Davidson Men - Updates and More by Whit Henry

3/15/2026

Many people say, “Comparison is the thief of joy.” These people are losers. Comparison can absolutely be the giver of joy, provided you are winning the comparison. For instance, it was dreary, freezing, and snowing as I left Maine last week. This week, it was warm and sunny in North Carolina, and my afternoons were filled playing spikeball shirtless and getting a good tan. This experience was incredibly amplified by the comparison to the previous conditions up North. Another example, anytime I feel sorry for myself, I remember that at least I’m not 60,000 dollars in the hole and way too into goat jumping. I don’t personally know anyone who that fate has befallen, but the idea that someone out there might be going through that keeps me going. 

Now, I may sound like a bad person (up for debate), but I assure you it's cathartic, especially with sports. As a life-long Detroit Lions fan, I can’t count the number of times I’ve held back tears by repeating, “At least I’m not a Browns fan.” Every time West Ham loses, and those English hooligans taunt my poor team, I think to myself, at least I have dental care. When Davidson lost to Fordham this season, Fordham alum Andrew Cuomo’s resignation in disgrace suddenly mattered a lot more to me. 

Speaking of Davidson, some fans I know (including myself) are letting comparison rob them of much joy. They (me) point to the Bob McKillop glory days and wonder why we haven’t reconquered the A-10. These ungrateful snobs (still me) whine over the lack of Q1 wins and reminisce on earning at-large bids. These so-called fans (you guessed it! me) grumbled this Friday, as Davidson fell in the quarterfinals of the A-10 tournament to St. Joseph’s, 70-58.

These people (just me) are losers. 

Please stop comparing eras. This is a different team, a different coach, a different time period. Davidson can no longer be the spot where incredible scouting mixed with McKillop magic can produce first-round draft picks and Cinderella potential. The guys who were homegrown superstars are now transfers to be wistfully spoken about. Look at Reed Bailey. The guy went from averaging 18 points a game and winning A-10 Most Improved Player to averaging 8 for a mediocre Indiana squad that’s going to miss the tournament. In a hypothetical world where Bailey stays and provides the offensive consistency we desperately needed, the Wildcats probably compete for an A-10 championship and a spot in the tourney. Or take Bobby Durkin. He averaged 13 a game for Davidson, was a fan-favorite, and now plays for a sub-500. Minnesota team. These horizontal moves in the pursuit of some miracle have killed year-to-year continuity. If I had a nickel for every time a 2024-2025 Davidson player betrayed his very soul to go to a bad Big Ten team, I would have two nickels and a whole lot of tears. 

But there’s a way to compare this Davidson squad to the past that actually makes you a winner. Let me explain. If we can’t compare to old coaches or eras, let’s compare to last season; same coach, same era. Last year, we went a measly 17-16 (6-12 in conference play) and finished 12th in the A-10. In my final column of the year, I compared the Davidson season to All Quiet on the Western Front, one of the bleakest war novels ever, which, in retrospect, is a shocking comparison for a mediocre basketball team.

This season, however, the Wildcats went 20-13 (10-8 in conference play) and finished 6th in the A-10. This dramatic improvement was done on the heels of losing our top FIVE scorers. That is genuinely astonishing. Imagine if One Direction lost Harry, Zayne, Niall, and the other two all at the same time and came back better. Actually, it’s probably disrespectful to compare One Direction to last season’s squad. Imagine if Nickelback lost whoever sings for Nickelback (anyone who knows this should reevaluate their life choices) and came back as Pearl Jam. 

Instead of losing his stride as the Judasi walked out the door (this excludes Connor Kochera, who graduated), McKillop reloaded in the transfer portal, developed preexisting talent, and recruited well to form a better team. Although I’m disappointed we couldn’t pull off the victory against the Hawks (my mom wasn’t, as she accurately predicted a 12-point Davidson loss and was all too pleased that her intuition proved true), I’m grateful that we made it to the quarterfinals. Although it’s too bad we got walloped by Kansas early in the season, I’m glad we grabbed a power-five win (Boston College technically counts). Although it’s frustrating that we finished 3rd to last, or 359th, in free-throw percentage, I don’t have a silver lining for this one - this is just horrific.

So, I would like to extend a thank you to Matt McKillop and the Davidson men for a wonderfully exciting basketball season, and all I ask for is more improvement next season. I would also like to extend a thank you in advance to Roberts Blums, Josh Scovens, Sam Brown, Parker Friedrichson, and any other player that the greedy little power-five coaches may want to steal from the small, pure mid-majors of the world for their loyalty. I know you would never hurt me. 

3/2/2026

As of mere hours ago, my foolish and naive younger self was lamenting the lack of days in February. This grumbling was preceded by the realization that 28th isn’t followed by the 29th and so forth, but instead by the 1st, which means it's already March. Suddenly, things are due way sooner than I thought, and now, I have three essays to write and a midterm to prepare for, and I sti - STOP. Sweet mother of Mallorica, IT’S MARCH. 

Thunderous applause, joyous sobbing, a few dad-at-a-ball-game-after-a-big-double high fives, and the collective singing of “One Shining Moment” that is definitely off-key but still endearing

We have finally made it. The greatest month of our lives is back once again to bless us with its chaos, hilarity, heartbreak, and elation. 

March Madness is just around the corner, and with it, the promise of a better tomorrow. The snow may stay, but the sad season is officially done when that first ball is tipped. Out of nowhere, we all have reason to live again. To heck with Punxsutawney Phil, basketball tells me when winter is over. 

Speaking of that stupid pig, who thinks he can shake his label of swine just by putting ground in front of it, I recently learned that his all-time guessing average is a pitiful 35%. Despite being the nepo-baby poster child of the sport, he is apparently 17th of all weather-predicting groundhogs in the nation. He’s so bad that (I swear on my everything this is true; you can fact-check me if you want to go into the Punxsutawney Phil groundhog hole that I did) his prediction was right fewer times in the last ten years than the number of times “Punxsutawney Phil” is mentioned in the Epstein files.

I originally had a better segue to Davidson basketball when I wasn’t planning on exposing Phil for the fraud he is, but here we are. Anyway, you want to know who is also on fraud watch, Duquesne. Like Phil, they have a name you would never guess is spelled the way it is, and they aren’t very good at their jobs. At least not as good as Davidson, who manhandled the Dukes for a strong win, 67-56. 

In what should have been an even game, both squads were 16-11, and Duquesne had won their prior matchup, the nearly-ish wire-to-wire victory was an extremely positive sign for Davidson. Stifling defense made up for poor shooting, as the Wildcats held the explosive Duquesne offense to 24 fewer points than their average of 80 a game. 

The Wildcats also put the clamps on La Salle, forcing them to shoot 34% from the field en route to a 71-64 victory. The win was in large part due to 16 points from Josh Scovens and 17 from Roberts Blums. For those of you laughing at my typo in Blums’ first name, his name is actually spelled with an s on the end, so joke's on you. For those of you laughing at any other typo in my writing, please try to empathize with a stressed college kid who is being vulnerable and putting his work out into the world. Shame on you.

Davidson needs to bring this defensive intensity into their matchup with St. Joe’s this week, which could potentially affect seeding in the A-10 tournament. The Hawks are coming in red hot off a four-game win streak, averaging 72 points per game in that span. If the Wildcats can turn this into a slow, grueling affair, they could replicate their 62-56 victory over this team earlier in the year. 

They also must perform offensively. I’m sure this is riveting insight, “If they are good at offense and defense, they will win. I’m Whittier Henry, and I am qualified to write about basketball.” But in all seriousness, the lack of consistent scorers has hurt this team throughout the year. If Friedrichson, Blums, and Scovens can somehow manage to all be good at the same time, this team could get a huge win in John Belk Arena, and this incredible month could start with a bang for Wildcat fans everywhere. 

2/16/2026

Valentine’s Day is one of my least favorite traditions. It always seems to happen when you least expect it, slowly creeping up on you and then WHAM - it hits like a truck. You will casually open Instagram that dreaded morning and unexpectedly see everyone you have ever known happily in a relationship. While the holiday may claim to celebrate love, at its core, it’s just an excuse for the world to loudly mock all of us singles. 

Though terrible, it’s not my least favorite tradition out there, just barely cracking the top five:

5. Valentine’s Day: I do want to note that I had a lovely Valentine’s Day this year.

4. The week every spring when my mom asks north of fifty times if I have thought about a summer job: For those curious (my mom) on this year’s plans: no comment.

3. Dayton’s annual victory over Davidson: The recent defeat, 70-59, has kept this one going for another year. I don’t have a joke here; I’m just sad.

