WICHITA, Kan. — Bennett Stirtz rarely changes expressions. The guard who never comes off the floor is programmed to get buckets and win games. But early on Thursday night against Missouri after making a driving layup, Stirtz gave a half grin, letting everyone know he was ready for this stage.
Stirtz, one of the best guards in America, was never recruited by a Division I school until his D-II coach Ben McCollum moved up a level and brought him along. Now everyone in America knows who Stirtz is. The Drake star, by way of Northwest Missouri State, helped carry the Bulldogs to a 67-57 win with a dazzling array of floaters, driving layups and even a running 3-pointer that beat the shot clock on his way to 21 points.
A straightaway three off one leg. Bennett Stirtz remains PERFECT from deep @DrakeBulldogsMB pic.twitter.com/2BS7V4VLgo
— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) March 21, 2025
Stirtz, who is from Liberty, Mo., was one of seven players on Drake’s roster from the state of Missouri and one of four starters who played for McCollum at Northwest Missouri State last year. They took down the big state school with a masterful defensive effort, keeping the much larger Tigers from scoring in the paint and limiting the 3-point looks of Mizzou’s best shooters.
Drake played jittery on offense for much of the night, outside of the steady Stirtz, but its defense carried the load. In the second half, Mizzou needed nearly eight minutes to score its first field goal as Drake built a 15-point lead.
The Tigers eventually came storming back, forcing turnovers and finally finding some openings in Drake’s defense to get to the basket. Holding onto a 52-51 lead, Stirtz relieved some of the pressure with a floater in the lane, and Mizzou never got any closer.
The Tigers tried to keep the ball out of Stirtz’s hands, often running a double team at him. He’d simply make the right play and pass the ball ahead, often leading to an open shot for one of his teammates.
STIRTZ TO MANYAWU ✈️@DrakeBulldogsMB are beginning to feel it 🔥#MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/FrvnPg2XpJ
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) March 21, 2025
Drake, now 31-3, won just its second NCAA Tournament game since 1971 (the other was a First Four win over Wichita State in 2021) and will play the winner of UNC Wilmington and Texas Tech on Saturday for a chance to go to the Sweet 16.
(Photo: Jamie Squire / Getty Images)
