lockdown defender Jackson, and the physically imposing 6’6″ Abreu – committed to following him to Drake after just one meeting each. Stirtz and Jackson both had previously received offers from William Jewell College and Northwest Missouri State out of high school. Abreu, who had two Division I offers from Abilene Christian and Jacksonville, was ready for a new challenge. “I was getting bored of the scouts after year two, playing the same teams over and over again,” Abreu said. “I can’t believe (McCollum) did it for that long.”
with these three players on board, McCollum had a solid foundation. He also secured Cam Manyawu, a Wyoming transfer who followed assistant coach Bryston Williams to Drake. The final piece of the puzzle? A shooter. Enter Mitch Mascari, who, after earning his MBA and accepting a job as a credit analyst at first Trust portfolios in Wheaton, Illinois, had a change of heart. He was two weeks away from starting his new career when McCollum’s offer came in.
Mascari’s story highlights the unexpected twists and turns in the world of college basketball. His decision to forgo a promising career in finance to pursue his passion on the court speaks volumes about McCollum’s ability to inspire and build a team.The Drake Bulldogs, with their newly assembled roster, are poised for a remarkable season, a testament to the power of a coach’s vision and the loyalty of players who believe in his system.
Drake Bulldogs’ Unexpected Success: A Coaching Masterclass
The Drake University Bulldogs men’s basketball team is making headlines, not for their star-studded roster, but for their surprising success under the leadership of Coach Darian McCollum. This season, the Bulldogs are defying expectations, showcasing a unique playing style that emphasizes precision over pace.
McCollum, known for his meticulous coaching style, inherited a team facing significant challenges. The departure of key players, including conference player of the year wes Dreamer, forced him to adapt his strategy and re-evaluate his team’s approach to the game. “The one starter McCollum could not bring with him was Wes Dreamer,” explains a source close to the team, ”That meant McCollum had to do more teaching than his former Bearcats had witnessed before, and he had to rethink the team’s style of play.”
Despite a potentially thin roster, with players like Roman Mascari logging nearly every minute in several games, the Bulldogs have thrived. Their offense is a carefully orchestrated system, built around strategic shot selection and player movement. “the offense is built around getting Mascari 3s and Stirtz a gap to drive,” the source details, “with Abreu making the occasional 3 and always looking for openings to cut.”
“We have to move it,” McCollum said. “All five guys have to connect to be able to create windows and avenues, to be able to get to the paint and get below the defense. We’ve had to invest in five or six different ways, where it’s just like if they guard this, then we have to go to this and this and that.”
This deliberate approach contrasts sharply with the faster pace of many Division I opponents. Guard Tucker Jackson notes the difference: “The difference between Division II and Division I is that these big schools play at a quicker pace and take ‘early, average shots.’” McCollum’s beliefs centers on quality over quantity.
“We play a slower tempo because we don’t take bad shots, and we won’t take bad shots,” McCollum said. “We refuse to take them. And so it naturally slows the game down.”
The Bulldogs’ offensive strategy is adaptable, reacting to the defense’s movements. “A lot of our offense is predicated on how the defense reacts,” Mascari explains. “So if a defense is reacting in a different way than we anticipated, we’re just going to do something else. sometimes we’re walking down the floor, and we have no idea what we’re about to do. So how is the defense supposed to?”
This calculated approach, while leading to a higher number of shot clock violations, reflects the team’s commitment to taking only high-percentage shots. Their defensive prowess is equally remarkable, with McCollum’s detailed coaching resulting in a disciplined and mistake-free performance. “Defensively, the Bulldogs seem to rarely ever make a mistake,” the source notes, “and McCollum is meticulous in demonstrating how to guard every action they will see, from the footwork to body position to where to be on the floor.”
“It’s not really what you know,” McCollum said. “It’s what they can comprehend and then execute.”
The Drake Bulldogs’ success story is a testament to McCollum’s coaching philosophy: a focus on player understanding and execution, leading to a unique and effective playing style that is proving highly successful on the court. Their unexpected rise is a compelling narrative in the world of college basketball, highlighting the power of strategic coaching and player dedication.
Drake Bulldogs Shock kansas State in Overtime Thriller
In a nail-biting overtime showdown, the Drake University Bulldogs pulled off a stunning upset victory against the Kansas State wildcats, showcasing remarkable resilience and a dominant performance on the boards. The win highlighted the team’s unwavering determination and extraordinary rebounding ability, a testament to Coach Darian McCollum’s demanding training regime.
Drake’s success on the boards is particularly impressive considering their lack of height. “Without one player taller than 6-8 in the rotation, Drake ranks 15th nationally in defensive rebounding rate and 17th in offensive rebounding rate,” a remarkable statistic given their size disadvantage. After a setback in their first game against a Division I opponent, the Bulldogs have consistently dominated the boards ever as. Even McCollum admits to being astonished by this aspect of their game.
“They’re just destroying people on the boards,” McCollum said. “Defensive rebounding, we’ve always been no.1 in the country (in Division II). Offensive rebounding, we’ve just been physical. We just go get the ball. Little chip on our shoulder.”
