davidson 2008 ncaa tournament

Richards: From Davidson to where he is now, I’d be lying to you If I said we all thought this was going to happen. Giannis Antetokounmpo Agrees to Five-Year, $228M Super Max Extension, Josh Richardson and his quickly found comfort with the Mavericks, Grizzlies 123, Wolves 104: Case of the Monday’s. Coach McKillop: In the lead up to the game, the Defensive Player of the Year in the Big-10 said he was going to leave Stephen breathless that he was going to defend him and press him. TEAM BESTS. Since then, Steph has grown into a global superstar who captured two NBA MVPs and three championships over the next 10 years. The Jayhawks, free of Davidson at last, jumped into each other’s arms, and soon after headed for San Antonio for the Final Four. That’s what kind of the whole season was, a build-up to March.”. In March 2008, Stephen Curry and Davidson College—total undergraduate population: 1,674—beat Gonzaga in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. And then, all of a sudden, before you know it, it was 15 points. “There was no Twitter really, there was no Instagram, there was no Snapchat. Everyone knew where the ball was going, including the Jayhawks, who double-teamed Curry. But everyone had a part in winning those games, which was just incredible. His career ended with an NIT second round loss at Saint Mary’s. Too bad, Davidson’s fairy tale couldn’t have lasted one week longer – as it did two years earlier for George Mason, as it would two years later for Butler. Sherron Collins missed on a 3-point attempt during Kansas’ next possession, setting up a wild final possession for the Wildcats. The Wildcats blow them away with a 37-20 second half to win 73-56. You watch him be Steph Curry, the world superstar. It was close through the opening 10 minutes, but the Hoyas began imposing their will over the final eight-and-a-half minutes, taking an 11-point lead into the break. It was just a matter of if you shoot enough, they’re going to start going in. Davidson was down six points in the second half with the Jayhawks seemingly taking charge, when a reserve named Bryant Barr came off the bench and hit three 3-pointers in two minutes. “So it was something that didn’t wait for March, but March was sort of an exclamation point for what was going on.”, MORE: First televised college basketball game featured Pitt and Fordham in February 1940. I liken him to a great Broadway performer. Stephen Curry leads No. But the feeling that we had, was that Steph comes from a tremendous family, and he was excited to come to Davidson. I remember when we were sitting there -- I think we were 4-6 at the time -- thinking to ourselves, we can’t let this get us down. They’re back. Still, he has one second guess, and it’s not the final play. I don’t know how I never watched it. We thought we had a chance to beat them, just like we did any other team in that tournament. Tournament Appearances: 14. As a coach, and I’m sure coach McKillop will tell you this, you feel pretty good about your team. As a coach, you’re fortunate to have that for one game. The Jayhawks switched every screen that was set for Curry, giving him little-to-no space to even possess the ball. It’s a skill and mental ability, but that tough-mindedness, I’m convinced, is one of the true tests of greatness. Ten years later, McKillop has no regrets, or thoughts of what might have been. Richards: We went into halftime with Wisconsin tied. Three-point play, and we never look back. Our feeling was that, “man we got to get Steph the ball, if we don’t have him touch the ball on the way up the court, he might not get it back.”. Then he moved to a big city stage, then moved to an off-Broadway stage. This is an oral history of the lead up to Curry’s explosion and the remarkable run Davidson went on in March of 2008. Watch all of his top shots and plays from the Wildcats' memorable Cinderella run. So it just kind of worked out in their favor. The odds are against them, but they've been there before. Coach Fox: I think what he was able to prove to himself is how good he could be with all those players on that under-19 team. Sweet 16, No. Wide left. They can take that memory for the rest of their lives, it will be so cherished and so treasured.”. Coach Fox: a lot of people thought Davidson has no shot of winning those games. Steph’s college coaches and teammates reflect on when he introduced himself to the world. We go out to Anaheim to play UCLA, and we jumped out to a 15 or 17-point lead. “We didn’t think we were outmatched. He never forgot where he came from. Brendan McKillop: I think for anyone to project for him to have the success he’s had, I don’t think that would be possible. The game was played in North Carolina, giving Davidson home-court advantage. Obviously I missed it, but I would take it again if I had the opportunity. Take that shot again, and Jason Richards makes it any day of the week. I think the one thing that’s great about Steph is how he is such a great person. Our guys weren’t getting pats on the back during film study the next day; they’re getting their butts chewed out for the fact that we had a chance and blew it. Davidson drew a first-round matchup against the seventh-seeded Gonzaga Bulldogs. “I’d be lying to you if I said that shot didn’t replay in my mind every couple of days. Stephen Curry led 10-seed Davidson to the Elite Eight in the 2008 NCAA tournament after scoring 40 points against Gonzaga, 30 against Georgetown, 33 against Wisconsin and 25 against Kansas. Well, now he’s on a Broadway stage. Steph sprint’s from half-court to the arc, Andrew looks, which he did instinctively and habitually because all of our guys did, for Steph at the arc. We’ve seen what he was capable of over those past two years. The Elite 8 matchup against the No. It’s hard to really describe how it felt. Coach McKillop obliged and set-up non-conference games against powerhouse programs. I was playing by the numbers, doing what I thought was right.”