Frank is showing some stuff. It’s fun watching him come along. Liked that Max-led 10-second call. Nice, balanced, cool-headed game from Stephen. I’d rather have Will slash and miss than not slash at all. No sense losing sleep over missed jumpers. They’re either going to go in or they’re not. In any event, a week and a half away from the SCT, and 23 wins already and 16-2 in the league. That is not bad. That is good. The story continues.
Mike Young in his presser after last night’s game at Belk said he practically laughed during his team’s Friday scouting session when he looked at a freshman guard from Cincinnati and told him who he was going to have to guard.
“Brad,” Young said he told the kid.
“You’ve got Curry.
“He’s No. 30.
“He’s pretty good.
“You’re gonna have to roll your sleeves up on this one, buddy.”
Like Eddie says: “the bright, sunlit uplands.”
Some thoughts here before heading back to the Sunshine State:
1. Will Archambault every game gets at least one rebound he shouldn’t have gotten. Not talking 50-50 boards. Like 30-70. Or 20-80. He’s one of the five best players in the Southern Conference. Y’all know that, right?
2. Last night, in the front row behind the near basket, there was a ninja, there was a boxer, there was a white lobster, there was a cat in the hat with Mickey Mouse hands, there was a kid wearing a red Max No. 14 jersey made of nothing but body paint, there was a kid wearing a red Rossiter No. 23 jersey made of nothing but body paint.
3. One lineup last night for Davidson: an NBA point guard, two 6-foot-6 Canadian run-and-jump athletes on the wings, a stone-cut 6-9 Nigerian at one big and at the other a 6-9 Brit who seems to be sucking down more than his fair share of protein shakes. No wonder these guys are 9-0 in the league.
4. Just scads of unmolested jumpers for Davidson. Hardly any for Wofford.
5. 30’s gone for 30 now 25 times.
If you were there, you're gonna wanna remember this one. "Put it in your memory bank" along with Gonzaga, Greensboro and Elon, but for the most opposite of reasons.
0-3, three fouls.
The rest of the band:
Lovedale: 8-for-14, 20 points, 10 boards.
The WL: 6-for-12 (all treys!), 18 points.
Bond, Aaron Bond: 4-for-5, 11 points, nine minutes.
Will Archambault: 5-for-9, 13 points, four assists.
SteVe: six points, six boards, six assists.
And afterwards, I turned over most of my post-game duties to assistant SID Matt Harris to attend press conferences. Standing in the classroom listening to the Band Leader, there's a tap on the window, and there's the Cheese, making faces while waiting his turn.
I'm sure there's some disappointment -- scorers like to score after all -- but you wouldn't know. In the press conference there is laughter and joking, as he concedes to "not knowing what position" he was playing and having "the best view in Belk Arena tonight."
And so it went, and in the greatest of dramatic twists, the one seeking the spotlight was upstaged by the one who can't avoid it.
Without scoring a point.
What's he that wishes so?
My cousin Curry. No, my fair cousin:
If we are marked to die, we are enow
To do our Wildcat Nation loss; and if to live,
The fewer men, the greater share of honour.
God's will, I pray thee, wish not one man more.
By Jove, I am not covetous for just a first round win,
Nor care I who doth feed upon my cost;
It ernes me not if men my Curry jersey wear;
Such outward things well not in my desires:
But if it be a sin to covet a trip to San Antonio,
I am the most offending soul alive.
No, faith, my coz, wish not a man from Davidson, North Carolina;
God's peace, I would not lose so great an honour
As one man more, methinks, would share from me
For the best hope I have. O, do not wish one more long range three.
Rather proclaim it presently through my host at the RBC Center,
That he which hath no stomach to this fight,
Let the Hoyas depart. His passport shall be made
And crowns for convoy put into John Thompson's purse:
We would not die in Georgetown's company
That fears his fellowship to die with us.
This day is called the Feast of Curry:
He that outlives this day, and comes safe home,
Will stand a-tiptoe when the day is named,
And rouse him at the name of Curry.
He that shall see this day and live t'old age,
Will yearly on the vigil feast his Tar Heel neighbours,
And say "Tomorrow is Saint Curry's Day":
Then will he strip his sleeve and show his scars
And say "These wounds I had on Curry's day."
Old men forget: yet all shall be forgot,
But he'll remember with advantages
What feats he did that day. Then shall our names,
Familiar in Billy Packer's mouth as household words
J-Rich the Warrior, Sander the General,
Lovedale the Nigerian Nightmare, Gosselin and Archambault,
Be in their flowing cups freshly remembered.
This story shall the good man teach his son;
And Curry's Curriness shall ne'er go by,
From this day to the ending of the world,
But we in it shall be remembered;
We few, we Lunatic Fringe, we band of Wildcat;
For he today that sheds his blood with me
Shall be my Wildcat brother, be he ne'er so vile,
This day shall gentle his condition:
And gentlemen in Davidson now abed
Shall they think themselves accursed they were not here,
And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks
That fought with us upon Saint Curry's day.
We are who we thought we’d be … it just took at bit longer than we hoped. This team is now what many of hoped we would see this year. Steph is fantastic, Jason is wonderful, our bigs have been very, very good, but the Canadians have become what they were not, whether because of health or psyche, back in December. If Max and Will were where they are now, we win UNC and Duke. Let alone WMU and UNCC. That is why we are such a threat now to do damage in the tourney and why next year will be a very good year as well.
