For the second NCAA game in a row, Drake will attempt to stop a high-powered offense when the 11th-seeded Bulldogs meet 3-seeded Texas Tech during Saturday’s second-round NCAA tournament game in Wichita.
Drake (31-3) upset No. 6 seed Missouri, 67-57, in the first round, extending its win streak to eight games. It was also the 20th win this season by double figures.
Missouri entered the game as the No. 9 scoring team in the nation, averaging 84.5 points per game. The Tigers were stymied by a Drake team that is second nationally in scoring defense, allowing just 58.4 points per game.
This was a case of Drake controlling the tempo and never allowing Missouri to get into a sustained transition game.
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Drake coach Ben McCollum is enjoying the same success in his first season as he did in the previous 15 at Division II Northwest Missouri State, where he won four national championships. McCollum brought four players from Northwest Missouri State with him, led by 6-4 junior Bennett Stirtz, the Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year.
Against Missouri. Stirtz played all 40 minutes and had 21 points and four assists. He shot 8 for 11 from the field, including 3 for 3 from three-point range, while hitting both of his free throw attempts. He did have four turnovers against a Missouri team that was applying relentless pressure.
Tavion Banks, a 6-7 junior, came off the bench to score 15 points, grab nine rebounds, and add three steals with three blocked shots in 25 minutes. Banks was the Missouri Valley Conference Sixth Man of the Year. He was also named to the MVC all-tournament team after averaging 11.6 points and 7.0 rebounds in three games. For the season he is averaging 10 points per game.
Drake upset Missouri despite shooting just 12 for 24 from the foul line. Despite the poor free throw shooting, Drake shot 25 of 46 from the field (.543) including 5 of 10 from three-point range
The Bulldogs limited Missouri to 15 of 45 shooting from the field (.333), including 4 of 16 (.250) from deep. Missouri did shoot 23 of 26 (.885) from the foul line.
Drake also committed 15 turnovers, but it forced 17. Drake scored 23 points off turnovers, compared to 13 for Missouri, meanwhile Texas Tech (26-8) looked less than dominating during an 82-72 first-round win over UNC Wilmington. Kerwin Walton, a 6-5 super-senior, exploded for a career-high 27 points. Walton hit 8 of 19 (.421) from the field, all from three-point range, while making 3 of 4 free throws. His eight three-pointers set a Texas Tech NCAA single-game record.
The rest of the team shot just 5 for 27 from deep (.185).
Elijah Hawkins, a 5-11 senior who led the Big 12 in assists per game (6.4), and 6-9 sophomore JT Toppin, the Big 12 Player of the Year, each recorded double-doubles.
Hawkins had 14 points and 10 assists while playing all 40 minutes. Toppin added 12 points and 11 rebounds, shooting 6 of 8 from the field.
Texas Tech played without 6-3 super-senior Chance McMillian, who was sidelined for a second consecutive game with an upper-body injury. He is Texas Tech’s third-leading scorer (14.2 ppg.). Before the UNC Wilmington matchup, he was considered a game-time decision.
Texas Tech outscored UNC Wilmington, 11-0 in fast break points.
Drake vs. Texas Tech Odds
Texas Tech is a 7.5-point college basketball betting odds favorite vs. Drake on BetMGM with the Over/Under at 126.5 points.
The moneyline for Texas Tech is -325 and +260 for Drake.
Drake vs. Texas Tech Channel
Saturday’s Drake vs. Texas Tech game will be on TNT.
Tipoff is expected to begin shortly after 6:10 p.m. ET.
Drake vs. Texas Tech Prediction
I like Drake covering the points, but the Bulldogs must be able to control tempo the way they did against Missouri. Drake will also need another outstanding performance from Stirtz. Among his most impressive statistics is that Stirtz leads the nation in minutes played, averaging 39.2.
He is averaging 19.2 points and 5.6 assists while shooting .397 from three-point range. Stirtz is 8 for 10 from three in his last two games.
The player who is second nationally in minutes played per game is Drake 6-5 graduate student Mitch Mascari, who is averaging 38.3. Mascari is averaging 9.7 points and is leading the team in three-point percentage (.407). He had just six points in 28 minutes against Missouri.
Drake was able to win without much offensive help from 6-6 graduate student Daniel Abreu, another transfer from Northwest Missouri State. He scored just four points in 19 minutes, more than six below his season average.
The Red Raiders are capable of playing much better than in the first round. Texas Tech certainly wants to get their transition game going, which is no easy task against the Drake defense.
Toppin (17.9 ppg., 9.2 rpg.) will have to have a more active offensive role for a Texas Tech team that averages 80.9 points per game.
The Red Raiders allow 67.7 points per contest. Texas Tech shoots .374 from three-point range and .760 from the foul line but the Red Raiders were well below each against UNC Wilmington. They shot .283 from three and .652 from the foul line.
Drake averages 70 points per game, and if the Bulldogs get near that total, it would likely be a good sign. They shoot .357 from three and .699 from the foul line. Another 50 percent night from the foul line could be curtains for Drake against Texas Tech.
The Bulldogs’ margin for error is thin, but all season they have shown the ability to control tempo. That will be the entire story in this one.
