Drake was ranked in the AP and Coaches polls. This tied the Drake record set by the 1969–1970 team set from January 27, 1970, through March 10, 1970. This was also the first time a Missouri Valley Conference team had been ranked for seven consecutive weeks since Creighton was ranked during the 2002–2003 season. On March 10, 2008, Drake received 235 points in the USA Today/ESPN Top 25 coaches poll which had them ranked 18th. They also were ranked 16th in the AP Top 25 poll with 672 points. On March 18, 2008, Drake received 310 points in the USA Today/ESPN Top 25 coaches poll which had them ranked 14th. They also were ranked 14th in the AP Top 25 poll with 794 points. On April 7, 2008, Drake received 117 points in the USA Today/ESPN Top 25 coaches poll which had them ranked 23rd. Postseason On March 7, 2008 Drake tied the school record for most wins in a season, set by the 1968–1969 team, with their 26th win over Indiana State in the Missouri Valley Conference tournament. On March 8, 2008 Drake set a new school record for wins in a season with its semifinal victory over 4th seeded Creighton. The victory also earned them their first Missouri Valley Conference tournament appearance. On March 9, 2008 Drake won their first ever Missouri Valley Conference tournament with a 79–49 victory over Illinois State. With the win they also clinched their first NCAA Tournament appearance since the 1970–1971 season. The Bulldogs were well represented on the MVC postseason honors list: Emmenecker was named the league's MVP. The official conference press release announcing him as MVP called him "perhaps the most improbable MVC Player of the Year (based on pre-season expectations) in league history." In 2007–08, he set a single-season school record with 177 assists in the regular season (since extended to 213), and his average of 6.1 per game led the MVC. He started every game for the Bulldogs after making only two starts in his previous three seasons, and his regular-season totals in assists, points (223), and rebounds (129) more than doubled his previous career totals in all three categories. Young also made the All-MVC first team. Cox and Houston made the All-MVC second team. Emmenecker, Cox, and Houston were all named to the MVC Most Improved Team, with Emmenecker selected as captain. Emmenecker, who carried a 3.97 grade