Drake forward Tremell Murphy, center, reacts after making a 3-point basket during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Loyola of Chicago, Sunday, Feb. 14, 2021, in Des Moines, Iowa. Drake won 51-50 in overtime. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
Do you believe in miracles? If you want to root for a team that started from the bottom and climbed into the spotlight, look no further than the Drake Bulldogs.
Drake's Tourney History
Existing for over a century, the Drake men's basketball program has made the NCAA tournament four times. Its last visit, and only one since 1971, ended swiftly with a first-round loss to No. 12 seed Western Kentucky in 2008.
After losing the Missouri Valley Conference championship game to Loyola, Drake wasn't guaranteed to snap that drought. Entering Selection Sunday on the bubble, the 25-4 Bulldogs received an at-large bid. An 18-0 start and eye-popping offensive numbers warranted a spot on the dance card.
This Year's Best Players
It's an all-hands-on-deck approach in Des Moines, Iowa. Five players average double-digit points per game, but two of those key seniors are out of action.
Point guard Roman Penn is out for the season with a foot injury. Forward ShanQuan Hemphill, who leads the team in points per game, hasn't played since breaking his foot February 10.
Sophomore guard Joseph Yesufu and senior forward Tremell Murphy have picked up the scoring slack in significantly elevated roles, but Drake's depth has taken a massive hit. This underdog is climbing a steep uphill battle.
Why They're Going to Win
Drake might not be the best team in its small conference. It's also not the best team from Iowa and certainly not the most ferocious squad to carry the Bulldogs nickname into the Big Dance. That last honor belongs to top-ranked Gonzaga.
They also may have benefited from some good fortune that expired at an inopportune time. And maybe they'll struggle when forced to swim in a much larger pond.
But hey, sometimes you just need a seat at the table to prove you belong.
This could be Drake's chance for the best run it's ever had—yes, there will be many bad puns related to the rapper. Nobody knows when the next opportunity will come, so it's now or never to shock the world.
Drake University Sued After Basketball Coach Allegedly Lied About Shooting
Jun 14, 2020
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Nathaniel Miller Jr. has filed a lawsuit against Drake University after being shot in the head by a men's basketball player last summer, claiming a coach instructed his player to lie to police about the incident, according to Tyler J. Davis of the Des Moines Register.
The incident in question took place in August 2019 when Tremell Murphy, a forward on the basketball team, accidentally shot another student during a party. The firearm was legally owned by Murphy, who was at his house near the Drake campus.
When police arrived, Murphy told the officers Miller had fallen on a wet floor and hit his head.
The player was eventually charged with making false reports to law enforcement and discharging a firearm within city limits. He pled guilty to the two misdemeanors but did not spend any time in jail.
According to the lawsuit—which claimed Murphy, the university and the property managers of the house as defendants—an unnamed men's basketball coach arrived to the scene before police officers and told Murphy to deny involvement in the injury.
The plaintiff claims that proper medical care was delayed because of the misinformation and that Miller is still suffering physically from the shooting.
Drake University has denied the claims in the lawsuit.
"It is not true as claimed by the plaintiff that a Drake men’s basketball coach told Mr. Murphy to deny involvement in Mr. Miller's injuries," the school said in a statement, via Davis. "Additionally, the residence in which the shooting incident took place is a private residence and is not owned or otherwise affiliated with the university."
Murphy 32 games for Drake in 2018-19 after joining the team as a junior college transfer. He was suspended five games in the 2019-20 season after being charged, and a December knee injury ended his season early.
