The No. 6 seed in the West Region, the Missouri Tigers (22-11), square off against the No. 11 seed Drake Bulldogs (30-3) in a first-round NCAA Tournament clash on Thursday at INTRUST Bank Arena.
Missouri enters March Madness with some momentum concerns, having dropped four of its last five contests. However, the Tigers remain a formidable opponent thanks to an explosive offence and a hard-nosed defensive approach. They held their own against Top 25 competition throughout the season and boast a versatile lineup led by a dynamic backcourt. When they’re firing on all cylinders, they have the firepower to go toe-to-toe with anyone in a high-scoring affair.
Drake, on the other hand, is a seasoned squad riding a seven-game winning streak into the tournament. With junior point guard Bennett Stirtz—this year's MVC Player of the Year—at the helm, the Bulldogs execute first-year head coach Ben McCollum's methodical, slow-paced system to perfection. A popular pick to pull off an upset, Drake thrives when controlling the tempo and capitalizing on high-percentage looks, having shot 45.9% from the field over their last 10 outings.
Here, GOAL brings you everything you need to know about how to watch the Missouri Tigers vs. the Drake Bulldogs basketball NCAA Men's game, plus plenty more.
Missouri Tigers vs Drake Bulldogs basketball: Date and tip-off time
The Tigers and the Bulldogs will tip off in a highly anticipated NCAAM game on Thursday, March 20, 2025, at 7:35 pm ET/4:35 pm PT at Intrust Bank Arena in Wichita, Kansas.
Date | Thursday, March 20, 2025 |
Tip-off Time | 7:35 pm ET/4:35 pm PT |
Venue | Intrust Bank Arena |
Location | Wichita, Kansas |
How to watch Missouri Tigers vs Drake Bulldogs basketball on TV & stream live online
Fans in the USA can catch all the action between the Tigers and the Bulldogs on:
- TV Channel: truTV
- Streaming service: Sling TV
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Missouri Tigers team news & key performers
For Missouri, Mark Mitchell is the team’s top scoring option, averaging 14.1 points per game while also contributing 4.6 rebounds and 1.9 assists. The Tigers' inside presence is anchored by Josh Gray, who leads the squad with 5.3 rebounds per contest. Meanwhile, Anthony Robinson II serves as the team's primary playmaker, dishing out a team-best 3.4 assists per game.
From beyond the arc, Caleb Grill provides Missouri’s biggest deep threat, knocking down an average of 2.8 three-pointers per game. Defensively, Robinson is a relentless on-ball defender, leading the team with 2.0 steals per game, while Mitchell protects the rim with a team-high 0.8 blocks per contest.
Drake Bulldogs news & key performers
On the Bulldogs’ side, Stirtz is the engine of Drake’s offence, leading the team in both scoring (19.1 points per game) and assists (5.7 per contest). Cam Manyawu anchors the paint, pulling down a team-best 5.4 rebounds per game while also contributing 7.2 points.
Drake’s top perimeter marksman is Mitch Mascari, who connects on an average of 2.6 three-pointers per game. On defence, Stirtz is just as impactful, leading the team with 2.2 steals per game, while Daniel Abreu provides rim protection with 0.7 blocks per contest.