2. Getting stopped and patted down at airport security: I’m not sure if I’ve mentioned this in a column, but this happens to me every single time, and it’s always my groin - out of respect for the readers of this distinguished publication, I’ll refrain from the boatload of jokes on the table here.

1. Sunday scaries: This weekly phenomenon finds a perfect blend of anxiety surrounding things I have to do, my inability to do them all (which leads to none of them getting done), and the things I now regret doing. 

I hate to call Davidson falling to Dayton a tradition because it sounds defeatist and a little bit mean, but it is becoming a sad reality. This week's loss marks the Flyers’ 11th straight win over the Wildcats. The two teams will often look competitive on paper, but it never seems to matter. 

Take this year’s matchup, for example. Both teams were 16-9 overall and 6-5 in conference play headed into the matchup. Davidson scores 74.5 points per game and allows 68.6, while Dayton scores 76.1 a game and allows 71.9. The Wildcats fell to Duquesne, a team that the Flyers beat. Contrarily, Davidson beat St. Joe’s; Dayton lost against them. Both squads beat George Washington and Loyola Chicago, and neither could pull off an upset against Saint Louis, VCU, or Rhode Island. 

The point is, these teams should be even, but it rarely feels that way. Although it was a one-possession ball game for a large stretch of the second half, the 7-0 run to put the Flyers up ten with 2:46 to go was the killshot the arena had been waiting for. 

I won’t lament the Wildcats’ performance in this one because I’m becoming unsure whether this tradition is breakable. I will applaud Friedrichson and Scovens for their outstanding performances, but all efforts in these matchups just feel like Sisyphus impressions.

I do have a solution, however. Instead of torturing ourselves with this tradition every year, we should take Dayton entirely off the schedule (A-10 regulations be damned) and replace them with Mid-Atlantic Christian University, the poor USCAA school that Davidson inexplicably played and trounced on Monday, 114-53. If you had offered me a million dollars and unlimited guesses to name the non-conference school Davidson would schedule in February, I would have stayed a broke man, which is probably why my mom is right, and I could use a summer job.

 That’s actually a lie. I would have guessed it, but only because I all too regularly check Davidson’s schedule and statistics. And to think I wonder why I don’t have a Valentine…

2/2/2026

An open letter to the Davidson men’s basketball team:

Dear distinguished gentlemen, 

You have to stop. Seriously, guys. It’s not funny anymore, and in all honesty, it never was. The fact that you have all let this go on for as long as you have is a stain upon the college itself. Please, take the time to look in the mirror and ask yourself, ‘Would Mom be proud of what I’m doing?’ (That’s my routine anytime I make a tasteless joke in these columns; thankfully, I don’t need to work hard on imagining a response, as I am sure to receive a text shortly after the column goes up - I’m just grateful to have a reader).

It is simply not ok to play with a person’s emotions as you are. 

I was so ready to quit on you guys. I wrote an entire column about how I would rather wallow in the sorrow of my spaghetti than have to endure writing about the basketball I was watching (there were some very complimentary parts of that column). So many times, I have performatively turned off your game on my phone in order to "be in the moment" with friends, when the reality is I just couldn’t bear to watch a loss. The other night, I saw a Davidson jersey in the wild up here, 966 miles away from campus, and my elation only lasted a couple of seconds before someone asked me how you guys were doing. (Quick aside: Isn’t that crazy? It was a Curry jersey, which was still awesome, but a little part of me was going to feel seen in a way I had never experienced if that had been an out-of-nowhere Bates Jones or Foster Loyer jersey.)

But now? You’re kind of sucking me back in. 

In your last three games, you have gone 1-2, which shouldn’t be a reason for celebration, but if you look a little closer, it seems promising. The two losses came against two of the top three teams in the A-10 (VCU and George Mason), and both were single-digit losses. 

Against VCU, you guys started off slow and still had the chance to tie with 25 seconds left and the ball. Against George Mason, y’all were up at the half and only fell behind due to a 10-0 meltdown to open the second period. Also worth noting, this was GM’s lowest point total of the season.

Then, you guys followed up those two heartbreakers with perhaps your best win of the season, a 79-54 dismantling of Richmond. Sure, the Spiders aren’t a great team, but you all managed to hold them to their lowest point total of the season (their next lowest is 63) and shot over 50% from the field AND from deep. I’d like to give a special shoutout to Robert Blums, who came off the bench to casually drop 23 points while shooting 75% from deep. 

Up next, you guys play Saint Louis, who happens to be undefeated in conference play and ranked 24th in the nation. ESPN gives you all a 19.1% percent chance of losing, and until this past run of games, I would have said that was kind.

So here’s my question, gentlemen: Why? Why must you get my hopes up? What twisted pleasure do you enjoy by watching me suffer? I just know that there is some happiness that you must have when imagining me trudging through the wind and snow late at night to write about your team that makes you play well at the most unexpected of times. 

I won’t ask you to repay me for all the hours I’ve spent thinking about your team, the education I’ve missed watching your games instead of doing homework, or the sleep that’s been ruined with nightmares of poor-shooting performances in the A-10 tournament. All I ask is that you win or lose badly against Saint Louis. I can’t take anything in between.

Sincerely,

Your devout and tormented writer 

1/17/2026

Look, say what you will about George Washington basketball. Insult them for not being able to hit the broadside of a barn, as they put up 79 points on a whopping 72 shots. Laugh at them for forgetting the goal of a three-point shot is to make it, as they shot 28% from downtown (Davidson scored 2x more efficiently from deep!). Criticize them for allowing a struggling offensive team that averaged a meager 62 points in their last 3 games to put up 84 on their heads. Lambast them for allowing Robert Blums to come off the bench and put up 21 points. Eviscerate them for their hideous jerseys that are so bad that it's genuinely hard to find a picture online. Mock them, saying that if George Washington returned today, the biggest embarrassment about the current state of our nation would be the state of his namesake’s basketball program. 

BUT

You gotta hand it to them that their court looks sick. I mean, even during the scarily close final couple of minutes, I found myself getting distracted by the D.C. skyline on the bottom of the court. Although I love John Belk Arena (see my latest women’s column for proof), I wish Davidson’s court had something on this level. Don’t get me wrong, the shadow of the Wildcat is cool, but the Davidson skyline would be a lot cooler - provided I picked the locations.

Here are the sights I would select, purely based on personal experiences, with a lesson for the team arbitrarily and weakly attached.

The Reunion Tents where my buddies and I nabbed some free food one random night by pretending to be someone’s nephews: I don’t know if our hilariously out-of-place clothing (my friend was wearing a grey stained tank-top à la John McClane), our complete lack of resemblance to one another (our hypothetical aunt and uncle clearly supported adoption), or the fact there were no other people under the age of 45 there gave us away first, but chalk it up to Davidson kindness that no one kicked us out. Lesson: Remember history - we used to be good at shooting (56% from deep against GW and 37.6% on the year gives me some hope). 

The Random Colorful Sculpture in the middle of campus: I still have no idea what this is supposed to be or what it means, and I’m pretty sure the architect doesn’t either. Lesson: Let confusion reign. Defenses won’t understand the deep academic meaning that hit ‘em. 

The Traffic Light, where my friends filmed a movie at 2 am that included one of them holding a realistic gun, a sight that surely looked normal to any passerby: For those curious, no, the movie was never finished. Shoutout “Locked Connection.” Lesson: Anyone can appear imposing and be a threat (Davidson is 18th in the nation in bench points, scoring 35.19 of the team’s 72.3 per game). 

The Massive Christmas Tree on the town green: Always been a little disappointed the community has never come together to sing “Da-hoo Dorres” (I refuse to look up how that is spelled) around the tree. Lesson: Giving gifts matters. Pass the ball (The Wildcats’ 20 assists on 28 buckets versus GW was truly beautiful). 

The Coffee House where I won trivia with my family tonight: Take that, Davidson professors! I don’t really have a joke or lesson here; I just wanted to brag because that was hype.

I’m not sure if it would actually help the team to see those locations on the court, or if it would just make me laugh. No matter the case, the D.C. skyline sure did the trick as Davidson fought out an 84-79 victory over GW. 

1/12/2026

I’m going to eat my spaghetti. 

I probably should wallow about Davidson getting trounced by Rhode Island. I probably should complain that, as colleague and A-10 enthusiast Colin Bish noted, “Four of five Rams starters scored in the double digits, while the Wildcats’ leading scorer had just 10 on the day.” I probably should reassure readers that the shocking 70-45 loss to a team that was previously 0-3 in conference play is ok because at least our school never was involved in a bribery scheme in 2019 (my research abilities are heightened after bad losses), but I’m going to eat my spaghetti.

