The Basics
WHAT: The Missouri Valley Conference Tournament champion Drake men's basketball team was selected as the No. 12 seed in the Midwest Region of the 2023 NCAA Tournament and will play No. 5 seed Miami in the first round.
 
WHEN: Friday, March 17 at 6:25 p.m. CT/7:25 p.m. ET
 
WHERE: MVP Arena in Albany, N.Y.
 
NEXT: The winner of Drake and Miami will play the winner of No. 4 seed Indiana and No. 13 Kent State on Sunday, March 19 in the NCAA Tournament second round.
 
Broadcast Information
Friday's game will be televised live on TBS with play-by-play broadcaster Spero Dedes, analyst Debbie Antonelli and sideline reporter AJ Ross.
 
Locally in Des Moines, the game will air live on ESPN 1350/102/1, the radio home of Drake men's basketball. Ric Silvestrini will fill in on play-by-play as the voice of Bulldog men's basketball Michael Admire and his wife Anna are expecting the birth of their child. Silvestrini joins analyst Paul Doerrfeld on the local radio call.
 
The game also features a national radio broadcast courtesy of Westwood One with play-by-play announcer Scott Graham and analyst P.J. Carlesimo. SiriusXM will carry the Drake-Miami game on channels 136 and 204.
 
Drake in the Postseason
Drake makes its 15th all-time postseason appearance, its sixth NCAA appearance and its second NCAA appearance in three years.

Drake has three NIT berths and a title in the 1975 National Commissioners Invitational Tournament.
 
The Bulldogs are 14-13 all-time in postseason tournament games and 6-4 in NCAA Tournament games. The team is 5-4 in non-consolation NCAA Tournament games.
 
Drake's NCAA Tournament History
Drake has previously appeared in the NCAA Tournament in 2021, 2008, 1971, 1970 and 1969.

The Bulldogs advanced to the Final Four in 1969 before falling to the UCLA juggernaut.
 
Prior to the win over Wichita State in 2021, Drake's last NCAA Tournament win can over Notre Dame in double overtime on March 18, 1971. The Bulldogs prevailed, 79-72, in the Round of 16 before falling to Kansas two days later.
 
The Bulldogs also own NCAA Tournament wins over Houston, Texas A&M, Colorado State and North Carolina.

In its 2008 NCAA appearance, the 12th-seeded Bulldogs suffered a last-second overtime loss to Western Kentucky as WKU's Ty Rodgers buried a deep three-pointer as time expired.
 
Drake's Coaching Staff in the NCAA Tournament
Prior to leading Drake back to the NCAA Tournament in 2021, head coach Darian DeVries was part of 12 NCAA teams as an assistant at Creighton.

In those 12 appearances, Creighton went 5-12.

DeVries is the third coach to take the Bulldogs to the NCAA Tournament. He joined Keno Davis and Drake legend Maury John, who took the Bulldogs to three-straight tournaments.
 
Assistant coach Marty Richter was on the staff at Florida Gulf Coast during two of its NCAA runs including the 2013 'Dunk City' team that advanced to the Sweet 16 as a No. 15 seed.

Assistant coach Tom Ostrom was on Archie Miller's staff at Dayton for four consecutive NCAA Tournaments including an Elite Eight appearance in 2014. Ostrom worked as an assistant under John Pelphrey at the Arkansas (2007-11) as the Razorbacks made an NCAA Tournament appearance in 2008. He spent seven seasons on Billy Donovan's staff at Florida. While Ostrom was at Florida, the Gators played in the NCAA Tournament six times, advanced to the Sweet 16 twice and reached the NCAA championship game in 2000.

Assistant coach Corey Edwards joined the Bulldogs in 2022-23 after one season on the staff at Creighton as a graduate assistant where he recently helped the Bluejays to the 2022 NCAA Tournament round of 32.
 
Double the Fun
For the first time in school history, both the Drake men's and women's basketball teams are playing in the NCAA Tournament during the same year.
 
The Drake women's basketball team earned an automatic qualifying spot by capturing the Missouri Valley Conference tournament championship blitzing Belmont, 89-71, Sunday in Moline, Ill.
 
