Drake

Drake is a Sweet 16 Sleeper, and You’d Be a Fool to Ignore Them

Alright, let’s talk about a team that could absolutely ruin some brackets—Drake. No, not the rapper who swaps jerseys at halftime. The Bulldogs. The ones sitting at 30-3 like they belong in a power conference but are just quietly lurking in the Missouri Valley, waiting to catch some poor higher-seeded team slipping.

And let’s be real—this team should be taken seriously. They didn’t just bully mid-majors all year; they stepped up and **beat Miami, FAU, Kansas State, and Vanderbilt. That’s not a fluke. That’s a team that can handle its business when the lights get bright.

Now, leading the charge is Ben McCollum, a guy who knows a thing or two about winning. This is the same dude who turned Northwest Missouri State into an absolute dynasty at the DII level. If you’ve ever watched his teams play, you know they move the ball with surgical precision. We’re talking about a coach who doesn’t just roll the ball out and let his guys play pickup—his teams actually run structured, efficient offense. And in a tournament where bad shot selection gets you sent home early, that matters.

Then there’s Bennett Stirtz, the guy who’s quietly putting up 19 PPG on 49% shooting. He’s not just some volume scorer chucking up shots to get his numbers—this guy actually makes smart plays, which is more than I can say for half the teams in March Madness.

But here’s where you really need to pay attention: Drake plays hard. If you’ve ever played at any level, you know there’s a difference between a team that “wants it” and a team that actually sells out on every possession. Drake is the latter. They don’t take plays off, and they’re the kind of squad that makes a lazy team look like they didn’t belong in the tournament in the first place.

Now, what does this mean for their bracket? Well, if they run into a team that’s **inconsistent from deep and doesn’t like to work for buckets, it’s wraps. Drake will absolutely dog-walk a squad that expects talent alone to carry them. Their ceiling? Sweet 16, easy. And depending on the draw, who’s to say they don’t mess around and go even further?

So if you’re looking for a team back that actually plays team basketball and could steal a couple of games, keep an eye on the Bulldogs. And if they bust a few brackets along the way? Don’t say I didn’t warn you.