The Unforgettable Run: Stephen Curry and Davidson's 2008 NCAA Tournament Journey
The Davidson Wildcats' improbable journey to the Elite Eight in the NCAA Tournament captured the nation's attention. They’re back. The Davidson Wildcats, looking the part of the upstart as much as ever. While the 2008 season is remembered by some for Calipari and Memphis nearly winning the national championship, it was Davidson's underdog story that truly resonated with fans. Led by a young Stephen Curry, the Wildcats became the darlings of March, showcasing a blend of fearless confidence and compelling talent.
The Spark: Stephen Curry's Coming-Out Party
“That was Steph Curry’s coming-out party,” teammate Jason Richards would say a decade later. While those around the basketball world recognized Curry's potential, the NCAA Tournament served as his grand introduction to a national audience. The tournament put him on the map, because everyone watches the NCAA Tournament. Curry's electrifying performances and Davidson's captivating story made them a team to root for.
The Architect: Bob McKillop's Vision
The architect of Davidson basketball is Hall of Fame coach Bob McKillop. McKillop went from coaching high school ball in Long Island to building a college basketball powerhouse in suburban Charlotte, NC. McKillop had been building a strong program at Davidson for over three decades. His reign at Davidson is now going on over three decades, and he’s gotten the Wildcats into the Big Dance nine times. Even before 2008, Davidson was establishing itself as the SoCon’s supreme program. McKillop has coached the Wildcats in three different conferences, and they’re currently a strong A-10’s program. However, in 2008, the Wildcats were still members of the Southern Conference. The 2008 Wildcats made a mockery of the conference, finishing a flawless 20-0 in conference play. McKillop's coaching acumen and ability to instill confidence in his players were crucial to Davidson's success.
The Team: More Than Just Curry
At this point, Davidson basketball is synonymous with Stephen Curry. But it would be ignorant to solely chalk up Davidson’s magical run to the brilliance of Curry. Curry led the Wildcats in scoring in every conference game except for five, but he was surrounded by a strong roster of selfless players that embraced defined roles. We all know a run to the Elite Eight is dependent on far more than a team’s best player, and relegating the narrative of the 2008 Wildcats to “the team carried by Curry” would be a grave disservice. There’s a prevailing theory that the formula to construct a National Championship-winning team is composed of three variables: at least one NBA-caliber player, a supporting cast of experienced veterans, and an elite head coach. And make no mistakes about it, the 2008 Wildcats checked all three boxes.
Curry's most notable sidekick was point guard Jason Richards, who averaged over 12 points and eight assists per game as a senior in 2008. Richards was Davidson’s John Stockton, a passing savant tasked with operating the offense. In the NCAA Tournament, Curry and Richards proved to be one of college basketball’s premier backcourt pairings. Davidson’s front court in 2008 was shared by a trio made up of Thomas Sander, Boris Meno, and Andrew Lovedale. The trio shared similar stats, with each averaging around seven points and five rebounds per game. Sander and Lovedale joined Curry and Richards in the starting lineup, the fifth starter was lengthy wing Max Paulhus Gosselin.
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The Road to the Elite Eight: A Series of Thrilling Victories
Davidson had endured a shaky start that season, as McKillop loaded up the non-conference schedule. North Carolina, Duke, UCLA. All top-10 teams on the docket. When the Wildcats lost by one point at North Carolina State on Dec. They did not lose again in the regular season. By the time they hit the NCAA Tournament, they had won 22 in a row. After the Wildcats ran through conference play, their merits warranted a 10th seed in the Big Dance.
First Round: Davidson vs. Gonzaga
The Wildcats were paired with fellow mid-major power house Gonzaga in the opening round of the tournament. In a thrilling matchup, Curry scored 40 points en route to an 82-76 win over the Bulldogs. First round, No. 7 seed Gonzaga leads No. 10 Davidson by 10 points in the second half in Raleigh.
Second Round: Davidson vs. Georgetown
The Round of 32 is generally seen as this group’s breakthrough. Davidson erased an 11 point halftime deficit to stun second-seeded Georgetown 74-70. Second round, No. 2 seed Georgetown leads Davidson 46-29 with 17:52 left. The Wildcats storm back to win 74-70. Curry once again led the Wildcats in scoring with 30 points, while Richards added 20 points and five dimes. 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.