The Drake women also are a No. 12 seed facing No. 5 seed Louisville in the opening round in Austin, Texas, Saturday (March 18). This will mark Drake women's basketball's 14th trip to the NCAA Tournament, including the fourth time in the last seven years.
 
This marks the seventh time in the history of the Missouri Valley Conference that the same member school won both the men's and women's postseason tournaments. It is the first time since 2014 when Wichita State won both the MVC men's and women's tournament titles.
 
Northeast Homecoming
When Drake takes the basketball court at MVP Arena, it will be a homecoming of sorts for Drake guard Roman Penn who began his collegiate career at Siena College which plays its home games there.
 
Penn played in 23 games for Siena during the 2017-18 season, starting in 19 contests averaging 9.7 points, 3.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists.
 
Penn will be ready for his NCAA Tournament debut. He was sidelined with a foot injury when Drake played in the 2021 NCAA Tournament.
 
In addition to Penn, Darnell Brodie is from Newark, N.J., which is roughly 148 miles from Albany and began his collegiate career at Seton Hall.
 
Okay Djamgouz grew up in Toronto, Canada, which is approximately a six-hour drive from Albany.
 
Drake vs. ACC
This will be Drake's first test against an Atlantic Coast Conference team since falling to Clemson, 90-80, in overtime at Holiday Hoopsgiving Dec. 11, 2021 in Atlanta, Ga. Drake defeated Wake Forest, 77-74, in the opening round of the Paradise Jam, Nov. 17, 2017.
 
AP Top 25 Poll
Miami is ranked No. in the latest AP Top 25 poll, the same poll that the Bulldogs recently received two votes in.
 
Scouting Miami
The Hurricanes were Co-ACC regular season champions this year and carry a 25-7 overall record into Friday. ACC Player of the Year Isaiah Wong is Miami's main facilitator averaging a team-best 3.4 assists while also serving as the top scorer (16.2 points per game).
 
Three more Hurricanes average double-digit scoring (Jordan Miller – 15.3, Norchad Omier - 13.6 and Nijel Pack – 13.2). Omier is Miami's top rebounder (9.7 rebounds per game) and suffered an ankle injury in the ACC Tournament against Duke.
 
Jim Larranaga is in his 12^th season as the head coach of the Hurricanes with a record of 251-148. Larranaga has been a college basketball head coach for 39 seasons (721-482 overall record).
 
Scouting Indiana  
The Hoosiers enter the NCAA Tournament with a 22-11 overall record and 12-8 mark in Big Ten play. AP First Team All-American Trayce Jackson-Davis has done a bit of everything for Indiana averaging 20.8 points, 10.9 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 2.7 blocks this season.
 
Impressive freshman Jalen Hood-Schifino has put together a rookie year stat line of 13.5 points, 4.1 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game.
 
Former Indiana standout and NBA head coach Mike Woodson is in his second season as the head coach of the Hoosiers with a 43-25 record.
 
Scouting Kent State
Kent State (28-6) won the MAC Tournament after defeating Toledo in the title game, 93-78 this past Saturday.
 
All-MAC First Team honoree Sincere Carry (17.6 points per game, 4.9 assists per game) while shooting 41.3 percent from the field. Malique Jacobs has been well-rounded for the Golden Flashes averaging 13.0 points and 5.2 rebounds while swiping a team-high 89 total steals.
 
University of Albany alumnus Rob Senderoff is in his 12^th season in charge of Kent State men's basketball with a record of 247-146. Senderoff has led the Golden Flashes to eight seasons of 20 wins or more.
 
Series History vs. Miami and Potential Second Round Opponents
Drake has never played Miami or Kent State in men's basketball. The Bulldogs have a 2-6 record against Indiana, dropping a 102-46 verdict Dec. 27, 1968, in the last meeting between the schools held in the opening round of the Hoosier Classic in Indianapolis, Ind.

