Thursday, March 15, 2007

Davidson vs. Maryland final thoughts

The 2nd half looks like a continuation of the first with some GREAT BASKETBALL! Curry opens with a 3, another great reveverse and later an assist. He's directly responsible for 7 of the 'Cats first 9 points in the second half. Maryland's defense and sloppy passes by the Cats are leading to easy dunks. Gist and Jones have one apiece in this half. At the midway point, it's 60-59 'Cats. Maryland's Bambale Osby is crashing the boards and setting some mean picks. He is just everywhere. He just threw an alley to James Gist... awkward but effective. Thanks to a couple of turnovers and made buckets, Maryland is now up 6 points with 6:35 to play. Davidson needs a bucket in the worse way. Curry on cue, 69-66 now. If this article seems like a glowing endorsement of Stephen Curry, it is. The kid just went to the hoop as the defender thought he would pull up from deep. It's 71-68 at the 4:00 TV timeout. Not to sound too contrived, but this is what March Madness is all about -- small schools hanging with big schools. We're into the last four minutes and it's anybody's game. This is a weird observation -- Davidson's band director is actually playing the trombone. This is the kind of stuff you notice during long timeouts. MIKE JONES for 3. It's now 75-68 Terps. Curry with a bad pass leads to a turnoover. That could be it. Curry gets the offensive board and gets fouled. That's 5 fouls on Ibekwe with 1:12 left and the score 75-68. Both free throws good, 75-70 Terps. Gary Williams is sweating but not to an obnoxious degree. It's just a 5 point game. Is there a glass slipper coming??? Big Dave Neal just made 2 clutch freebies for the the Terps. Curry just took 2 big threes and both missed. The 'Cats look done and Maryland fans are on their feet. Davidson fans look dejected. 44 seconds left. Vazquez 1 of 2 free throws. Will, the Canadian, misses a 3. It's all over but the singing. This was a great game to start it all off. Davidson seemed to just run out of gas. As a guy who graduated from a Southern Conference school, I'm more than appreciative of the effort and the guts. Curry just fouled out and the kid got a STANDING OVATION. They have three more years of the kid at Davidson and that should mean three more years of the 'Cats being the team to beat in the SoCon. Props to the freshman. Thoroughly entertaining game. Crowd chants, "He's a freshman." Yes he is. Let's get ready for Duke at 7:10 vs VCU.

-Terry Brooks

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