Drake basketball coach Ben McCollum has built the Bulldog roster from scratch after a successful run at Northwest Missouri State. Former coach Darian DeVries left for West Virginia and it triggered a mass exodus. The Bulldogs have gone from a potential Missouri Valley Conference favorite to rebuilding mode.

McCollum says summer workouts were even more important after rebuilding the roster.

McCollum had four players from Northwest Missouri State follow him to Drake and he says summer workouts showed him what they had from a talent perspective.

The Bulldogs have posted six straight seasons of 20 wins ore more and have won the last two Valley tournament titles.