Tom Gannam / AP

Drake's Adam Emmenecker, the Missouri Valley Conference's MVP, is the perfect example of the Bulldogs' turnaround, NBCSports.com contributor Bryan Burwell writes.

It was only the 12th time in 31 games that Emmenecker scored in double figures. Yet he’s considered the best player in the MVC and the main reason Drake is ranked 18th in the nation, even though he barely averaged 8 points a game. 

“To get the MVP for a guy who only averages eight points just tells you that people are paying attention to all the things he really does for us,” said Davis, who was smart enough to eventually give him a scholarship. “They realize how important he is to us. They looked at somebody who was the complete team player who was as unselfish as possible.”

By now, everyone in the basketball community is beginning to fall in love with his against-all-odds story. He is the most improbable league MVP in Valley history, even though he’s still not sure why anyone is making a fuss over him.

“I’m still not used to (people calling him MVP),” Emmenecker said. “Half the time I’m thinking they’re chanting about somebody else. But I hate to sound like a broken record, but I’m really not doing anything now that I haven’t done in the past. To me, how this all happened is more about my teammates and all about the team chemistry we have now that we didn’t have in previous years. I’m still not sure I’m as good as people are saying I am. I’ve been on plenty of teams in the past that never had the sort of team-oriented guys like we have here. I’m surrounded by players who accentuate all the things I do best.”

As a crowd of TV cameras and tape recorders began to huddle around Emmenecker in the cramped locker room, teammate Josh Young had an entirely different view of what has led to this shocking turnaround.

“At the beginning of the season, I knew Adam was, you know, just a solid player,” Young said. “But something happened to him, something turned him into a confident player almost overnight. I was hurt earlier in the season, so I got to sit on the bench and watch it happen. Maybe it happened after he hit that game-winning shot at Bradley (at midseason). I don’t know. But however it happened and whenever it happened, no one saw this coming. No one.”

Young was talking about Emmenecker, but he could have been talking about the entire Drake season. No one saw this coming. But now that it’s here, it’s like being in hoop heaven.

More news

Mark J. Terrill / AP

Ex-Bruin reacted to article right way

CBT: Drew Gordon is taking a different approach than Reeves Nelson, one much more likely to result in hearing his name called come draft day.

C. Mich. transfer Zeigler cleared to play at Pitt

PITTSBURGH (AP) - Former Central Michigan guard Trey Zeigler has been cleared by the NCAA to play at Pitt next season.

Headlines

• Label

CBT: Cincinnati, Xavier to continue rivalry

CBT: 4 Indiana schools extend Crossroads Classic

CBT: Stony Brook says it's staying put ... for now

CBT: Will Michigan re-hang the Fab Five banners?

CBT: Is the new early entry deadline working?

CBT: Fine's wife to sue ESPN for libel

CBT: Coach K gets a lot of bucks and bennies

CBT: ACC will include all 14 teams in tournament