It takes very little effort to eat spaghetti. It takes the life out of me to write about how the Wildcats shot 3-17 from downtown. Spaghetti brings me joy. Davidson, having only two more field goals than turnovers, brings me pain. Spaghetti makes sense to me. Parker Friedrichsen only attempting four field goals after dropping 27 points last game (that was awesome by the way) baffles me. 

I think what hurts is that this team is easy to love. When they play well, they look amazing. The offense flows beautifully as 12 guys rotate in and out seamlessly. No possession is boring, no player a ball-hog. Sometimes, if you look at just the right angle, the ‘26 Wildcats look more like the ‘14 Spurs. Additionally, if you look at just the right angle, Hunter Adam’s mask makes him look like a cross between a comic book villain and a teenager in a skin care mask. 

But they aren’t consistent. I don’t particularly know why or how to fix the recurring problems. I could come up with statistical solutions or witty quips, but I just don’t want to. Maybe next week I will, but for now, I’m going to eat my spaghetti.

12/28/2025

Like any impulsive and slightly bored nineteen-year-old male, I decided to chop off nearly all my hair and get a buzz cut this week. Yes, it looks as bad as you might think. Fortunately, as previously established in this column, I am still 6’4 and absolutely jacked, so it’s not the end of the world. If I were hypothetically 5’8 and 3/4ths and arguably malnourished, I might look like a “rebellious fifth-grader” as my friends have so kindly called me. 

Some might assume this cut is revealing that something has gone horribly wrong in my first semester, but I’d argue that this occurrence, mere days into my return home, speaks to the lack of entertainment here in comparison to my time at Bowdoin. Additionally, for those curious as to what my mother thinks, I verified this was not on her “I’ll probably disown you if you do this” list before making the decision (that list includes tattoos, any besmirching of To Kill a Mockingbird, and public profanity- which is too bad because “Harper Lee *$#%# @#%$^&” was going to look amazing across my chest.)

A guy like me getting a buzz cut is like Davidson playing against a big-time team. Compare my haircut to the Wildcats’ bout against #17 Kansas this past week. Sure, it’s probably a bad decision to begin with what will ultimately lead to an embarrassing result, but it’s a true test of how good something is. You can’t hide with a buzz cut, and you sure can’t hide against a good team. And just how my buzz cut revealed a hilariously bigger-than-expected bald spot, Davidson’s 90-61 loss to the Jayhawks exposed the problem behind their inability to win big games:

Davidson can’t score against good teams.

It hurt my heart to write that, but devastatingly, it’s true. In their three losses to Quad 1 opponents (Utah State, Saint Mary’s, Kansas), Davidson has scored 60, 61, and 61 points, well below their season average of 74 a game. Those poor scoring performances have been saddled with poor shooting performances. In those games, Davidson has shot no higher than 40% from the field and average 31% from deep.

On the flip side, in their three wins against Quad 3 opponents (they haven’t had any Quad 2 opponents), they have averaged 48.3% from the field. This isn’t a major improvement, and in two of those games, they scored only 62 and 59 points, but they were consistent enough to win. Consistency is key. 

That’s because Davidson lives and dies by their depth. They have gone at least 12 deep in every game this season (except for against Temple; they went 11 deep). While this may put a smile on the faces of parents everywhere, the generous minutes are likely not out of the goodness of Coach Matt McKillop’s heart or due to the spread of socialist ideas on a liberal arts campus, but because they lack a real star.

Josh Scovens and Sam Brown are the closest thing Davidson has to stars, and they only average 10.4 and 9.9 points per game, respectively. Every other team in the A-10 has players who average at least 13 points per game, excluding Richmond, whose AJ Lopez taps out at 11.4, and La Salle, whose Jaden Marshall reaches 12.8. 

Are Scovens and Brown capable of averaging more points? Yes. Can Davidson shoot better in big games? Hopefully yes. 

The good news is that only one of those questions has to be a yes to have a very competitive A-10 campaign. 

What the Wildcats will do about these shooting troubles, I’m not sure. But I do have a solution for my bald spot. When I inevitably shave Davidson into the side of my head, I have the O all ready. 

12/7/2025

I cleaned my room today (See, Mom, I can be responsible on my own.) 

Which of these five items was not lying astray in my room (the answer is at the bottom of the column):

1. 40 individual pieces of uncooked pasta spread across a table

2. A slip dress with numerous pictures of Sigmund Freud safety-pinned on

3. A caseless CD of Pink Floyd’s The Wall 

4. Three separate socks that had mysteriously lost their matching pair 

5. An unopened bag of carrots sitting in my fridge that was bought the first week of school.

Astonished, my roommates asked why, after months of happily living in a pigsty (I promise this is an exaggeration, Mom), I decided to tidy the place up. 

I wanted to claim it was out of care for them, to reduce the risk of accidentally welcoming in harmful bacteria, or boredom, but I knew it was a product of mounting pressures. 

See, I never clean my room in prosperous times. I only clean to make myself feel accomplished when all signs point to the contrary. Sure, I may have multiple finals I haven’t studied for, songs to learn before an upcoming concert, and a shocking number of papers to write, but look at that made bed! 

You may be wondering why this clear call for help is included in a column that is, at least in title, about Davidson basketball. 

It’s simple: Davidson cleaned their room this week. 

After a 5-0 start to the season, including a convincing win over a technically power-five school, Boston College, the Wildcats got dismantled, demolished, and disrespected by Utah State. 

The Aggies won by 34 points, 94-60, off the back of a phenomenal 40-point performance by MJ Collins Jr. This game hurt so, so much. 

With a matchup with Kansas looming, followed by a very competitive conference slate, Davidson needed a little pick-me-up.

And they got it, in the form of two comfortable victories over NC A&T, 90-74, and The Citadel, 79-63. Army transfer Josh Scovens looked especially strong across the two games, scoring 21 and 15 on 65% shooting. 

The offense overall shined, shooting 43.4% from downtown and averaging 16.5 assists between the two games. 

These results, despite the smiles they may have brought to Davidson fans, were expected. No one (except me) is picking the Wildcats to upset Kansas in a couple of weeks after watching these games, just as no one is expecting me to pass my finals after seeing my clothes hung up (Mom, I assure you this is hyperbolic, and I am succeeding in my classes). 

Regardless, the wins bring reassurance and some confidence, and that’s all one can hope for after a bad loss. 

Oh, and the fake item was the CD; I’m more of a vinyl guy.

11/23/2025

Before I begin my column responding to Davidson’s victory over Boston College, I would like to mention that BC is my editor’s alum and fellow writer Sadie Barend’s college, so I may temper my reaction to avoid upsetting anyone here at CBT. So with that in mind:

ahem

LET’SSSS GOOOOO WOOOO HOLY MOLY ME OH MY, THAT’S A WIN OVER A POWER FIVE SCHOOL! WE ARE SUCH A BETTER BASKETBALL SCHOOL THAN BC COULD EVER HOPE TO BE. SERIOUSLY, WHAT DOES THE BC STAND FOR? BASKETBALL CRISIS? BAD COACHING? BOSTONIANS CRYING? 

In fact, I would like to pay so much respect to my boss, Dave, who controls if this column ever sees the light of day, that I want to honor him by envisioning the game through his eyes:

It’s a Friday night. Dave sits down on the couch, soda and wings in front of him, ready for a night of hoops. Some friends invited him to a night out of the town, but he has his priorities in order, and BC basketball needs him. Besides, it’s the most important tournament of the year- the Shriners Children's Charleston Classic Lowcountry Bracket- he wouldn’t miss this for the world (a few years back, this tournament made him late to the birth of his child- a decision he stands by to this day). 

I just want to note this is a historical reimagining of Friday night, and all details I may include regarding Dave’s parental habits are entirely alleged.

“Who are we playing?” Dave wonders aloud. 

He laughs as he checks the ticker, “Davidson? That tiny Southern school hasn’t been relevant since Steph Curry was there.”

Jumping back in to mention that Davidson has been relevant multiple times since Steph Curry. They have made the NCAA tournament five times since he left and won the A-10 tournament in 2018. Boston College, however, has only made it once Steph left. Historically, Davidson and Boston College have reached the elite eight three times each and gone no further. Therefore, Dave’s brushing off of Davidson basketball is hypercritical and reveals a lack of knowledge of the overall college basketball world. Typical of a New England elitist. He should feel ashamed.

 As the first TV timeout comes five minutes in, Dave’s grinning. His Eagles are up 12-7 and look comfortable. 

Seven minutes later, the smile has slightly faded as the Wildcats lead by seven, 23-16. Not to worry, his BC boys will surely right the ship and gain back control. 

Halftime. Davidson’s winning 33-31. Dave shouts some rude comments at the poor college kids he religiously watches play a children’s game and feels better about himself. 

