Drake is succeeding with players who followed Coach McCollum
Not only has the transition to Division I not been an issue for McCollum, it has been even less of an issue for the four players that followed him from Northwest Missouri State. The Bulldogs are 11-0 as they head into their holiday break, and the four Bearcat transfers have led the way for Drake. Their top three scorers are all former Bearcats, led by junior guard Bennett Stirtz who is averaging team-highs in points with 17.5 and assists, dishing out 5.9 per game and pulling down four rebounds per game. The Bulldogs have faced three power-conference opponents, and in those games, Stirtz has averaged over 19 points, seven assists, and four rebounds.
Grad students Mitch Mascari and Daniel Abreu contribute 25 points per game because they are both efficient scorers, shooting over 45% from the field. Mascari, in particular, shoots it well from everywhere, shooting 91% from the free-throw line and over 49% from beyond the arc. If Mascari attempts a shot inside the arc, it may be a mistake, as he’s only attempted 11 all season. Abreu on the other hand likes to do his work inside the arc, making 57% of his shots taken there.
The last former Bearcat is guard Isaiah Jackson, who, despite averaging five points per game, is a key contributor elsewhere on the scoresheet. He averages five rebounds and over three assists per game and had the game of his short Bulldogs’ career with 21 points and 12 rebounds in their last win over Green Bay. When he’s not scoring, he’s banging the glass and setting up teammates, as evidenced by his eight-rebound and eight-assist effort against Kansas State.
The guys from McCollum’s previous stop aren’t the only ones adjusting to the Division I level. Tavion Banks has been Drake’s key reserve and the 6’7 swingman comes by way of Northwest Florida State College. He’s been very productive in his 17 minutes per game, averaging nine points and 3.8 rebounds. He’s taken off offensively more recently, notching double figures in four of his last five games, including a season-high 19 against Green Bay.