Sweet Sixteen: Davidson vs. Wisconsin
Davidson’s most effortless NCAA Tournament victory came in the Sweet 16 against the Wisconsin Badgers. Sweet 16, No. 3 seed Wisconsin and Davidson are tied 36-36 at halftime in Detroit’s Ford Field. The Badgers lead the nation in scoring defense, allowing only 53 points a game. The Wildcats blow them away with a 37-20 second half to win 73-56. Curry dropped 33 points, Richards added 13 assists and the Wildcats were propelled by a dominant second half to cruise to a 73-56 victory over the third-seeded Badgers. Curry hits 33, is picking up legions of new fans, including the familiar face applauding from his courtside seat. Budding superstar Stephen Curry converted a wildly difficult reverse layup while getting fouled, adding to 10th-seeded Davidson’s growing lead over third-seeded Wisconsin. In the blink of an eye, the Wildcats built a commanding 19-point lead over the favored Badgers and were on a collision course with the Elite Eight. NBA superstar LeBron James was in attendance for the spectacle, and all he could do was shake his head in awe of Curry’s dominant performance. “The King” most likely didn’t realize it at the time, but he wasn’t just watching a feel-good, flash-in-the-pan story unfold that night. That baby-faced assassin wearing number 30 in red would go on to become his career’s ultimate nemesis.
Elite Eight: Davidson vs. Kansas
Ultimately, the clock struck midnight in the Elite Eight. The Wildcats played a thrilling, grueling matchup with the Kansas Jayhawks. Elite Eight, and the long, glorious ride finally ends against No. 1 seed Kansas, 59-57, with the Jayhawks desperately holding on at the end, double-teaming Curry the last possession. Stop me if you’ve heard this before, but the Wildcats were led by Curry with 25 points. He scores 25, but has to shoot 9-for-25 to get them. And he can’t off a last shot. Richards has to, from the next zip code. A week later, Kansas was national champion. Down by two points with approximately 10 seconds remaining, Davidson had one final possession and an opportunity to prolong their fairytale run. Curry was unable to get an open look, and passed the ball to Richards who left what would have been the game-winning three short. The Jayhawks survived 59-57, and went onto the Final Four where they would cut down the nets. “One thing I do remember is we weren’t nervous,” Richards said. “We didn’t think we were outmatched. We thought we had a chance to beat them, just like we did any other team in that tournament. The play was to be a high screen to get Curry some space to shoot. It had worked against Georgetown. “It all started when his defender tripped and Kansas was kind of in a scramble and running around,” Richards said. “He got doubled teamed and flipped the ball back to me with one second left. It was an open look. Yeah, it was deep. “I’d be lying to you if I said that shot didn’t replay in my mind every couple of days. Especially working in college basketball this time of year, it obviously brings back memories, but I don’t sit back here and think what if, because I’d drive myself crazy.
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The Legacy: More Than Just a Tournament Run
“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 still is a very vibrant, very vivid, exhilarating memory that touches everyone in the Davidson community. “We would have had another shot at Carolina, which we had lost to by four to begin the season,” Richards said. “We had played UCLA. The only team in the Final Four we hadn’t played was Memphis. “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. We felt as if we had emptied our tank. We had this tremendous sense of peace. “It changed my life,” McKillop said. “It changed the life of Davidson basketball. Glory can be fleeting. Davidson’s program has stayed solid, but the Wildcats have not won an NCAA Tournament game since. But they have a chance to change that Thursday.
The Davidson team captured the hearts of fans with their exciting style of play and underdog spirit. The nation would learn that Davidson provided free laundry to its students - all 1,700 of them. And when the Wildcats hit the Sweet 16, the school offered free bus transportation and ticket to any student who wanted to go to Detroit. Social media wasn’t a big thing. That sounds ancient, but people started getting noticed because we were everywhere. We were on TV, we were in the paper.
While Curry was getting the big headlines, Richards was having a big month himself. He contributed 20 points against Georgetown, 13 assists against Wisconsin. He had led the nation in assists that season, as Robin to Curry’s Batman. “I kept my head down, did my job,” he said. He still thinks the Davidson mania helped him get a shot at the NBA, though a series of knee injuries killed that chance. Davidson was down six points in the second half with the Jayhawks seemingly taking charge, when a reserve named Bryant Barr came off the bench and hit three 3-pointers in two minutes. 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. As a coach, you’re fortunate to have that for one game. But he hasn’t watched the Kansas game. “Taking Jason Richards out with 7:42 to go in the game and a seven-point lead. Jason was fatigued, so I took him out. I think they went on a 9-0 run. Richards would graduate that spring. Curry was back at Davidson the next season and led the nation in scoring, but the Wildcats could not recapture the same electricity.
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