11:03 left. TV timeout. The Eagle’s trail, 44-39. Dave swaps his soda for whiskey and his Boston College ball cap for his superstitious sombrero. 

I really, really hope he actually has one because what an insane shot in the dark that would be from me. 

7:55 left. TV Timeout. In the stretch between the breaks, Boston College has scored two points, committed two fouls, turned the ball over twice, and missed a three-pointer. They are down, 48-41. Dave is down to his knees.

3:33 left. TV Timeout. Dave sees his angel numbers on the clock and wonders if God is real. The scoreline seems to be overwhelming evidence for the contrary. The Wildcats are winning, 57-45. 

This next sequence is so painful, I don’t feel comfortable describing Dave’s reactions throughout. I will simply copy in the exact play-by-play. All the names included are Boston College players.

0:45 left. 59-49, Davidson up. Donald Hand Jr. missed Three-Point Jumper.

0:41 - Aidan Shaw Offensive Rebound.

0:40 - Donald Hand Jr. missed Three-Point Jumper.

0:34 - Fred Payne Offensive Rebound.

0:34 - Fred Payne missed Three-Point Jumper.

0:31 - Aidan Shaw Offensive Rebound.

0:30 - Chase Forte missed Three-Point Jumper

0:00. Davidson wins 59-49. Dave weeps profusely.  

Dave’s friends call him, gleefully recounting the incredible night they are having. They ran into Boston College legend, quarterback Matt Ryan. Dave can’t bear to hear about this, so he quickly hangs up. He will later blame it on poor cell connection, but this fools no one, and his friendships are never the same. 

As Dave wallows in his despair, he finds a miraculous silver lining: No one will ever know about this. 

“Who watches Davidson basketball?” 

I do, Dave. 

“This will completely go under the radar! Seriously, no one watches Davidson. They are such an irrelevant team. I can’t remember the last time I read anything about Davidson, and if I did, it was probably really poorly written.”

Ouch.

Dave’s wife overhears this, “Dave, that poor writing comment got me thinking. Doesn’t that punk kid from North Carolina write about Davidson for CBT.”

“I think I would know if someone wrote about Davidson for CBT. It is my site, after all.”

“No, I’m pretty sure he does. You wouldn’t know because you refuse to read that, and I quote, ‘hot pile of garbage that is disrespectful to college basketball and writing everywhere.’”

This hurts, guys.

Dave’s heart sinks. She’s right. Dave sadly sighs.

But then, after a second, he smiles.

“Thank goodness no one reads his columns anyway.” 

11/16/2025

Sam Brown has arrived!

Wait, I apologize. Just like when I hired that caricature sculptor, I’m getting ahead of myself. 

Davidson Men’s College Basketball is back and better than ever. I don’t mean that hyperbolically. The gentlemen are off to a flaming start: 4-0 with wins over DeSales, Washington State, Charlotte, and most recently, Bowling Green. 

Speaking of flames, the basketball world has been burning recently. I am, of course, referencing the gambling scandal that rocked the NBA, as everyone involved had their pants on fire. This story was shocking, and years ago, it would have been the main story for months. But this is 2025. Nowadays, there are so many genuinely jaw-dropping stories out there that writers are struggling to retain audiences for longer than a headline. In fact, I’d wager that at least four people clicked away in the middle of this paragraph. 

For those who have soldiered on, you may be concerned I would be wagering, as that’s what got these basketball figures into this mess in the first place. You may think I really should avoid following in their footsteps at all costs. 

That’s where you would be wrong. Instead of maintaining moral purity, I will be turning to lying and cheating in order to keep my columns competitive with mainstream media this year. Any respectable journalist would do the same. 

This being unfamiliar territory, I will begin with baby steps. For my first heinous act, I will be playing four truths and a lie surrounding Davidson’s season so far (The answer will be at the bottom):

Davidson can shoot: They average 81.3 points per game, while shooting 51.6% from the field and 43.4% from downtown. For the record, you are not allowed to check the stats before deciding if this is true or false.

Hunter Adam is more than just a podcaster: How dare you call this a lie? No one should be confined to one facet of their identity. Regardless of his basketball performance, Adam is much more than just a podcaster. With that being said, his basketball performance has been really good. Despite coming off the bench, he’s averaging 16.6 points a game, shooting 100% from the line, 66.7% from the field, and an absurd 63.2% from deep. His breakout season is here. 

The Wildcats had a 21-point lead with 9 minutes left against Bowling Green and only won by 4 points: Clearly, Davidson was working on being in close games early in the season to be better prepared for later on. This utter stroke of genius from Head Coach Matt McKillop actually caused multiple strokes in the crowd as a result of immense stress. 

The transfers have taken over: Davidson may have lost good players to the transfer portal, but the squad got some great ones in return. Three of the five starters are transfers, coming from Army, Penn, and Wake Forest. This lineup of schools should be a clear tip-off that this is true. If I had made the list, they would have been from a circus school, the McDonald’s sponsored Hamburger University (yes, this is a real thing), and Bowdoin College (Go U-Bears).

Sam Brown has arrived: We finally made it. Transfer Sam Brown has shown flashes of excellence in his time at his previous school, but he started the year slowly. He came alive against Bowling Green, scoring 18. Now, would I really set up the lie from the very first line of the column? 

If you skipped to the bottom just to get the answer, you’re a bad person. The good news is I’m becoming a bad person, as I was lying the whole time. All of those were true (except for the multiple strokes thing). 

3/9/2025

I just finished reading All Quiet on the Western Front - spoiler warning (the book was published in 1929, so I think I’m safe). The story is bleak, haunting, and tragic, especially the ending. The main character, Paul, who has barely escaped death numerous times, dies in 1918, just before the armistice is signed. The character we have grown to know and love finally falls.

Except it doesn’t matter. We are given almost no detail except the chilling report of the day: “All quiet on the western front.” Paul dies, and yet it is all quiet. 

That’s how I feel about Davidson basketball. The Wildcats couldn’t pull off upsets in two close games this week to Loyola Chicago and Saint Bonaventure to close out the regular season. Barring divine intervention in the A-10 tournament, the Wildcats’ season is over. 

And no one cares! 

Everyone focused on the Alabama-Auburn, St John's-Marquette, and Duke-UNC games. Sure, those included top-10 teams, rivalries, and OT buzzer-beaters, but do they compare to watching Davidson fail to come up clutch once again? 

Just like Paul, Davidson died, and nobody noticed. 

AQOTWF (the acronym really rolls off the tongue) leaves one with questions such as:

Why must civilians settle leaders’ feuds? - One character suggests the leaders settle disputes with clubs. I wholeheartedly agree. I wouldn't want to risk losing North Dakota, but watching Trudeau and Trump go at it would certainly be entertaining.

Is the draft immoral? - Maybe. Speaking of drafts, I was selected sixth of thirteen the other day in a pickup basketball game. Stat line: 0 shots made, 7 steals, 17 insults towards my opponents, 3 unnecessarily personal insults towards my opponents, and 1 charge accidentally taken against a guy 60 pounds heavier than me that I am still sore from. 

Is war ultimately meaningless? -  This one is probably above my pay grade. All I can confidently say is that I enjoy the card game.

Similarly, the lackluster season leaves fans with questions like:

Is it time to maybe, maybe move on from Matt Mckillop? - Look, I like him, and his ascension to the position was valid regardless of his last name, but he lacks results. In his father’s final year, Davidson went 27-7, beat #10 Alabama, was the A-10 regular season champ, made the tournament as an at-large bid, and lost by one in their first-round matchup. Since the younger Mckillop took over, Davidson is a combined 48-48 and has finished 8th, 13th, and 11th in the A-10. I don’t think basketball fans have been more disappointed in a son since Bronny - WAIT, LEBRON I WAS KIDDING, STOP YELLING AT ME.

Is next year our year? - For the purposes of this column, absolutely. Please read again next year. Please.

Scoreboard Update:

Davidson - 22 Doubters - 21.5

3/3/2025

Davidson vs The Doubters - Round 16

Erohrehuthj[4w32-htr9t43094713-2ty69475413 -  I apologize for that outburst. That was me banging my head against my keyboard as I thought back to Davidson’s soul-crushing loss to Saint Louis this week. 

I had the pleasure and pain of watching this game with my parents. The Wildcats started hot on their home court and went into the half leading by eight. My dad asked me and my mother if he could make us any food during halftime because, “If I miss the beginning of the second half, it’s fine - looks like Davidson is running away with it anyway.” 

Although we enjoyed the frozen pizza he returned with, he was kicking himself for leaving because the Billikens clawed back into the game, tying it 33-33 with just under 15 minutes left. Side note: DiGiorno is the best brand of frozen pizza, and it’s not close. It’s arguably better than some regular pizza brands, like Papa Johns. Then again, the weird mix of ingredients in Lunchables that they call pizza is better than Papa Johns.

