Drake is 26-4. 18-0 was Their Best Start in Program History. March 6 NET Ranking: #42. Next Game: NCAA Tournament Round of 64

[wneff]

Here's the Drake - UCLA game from 1969 ... 2 parts.

View embedded media

View embedded media

Fun facts about that team for those unfamiliar with it. The Bulldogs lived off of JuCo players.

Willie McCarter was a first round NBA draft pick that year. His professional career was unremarkable. Willie Wise was a three-time ABA all star. Starter Dolph Pulliam was drafted by both the Boston Celtics and Dallas Cowboys, but became a host of children's TV programs in Des Moines. They had a starting guard named Don Draper. Reserve Rick Wanamaker was the NCAA decathlon champion and was a contemporary/rival of Caitlyn Jenner who also went to college in Iowa.

The '69 team started four seniors, but Drake made it to the Elite Eight (far fewer teams in the tourney then) each of the next two seasons. Iowa State then hired away Coach Maury John. He coached two seasons,and then was diagnosed with cancer early in his third season. He died in 1974. Maury's son John (yes, John John) played for him at ISU after starring at DM Hoover.

The '69 Bulldogs were not a fluke. While there was quite a bit of turnover in the Missouri Valley, 1969 members included Louisville, Memphis State, Cincinnati, St Louis, and Wichita State. Between 1959 and 1975, the Valley put 10 teams in the Final Four (and Larry Bird was there in '79).

 

[Franisdaman]

 

[Franisdaman]

 

[JRingo]

They DID enjoy a lot of success with JuCos in the '60s. But Maury also recruited "The Region" well. McCarter, Pulliam and a third player who lasted only a year (Larry Dunn?) all came from Gary Roosevelt. The freshman games (played just before the varsity games) were very entertaining. I'm pleased for Drake's recent success, but it can not be confused with the true national powers they had (and faced) from the middle '60s until the early '70s.

(Maury was making $20,000 per year. When Drake refused to give him a $5000 raise, he left for Iowa State. A far different era.)

 

[General Tso]

Looks like they're figuring out ways to finish out the close games.

 

[joelbc1]

Fun facts about that team for those unfamiliar with it. The Bulldogs lived off of JuCo players.

Willie McCarter was a first round NBA draft pick that year. His professional career was unremarkable. Willie Wise was a three-time ABA all star. Starter Dolph Pulliam was drafted by both the Boston Celtics and Dallas Cowboys, but became a host of children's TV programs in Des Moines. They had a starting guard named Don Draper. Reserve Rick Wanamaker was the NCAA decathlon champion and was a contemporary/rival of Caitlyn Jenner who also went to college in Iowa.

The '69 team started four seniors, but Drake made it to the Elite Eight (far fewer teams in the tourney then) each of the next two seasons. Iowa State then hired away Coach Maury John. He coached two seasons,and then was diagnosed with cancer early in his third season. He died in 1974. Maury's son John (yes, John John) played for him at ISU after starring at DM Hoover.

The '69 Bulldogs were not a fluke. While there was quite a bit of turnover in the Missouri Valley, 1969 members included Louisville, Memphis State, Cincinnati, St Louis, and Wichita State. Between 1959 and 1975, the Valley put 10 teams in the Final Four (and Larry Bird was there in '79).

Maury John made a career off of Juco ballplayers at Drake...the one exception was what turned out to be the ‘69 team. Pullman was arguably the best defensive baller in the nation...the guy had HUGE hands. Draper was a Drake as a trackster..a pole Vaulter and McCarter all came in as Frosh, I believe..Wanamaker, once introduced pre-game as “ the flamingo from Marengo” was a great atjphlete and won a gold medal in the Pan Am games as a decathlon athlete...world class...That Drake team was pretty solid...and the Valley was far and away, the best basketball league in the nation...not even close.

 

[NI hawk]

Maury John made a career off of Juco ballplayers at Drake...the one exception was what turned out to be the ‘69 team. Pullman was arguably the best defensive baller in the nation...the guy had HUGE hands. Draper was a Drake as a trackster..a pole Vaulter and McCarter all came in as Frosh, I believe..Wanamaker, once introduced pre-game as “ the flamingo from Marengo” was a great atjphlete and won a gold medal in the Pan Am games as a decathlon athlete...world class...That Drake team was pretty solid...and the Valley was far and away, the best basketball league in the nation...not even close.

Hard to believe the only teams left from that time in the Valley are Drake and Bradley.

