When Drake basketball coach Ray Giacoletti resigned in early December, the decision seemed to provide another reason to ignore the Bulldogs.
When a coach quits on a team that’s 1-7, it adds to the skepticism regarding Drake and its ability to field a serious basketball product. The message is “Check back when this mess is cleaned up, if it gets cleaned up.”
Interim coach Jeff Rutter saw things differently and the result is the surprise product of the Missouri Valley Conference’s first three weeks.
“We had high expectations at the beginning of the season, but some hard-fought close losses,” he said.