MISSOURI VALLEY TIDBITS

Against the Top 25
MVC teams are 2-2 vs. Top 25 non-conference teams this season and 3-5 against teams from Power leagues.  Drake beat No. 15 Mississippi State on Dec. 20, and Murray State knocked off No. 24 Texas A&M in the opening round of the Myrtle Beach Invitational.
 
Postseason Power Play
Since 1994, an MVC member has beaten the following teams from power conferences in the NCAA Tournament:  Alabama, Arizona, Cincinnati, Florida, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Illinois (twice), Indiana, Kansas (three times), K-State, Louisville, Miami (Fla.), Ohio State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Pittsburgh (twice), Seton Hall, Tennessee (four times), Texas, Texas Tech, UCLA, Virginia Tech, Vanderbilt, and Wisconsin.
 
MVC vs. Power Leagues in the NCAAs
ACC (3-8)
Big Ten (5-9)
Big 12 (8-6)
Big East (5-7)
Pac-12 (2-4)
SEC (8-6)
 
Vs. Non-MVC
The league finished the regular season with a 74-55 record vs. non-league teams (.574), which included a 46-10 slate in home non-league games.
 
Power Play
MVC teams combined for three wins against power conferences in 2022-23, but only had eight tries. During the last four seasons, the MVC has averaged 12.5 games a year against teams from power leagues.  In the six seasons prior (2013-14 through 2018-19), MVC teams averaged twice as many contests against teams from power leagues (25.0).
 
NCAA Success
Notably, the MVC has combined for 20 wins in the NCAA Tournament in the past nine NCAA championships and has earned multiple bids 17 times since 1994.  Since 2010, The Valley has had two Final Four appearances and 12 Sweet 16 appearances (by 7 different schools)
 
The Valley Runs Deep
From 2012-2019, MVC teams garnered 10-straight first-round wins in the NCAA Tournament. Since 2012, the MVC is now 12-3 in first-round games, which includes wins in 8 of the past 10 tourneys.
 
Nation’s Second Oldest
Founded in 1907, the Missouri Valley Conference is the nation’s second-oldest Division I athletic conference (behind only the Big Ten).  The MVC is celebrating its 116th season in 2022-23.
 
MVC at a Dozen
For the first time, the MVC has 12 members as Belmont, UIC, and Murray State officially joined the Conference on July 1, 2022.  It marks the first time the Conference has admitted three schools for the same season.  Notably, MVC membership will also stand at a league-high 12 members for the first time.
 
MVC in the NCAAs
Current Valley schools have a combined record of 31-42 in the NCAA Tournament while they’ve been league members. Drake is 6-5 in 5 previous appearances, with the last coming in 2021. League members (all time) have combined for 107 NCAA Tournament wins.
 
Drake in the NCAAs
This will mark Drake’s sixth appearance in the NCAA Tournament, including the second during coach Darian DeVries’ tenure at the school with the Bulldogs playing in the 2021 NCAA Tournament when it beat Wichita State in the First Four before falling to USC in the round of 64.  The Bulldogs own a 27-7 record  — the second most single-season wins in school history only trailing the 2007-08 squad, which went 28-5.
 
MVC as the NCAA Underdog
Since 1994, The Valley has posted five first-round NCAA tourney victories as a No. 12 seed, or worse.  Those such-seeded Valley teams to win first-round games include Tulsa (12 - 1994), Missouri State (12 - 1999), Indiana State (13 - 2001), Creighton (12 - 2002), and Bradley (13 - 2006).  Tulsa (12 seed in 1994) and Bradley (13 seed in 2006) both reached the Sweet 16.
 
How Sweet It Is
Four of the league’s current 10 members have advanced to a Final Four as an MVC member (Bradley, Drake, Indiana State and Loyola).  An MVC team has reached a Sweet 16 a total of 12 times since 1985.  In league history, 18 teams have reached the NCAA Final Four, and the MVC owns four national titles.
 
