TV: TBS (Brad Nessler, Steve Lavin, Evan Washburn) Where: Indiana Farmers Coliseum, Indianapolis More: Big Ten Commissioner Kevin Warren carved out his basketball legacy at Grand Canyon Saturday's game Hopefully the country is going to know about us more and more.'

Hopefully we can use this moment to build in the future. I'm proud of our team and what we accomplished in one year. 'The best fan base from our student section. 'I feel GCU is the best-kept secret in college basketball,' Drew said. If something strange and miraculous could happen in 1998, maybe something even stranger and more miraculous could happen now? Iowa is expected to win and win big and reach the Elite Eight against top-ranked and unbeaten Gonzaga in the West Region final. Nobody is giving GCU a chance against Iowa. We're hoping that happens on Saturday for us.' They're good at turning a neutral site into a home game for you. If you've not heard about them, you will on Saturday. I think that will be missed in the NCAA Tournament. 'One of the things when you're the lower seed that you enjoy, usually every fan in the building gets behind you,' Drew said. Being in a 6,500-seat venue with crowd restrictions, they should be heard.ĭrew remembered in 1998 when the crowd at Oklahoma City got behind Valpo, because it was a huge underdog going up against Ole Miss. The Havocs, even a small group of them, generate a lot of noise. GCU President Brian Mueller said that about 250 students will be attending the first-round game in person. We get an hour and a half a day on the court.' 'The NCAA has done a great job organizing practice time, weight room times, meals for teams,' Drew said. Players would pass each other in the lobby. GCU all week has stayed in the same hotel as Iowa. But they have to be emotionally ready, physically ready when that game starts.' 'As a coach, you're worried about having a game plan in and giving your team the best opportunity,' Drew said. It's about keeping as much routine and possible and preparing for the likes of 6-foot-10, 265-pound center Luka Garza, a leading candidate for national Player of the Year. If March Madness isn't enough motivation, then there's nothing more he can do. Now he's done it at GCU in his first year.īut this is different, COVID-19 forcing all of the teams in an Indianapolis bubble, sequestered in a hotel since Las Vegas to quarantine and make sure the outside world doesn't run into them to restrict any chance of contracting the virus.ĭrew has used the shot as part of his sales pitch to recruits while coaching.īut it's not something he is using to motivate his players now. He took Vanderbilt to the dance in his first year there. He took Valpo to the NCAA Tournament his first year. This is Drew's third time back to March Madness as a coach. It was the ninth time a 15 seed took down a 2 seed since the tournament expanded to 64 teams in 1985. 2 Ohio State, a Big Ten power like Iowa, in overtime.

Still, upsets by 15 seeds are not unheard of - and in fact it happened already on Friday, when Oral Roberts stunned No. GCU (17-6) is making its first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance after winning its first Western Athletic Conference championship last week in Las Vegas. Of course, Iowa (21-9) is a huge favorite. 2 Iowa at 3:25 p.m., at Indiana Farmers Coliseum in Indianapolis. 15 seed in the West Regional and takes on No. If he did, it would send shock waves across the tournament. 'And of course I visualize myself wanting to hit a big shot.' “Of course it was a big moment,' Blacksher said. Grand Canyon picks, predictions: Can GCU upset Hawkeyes in NCAA Tournament game?īlacksher, asked if he sees himself having his March Madness moment like his coach, said the players didn't watch Drew's 1998 shot as a team. 'If it didn't happen five minutes ago on Twitter, they could care less what happened 23 years ago,' Drew said.įormer Phoenix Shadow Mountain point guard Jovan Blacksher Jr., had a close-up look at what March Madness meant when he was playing for Mike Bibby, who helped lead the Arizona to the national championship in 1997 as a freshman. A memory etched in March Madness history forever.ĭuring his Zoom media call this week in Indianapolis, Drew was asked if he's shown his famous shot - a horn-beating, 3-pointer to beat Mississippi - to his Grand Canyon players, who are experiencing March Madness for the first time. View Gallery: Photos: GCU at 2021 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournamentīryce Drew has been asked about it every year since he gained his one shining moment for Valparaiso in the first round of the NCAA Tournament in 1998.

One shining moment first year