Maurice E. John (June 17, 1919 – October 15, 1974) was an American college basketball coach at Drake University and Iowa State University. John is the all–time wins leader at Drake and led the Bulldogs to the NCAA Final Four in 1969. In his 28–year coaching career, John had a 528–214 record. John died of cancer at age 55 in 1974, while coaching at Iowa State. Early life John was born June 17, 1919 in Sweet Springs, Missouri. He attended William Jewell College for two years before transferring to Central Missouri State, graduating in 1941 with a Bachelor of Science in Education. He went on to earn his master's degree in education at the University of Missouri. Basketball coaching career After graduating from college, John coached at Union High School in Union, Missouri for a year. He went on to serve in the Air Force during World War II. He continued coaching the Lubbock, Texas Air Force Base basketball team. After being discharged in 1946, John was named head coach at Moberly Junior College. Moberly Junior College (1946–1958) John began his collegiate coaching career starting the basketball program at Moberly Junior College in Moberly, Missouri. He compiled a 285–58 record (.831) for Moberly in 12 seasons from 1946 to 1958. John led Moberly to back–to–back NJCAA National Championships in 1954 and 1955. He was followed at Moberly by future NBA coach Cotton Fitzsimmons, who led Moberly to another two NJCAA National Championships. Drake University (1958–1971) John moved from Moberly to Drake University of the Missouri Valley Conference in Des Moines, Iowa in 1958. He would have a 211–131 record at Drake. In 1963–64, John led Drake (21–7) to its first 20 win season and into the postseason, with an invitation to the 12–team 1964 National Invitation Tournament at Madison Square Garden in New York City. There, the Bulldogs defeated Pittsburgh 87–82, before losing to New Mexico in the Elite Eight, 65–60. He led Drake (26–5) to the 1969 Final Four of the 1969 NCAA University Division basketball tournament, where the cinderella Bulldogs gave powerhouse UCLA and Lew Alcindor a scare on their way to the NCAA Championship. The game has been labeled as "the greatest near upset in NCAA Tournament history." In the 1969 NCAA Tournament, Drake opened by defeating Texas A&M 81–63 in the round of 16 after receiving a bye in the 25–team tournament. The Bulldogs then defeated