Ten years later, McKillop has no regrets, or thoughts of what might have been. That’s why we were in the positon we were, the last 10 seconds of the clock, down two.”. The Jayhawks switched every screen that was set for Curry, giving him little-to-no space to even possess the ball. Coach McKillop and coach Fox zeroed in on Steph as their top recruit. And once again, Steph took over down the stretch. Coach McKillop knew he had to get his superstar a touch with the game on the line. Wide left. 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. Coach Fox: Before Steph came in, we graduated, I think seven seniors or maybe eight seniors, and I think they scored about 95% of the points. Curry was averaging 26 points a game. He makes that 3, and what was critical about it, is that it got the lead into single digits. He had to come in and earn his spot. Curry was a 3-star recruit coming out of high school and didn’t’ end up pursued by many traditional NCAA basketball powerhouses. It was a close contest through the first 20 minutes and the game was tied 36-36 going into the break. It was pretty awesome on those raised up courts that you see all the time now at NCAA Tournaments. Featured ... he was a skinny kid at Davidson who shocked the world. When the Wildcats lost by one point at North Carolina State on Dec. 21, they were 4-6. It’s the pinnacle. Both teams went blow-for-blow throughout the contest. And it egged me on to get kind of extra motivated. We’ve seen what he was capable of over those past two years. Coach called a timeout when we’re down 17. Our assistant coaches were spectacular in the way they prepared us. And one other thing about Davidson of 10 years ago. And, you know, he really never wavered on that commitment. Would Sixers’ Daryl Morey offer multiple first round picks and young players in a blockbuster trade? Richards: His game changed significantly from his freshman to sophomore year in terms of what he was able to do on the basketball court. Curry that day: “I don’t want to get caught up in this-is-a-big-atmosphere, and people-are-watching kind of mindset.”. He was ready to get going right away. I spoke with Davidson head coach Bob McKillop, assistant coach Jim Fox, teammates Jason Richards and Brendan McKillop, as well as former Georgetown player and current Denver Nuggets executive, Jon Wallace. “He was put on the national stage because of the competition he had,” McKillop said. Plus, you can follow all the games on your desktop with our discreet RealTime Scoreboard.. Also, don't miss Blue Ribbon's analysis of Davidson and all 65 teams. Thanks to original video provider. Kansas answered back for a 59-53 lead with 1:15 to go, but a four-point Davidson possession – free throw, Jayhawks losing the rebound of a second missed free throw out of bounds, Curry 3-pointer – cut it to 59-57. The Elite 8 matchup against the No. The nation would learn that Davidson provided free laundry to its students – all 1,700 of them. 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.”. I was doing the scout for the Kansas game, and I’m watching them beat Villanova by I think 30, so I’m literally scared to death. By Curry’s sophomore year, Davidson’s basketball program was establishing itself at the national level. DAVIDSON’S 2008 NCAA TOURNAMENT RUN Davidson closed a 1-point favorite in the first round in nearby Raleigh, NC. 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. Coach Fox: Our guys were ready for a battle against a good team, against a really well-coached team on an incredible stage. In 2008… The Wildcats blow by for an 82-76 win, with 40 points from Curry, 30 in the second half. We knew he was going to be a very important piece to our success at Davidson even when he first stepped foot on campus. We were on TV, we were in the paper. I’m a New York guy, so Broadway, to me, is the most important. The Wildcat sophomore making a lot of the magic was named Stephen Curry. There were rumors that Davidson wouldn't be in the NCAA Tournament at all if it didn't win the Southern Conference Tournament. 2008 NCAA Tournament. But the feeling that we had, was that Steph comes from a tremendous family, and he was excited to come to Davidson. Coach Fox: They were the last game of the day on Friday. The Wildcats nearly made the Final Four, but lost to the eventual champion Kansas Jayhawks 59-57. 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. Believe me; we were realistic; we saw that roster, we watched their tape. And just like when he was at Davidson, he’s a superstar, but he was just a normal guy, and nothing’s changed. The Wildcats storm back to win 74-70. “It’s hard to believe it was 10 years ago, and maybe that speaks about what it has meant to Davidson,” said Bob McKillop, the coach now, as he was then. It’s only going to prepare us for what we wanted to do in March. What we didn’t know and but we came to know, that is apparent now is that his work ethic was top-notch. A tiny school, oozing with charm, started cutting down one giant after another in the NCAA Tournament, as the bandwagon filled every seat. These are the essential Steph Curry college basketball stats, moments and best quotes from his career at Davidson. By the time they hit the NCAA Tournament, they had won 22 in a row. While Curry was getting the big headlines, Richards was having a big month himself. ... 2008: DAVIDSON. © 2020 NCAA | Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. “I want to say about 1200 of the 1700 went,” McKillop said. Knowing Steph, we played baseball together when we were growing up and knew each other from the time we were nine. But it was kind of just a wave of Steph. 11 years ago today, Stephen Curry put the nation on notice vs. Gonzaga. That’s something that you don’t see every day as a freshman coming in at the collegiate level. The Wildcats blow them away with a 37-20 second half to win 73-56. They did not lose again in the regular season. “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. “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. It was a close game. Coach McKillop: What those games taught us was that we could compete, and we can play with anybody. They were a lot taller than us at every position. Against Gonzaga, we were down. An oral history of Steph Curry’s historic run at the 2008 NCAA Tournament, Draymond Green and James Wiseman are back at practice. I can only imagine what it would be like if we had social media back then.”