Unfortunately, the Missouri Tigers, after a fantastic turnaround this season after going 0-18 in SEC play last season, fell to the 11-seeded Drake Bulldogs in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. The Tigers were unable to overcome a big deficit from the first half and lost to Drake 67-57.
This was a game many were watching, and some had Missouri on upset alert with what head coach Ben McCollum has had his team doing this season. McCollum certainly came into the game with a great plan, and his team executed it perfectly. The loss certainly stings for the Tigers, who haven't made it back to the second round of the NCAA Tournament since 2009, when they made it to the Sweet 16.
After the game, when the Bulldogs had already had their celebration, Drake athletic director Brian Hardin went to X (formally known as Twitter) to congratulate his team but also take a shot at Missouri and the rest of the SEC.
"First win in the round of 64 in school history. It first appeared in the round of 32 since 1971. Incredible. Some might say, 'it just meant more!'" Hardin said in his social media post.
First win in the round of 64 in school history. First appearance in the round of 32 since 1971. Incredible. Some might say, “it just meant more!” https://t.co/J7YrFCStJd
— Brian Hardin (@DrakeADHardin) March 21, 2025
Congratulations on the win, Drake, the team played well, but to take a shot at the entire SEC just for beating one of their teams seems a bit over the top. The team has done something historical with their first win in the first round of the NCAA Tournament and is going to the second round for the first time in a long time, just end the tweet there; don't take a shot at the SEC.
The SEC slogan, "It just means more," is something that has taken a hit in the last year with both football and basketball, but this basketball season, the SEC did something no other conference has ever done. The SEC sent 14 teams to the NCAA Tournament, the largest number of teams from one conference in NCAA Tournament history.
So if Drake wants to take on more SEC teams, then go right ahead, but their record may not fair very well after that. The Bulldogs played a good game against Missouri, and ultimately, the Tigers weren't able to overcome the deficit, even though they cut the Bulldog's lead down to one in the second half. Take the win and move on, no need for extra shots here.