Drake basketball: 2021-22 season preview and outlook for Bulldogs
2021-22 outlook for Drake basketball
Drake has won 70 games during Darian DeVries’ first three seasons in Des Moines. There have been a total of eight 20-win seasons in Bulldog history. Three of those seasons have come during DeVreis’ first three seasons. Unprecedented success is an understatement for the change happening at Drake.
There are eight seniors or graduate students on this year’s roster and all of them are productive. They’ve added a four-star recruit to that mix and Bulldog fans are expecting nothing less than an NCAA Tournament appearance.
The Missouri Valley Conference will likely be as strong as it has been in more than a decade. Eleven of the league’s 15 all-conference members return, including all five of the top all-newcomers and top freshmen. None of those numbers include 2020 league MVP, Northern Iowa’s A.J. Green.
UNI was the league favorite last season, but Green’s injury derailed their season. Green and every other significant player returns to the Panther lineup. Loyola lost Player of the Year Cameron Krutwig, but first-year coach Drew Valentine has every other contributor to last year’s Sweet Sixteen team and outstanding recruits on board.
Missouri State’s deep and talented team will also be a threat to win the Valley regular-season championship.
DeVries has led the Bulldogs to postseason play twice, with DU participating in the College Insider Tournament in 2019 and the Bulldogs won a game in the NCAA Tournament last season. If Tucker DeVries can live up to the hype surrounding his signing and if transfer Akinwole can provide additional depth to an outstanding starting lineup, Drake should go dancing again this season.
Next. Preseason Missouri Valley power rankings for 2021-22. dark
The Missouri Valley Conference should send multiple teams to the NCAA Tournament this season and Drake should be one of them.