The Wildcats regained control and with 6:07 left found themselves leading by 13 following an 11-2 run. This time, my mother decided she should head to bed, “This isn’t a game anymore.” The off-handed comment hung in the air. Oblivious to its consequences, no one knocked on wood. At that moment, Davidson’s fate was sealed. 

With those few words, my mother single-handedly caused the utter collapse that took place over the last six minutes. It is the only reasonable explanation. Through a series of missed shots, turnovers, and defensive miscues, St. Louis battled back and shockingly won, 57-56. 

The next morning, she told me, “Good luck on the column this week. It’s going to be a sad one.” There felt like there was a subtle smugness to the remark as if she knew she was the culprit behind the crumble. Although she is equally enamored with Davidson, part of me suspects she jinxed the team just to mess with me. I guess it’s payback for seven-year-old me making her watch my numerous performances of Bruno Mars’ Uptown Funk. 

Poor Bobby Durkin. The surefire shooter inexplicably missed four threes down the stretch, including two wide-open looks with under 30 seconds left. The second shot stung. The potential game-winner clanged off the rim as the buzzer sounded. Some may say it was nerves or just an off night, but I know this was the work of the wonderful woman who raised me.

Scoreboard Update:

Davidson - 21 Doubters - 20

2/24/2025

Davidson vs The Doubters - Round 15

North Carolina weather always manages to be interesting. We may not have four distinct seasons in the year, but we do have all four within one week. The other day, the high was 67 while the low was 27 - a 40-degree difference. I thought the weatherman gave up. What do you even advise to viewers, wear snow pants with shorts underneath? Somehow, they were right.  It hit both of those temperatures within six hours.

The one drawback to NC weather? There are never extremes in either direction. Watching the weekly forecast is the same as reading these columns. The Davidson men can hang with the best of them and come scarily close to dropping games to lesser teams, but neither ever happens. Although I love them, they are painfully mediocre. 

And what did Napoleon say about mediocrity? “When small men attempt great enterprises, they always end by reducing them to the level of their mediocrity.” That doesn’t actually apply here; I just thought it was ironic Napoleon dared to call anyone else small. 

This week Davidson lost to Loyola Chicago, the third-best team in the A-10. Although the final score read 77-69, the game was far closer. The Wildcats were tied with 3:46 left, led by a strong performance from Reed Bailey. They then beat Fordham, the worst team in the A-10, by 11, 80-69. It was a run-of-the-mill week. 

But we seem to forget the point of this season, at least in the perspective of this column. The only scoreboard we care about is the one against the Doubters. And ladies and gentlemen… we are winning! We might not have beaten Loyola Chicago, but we came close. Who saw that coming? That’s a win in my book.

The Wildcats were picked to finish in 14th place in the A-10; we’re in 10th. We have four games left, not for glory, but for dignity. How dare people doubt? We may not be the best, but we are not the worst, and that’s what matters. 

As someone who has racked up a large number of participation trophies in his day, they all look the same from a distance. 

Scoreboard Update:

Davidson - 21 Doubters - 16.5

2/16/2025

Davidson vs The Doubters - Round 14

For years I have been known as a nefarious outlaw. I can’t help it. Some of us were just born to be bad. 

My delinquent record includes: six tardies, one call to the office on a misunderstanding, two scoldings in middle school, and one time being questioned by police (I was eight and got stuck in my seatbelt). 

Despite my criminal past, there are some rules I do follow. Unofficial rules for living. Ones that, if broken, will surely bring awkward moments, missed opportunities, and unspeakable sorrow.

Here are a few:

The Beach Boys’ music is reserved for summer or summery days: Look, I love their tunes probably more than your average Joe, but I just can’t back blasting Surfin USA when it’s 40 and rainy outside. Exceptions to the rule: Little Saint Nick, Disney Girls, Student Demonstration Time, Sloop John B, and Long Promised Road.

Never eat pizza with a fork: Have some respect for yourself. 

Always turn off La La Land before the ending: It’s for your own good. Why choose to be miserable?

After this week and the season altogether, I have a new rule for the list:

Never let Davidson basketball get your hopes up: 

I had a friend reach out to me before the Davidson-UMass game asking if he should bet on the Wildcats to win. My first instinct was to call 1-800 gambler (seriously, who bets on A-10 basketball?), and my second was to tell him absolutely not. The team was too inconsistent and they were on the road.  

And then, in what only could have been a personal joke by the fates, Davidson won comfortably, 77-68. I apologized to my friend, and excitedly recommended he check out the game against George Washington. This time, the Wildcats were at home and UMass was slightly better than George Washington, so it should have been easy money. 

I’m sure the fates were roaring with laughter after GW won, 74-67. 

That brings me to another rule: 

Never listen to Whittier Henry’s betting advice.

Scoreboard Update:

Davidson - 19.5 Doubters - 16

2/9/2025

Davidson vs The Doubters - Round 13

It costs 8 million dollars to air a thirty-second commercial at the Super Bowl this year. That’s $266,666.667 per second. I tried submitting one for CBT to see if the producers would be willing to air it pro bono. Still waiting to hear…

That’s the problem with the ads. The companies that can afford to have one don’t need one. Sometimes, the commercials aren’t even good. How do you spend 8 MILLION DOLLARS and simply go through the motions? It’s unbelievable.

Sometimes, they strike gold. Amazon’s Alexa replacements ad a couple of years ago was memorably hilarious. Although it’s truly a travesty they didn’t ask Bob Knight to berate the user repeatedly. They could have had the user ask for a chair recommendation or something; just get him in the ad.  

Although it was great, Amazon didn’t need that business. Imagine if Bezos chose not to submit a commercial this year and instead donated that money to the Davidson men’s basketball team. 

“I pay how much for tuition and you want more?”- the cries of Davidson parents everywhere. Unfortunately, for this exercise, we absolutely want more.

As the self-appointed distributor of these funds, here’s what I would do:

$1,000,000 goes to NIL deals for Reed Bailey, Bobby Durkin, and Mike Loughnane. We are not losing them next year. Bailey scored a combined 41 over the two games this week, if he’s not A-10 Player of the Year the award means nothing. Mike Loughnane dropped 15 against Richmond and sank a dagger that killed any hope of a Spiders’ comeback. Davidson won, 71-60.

$2,000,000 is focused on incentivizing students to come to games. John Belk Arena was rocking for Davidson’s win over Richmond this week, thanks in large part to the effort of the swim team. The speedo-wearing gentlemen brought ridiculous energy and genuinely helped to stifle a couple of Richmond momentum swings. Multiply that times ten. The psychological torment the Davidson intellects could create for opposing players is terrifying.

$3,000,000 is siphoned off for recruiting the top player in the 2027 class. Here’s the pitch: Davidson might not have the national prominence as a Duke or Kansas, but we do $3,000,000 in NIL for just you. Oh, and have we mentioned Steph Curry went here?

$2,000,000 is used for a little bit shadier purposes. Look, I want to win the right way, but would it be that bad if refs helped a little? We only lost by four to George Mason three games ago, and only by six to Dayton this week. Those are two of the strongest A-10 teams. We are already so close - with the backing of the zebras, we could win easily. The Kansas City Chiefs do it, why can’t we?

Scoreboard Update:

Davidson - 18.5 Doubters - 15

2/2/2025

Davidson vs The Doubters - Round 12

Yesterday, the most baffling and world-breaking executive decision ever was announced. It shook North America, Europe, and the rest of the world to its very core. I am, of course, talking about the Dallas Mavericks’ front office trading generational superstar Luka Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers for an aging Anthony Davis. 

Sports media lost its mind. Theories such as “this was a conspiracy by the NBA,” “Donald Trump orchestrated the trade,” and “the move was done to cover up climate change” were all real ideas floated. 

If people could agree on one thing, Mavericks’ GM Nico Harrison should be fired. It hurt fans so badly that the day was dubbed the worst day in Dallas since 1963. 

This chaos made me grateful trades aren’t a part of college basketball. 

But what if they were? 

Davidson would be in the perfect position to make a splash move. They are pretty talented; they barely lost this week to A-10 leader George Mason. Unfortunately, they are one player away from becoming real contenders. A major deal now could create a juggernaut for next year. With that in mind, here are some trades I would make if I were GM of the Wildcats:

Davidson receives: Sophomore forward Jaylin Stewart 

UConn receives: Senior guard Connor Kochera

It’s a long shot, but Kochera shoots and scores better than current guard Hassan Diarra and could contribute to the three-peat effort. Stewart has major upside and could evolve into a star at Davidson, and he gets to go from Danny Hurley crucifying him to kind retired fans cheering him on. 