. Well, now he’s on a Broadway stage. He reportedly only received a walk-on offer from his father’s alma mater, Virginia Tech University. He catches it in full-stride with a new shot clock. He had led the nation in assists that season, as Robin to Curry’s Batman. So no matter what the deficit that we had, we knew we could get out of it. I was playing by the numbers, doing what I thought was right.”. The Davidson players wanted to test themselves against the best teams in the nation. In Sporting News‘ recent oral history breakdown of Curry’s sensational 2008 NCAA tournament, Curry’s former Davidson teammate Thomas Sander said: “I … It changed the life of the coaching staff and all the players who were part of that roster. Steph found one of his most trusted teammates for the final shot. I didn’t watch any of the games. Davidson went 29-5 overall in Curry’s freshman year and lost in the first round of the 2007 NCAA Tournament. But when you go back home to his house after the game, he’s the same Steph that was joking in your office 10-15 years ago. Tournament Appearances: 14. Entirety of 2021 women's tournament to take place in one location, West Virginia climbs in new Power 36 rankings. Then, led by Steph, we just got on a wave, and that wave kept on going in that second half. 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. They can take that memory for the rest of their lives, it will be so cherished and so treasured.”. We stayed late Friday, just the coaches, to watch Kansas play. He hit the go-ahead bucket with 1:04 to go, on a play coach McKillop remembers fondly. Coming in, there was no entitlement. 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. Richards: We went into halftime with Wisconsin tied. By then, Davidson was the perfect Cinderella story. Coach McKillop: Some unsavory people in the Div. I went to mass before the game and said a little prayer. Coach Fox: I know SEC and ACC team coaches that were definitely trying to tell him, “hey, you don’t have to go there, even though you signed your letter of intent with Davidson, all you got to do is go to prep school for you get out of that.” So they were giving him the way to do it. Curry that day: “It hurts a lot to get so far, be this close to the Final Four.”, MORE: Naismith Award 10 semifinalists announced |. He still thinks the Davidson mania helped him get a shot at the NBA, though a series of knee injuries killed that chance. It was more about the run as a team, than that one specific play.”. Select One Gonzaga Kansas Kentucky Michigan. But we didn’t make all the plays we needed to, and I think that really set the tone for the year. And we go out on the first play, and I’ll never forget this. You watch him be Steph Curry, the world superstar. Let me tell you this, Jason Richards made that shot countless times in practice, that same shot, when we went through the situation in practice, some of it live, some of it simulated. Brendan McKillop: I was kind of just trying to enjoy the ride, and I was out of the regular rotation as a freshman. But they have a chance to change that Thursday. We had maturity. And I think that was a little different than our past two games. Steph’s confidence just grew even more. Mike Lopresti is a member of the US Basketball Writers Hall of Fame, Ball State journalism Hall of Fame and Indiana Sportswriters and Sportscasters Hall of Fame. It was an open look. Coach McKillop: I remember we went to his house on a midweek afternoon. In 2008, Davidson defeated the Gonzaga Bulldogs, Georgetown Hoyas, and Wisconsin Badgers to advance to the Elite Eight. Curry goes for 30. I think they went on a 9-0 run. I think the one thing that’s great about Steph is how he is such a great person. But before the two-time NBA MVP was recognized as the best shooter of all-time, he was a relative unknown going into the 2008 NCAA Tournament. “If we wanted to be the best, we had to play against the best. Having that confidence going the second half and then once again, Steph went on a flurry to kind of open it up to nine points. Davidson Best Tournament Performances. That sounds ancient, but people started getting noticed because we were everywhere. Not his time. Curry hits 33, is picking up legions of new fans, including the familiar face applauding from his courtside seat. We knew he was a special talent. I mean, we circled him as our top guy, felt he could be somebody that changes our program. Curry had a fantastic run while at Charlotte Christian, helping the team to three conference championships, three state tournament appearances, and was named to the All-Conference and All-State teams. Now he’s director of basketball operations at Pittsburgh. Davidson Wildcats. Second round, No. The Badgers lead the nation in scoring defense, allowing only 53 points a game. His career ended with an NIT second round loss at Saint Mary’s. LeBron James. We kind of pressured them just to where we just tried to get the ball out of their point guard’s hands. After those three games and we had just tremendous confidence. 10 Davidson by 10 points in the second half in Raleigh. We thought we had a chance to beat them, just like we did any other team in that tournament. He contributed 20 points against Georgetown, 13 assists against Wisconsin. We use the pressure and that kind of invited them into shooting quick 3s. I liken him to a great Broadway performer. But before he was Steph Curry, he led Davidson to a first-round upset of Gonzaga in the 2008 NCAA men's basketball tournament. Richards: It’s disappointing because we wanted to win the game. But, the way he did things, the way he handled himself, you saw that he exuded confidence. Wallace (played for the Hoyas and had 12 points in the game): We saw how Steph led the comeback the game before against Gonzaga. NCAA college basketball coverage at CBSSports.com. And Coach McKillop, he’s a New York City guy, so he’s tough. Brendan McKillop: One thing I tell people about Steph is that he’s one of the most humble superstars I’ve ever crossed paths with. Enter your information to receive emails about offers, promotions from NCAA.com and our partners. If so, it’s dead. Luka Doncic is a little out of shape right now, just like the rest of us. “One thing I do remember is we weren’t nervous,” Richards said. Curry’s individual 2008 NCAA Tournament numbers are ridiculous. Matt Matheny and Jim Fox were absolutely spectacular. North Carolina, Duke, UCLA. “It changed my life,” McKillop said. A tiny school, oozing with charm, started cutting down one giant after another in the NCAA Tournament, as the bandwagon filled every seat. They didn’t want to hear anything about it. 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