The decade in Jayhawk sports

Brady at the Star:

One of the enduring images from the Jayhawks’ miracle march was Self falling to the floor after Davidson guard Jason Richards’ game-winning three-point attempt missed, clinching Self’s first Final Four.

Made me think of something Wells Black ’94 posted last week on The Davidson Project Facebook page: Interesting conversation yesterday. Totally unexpected. I was on the phone with an IT guy helping me update some software at my law office. We were on the phone together for a while, so it was inevitable that we would have some conversation outside the subject of the software he was helping me with. As we talked, he told me he had move to Raleigh in the summer of 2008 ... from Kansas, where he had grown up. I asked if he was a Jayhawk fan. He enthusiastically responded that he was a Jayhawk fan. I then told him that I graduated from Davidson. He then said, “Man, am I glad that guy missed that three pointer.” So we are not the only ones that remember “the shot.” Kansas fans do, too. It was “a moment” for them as well.

Jason makes an All-Decade team

Here: Jason Richards (Barrington) -- Talented guard set multiple school records during four-year varsity career with Broncos. He went on to help Davidson reach the NCAA Elite Eight in ’08. Currently, he’s playing for the Utah Fear in the NBDL. (Note: The “Fear,” of course, is the Flash.)

Tonight in New Orleans

Stephen: Three assists shy of a triple-double. Another loss.

Perspective

McKillop: “Nothing’s as good as it seems, nothing’s as bad as it seems. Somewhere in between is reality.”

Long Droney feature

ESPN Rise:

The 6-foot-6, Davidson-bound senior point guard has an arsenal of moves at his disposal -- crossovers, step-backs, pull-ups, and a vicious spin move. But he’s at his most dangerous when passing up the rock in the early going of games and then taking over late. Last year, Droney averaged 23.7 points, 6.6 assists and 6.1 rebounds and dropped 40 in the championship as Sewickley won the WPIAL Class A title. And he did it by being patient and getting his teammates involved.

Other items I underlined: “He knows personally everyone in the crowd who’s there. He definitely averages more points at home.” ... Or the game against Clairton when, down by one with two minutes to go, Droney broke down his man and -- according to multiple witnesses -- dunked on four defenders. ... Big-name coaches like Mike Brey (Notre Dame), Jamie Dixon (Pitt) and Bob McKillop (Davidson) were spotted at Sewickley games. ... “A bigger version of Chris Herren without the baggage.” 28 last night (and a DU alert).

On the court after Gonzaga

More over at The Davidson Project. Contribute by Jan. 1.

Rush the Court on the Wildcats

Here:

Might Davidson be turning the corner a little in the post-Stephen Curry era? It’s entirely understandable that there would be a dropoff, but over the last two nights the Wildcats took Ivy League champion Cornell to overtime before losing on a last-second thirty-footer by Ryan Wittman, and got a solid win tonight over a solid CAA foe. Some of the 4-8 record is due to strength of schedule, but Bob McKillop is too good of a coach for this program to completely melt down. Jake Cohen had 18/6/4 blks in the winning effort, and keep an eye on this team as we hit the SoCon schedule next month.

Stephen last night in Memphis

In another loss, 14, 8 and 7.

Outside looking in

Eric Angevine:

I really believed that Bob McKillop had built a team concept that could survive the loss of Stephen Curry. I knew they'd face challenges this season, but had no idea that would mean so many double-digit losses so early. The near-run game against Penn State (59-57 L) and a win over presumptive SoCon power Citadel give some hope.

What do I think? I think some folks got short memories.

From DavidsonCats.com

McKillop The Youngest is becoming the heart and soul of this team.

Davidson 61, Hofstra 52

AP:

NEW YORK -- Jake Cohen scored 18 points, including a three-point play with 45 seconds left, and Davidson beat Hofstra 61-52 on Monday night in the third-place game of the Holiday Festival at Madison Square Garden.

Cohen, a 6-foot-10 freshman, was fouled as he made a reverse layup with 45 seconds left. His free throw gave the Wildcats (4-8) a 60-52 lead with 45 seconds to play.

Not only a good win going into the short Christmas break but for this group a good two games at the Garden. Now can wear the white jerseys for a little while when they get back to the village. Coming around. DavidsonWildcats.com. Matt McKillop on Facebook: needed this badly. GoHofstra.com.