Davidson receives: Freshman forward Cooper Flagg

Duke receives: Junior forward Reed Bailey

Who says no? The two average strikingly similar stats and, Duke gets to keep Bailey for another year as Flagg will more than likely be the number-one pick in the NBA draft. Meanwhile, Flagg essentially guarantees an A-10 tournament championship!

Davidson receives: Kyrie Irving and Anthony Davis

Dallas Mavericks receive: Freshman guard Hunter Adam

Ignoring the fact Irving and Davis have been out of college for more than 10 years, Mavs’ GM Nico Harrison feels crazy enough to do anything right now. Although we will miss his podcast, Hunter Adam gets to join the NBA despite averaging 2.7 points. Reminds me of when Bronny was drafted.

Scoreboard Update: 

Davidson - 17 Doubters - 14

1/26/2025

Davidson vs The Doubters - Round 11

There was a whiteout at John Belk Arena this week for Davidson's matchup against St. Joe's. Mother Nature must have seen the announcement because snowflakes danced down from the sky, filling the air. The student section finally returned from winter break, and palpable energy covered the stands. 

This was the atmosphere numerous NBA scouts walked into, presumably to see St. Joesphs’ Rasheer Flemming. He performed well, dropping 20 points and grabbing 6 assists. The talent seemed transferable to the NBA and his stock most-----

woah!

Who’s that??

Insert WWE music.

It’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s REED BAILEYYYY!!! The Purple-Shoed People Eater (working on that nickname. I’m open to suggestions) stole the show dropping 25 points, 5 rebounds, and 6 assists. 

Unfortunately, the Hawks limited Bailey’s impact overall and comfortably won, 78-61. Almost every time Davidson pulled into striking distance, St. Joes would hit a crushing three or demoralizing alley-oop. 

The Wildcats then hit the road to take on Richmond who have the coolest-looking court in the NCAA. It’s just their logo, a spider, but it looks so intimidating protruding from the center. The arena was alive, fans hoping that their team could turn the tide and end a four-game losing streak. Early in the second half, with the Spiders leading by nine, that looked likely. Richmond finally was going to----

what’s happening?

Why is the column stopping again?

Insert WWE music.

REED BAILEY AGAIN!!! UNBELIEVABLE! The Purple-Shoed Prince (This any better?) scored a career-high 32 points while shooting 65% from the field to lead Davidson back into the game.

He wasn’t alone. Bobby Durkin, the A-10 leader in three-point percentage, exploded for 16 second-half points after a scoreless first frame. He hit two huge back-to-back threes with just under four minutes left. Not to be outdone, the wind instrument (get it cause ‘reed’) sank a massive ‘and one’ layup to maintain the lead with 1:39 left. 

But it wasn’t Bailey or Durkin who sealed the victory for the Wildcats. With 24 seconds left and the game on the line, Richmond’s Dusan Neskovic dribbled down the court. Waiting there for him was first-class glue guy Zach Laput who swiped the ball away to ensure a Wildcat victory, 72-66. 

This was Samwise saving Frodo - fitting they were playing the Spiders. 

Scoreboard Update:

Davidson - 17 Doubters - 12

1/19/2025

TikTok got banned last night, and the world lost its mind. People screamed in the street, wars were waged, and Gen Z collectively cried. 

And then it got unbanned. After mere hours. 

It pulled one of the quickest comebacks in history. Typically these things take time. John Travolta made Grease in 1978 and didn’t have another hit for 16 years, Jordan took a full year off to play minor league baseball before resuming his NBA dominance, and Jesus Hank Christ (who are you to say the H doesn’t stand for Hank?) at least waited 3 days before coming back from the dead. 

But just like its audience, TikTok had no patience. Though for those few hours of darkness, my generation’s soul died a little bit. Luckily, I deleted TikTok years ago, so I avoided such agony. Nevertheless, my soul died yesterday as well. And it's not coming back. 

Nearly all of my teams lost yesterday. The Red Wings, West Ham, the Lions, and Davidson men’s basketball all suffered such disappointing defeats- the last two especially. 

The Wildcats lost a barnburner to Rhode Island, 92-90, on one of the dumbest game-winning shots I’ve ever seen. Trailing by one, with 17 seconds left, Davidson ran a beautiful play which found Zach Laput wide open in the corner. His shot clanked off the rim, but Reed Bailey grabbed a tough offensive rebound and sank his follow-up, putting the Wildcats up 90-89 with five seconds left. URI inbounded to guard Sebastian Thomas who raced the ball up the court before floating up a running heave from beyond the arc which hit off the top of the square, bounced against the rim, and dropped in. Thomas was reportedly seen booking tickets to Vegas to capitalize on his incredible stroke of luck. Also seen heading to Vegas were my Detroit Lions after their utter collapse agai- I have to stop myself before the tears mess with my computer's electric circuits. 

At least URI was a good team. La Salle is not. Yet somehow, Davidson blew their 17-point lead against them earlier this week to lose, 79-76. This team is too talented to choke that game. These two games threw me into a state of Great Depression. And what did America do during the Great Depression? We turned to the government. So in the spirit of TikTok’s short-lived ban, here are bans I would implement if I took office:

1. The last 15:30 in all Davidson games: In this universe, the Wildcats go 2-0 this week with a 48-42 victory over La Salle and a 68-59 victory over URI. Sure, all individual stats would suffer, but there is no “I” in team! 

2. Running bank shots: I can’t get over this stupid shot. I’d put it up there with the assassination of Franz Ferdinand and tamagotchis for the dumbest successful things ever. 

3. Lions’ WR Jameson Williams throwing the ball: I love trick plays, but the man who had to be pulled away by teammates from humping the ground minutes earlier should never be entrusted to throw the ball. His target was surrounded by THREE defenders; of course it was picked off. Offensive Coordinator Ben Johnson should have said to Jamo the same thing the police officer did when arresting him for carrying an unlicensed gun, “I’m sorry, but you just can’t hold this man.” 

4. Liangelo Ball releasing music: I feel for the guy. It has to be tough to have both of your younger brothers be far better basketball players than you, but this was not the right outlet. If you haven’t had the pain of listening to it yet, consider yourself lucky.

5. The LA Dodgers signing any more players: Quick baseball aside here. It seems every single time there is a sweepstakes for a free agent, the Dodgers win. Dear Dodgers, please chill. Dear every other owner, spend money you cheap doughnuts. 

6. Resting Reed Bailey and Bobby Durkin: Despite the two losses, this dynamic duo dropped a combined 99 points over the games. If I were Matt Mckillop, they wouldn’t leave the court. If by the end of the season, they hadn't taken Dartmouth’s lead and tried to unionize against me, something would have gone wrong. 

With this in mind, I am thrilled to announce my campaign for the 2044 presidential election. I look to lead us into a better future with justice, peace, and dignity prevailing- actually, never mind. My campaign advisors have informed me that I’m already under federal investigation. 

Scoreboard Update:

Davidson - 16 Doubters - 10 

1/11/2025

Davidson vs The Doubters - Round 9

I hate ham. Passionately. I’m pretty sure everyone secretly does. It’s excruciatingly bland, goes with nothing, and is the worst part of Christmas- my family moved to pizza years ago. Great decision. Think, have you ever heard someone say ham is their favorite food? If so, you should cut off said person ASAP. 

Every other part of the pig is better. As Pulp Fiction’s Vincent Vega iconically said, “Bacon tastes good. Pork chops taste good.” Notice how he didn’t mention ham? 

Painfully, far too many sports teams involve ham. In the English Premier League, a mind-blowing six of their twenty teams have “ham” in their name. Nearly every other game reminds me of that tasteless bit of swine - yet another bad thing about the English, right up there with colonialism and their weather. 

So, my typical hostility for Davidson’s opponent heightened to immense disdain when Fordham walked into John Belk Arena. It was a frigid 30 degrees out (it’s the South, that’s frigid), but that couldn’t stop the Wildcats from heating up. 

Reed Bailey clearly likes ham, seeing as he feasted for 23 points, 6 rebounds, and 6 assists. Connor Kochera must have an affection as well, devouring defenders while grabbing 20 points. Bobby Durkin gobbled up 13 rebounds to go along with 15 points. The team overall cooked up a comfortable 74-64 victory. 

Don’t get me wrong, ham has its place: the theatre. Hamilton, Hamlet, Rodgers and Hammerstein, that dish can sure ham it up. 

