Its top forward broke his foot in early February. Its top guard broke his foot less than two weeks later. Still, after opening the season on an 18-game winning streak and fighting its way into the NCAA tournament field, Drake stood tall on Thursday in a stirring First Four comeback victory over Wichita State.
Now, it has to stand up to the nation’s tallest team Saturday in a West Region first-round game in Indianapolis.
No team in the tournament has more length than USC, and for the far more diminutive No. 11 seed Bulldogs, who rank 292nd in the nation in average height, that size is of sizable concern.