Upset City in the NCAA
Since 1979, the league has had teams seeded No. 9 or worse 47 times.  Those teams have combined for 29 tourney victories, seven Sweet 16 appearances (Tulsa, 1994) (Missouri State, 1999) (Southern Illinois, 2002) (Bradley, 2006) (UNI, 2010) (Wichita State, 2013) (Loyola, 2018), and two Final Four trips (Wichita State, 2013) (Loyola, 2018). • Since 1994, The Valley has posted 14 NCAA tourney first-round wins as a lower-seeded team.
 
20 Something
For the first time in MVC history the Conference had five teams with 20+ wins prior to the league tournament. The previous record was three, matched 11 times.
 
Three Teams w/20+ Wins at Arch Madness
1994 -- Bradley#, Southern Illinois*, Tulsa*
2000 -- Creighton*, Indiana State*, MoState#
2004 -- Creighton#, S. Illinois*, Wichita State#
2005 -- Creighton*, UNI*, Southern Illinois*
2006 -- Missouri State#, UNI*, Wichita State*
2007 -- Bradley#, Missouri State#, S. Illinois*
2008 -- Creighton#, Drake*, Illinois State#
2009 -- Creighton#, Illinois State#, UNI*
2010 -- Illinois State#, UNI*, Wichita State#
2020 -- Bradley, Loyola, UNI (COVID, no post-season)
2022 -- Drake, Loyola*, Missouri State#
2023 -- Belmont, Bradley, Drake, Indiana St., SIU
*denotes NCAA; #denotes NIT
 
Winner Take All?
In league history, the conference regular-season title has been decided on the final day of the season with two tied contenders facing one another eight times. The home team has won seven of the eight (Creighton was the only road team to win, in 1978, at SIU).
 
MVC “Winner Take All”
(records heading into regular-season finale)
2-25-78 -- Creighton (11-4) beat S. Illinois (11-4)
2-27-82 – Bradley (12-3) beat Tulsa (12-3)
3-2-85 -- Tulsa (11-4), Illinois State (11-4), Wichita State (11-4) – Tulsa faced and beat Wichita State; Illinois State lost at Bradley
2-26-11 -- MoState (14-3) beat Wichita St. (14-3)
3-2-13 -- Creighton (12-5) beat Wichita State (12-5)
2-28-15 -- Wichita State (16-1) beat UNI (16-1)
2-26-22 -- UNI (13-4) beat Loyola (13-4)
2-26-23 -- Bradley (15-4) beat Drake (15-4)
 
Arch Madness, Edition 33
The Valley conducted its 33rd St. Louis-based postseason men’s basketball championship.  With 33-straight years at the same neutral site, Arch Madness is the second-longest neutral site tenured collegiate tourney in the nation (following only the Big East in New York City).
 
MVC Accomplishments
Athletic accomplishments include four NCAA national basketball championships, 18 trips to the NCAA Final Four, a 1989 national baseball championship and 19 College World Series qualifiers.  The league owns a total of 32 post-season national team championships, including two men’s basketball crowns in 2015 (Evansville-CIT; Loyola-CBI).  In 2001, Missouri State added to The Valley women’s accomplishments, as the Lady Bears advanced to the Women’s Basketball Final Four in St. Louis.  MSU also has a 1992 NCAA Women’s Final Four appearance, and the Lady Bears are coming off Sweet 16 appearances in the NCAA Tournament in 2019 and in 2021.
 
Sturtz In Select Company
Drake’s Garrett Sturtz (6’3”) is the all-time leading rebounder in Drake men’s basketball history. Of the 37 all-time MVC members, he’s the shortest to lead his program in career rebounding.  He joins Oscar Robertson as the only guards to lead their MVC programs in rebounds.  Sturtz enters the NCAA Tournament with 916 career rebounds, which ranks 30th all-time in MVC history.
 
Career Rebound Leaders (Past & Present MVC Schools)
Shortest Student-Athletes to Lead Their Schools
6-3 Garrett Sturtz, Drake*
6-4 Dick Estergard, Bradley*
6-4 Seymour Bryson, Southern Illinois
6-5 Byron Houston, Oklahoma State
6-5 Oscar Robertson, Cincinnati*
*played full career as an MVC student-athlete