. The Wildcats weren’t dead yet. We were on TV, we were in the paper. He had led the nation in assists that season, as Robin to Curry’s Batman. Curry spent part of the summer playing with Team USA’s U-19 World Championship squad that earned a silver medal, playing alongside the likes of Patrick Beverley, De’Andre Jordan and Michael Beasley. Entirety of 2021 women's tournament to take place in one location, West Virginia climbs in new Power 36 rankings. We played North Carolina, played Duke, played NC State, played UCLA, which really prepared us for the NCAA Tournament down the road. “In 2008, when you think about it, Facebook had just started,” Richards said. We knew he was going to play in the NBA. He had to come in and earn his spot. Richards: When we started to chip away and make our run, the entire arena started cheering for us. Then Bleacher Report senior writer Howard Beck joins … His game took a big leap, and I think that’s a lot of people have to understand is in the summertime, that’s when you make your progress as a player, and Steph made a huge jump. So when the shot didn’t go in, I was just thinking about the game. However, basketball is a game of runs. NCAA college basketball coverage at CBSSports.com. Select One Gonzaga Kansas Kentucky Michigan. I went to mass before the game and said a little prayer. And it egged me on to get kind of extra motivated. Roy Hibbert got into foul trouble that game. Richards: We knew how talented they were. 2 seeded Georgetown Hoyas, who had made it to the Final Four the year before. That was the 2008 season Calipari and Memphis nearly won the national championship. He is so old he covered Bob Knight when he had dark hair and basketball shorts were actually short.The views on this page do not necessarily reflect the views of the NCAA or its member institutions. Few people, especially Davidson fans, will forget where they were the day the last time these two teams met, which was in the 2008 NCAA Tournament Elite … Thanks to original video provider. And Steph played that role and got better and better at that role. If so, it’s dead. 11 years ago today, Stephen Curry put the nation on notice vs. Gonzaga. Davidson Best Tournament Performances. 1 ranks tried to get him to look elsewhere, to de-commit, so to speak, even though he has signed with us. And out of the blue, he gets up, maybe halfway through our presentation, and says, “I want to come to Davidson.” Matt and I drove home, and it was as if we didn’t need our car. An oral history of Steph Curry’s historic run at the 2008 NCAA Tournament, Draymond Green and James Wiseman are back at practice. NCAA Tournament Scores — Mar 28, 2008. When the Wildcats lost by one point at North Carolina State on Dec. 21, they were 4-6. Next up for the Wildcats was a date with the No. Every time he’s been put on the stage in a pivotal role, he has taken that play, that musical, that drama, that comedy, whatever it might be, he has taken it from Podunk Town America to big city America to Broadway. Brendan McKillop: Going into the locker room after that, and just like the range of emotions, you know we tried to understand how great what we had accomplished was, but also, you know, everyone was heartbroken, and we fully expected to win that game. Steph was never a vocal, you know, like in your face type of guy. It changed the life of the coaching staff and all the players who were part of that roster. And that was us, that was Steph, and that was what we call a dagger. Davidson went 29-5 overall in Curry’s freshman year and lost in the first round of the 2007 NCAA Tournament. … But the other thing is, they were big. NCAA Tournament. He took the nation by storm, and ran with it.”. You have to realize how good UCLA was with Kevin Love, Russell Westbrook and Darren Collison on the roster. “I kept my head down, did my job,” he said. March 21, 2008. The Davidson players wanted to test themselves against the best teams in the nation. Plus more Golden State Warriors news from around the web. “It all started when his defender tripped and Kansas was kind of in a scramble and running around,” Richards said. Curry that day on the feeling that anything he put up was going in: “I try to have that feeling every time I shoot to ball. Coach McKillop: I remember we went to his house on a midweek afternoon. We knew he was a special talent. Brendan McKillop: I don’t want to keep saying the word surreal, but it was. Curry that night: “It’s pretty cool to give him something to be happy about and cheer about, and just entertain him.”. They miss a shot. It was the kind of feel-good underdog story that puts the heart into March. UNC (1) 108: Final: ARK (9) 77 TENN (2) 76: Final: BUT (7) 71: OT GTWN (2) 70: Final: DAV (10) 74 OKLA (6) 48: Final: LOU (3) 78 MSST (8) 74: Final: MEM (1) 77 3 Wisconsin in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament in 2008 (Midwest Region). “I don’t think there’s ever been a question in anyone’s mind who was part of that experience of what could have happened. The 2008 NCAA Tournament The Wildcats finished the 2007-08 season 29-7 (20-0 in conference play) and were the No. He got us in the huddle and just kind of said, “hey, just smile, have fun, because that’s what it’s all about.” I think he kind of lifted a weight off our shoulders at that point to where we started to chip away possession after possession. Georgetown, we were down. The