 

[Franisdaman]

Drake is #25 in today's AP poll & #13 in the NET Rankings

 

[HawkRugged17]

 

[Franisdaman]

 

[Franisdaman]

Illinois State again tonight.

A limited # of fans can attend.

 

[Franisdaman]

 

[Franisdaman]

 

[Franisdaman]

Drake leads 39-24 at the half

 

[Franisdaman]

meanwhile, Drake is about to go 19-0

 

[Franisdaman]

Heading into today's game:

* Drake would be a 9 seed for the NCAA Tournament, according to Bracket Matrix

* Drake's NET ranking is #10


Rank..Previous..Record...Road..Neutral..Home..Quad1...Quad 2...Quad 3...Quad 4

1	1	Baylor	Big 12	17-0	6-0	3-0	8-0	6-0	2-0	3-0	6-0
2	2	Gonzaga	WCC	18-0	5-0	5-0	8-0	6-0	2-0	4-0	6-0
3	3	Michigan	Big Ten	13-1	3-1	0-0	10-0	4-1	3-0	3-0	3-0
4	4	Illinois	Big Ten	12-5	4-2	0-1	8-2	6-4	3-1	1-0	2-0
5	5	Houston	AAC	15-2	4-2	1-0	10-0	2-0	4-2	5-0	4-0
6	6	Virginia	ACC	12-3	4-1	1-2	7-0	2-2	5-1	2-0	3-0
7	8	Ohio St.	Big Ten	15-4	5-3	1-0	9-1	8-3	0-1	5-0	2-0
8	7	Alabama	SEC	15-4	4-1	2-2	9-1	4-1	6-2	4-1	1-0
9	9	Iowa	Big Ten	13-5	3-2	0-1	10-2	3-4	3-1	2-0	5-0
10	10	Drake	MVC	15-0	6-0	1-0	8-0	0-0	4-0	3-0	8-0
11	11	Texas Tech	Big 12	13-5	4-1	1-1	8-3	4-4	1-1	1-0	7-0
12	12	Villanova	Big East	11-2	4-1	3-1	4-0	2-2	3-0	5-0	1-0
13	13	Tennessee	SEC	12-4	2-2	0-0	10-2	3-3	1-1	4-0	4-0
14	14	Loyola Chicago	MVC	13-3	7-2	0-1	6-0	0-1	3-2	3-0	7-0
15	15	Wisconsin	Big Ten	14-5	3-3	0-0	11-2	4-3	5-2	2-0	3-0
16	16	Colgate	Patriot	7-1	4-0	0-0	3-1	0-0	0-0	3-1	4-0
17	17	Texas	Big 12	11-4	2-0	3-0	6-4	3-4	3-0	1-0	4-0
18	18	Oklahoma	Big 12	11-5	2-4	0-0	9-1	4-5	1-0	1-0	5-0
19	19	Colorado	Pac-12	13-5	4-4	3-0	6-1	1-3	4-0	4-2	4-0
20	20	Southern California	Pac-12	14-3	4-1	1-1	9-1	3-2	1-1	7-0	3-0
21	22	Kansas	Big 12	11-6	2-4	2-1	7-1	3-6	3-0	1-0	4-0
22	23	San Diego St.	Mountain West	12-4	3-2	1-0	8-2	0-3	4-1	4-0	4-0
23	24	Purdue	Big Ten	12-7	3-5	2-1	7-1	4-5	5-1	1-1	2-0
24	26	Rutgers	Big Ten	11-6	3-3	0-0	8-3	4-5	3-1	2-0	2-0
25	25	West Virginia	Big 12	12-5	4-2	3-1	5-2	3-5	3-0	5-0	1-0
26	27	Florida St.	ACC	10-3	1-2	0-0	9-1	2-2	4-0	2-1	2-0
27	28	BYU	WCC	14-4	5-2	2-1	7-1	3-2	2-1	4-1	5-0
28	33	Penn St.	Big Ten	7-8	1-6	0-0	6-2	3-7	2-1	2-0	0-0
29	29	Florida	SEC	10-5	3-3	2-0	5-2	2-2	4-1	3-2	1-0
30	32	St. Bonaventure	Atlantic 10	9-1	3-1	1-0	5-0	1-1	3-0	2-0	3-0
31	30	Arkansas	SEC	14-5	2-4	0-0	12-1	1-4	3-1	4-0	6-0
32	21	Boise St.	Mountain West	13-3	4-3	3-0	6-0	2-2	0-1	4-0	7-0
33	31	Missouri	SEC	12-3	4-2	1-0	7-1	4-2	1-1	6-0	1-0
34	34	Creighton	Big East	13-5	5-2	0-0	8-3	3-1	5-1	2-3	3-0
35	35	Xavier	Big East	11-2	2-1	0-0	9-1	1-1	4-1	4-0	2-0
36	36	UCLA	Pac-12	13-3	3-2	1-1	9-0	2-3	1-0	6-0	4-0
37	37	Virginia Tech	ACC	13-4	2-3	2-0	9-1	3-3	4-1	3-0	3-0
38	39	Louisville	ACC	11-4	3-3	0-0	8-1	0-3	7-0	3-1	1-0
39	40	VCU	Atlantic 10	13-4	4-2	2-1	7-1	2-3	1-1	5-0	5-0
40	38	Maryland	Big Ten	9-9	3-5	0-0	6-4	4-9	0-0	3-0	2-0

