Report: Ben McCollum Among Top Candidates For Indiana Basketball Job

Ben McCollum guided Drake to a 30-3 record, a Missouri Valley Conference Tournament title and an NCAA Tournament bid in his first season.

Drake coach Ben McCollum against Belmont at the Enterprise Center. | Ron Johnson-Imagn Images

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – A few hours after Indiana's 72-59 loss to Oregon Thursday in the Big Ten Tournament, a report surfaced about the program's search for a new coach.

According to national college basketball analyst Jeff Goodman, "Drake coach Ben McCollum has emerged as one of the top candidates for the Indiana opening and has really impressed Indiana AD Scott Dolson."

Drake coach Ben McCollum has emerged as one of the top candidates for the Indiana opening and has really impressed Indiana AD Scott Dolson, source told @TheFieldOf68.

McCollum, 43, has led Drake to the Missouri Valley regular-season and tournament titles in his first season…

— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) March 13, 2025

In his first season at Drake, McCollum's Bulldogs are 30-3 and won the Missouri Valley regular season and conference tournament titles. They're projected to earn a No. 11 seed in next week's NCAA Tournament.

From a numbers standpoint, Drake is No. 56 overall on KenPom with the No. 47 defensive efficiency, No. 74 offensive efficiency and plays at the nation's slowest tempo. The Bulldogs rank 63rd nationally with a 53.8% effective field goal percentage and 112th with a 35.0% 3-point shooting percentage.

McCollum landed the Drake job after a dominant run at the Division II level with Northwest Missouri State. Across 15 seasons, McCollum went 395-91 overall and 241-63 in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association.

Northwest Missouri State won four national championships, 12 regular season conference titles and eight conference tournament titles under McCollum. He won eight conference coach of the year awards and eight Division II national coach of the year awards.

For more information on McCollum, read our coaching search profile on him HERE.

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