In the Red Line Lounge

Damon Lewis: Curry needs to just start shooting the ball every possession up there in the Pros. Everyone would be better off ...

Tonight against Hofstra

Game notes: Davidson head coach Bob McKillop is a 1972 Hofstra graduate. He has never coached against his alma mater. Hofstra coach Tom Pecora was an assistant coach for McKillop at Long Island Lutheran High School. The Sports Network.

Jason in Utah

Season so far. Today. Also this: “I think that what the Flash Family Foundation does for the community is great. The community support in return will hopefully contribute to success on the court.”

The Cornell coach

Steve Donahue: “Davidson is a very good basketball team. I think we’re fortunate to catch them when their young guys are still growing. They are an excellent offensive team. I would not be surprised if they win their league. You don’t realize it until you play them. This is a great win.”

Cornell 91, Davidson 88

AP:

NEW YORK -- Ryan Wittman capped a season-high 29-point performance by hitting a 30-footer at the overtime buzzer and Cornell beat Davidson 91-88 on Sunday in the Holiday Festival at Madison Square Garden.

JP Kuhlman of Davidson made the first of two free throws with 6.6 seconds left to tie it at 88. Jeff Foote rebounded the miss of the second free throw and found Wittman, who let his game-winner go with plenty of time.

Cornell will play the winner of the Hofstra-St. John’s game in Monday night's championship.

The shame of it, of course, is that this could’ve been a galvanizing win for this group, against an experienced team that knows what it’s doing, and now it will have to be a galvanizing loss. McKillop put it bluntly with Kilgo after the game -- had a chance to win that game in regulation, had a chance to win that game in overtime, didn’t win that game -- and that’s disappointing. I feel bad for the coaches and the kids. But I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: For Davidson, always, but especially in years like this year, a season’s “success” or “failure” comes down to what happens over the course of three days in the first week of March. What happened this afternoon up at the Garden was a step in the right direction with that in mind. DavidsonWildcats.com.

Tough loss

Great game.

Matt and Zack

The Brothers Matheny.

Listening to the Wildcats

Last Sunday: this buttery deliciousness before flying back to Florida. This Sunday: brunch in St. Pete with Kilgo on the computer.

Snow in North Carolina

Tomorrow in the big city

Against two-time defending Ivy League champ Cornell at the Garden. Game notes.

Stephen’s big game

Season highs, i.e. career highs, in points, threes and rebounds -- in another loss, though. Which evidently is what he wanted to talk about: “We just need to win a game. Losing is frustrating, but we’re right there. We had a chance to make a run, but we had some careless turnovers down the stretch.” Also: in which we learn his new favorite restaurant.

Warriors on ESPN tonight

If you make it a habit of watching Stephen late in the East on ChannelSurfing.net, and I know y’all are out there, no need this time. Career-high 27.

Quick game coverage

AP:

DAVIDSON -- Jake Cohen scored a career-high 23 points and blocked four shots, and Steve Rossiter had 12 points and 11 rebounds to lead Davidson in a 90-49 rout of The College of New Jersey on Thursday night.

The Wildcats (3-7), who snapped a two-game skid, shot 52.2 percent (36-for-69), including 14-for-32 from 3-point range, and had 33 assists.

DavidsonWildcats.com. DavidsonNews.net. Trenton.

Reading the game notes

Leftover from Gonzaga: The last team to shoot 60 percent or better against Davidson was Georgetown in the ‘Cats’ 74-70 victory in the 2008 NCAA Tournament. Choice factoid.

Davidson mention in here

Kyle: The Bubble only has use for you if you’re winning, dying or lying.

Making the argument

Steven Resnick at Bleacher Report:

The more I think about Stephen Curry, the more I believe he should have stayed in college for another year at Davidson.

No. Wrong. First, he wouldn’t have been drafted as high as seventh because of what he would’ve been asked to do at Davidson this year, and because of the quality and depth of the coming draft class, too. Second, the rest of the guys on the team this year, the older guys but especially the younger guys, wouldn’t have developed the way they’re having to develop right now. Third, what we would’ve seen this year not only wouldn’t have been Davidson basketball -- it wouldn’t have been basketball, period, not really. It would’ve been a show, packaged and sold as such by the American sports entertainment industrial complex, a show that would’ve been titillating for many but ultimately burdensome and unfulfilling for the participants and also the closer, more thoughtful spectators.