IOWA CITY — In his first season coaching at the Division I level, Ben McCollum did more than just take his team to the NCAA Tournament. Drake advanced beyond its first game in March Madness.

The Bulldogs, winners of the Missouri Valley Conference regular season and tournament titles, upended Missouri in the round of 64 of the Big Dance. Though Drake fell one step short of a Sweet 16 appearance, it finished the season 31-4 overall, quite the accomplishment for a coach who just made the transition from Division II to Division I.

McCollum will now try to take Iowa basketball to the NCAA Tournament in his first season as the Hawkeyes' head coach.

Postseason success has been fleeting recently in Iowa City.

The Hawkeyes enjoyed a tremendous high, winning the Big Ten Tournament in 2022 unde

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