 

[HawkRugged17]

 

[Franisdaman]

If the trend continues, Drake will follow this close game today with a blow out tomorrow

 

[HawkRugged17]

 

[Hawksfor3]

Tank had 18 pts, 12 rebs.

 

[Franisdaman]

Drake was down 36-24 at the half

They are down 44-31 with 14 minutes to go in the game

 

[83Hawk]

Drake was down 36-24 at the half

They are down 44-31 with 14 minutes to go in the game

I would still take their coach over ours.

 

[anon_ts5cfra6drv7r]

Adios drake.

 

[83Hawk]

Adios drake.

Yeah.....they lose one game. They suck.

 

[Franisdaman]

Drake (18-1) falls to Valpo (7-12), 74-57.

 

[HawkRugged17]

 

[Franisdaman]

Drake wins again tonight.

 

[StormHawk42]

Absolutely need one of two vs Loyola if they have a prayer of an at large bid. Losing Tank Hemphill is a huge blow though.

 

[Franisdaman]

Absolutely need one of two vs Loyola if they have a prayer of an at large bid. Losing Tank Hemphill is a huge blow though.

Does Drake have to win their conference tournament no matter what?

 

[littlez]

Probably need a split with Loyola this weekend which will be tough now that Hemphill who is their leading scorer and rebounder looks to be out. Starting to think DeVries is cursed. 3rd year in a row now he’s lost a huge piece of the puzzle to injury.

 

[HawkRugged17]

 

[StormHawk42]

Does Drake have to win their conference tournament no matter what?

I don’t think so but I don’t think they can lose to anyone else besides Loyola once and then not lose in the first game of Arch Madness. I think 3 losses is the cap. Can’t get swept by Loyola since that’s the only other worthy team they play.

 

[Franisdaman]

2 of Drake's wins don't count. They are 0-0 so far in Quad 1. They are 10-1 in Quad 4.





Feb 11 NET:

Rank..Previous..Record...Road..Neutral..Home..Quad1...Quad 2...Quad 3...Quad 4

30

32

Drake

MVC

17-1

7-1

1-0

9-0

0-0

4-0

3-0

10-1

 

[Franisdaman]

I don’t think so but I don’t think they can lose to anyone else besides Loyola once and then not lose in the first game of Arch Madness. I think 3 losses is the cap. Can’t get swept by Loyola since that’s the only other worthy team they play.

Yikes. Today was loss #2, in convincing fashion.

 

[Mohawkeye]

Their bubble has burst.

Is Bakari really at Valpo? Good for him.

 

[IowaHawkeyeFBnBB4Life]

Their bubble has burst.

Is Bakari really at Valpo? Good for him.

No he’s not, last year was his final year as a grad transfer. It sucked not having the tournament because that was his chance to finally play in one.

 

[StormHawk42]

Their bubble has burst.

Is Bakari really at Valpo? Good for him.

No. They used a stock photo. That was pretty embarrassing for the twitter guy.

 

[Kinnick.At.Night]

Iowa..... 178
Drake... 12

 

[SDHawkDoc]

Their bubble has burst.

Is Bakari really at Valpo? Good for him.

Yup.
They had a nice run. But the mvc has been a 1 bid league for a while. They only go the the NCAA tourney now if the mvc is able to have their tourney and drake wins it.

 

[littlez]

Well it looks to be a 1 bid league now. Drake win tomorrow and making the MVC tournament final and possibly losing to Loyola in a close game could still get 2. Losing Hemphill is going to be to much for Drake to overcome. Leading scorer, 2nd leading rebounder and best defender. Can’t replace him.