Scoreboard Update: 

Davidson - 16 Doubters - 6

1/5/2025

Davidson vs. The Doubters - Round 8

I consider myself an old soul. My back randomly hurts sometimes, I don’t have TikTok, I’ve read far too many World War II books, and I have a fondness for Steely Dan. Fun fact: Chevy Chase and his two college friends founded the band. Chase was their drummer before he was expelled from the school for allegedly harboring a cow in his dorm room. That might be the first recorded time a student could complain about rooming with a cow and not just be insulting their roommate. 

My favorite relic is the mixtape. Playlists serve the same purpose, but the name “mixtape” is perfect. I’ve created a mixtape for fans of Davidson basketball to carry them through the season. 

Linger - The Cranberries: This one’s for sinking into sadness and despair after a tough loss. I played this song for two hours after the defeat against George Mason, 69-57.  It wasn’t that Davidson played poorly; it’s that they shot 42% and 54.5% from the field and the free-throw line respectively.  

After the Storm - Tyler the Creator: Perfect pick-me-up song. Listen to the lyrics, “Winners don’t quit, so don’t you give up.” We reset and reload. The next real test is URI on the 18th. Unfortunately, I have a sneaking suspicion we may be playing this song once again after that one. 

Rhymes Like Dimes - MF DOOM, Sweet Emotion - Aerosmith: Straight vibes for a victory. Davidson promptly bounced back against Duquesne, 77-71. After trailing by four at the half, the team dominantly came back.

Good Times Roll - The Cars, Picture Me Rollin’ - Tupac: Davidson now rolls into a schedule of La Salle and Fordham. These two make up ⅔ of the bottom three teams in the A-10 currently. Good times indeed.

Big Poppa - The Notorious B.I.G.: I’ve decided this is Reed Bailey’s anthem- no particular reason. He dropped 20 against George Mason and 22 against Duquesne.

Don’t Stop Believing: You hear that Doubters?? We are believing through the season. 

Scoreboard Update Davidson- 15 Doubters- 6

(Doubters get two because the George Mason loss hurt. Davidson gets three because Steph Curry reposted their win, so the comments were filled with new Davidson fans)

12/29/2024

Davidson vs The Doubters- Round 7

As New Year's Eve approaches, I look forward to the annual traditions. Drinking champagne/sparkling cider, pounding 12 grapes at one time, watching the ball drop, and of course a kiss at midnight - well not personally for that last one. I’m proudly 0/18 so far, and I don’t see that changing soon. There’s no need for sympathy, this is actually a positive. Instead of wasting time being happy in a relationship, I get to focus on my favorite tradition: Predicting what will be in and out for the coming year. 

Let’s look back at a brief snippet of 2024’s list for reference:

Ins: 

Timothee Chalamet: Smash hit Dune 2, Oscar-worthy performance in A Complete Unknown, and elite sports knowledge on College Gameday - an easy but great prediction.

Bluegrass music: I figured the world was ready for more banjo and guitar after the rise of folk music - a bit of a miss by me.

Outs:

Digital clocks: Lacked the versatility of phones and style of analog clocks, I saw maybe five the entire year- proud of this one.

Whittier procrastinating: Unfortunately stayed very much in - how foolish I was. 

After careful consideration and great preparation, I present to you the official ins and outs list for Davidson Men’s Basketball in 2025:

Ins: 

Passing the ball to Connor Kochera: Kochera lost his mind this week against Eastern Michigan, dropping 34 points on 11-13 shooting. He’s now shooting 56% from the field as a guard.

Anti-American basketball: After committing a federal crime this week, murdering the eagles of Eastern Michigan 86-64, Davidson looks to continue with its desecration of American symbols. In the coming months, Davidson will take on the George Mason Patriots, the George Washington Revolutionaries, and the UMass Minutemen. Just wait till the Wildcats hear about the Patriot League. 

Watching Zach Laput in person: Those who are mere box score warriors simply can’t understand the impact Laput has on the game. His work ethic, passion, and consistency are the stuff of coaches’ dreams. 

Not giving the other team the ball: Davidson so far averages a mere 10 turnovers a game which is 29th in the nation. They are only a .5 turnover behind Dayton for first in the A-10. If this rate continues, the Wildcats will be a fearsome game for anyone.

Outs:

Playing in stadiums not named John Belk Arena - Davidson is 8-0 at home and 2-3 on the road. I propose we scrap the whole playing away games thing. 

The Doubters- The Wildcats are 10-3. Two of those losses came to top 25 teams while playing in the Bahamas. The other came against Temple in a fluke game and they only lost by 1. So why are the odds +5000 for Davidson to win the A-10? I would never encourage my readers to gamble. That said, a little $10 bet would cash out for $500. Food for thought.

Scoreboard Update

Davidson-12 Doubters-4

12/23/2024

Davidson vs. The Doubters- Round 6

As Christmas draws near, we are faced with annual existential questions we must ponder and debate: 

What’s the meaning of Christmas?- As a pastor’s child, I’m obliged to say peace, love, joy, and hope. As a fan of the show Community, my answer is the second season of Lost on DVD. 

Should someone cut off Uncle Mike after his fourth cup of eggnog? -Probably, but then again, it might be fun to see him attempt a kickflip off the garage roof.

Is Die Hard a Christmas movie?-The answer is yes. Anyone who tells you otherwise is a child. 

Personally, I have some additional lingering questions surrounding Davidson basketball.

1. Can they hand Reed Bailey the A-10 Player of the Year trophy already?- Bailey is simply on a different level than most anyone in the conference heading into the break. He leads the Wildcats in the three main statistical categories, averaging 18.9 points per game, 7 rebounds per game, and 3.6 assists per game. He does all this while shooting 50% from the field. There is only one A-10 player in the same stratosphere as Bailey. Rhode Island’s Sebastian Thomas has impressed, averaging 17.6 points per game and 7 assists per game while leading URI to an 11-1 record. Though I think my rec basketball squad could go at least 4-7 against URI’s schedule so far.

2. Why did Davidson have to lose against Temple?- There was no reason the Wildcats shouldn't have pulled this one out. Up 10 points with 10 minutes left, this would have been such a solid win. Reed Bailey dropped 26, Davidson outshot Temple from three-point land, and they outrebounded Temple. Every team is bound to drop a random game, so I’ll give the squad a pass. 

3.  Is Bobby Durkin the second coming of Steph Curry?- No. Not close. But he is shooting the three better than Steph did his sophomore year! Durkin exploded against Bethune Cook for 23 points and 10 rebounds while shooting 50% from three. 

4. What happens when a very stoppable force meets an immovable object?- This was answered when Bethune Cook, 1-6 on the road, walked into John Belk Arena to play Davidson, 6-0 at home. The result? A 13-point victory for the home side. 

5. Why, why are there so many college mascots who are wildcats?- Goodness gracious, you cannot begin to imagine the strife this question has put me through. Bethune Cook versus Davidson was another matchup of the Wildcats, just like the one earlier this year against Arizona. Knowing this, I made a fatal decision. I mistakenly thought it would be fun to see if I could crown one program as the best Wildcat basketball school based on all-time head-to-head matchups. This led me down a rabbit hole in which I was stuck for multiple hours. I learned there are TEN D1 schools that all claim to be the Wildcats. As for the ranking? I have no idea. My concerned mother forced me to take a walk outside to clear my head after the torment this dumb little question was putting me through. All I know is that it sure isn’t Northwestern-yeesh.

Scoreboard Update

Davidson-11 Doubters- 4

(It’s the season of giving. Both sides get bonus points!)

12/15/2024

Davidson vs The Doubters- Round 5

When British soldiers exited the Davidson-Charlotte area in 1780 after losing for 16 straight days to American revolutionaries, the Redcoats described the area as a “damned hornet’s nest.” Thus, the “Battle of the Hornet’s Nest” between UNC-Charlotte and Davidson was born. This fierce rivalry has been going on for over 50 years, and despite the fact the victor gets quite possibly the ugliest trophy in sports (that wasn’t hyperbole, look it up), it is as intense as ever. 

I had the pleasure of sitting in front of a couple of very loud and very passionate/obnoxious (depending on who you ask) Charlotte fans. At times it felt like sitting with the two old guys on The Muppets cracking jokes and light-hearted critiques. Other times I feared my Davidson sweatshirt could get me punched. Whatever the case, I compiled a list of real quotes from one particularly vocal fan that vividly depicts the game for those unable to attend. I have excluded the especially crude, explicit, and shocking comments that the parents of small children repeatedly frowned at to no avail. 

“Every single shot is green”-- The 49ers couldn’t miss from deep to start the game. A team that shoots under 30% from three on year somehow started the game 5-8 from beyond the arc. This ignited Charlotte to jump out to a 12-point lead 10 minutes into the game, 25-12. 