McCollum’s rigorous training methods are clearly paying off. Three years ago, he subjected his team to a grueling conditioning test, pushing them to their limits to build resilience. “Every player has to run 20 line drills and 20 down-and-backs in 20 minutes,” he explained. “You have to do both in one-minute windows and can’t start again until the beginning of each minute. If you don’t pass, you try again the next day.” This demanding approach, designed to foster a “habit of responding to failure,” proved instrumental in their hard-fought victory.
The game against K-State was a true test of this resilience. After a strong start, drake faced a late first-half surge by K-State, narrowing the lead substantially. “That crowd popped,” assistant coach Stirtz remarked to Mascari at halftime, highlighting the shift in momentum. K-state’s Brendan Hausen tied the game with a crucial shot, leaving Drake looking fatigued and struggling in the half-court offense.
With seconds ticking away and the game on the line, Drake’s Roman Abreu stepped up to the free-throw line. His calm demeanor,described by McCollum as “buddy the Elf” due to his consistently positive attitude,belied the pressure of the moment. “The nerves aren’t there as I just don’t know,” Abreu admitted, revealing his surprising lack of interest in watching basketball. He sank both free throws, sending the game into overtime.
“They’re tough. I mean they’ll outlast ya,” McCollum said. “That’s the thing, like there’s a level of toughness. There’s a level of outlast. There’s a level of, you know, who’s going to take it further? And we’ve just tried to train them to be able to create those habits to take it a little bit further and fight a little bit more.”
In overtime, it was Tucker Stirtz who led the charge, scoring five of Drake’s first seven points. his contributions, along with the team’s unwavering determination, sealed the improbable victory against a stronger opponent. The game served as a powerful demonstration of Drake’s grit, resilience, and exceptional rebounding prowess, solidifying their place as a team to watch this season.
com/athletic/college-basketball/player/coleman-hawkins-bPczbOzdYPl7mNPK/”>coleman hawkins buried a 3 with 12.3 seconds left to tie the game,Stirtz got the inbound pass and calmly jogged the ball up the floor. Drake set up with all four teammates lined up on the baseline and let stirtz go to work. Stirtz crossed over, got Hausen on his heels and buried the game-winner.That was a response.
the hero returned to his locker stall and sat.He leaned back, hands on his lap and stared straight ahead in a daze.
Stirtz is a K-State fan. his grandparents are football season-ticket holders. Both his older brothers went to K-State,and his younger brother plans to enroll there next year. His mom wore a K-State shirt under her Drake shirt in support of Stirtz’s girlfriend,a K-State dancer who watched his game winner from the opposite baseline. In high school,Stirtz sent his film to K-State coaches. Once he got his Northwest Missouri State offer, the only ones he would have considered were Division I offers. Those never came. When Stirtz committed to the Bearcats, McCollum told friends he thought he’d stolen one.
Byington marveled at how Stirtz and the three other former Bearcats ever ended up at that level: “Those guys are probably starters on most SEC teams.”
Hyperbole? Maybe. But not with Stirtz. He’s so good that NBA scouts are starting to take notice. And college basketball is taking notice of the Bulldogs. They were picked fifth in the Missouri Valley in the preseason coaches’ poll. they were projected to win the league before Wednesday’s loss at UIC,according to Ken Pomeroy’s metrics,and nationally they’ve been on the verge of getting ranked. In this week’s Associated Press poll,they received the second-most votes among teams outside the Top 25.
Stirtz is as unassuming a star as you’ll find. He never celebrates a made bucket. He’s quiet off the floor.But in that overtime, Stirtz wanted the ball and he wasn’t going to let the Bulldogs lose. against the school he had dreamed of playing for, Stirtz realized the fact that he was being face
Buzzer-Beater Drama: College basketball’s Unforgettable Finish
In a nail-biting college basketball showdown, a last-second shot secured victory, leaving players and fans alike in awe. The tension was palpable as the clock ticked down, the score hanging precariously in the balance. The opposing team’s inability to effectively defend a key player proved pivotal, leading to a dramatic game-winning shot.
The winning player, whose performance had been nothing short of exceptional throughout the game, expressed his disbelief and elation in the post-game locker room. “I ain’t one for individual s—,” he told his ecstatic teammates, ”but damn, that’s a big shot.” The moment was a testament to his skill and the team’s collective effort.
Despite the overwhelming excitement, the team’s coach skillfully steered the party towards a moment of reflection and gratitude. He wisely chose to avoid immediately shifting focus to the next challenge,instead opting for a shared moment of thankfulness. “I’m not even going to ruin the moment,” he said. “Let’s just get our prayer and get out of here.”
The team knelt in prayer, and a teammate offered a heartfelt expression of thanks: “Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for Bennett.” The sentiment perfectly captured the team’s collective feeling of gratitude and the meaning of the victory.
In the post-game press conference, the victorious player shared his personal perspective on the game-winning shot, describing it as the first buzzer-beater of his career. While technically 3.4 seconds remained on the clock, this minor detail hardly detracted from the incredible feat and the unforgettable narrative that unfolded.
The game serves as a powerful reminder of the unpredictable nature of sports and the enduring power of teamwork and perseverance. The dramatic finish will undoubtedly be remembered for years to come as a classic example of college basketball at its finest.
