Before Stephen Curry played even one college game, head coach, Bob McKillop, said at a Davidson alumni event, Wait till you see Steph Curry. He is something special.[8] In his second collegiate game against the University of Michigan, Curry scored 32 points, dished out 4 assists, and grabbed 9 rebounds. Curry led the Southern Conference in scoring, averaging 21.5 points per game and was second in the nation among freshmen in scoring, to Texas Kevin Durant, who ended up being the 2nd pick in the 2007 NBA Draft. Currys scoring ability helped the Wildcats to a 29–5 overall record and a Southern Conference regular season title. On March 2, 2007, in the Southern Conference semi-finals, facing Furman University, Curry set the NCAA freshman season record for 3-point field goals with 113, topping the previous season record of 109 set by Keydren Clark of St. Peters.[9] Curry eclipsed the school freshman scoring record with his 502nd point against University of Tennessee at Chattanooga on February 6, 2007.[10] On March 15, 2007, Davidson marched into the NCAA tournament as a 13 seed set to play the University of Maryland. Even though Davidson lost 82–70, Curry was the leading scorer with 30 points,[11] and received a standing ovation when he fouled out.[12] Curry ended his freshman season with 730 total points, including 122 three-point field goals. After the season ended, Curry was selected for the USA team appearing at the 2007 FIBA U19 World Championships in Novi Sad, Serbia. Despite playing only 18 minutes per game, Curry averaged 9.4 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 2.2 assists while shooting 45% from the floor. Curry was selected as the Southern Conference Freshman of the Year, Tournament MVP, All-tournament team, All-freshman team, and first team All-SoCon. He also was named an honorable mention in Sports Illustrateds All-Mid-Major. Sophomore season Curry at the 2008 NCAA Tournament. Coming off a stellar freshman season, Curry was eager to impress again. In this season Davidson played a tough non-conference schedule, including North Carolina, Duke, NC State, and UCLA. Davidson was lightly regarded, but these games, against top-ranked opponents, were very close losses. Curry, however, played well in each game, scoring 24 against UNC,[13] 20 against Duke,[14] 29 against NC State,[15] and 15 against UCLA.[16] On February 13, 2008, Currys 41-point game against UNC-Greensboro helped Davidson come back from a 20-point first half deficit to win.[17] Curry once again led the Southern Conference in scoring, averaging 25.5 points per game and ended up fifth in Division I in scoring, while adding 4.7 rebounds per game and 2.8 assists per game. His scoring and leadership abilities led the Wildcats to a 26–6 regular season record, and a 20–0 conference record. As a result Davidson earned its third straight NCAA Mens Division I Basketball Championship Tournament bid in 2008 (as a 10 seed). On March 21, 2008, Davidson matched up with seventh seeded Gonzaga. Despite Gonzaga being ahead by as many as 11 points early in the second half of this game, Curry scored 30 points in that half[18] to push Davidson to their first NCAA Tournament win since 1969, 82–76. Curry ended up with 40 points, going 8-for-10 from 3-point range.[19] On March 23, Davidson played second seeded Georgetown in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Georgetown entered the game as a heavy favorite after an appearance in the Final Four in 2007 and holding a number eight national ranking. Curry was held to only five points in the first half of the game, and his team trailed by 17 points at that point. However, Curry scored 25 points in the second half to push Davidson to a stunning 74–70 win.[18] On March 28, 2008, Curry led Davidson to another upset win against third-seeded Wisconsin. Curry scored 33 points over his defender Michael Flowers, who was considered one of the best defensive guards in the nation. Davidson won easily, 73–56, advancing to the Elite 8 for the first time since 1969.[20] In this game Curry joined Clyde Lovellette, Kansas, Jerry Chambers, Utah, and Glenn Robinson, Purdue, as the only college players to score over 30 points in their first four career NCAA tournament games.[20] Curry also tied the single-season record for most three-pointers made in one season set by Darrin Fitzgerald of Butler in 1986–87 with 158.[21][22] He set the record in the next game, against the Kansas Jayhawks, with his 159th three-pointer of the season. Despite Currys 25 points, Davidson fell to the top-seeded and eventual national champion Jayhawks 59–57 on March 30, 2008.