Selection Committeeseeded the entire field from 1 to 65 within four regionals of 16 teams; Mount St. Mary's, as the winner of the play-in game, automatically received a 16 seed. They were a lot taller than us at every position. March Madness predictions: Here's how your bracket will do if you only pick the better-seeded team. They’re going to go on their run, we’re going to go on our run, but no matter what, we can’t let the deficit kind of derail us from the way we play Davidson basketball. I had the experience of going to an alumni luncheon in Charlotte, maybe in October, and boldly proclaim that Steph Curry was going to be one of the greats ever to play basketball at Davidson. The son of former NBA player Dell Curry, Steph was a scrawny teenager who stood 6’0 and weighed 160 pounds. Davidson had endured a shaky start that season, as McKillop loaded up the non-conference schedule. March Madness: 31 questions for college basketball’s best month, “Taking Jason Richards out with 7:42 to go in the game and a seven-point lead. We had a tough-mindedness that I think is a unique skill for a team. Seeing a guy I knew most of my life, playing for the team I loved, and then being able to be a part of it even though I wasn’t necessarily on the court for those minutes. “It changed the life of Davidson basketball. Curry was a 3-star recruit coming out of high school and didn’t’ end up pursued by many traditional NCAA basketball powerhouses. But the legacy of 2008 was there for good. We never had such a calming and peaceful feeling as we prepared for Kansas. And, you know, he really never wavered on that commitment. Elite Eight, and the long, glorious ride finally ends against No. CBSSports.com is your college basketball scores and news source. Coach called a timeout when we’re down 17. He scores 25, but has to shoot 9-for-25 to get them. Steph gets the rebound, takes one dribble and throws it on the money, like a Tom Brady pass to Thomas Sander in full sprint, he shoots the layup and gets fouled. The only team in the Final Four we hadn’t played was Memphis. Four seconds later, Richards found Curry for a 3-pointer that cut the lead to 59-57. DAVIDSON’S 2008 NCAA TOURNAMENT RUN Davidson closed a 1-point favorite in the first round in nearby Raleigh, NC. The Wildcats trailed by 11 points with less than 15 minutes remaining in … He catches it in full-stride with a new shot clock. We had this tremendous sense of peace. He hit his first free-throw, and missed the second, leading to an offensive rebound by Davidson. I actually watched this game from start to finish for the first time at the beginning of the pandemic. Davidson’s program has stayed solid, but the Wildcats have not won an NCAA Tournament game since. “Coach asked us if we wanted to play a tough schedule, we knew we had the team coming back,” Richards said. After a Kansas miss, the Wildcats had 17 seconds left, and one last chance. These are the essential Steph Curry college basketball stats, moments and best quotes from his career at Davidson. It kind of broke down their rhythm. We use the pressure and that kind of invited them into shooting quick 3s. Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry recalls the best memories from his 2008 NCAA Tournament run with Davidson. He still thinks the Davidson mania helped him get a shot at the NBA, though a series of knee injuries killed that chance. The Badgers lead the nation in scoring defense, allowing only 53 points a game. That guard was Steph Curry, an eventual three-time NBA champion and two-time MVP. Then just a couple of tough shots he hit, you can’t describe that as well. Curry’s individual 2008 NCAA Tournament numbers are ridiculous. And he can’t off a last shot. The Bucks superstar announced a five-year, supermax extension on Tuesday. I did see the play when (Mario) Chalmers hit his shot (to save Kansas in the title game with Memphis), but I stayed away from TV.”. Steph found one of his most trusted teammates for the final shot. Coach McKillop: Now we’re in the memory bank, and we’re saying we’re even with Wisconsin; we were down double digits against Gonzaga. Davidson held a 49-45 lead after Bryant Barr, who remains one of Curry’s closest friends, connected from deep. Curry hinted at the future with his early games against the bluebloods; 24 points in a four-point loss to North Carolina, 20 in a six-point defeat by Duke. The 2008–09 Davidson Wildcats men's basketball team represented Davidson College in … Having the crowd behind us at Ford field, it was just an incredible feeling to be there and see it all happening. 10 seed in the Midwest Region. A week later, Kansas was national champion. The Wildcats nearly made the Final Four, but lost to the eventual champion Kansas Jayhawks 59-57. Coach McKillop: Three Gonzaga players, I think, went after Andrew Lovedale, our power forward. Curry finished the game with 33 points, leading the Wildcats to a 73-56 victory. But before he was Steph Curry, he led Davidson to a first-round upset of Gonzaga in the 2008 NCAA men's basketball tournament. He averaged 32 points, 3.5 assists and 3.2 steals while shooting 44% from beyond the arc over those magical four games. And one other thing about Davidson of 10 years ago. I didn’t watch any of the games. Davidson with Coach McKillop had been consistently good, near the top of the Southern Conference, so when some of those guys left — some really good players — people thought Davidson was going to die down. Ten years later, the images of that March still warm Davidson. Curry hits 33, is picking up legions of new fans, including the familiar face applauding from his courtside seat. 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