By CHARLIE PARENT
Drake went on a 7-0 run in the last two minutes of the MVC Championship to take down No. 1 seed Indiana State 84-80 on top of 26 points from two-time MVC Player of the Year Tucker DeVries.
DeVries is the son of head coach Darian DeVries.
“Our guys showed incredible resolve there when all our momentum was gone,” Darian said postgame. “We found a way to make the plays we needed to do and [I’m] just incredibly proud of them. As a parent, everybody can appreciate how proud you are of your kids. Especially when you see them work so hard for something that they love and to see them rewarded for it in this way is an incredible experience.”
The Bulldogs will appear in their seventh NCAA Tournament and third since the 2020-2021 season.
“There’s no better way to do it,” Tucker said. “With 10 new guys, to get to this point is really special.”
Former Seton Hall center and Newark native Darnell Brodie dropped 17 points for Drake on 6-of-9 shooting while shutting down probable first-team all-MVC big Robbie Avila down the stretch. Drake is a projected 11-or-12 seed in the NCAA Tournament, while Indiana State sits on the bubble as Power 6 tournaments get underway next week. Drake held an 18-point lead with about 10 minutes to play in the second before standout Indiana State guard Isaiah Swope propelled a 23-5 run to give the Sycamores the lead with four minutes to play. Swope, playing with a torn meniscus and chip in his fibula, had 19 points in the championship.TUCKER DEVRIES HAVE A DAY 🤩
— CBS Sports College Basketball 🏀 (@CBSSportsCBB) March 10, 2024
He has 24 points for @DrakeBulldogsMB in the MVC Championship. pic.twitter.com/488u3I89sT
The Sycamores put together a 28-6 record, their best since the 1978-1979 NCAA runner-up finish with Larry Bird at the helm. “We’ve proven in this tournament that we’re good enough to be in the NCAA Tournament,” head coach Josh Schertz said after the game. “The romanticizing of the tournament is the mid-majors and the high-majors competing and that March Madness is not one power-5 upsetting another Power-5.” Follow Charlie on Twitter Follow Adam Zagoria on Twitter Follow ZAGSBLOGHoops on Instagram And Like ZAGS on FacebookIsaiah Swope right now 🔥 pic.twitter.com/Q42ltdBj8b
— Kyle Sokeland (@kylesokeland) March 10, 2024
