Final Score: Davidson 82, College of Charleston 81
Top Performers: Canyon Barry 31 pts (3-8 3pt, 4-4 FT), 6 rebs
Peyton Aldridge 21 pts, 3 rebs
This was not a game many Cougar fans were expecting to win. The goal this early in a season featuring so many unfamiliar CofC players is growth every game...Having said that, man a win at Belk Arena would have been sweet.
The Cougars, led by another monster scoring performance by Canyon Barry, found themselves up on the Wildcats with three minutes left to play in a net-scorching contest. Unfortunately, two late and costly unforced turnovers by CofC gave Davidson one too many opportunities to score. Peyton Aldridge sank two late free throws with 4 seconds to go and a Marquise Pointer three at the buzzer was just long. The Cougs found themselves on the wrong side of the razor thin margin of error.
Painful though it may be, the final scoreboard should not detract from some great things that the Cougars did in this one.
We'll start with Coach Earl Grant because he was a master tactician going against one of the best college basketball coaches in the country. The Cougars were handicapped by early foul trouble, but Grant was able to maintain effective lineups and push the right buttons to ensure the game never got out of hand. Grant also drew up a fantastic play when the Cougs had to go the length of the floor in 4 seconds to win the game. Finally, many of the x-factors on the floor for CofC are Grant's new crop of players: Pointer, Brantley, Bourne and Hulsey.
The star of this game obviously was Canyon Barry. He padded his scoring average this season with his second 30+ outing of the year and showcased a diverse offensive skill set. He's looking more composed and confident with his decision making and aggressiveness this year - driving to the rack, pulling up for jumpers and converting from the line.
Aside from Canyon's scoring outburst (which helped a lot), the rest of the Cougars did a some great things to come within inches of beating one of the A-10's best teams. CofC crushed Davidson on the glass, 44-27 including a 14-5 edge on the offensive end. This gave the Cougs extra possessions that helped make up for their growing pains with turnovers and fouling. Gimore, Brantley and Bourne deserve a lot of credit for that.
After a first half that saw Davidson in the bonus for more than 10 minutes, Grant and the Cougars tightened up their defense and clawed back into the game. If they can maintain a stout D and keep putting up 75 points a game, the Cougars will surprise a lot of teams in the CAA. A few more notes below:
- The marquee matchup in this one was Barry vs Jack Gibbs. Barry, Johnson and others took turns guarding the Davidson sharpshooter and they did a fairly decent job. He had 18 points in 39 minutes of play, no rebounds, 3 assists and 3 turnovers.
- For such a historically tough place to play, Belk Arena has now seen back-to-back road teams drop 80 or more points on McKillop Court. The Cats are 2-0, but that trend is very surprising.
- Cam Johnson was in foul trouble throughout the game, which is a shame because Canyon really could have used a Robin - especially down the stretch. Cam was effective when he was on the court, but calls weren't going his way with the refs fixated on Gibbs.
- Marquise Pointer continues to show flashes - this time demonstrating a well-refined knack for the pick and roll game. He had at least three pocket passes that should have been converted, but were not handled by the roll man. That could be a great way to produce points off the bench, and a nearly-forgotten fundamental basketball strategy for Cougar fans.
- Peyton Hulsey post-ups should also be a thing. The 6-5 wing, who has been playing mostly point guard this season, was 5 for 6 from the floor because of his ability to body up smaller guards under the basket. I feel like the coaches are still figuring out exactly how to use a utility guy like Hulsey, because he's above average at a lot of things.
- Haven't re-watched the final play of the game, but the ball never touched Canyon Barry's hands. He may have been blanketed, but it was curious to see Pointer attempt the final shot - no matter how open he was on the play
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