 In the 1971 NCAA Tournament, Drake (21–8) defeated Notre Dame with Austin Carr 79–72 in OT, then lost to Kansas 73–71 in the Midwest Regional Final.His final Drake team averaged 83 points per game before the advent of the three-point shot.John became known for his "belly-button" defense, in which he pushed his players to stick out their stomachs and play face-to-face.