[23] Curry was named to the Associated Press All-America Second Team on March 31, 2008.[24] He also was named the Most Outstanding Player of the Midwest Region of the 2008 NCAA Mens Division I Basketball Championship Tournament, becoming the first player from a team not making the Final Four to do so since Juwan Howard of Michigan in 1994.[25] Curry was nominated for an ESPY in the Breakthrough Player of the Year category.[26] Junior season After Davidsons loss in the NCAA Regional Finals against Kansas, Curry announced that he would return for his junior year.[21] Curry said he wanted to develop as a point guard and be able to create his own shot to get ready for the NBA. On November 18, 2008, Curry scored a career-high 44 points in Davidsons 82–78 loss to Oklahoma.[27] He extended a career-long streak by scoring at least 25 points for the seventh straight game.[27] On November 21, Curry registered a career-high 13 assists, to go along with 30 points, in Davidsons 97–70 win over Winthrop.[28] He was held scoreless in a 78–48 win over Loyola on November 25. Loyola double-teamed[29] Curry constantly in a historic game in his career — it was the first ever time he failed to score[29] and only his second collegiate game without double digits.[30] In Davidsons next game (11 days later) Curry matched his career-high of 44 in a 72–67 win over North Carolina State.[29] Scoring Davidsons final 10 points, he helped his team clinch the game in the last moments with a three-point shot from 30 feet (9.1 m), and two clinching free throws with 4.1 seconds remaining.[29] He also had a team-high 3 steals.[29] On December 20 Curry went cold in the John Wooden Tradition in Indianapolis. Going 5-for-26 field goals, including hitting only 2-of-12 threes, he finished with only 13 points against Purdue and its defense (led by Chris Kramer), resulting in the Wildcats second loss of the season, a score of 76–58.[31] Curry surpassed the 2000-point mark for his career on January 3, 2009, as he scored 21 points against Samford; he had accomplished this feat in just his 83rd career game.[32] Then on January 7, 2009, Curry scored 29 points in a loss to Duke, and as a result became the second leading scorer in Davidsons history. On January 28, 2009, Curry made a 75-foot (23 m) shot as time expired in the first half in a 92–70 win against Chattanooga.[33] February 14, 2009, Curry rolled his ankle in the second half of a win over Furman University. The injury caused Curry to miss the February 18 game against The Citadel, and was the first and only game he missed in his college career.[34] Curry became Davidsons all time leading scorer on February 28, 2009, surpassing previous record holder John Gerdy. Stephen Curry scored 34 points in a 99–56 win against Georgia Southern, giving Curry 2,488 points for his career.[35] Davidson won the 2008-09 Southern Conference regular season championship for the south division, finishing 18-2 in the conference.[36][37] In the 2009 Southern Conference Tournament Davidson played Appalachian State in the quarterfinals and won 84-68. Curry scored 43 points, which is the third most points in Southern Conference tournament history.[38] In the semifinals Curry had 20 points against the College of Charleston, but Davidson lost 52-59. After the game Davidson coach Bob McKillop pointed out that 26 wins is 26 wins, and that their four non-conference losses came against Duke, Oklahoma, Butler and Purdue. College of Charleston coach Bobby Cremins said, I really hope they get serious consideration for an NCAA bid.[39] However, they failed to get a NCAA bid. The Southern Conference has never had a team receive an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament. They did receive the sixth seed in the 2009 NIT, where Davidson played the third seed, South Carolina, on the road in the first round. Curry scored 32 points as the Wildcats beat the Gamecocks 70-63.[40][41] In the second round Davidson fell 68-80 to the Saint Marys Gaels. Curry had 26 points, 9 rebounds, and 5 assists in what was his final game for the Wildcats, who finished 27-8 for the season.[42] Curry was the NCAA scoring leader for the 2008–09 NCAA season with an average of 28.6 points a game.[43] He was named a 2009 NCAA first team All-American by the Associated Press, USBWA, NABC, and Sporting News, making him a 2009 first team Consensus All-American. Curry was also a finalist for the John R. Wooden Award and was named a Wooden All-American.[44] Although Curry opted out of his senior year at Davidson, he still planned to earn his degree.[45] College statistics
Posted on: Sun, 23 Mar 2014 22:14:47 +0000
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