“Why are we getting repeatedly backed down by a balding 30-year-old”-- I’d witnessed this poor fan experiencing what it’s like to play against Reed Bailey. He finished with 18 points and shot 7-11 from the field. For the record, Bailey has wonderful locks and is only 22.

“No matter what, someone’s gonna be open. And even if they’re not, it’s still good”--- Davidson’s offense looked so dang pretty in this game. When working effectively, the cuts, quick passes, and unselfish screens create a mind-boggling offensive scheme for defenders. The basketball IQ is so high for each player, unsurprising seeing as Davidson’s acceptance rate is 14%. 

“That’s it. We need to kneecap #1 and #2”--Although the legality of this strategy is up in the air, at least he had an idea of something to stop Davidson; Charlotte sure didn’t. The Wildcats turned a three-point deficit at the break into a 14-point lead with just under seven minutes left in the second half, 66-52. #1, Reed Bailey, grabbed seven rebounds, five assists, three blocks, and a steal to go along with his aforementioned 18 points. #2, Bobby Durkin finished with 14 points and shot 4-9 from three. 

“Grab a board, good heavens”-- Davidson grabbed 14 offensive rebounds, including 5 from Zach Laput. I’m not sure if watching the Wildcats grabbing rebound after rebound or hearing this guy say “Good heavens” was more surprising. 

“Anthony Richardson is hands down a way better quarterback than Bryce Young”-- When the opposing fans start talking about the NFL, it’s a good sign your team is nearing victory.

“I can’t wait till baseball season”-- The cherry on top. Despite a late-game push from Charlotte, Davidson held on to win 75-71.

Oh, and Davidson also killed Detroit Mercy a couple of days later, 86-51. One might say they were merciless. 

The Wildcats are now 8-2 through 10 games. I’m a little puzzled. Wasn’t Davidson supposed to be bad this year? There are two major lessons to learn here. 1: Matt Mckillop has unlocked this team’s potential and they are poised to make some noise in the A-10. 2: Never doubt me again. I am always right. 

Scoreboard Update 

Davidson-9 Doubters-2

(Winning rivalry matchups counts for extra points no matter how ugly the trophy may be)

12/09/2024

Davidson vs. The Doubters- Round 4

Going to the beach to celebrate a friend’s birthday with a group of buddies sounds like an amazing idea until one realizes this means hours on the highway with a teenage driver. I felt nothing but fear for 263 minutes. I know that number because I counted each minute.

I experienced that same wave of terror while watching the second half of the Davidson vs. Charleston Southern game this week. With 14:50 left in the second half, Davidson led 50-40 and looked to be sailing to a comfortable victory. Fans who left their seats to get a snack must have been surprised to see 52-49 on the scoreboard a mere three minutes later. The battle stayed close for the rest of the game. With 4:35 remaining, the Wildcats found themselves down four, 66-62. A cheeky grin must have started to form across the faces of The Doubters. Davidson responded with an 8-0 run over the next couple of minutes and held on to win, 73-72. 

The resilience this team showed was admirable. Their run to close the game was mature and clinical. 6' 10", 235-pound Taje’ Kelly had been a problem for Davidson all evening. He finished with 22 points and 11 rebounds and was such a force that the commentator likened him to Shaquille O’Neal (He was referencing the players’ shared inability to hit free throws, but we’ll ignore that for the hyperbole’s sake).  Down the stretch though, Bobby Durkin made Kelly look more like Celtics Shaq. Durkin picked his pocket twice in the final three minutes, shutting him down on two crucial possessions.  

Reed Bailey continues to make his case for being the best player in the A-10. He went off for 25 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 assists. He also hit a clutch free throw with 3 seconds left to extend the lead to four and seal the game to finish out his stellar performance. It was impossible to take your eyes off him- not because of his remarkable game, but due to his remarkably bright purple shoes. I would have better insight into this game, but I swear all I could look at was his shoes. Basketball players have long made bold style choices. I’ve often thought Dennis Rodman only grabbed as many boards as he did because the opponents were all too busy looking at his hair. More recently, players like Russell Westbrook and Tyrese Haliburton make statements on and off the court with equally jaw-dropping play and outfit choices. Kyle Kuzma still lives in infamy due to a pink sweater, if you can call it that, that arguably was a crime against humanity.

12/1/2024

After getting my wisdom teeth pulled this past Tuesday, I attended my school’s basketball game that evening. I figured I couldn’t have a more painful basketball viewing experience this week- then I watched Davidson and Arizona play. Yeah, the doubters took a huge W as Davidson took a huge L, 104-71. The scoreline is misleading, the Wildcats (the North Carolinian ones) kept the game competitive. They actually led by seven six minutes into the game. Unfortunately, despite the heat of the Bahamas, where they played, the team went ice cold. Their height, or more accurately, lack thereof, exposed them on the glass, and Caleb Love read my column from last week and decided to spite me. Ok, maybe not that last part, but he lit it up anyhow. But, I firmly believe in Rocky Balboa’s message, “It ain't about how hard you hit. It's about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward.” 

So how did the group move forward? They dominantly defeated Providence the next day, 69-58. The wire-to-wire victory came against a 5-1 school that the money line favored by five and a half points.; the best response a fan could have hoped for. Connor Kochera ate up this Thanksgiving tournament, picking up 20 points against Arizona and 22 versus Providence. Bobby Durkin also feasted with 15-point and 20-point performances in the two matchups. Not to be outdone, Reed Bailey picked up a double-double himself, grabbing 18 points and 11 rebounds. Forgive me for not making any food-related pun on that last statline; they were getting dangerously corny (Ha get it, like corn the food.) Speaking of Thanksgiving, words cannot express how badly I wished Davidson played Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University this week (their mascot is a turkey). I’m sure my editor and all of you at home are grateful they did not.

To finish the week, Davidson lost to the third-ranked school in the nation Gonzaga. It was their third game in as many days, and again, they were playing #3 Gonzaga. On the bright side, Davidson kept it close for the first 11 minutes, and Reed Bailey did Reed Bailey things, dropping 19 points.

The tournament was called the “Bad Boy Mowers Battle 4 Atlantis.” I couldn’t think of a more American event. This had it all: Thanksgiving, college hoops, bad boys, lawnmowers, and conspiracy theories about lost ancient cities. 

The Doubters won this week. To them, I say: Scoreboard

Scoreboard Update

Davidson-5 Doubters-2

11/24/2024

Schadenfreude is morally wrong. I know that. Still, I can’t help but find myself gleefully laughing at all of the Davidson doubters right now. After a crushing victory over the Virginia Military Institute, 93-66, the Wildcats are now 4-0 and are flying. Reed Bailey is becoming more of an absolute stud by the day. He had a comfortable 23 points, 8 rebounds, and 6 assists while shooting 64% from the field.  Bobby Durkin turned in another stellar performance, picking up 19 points to go along with 4 steals. Mike Loughane had a big game, dropping 13 points and 6 assists. 13 Davidson players played. The team shot 40% from the three-point line, draining 13, and shot 50% from the field overall. Defensively, they forced 15 turnovers and completely shut the Keydets down. It got so bad that VMI’s mascot, Moe the Kangaroo, was spotted hopping from John Belk Arena all the way back to Australia out of embarrassment. 

The Davidson bandwagon is growing by the day, and will surely add thousands of passengers following the upcoming matchup with 17th-ranked Arizona on November 27th. This matchup will be a test of Davidson’s early success and Arizona’s ability to bounce back. More importantly, this will finally decide the fierce debate of which school can claim to be the best Wildcat, ignoring Kentucky. Based on the name alone, Davidson is in the lead. “Lux” is far superior to “Wilbur.” I shouldn’t be confused and expect your mascot to be a pig. The matter will have to be settled on the court in what should be a tight game. Arizona needs to get back on track losing back-to-back to Wisconsin and Duke. Davidson is looking to take advantage of their hot start and pick up a statement victory. The game will answer many questions like, “Can Davidson defend against Arizona big man Motejus Krivas?” “Will Reed Bailey make his star power known nationwide?” and “Does Caleb Love still know how to play the game of basketball?”- I probably shouldn’t be talking; I quit in sixth grade. 

If, hopefully, when Davidson wins, just remember, I called it. 

Scoreboard update

Davidson-4 Doubters-0

11/17/2024

Davidson vs. The Doubters- Round One

Just a short 20 minutes from the young and vibrant city of Charlotte, North Carolina lies Davidson College. Its storied history and rich traditions can be felt all around campus, especially in the hallowed halls of John Belk Arena. Although it may shock you that they even are a Division One school, Davidson has a legacy of being small but mighty. The college has a population of merely 1900, almost a thousand smaller than Hough High School which is just down the road. Despite this, it has seen three Elite Eights, including one since the creation of the iphone. 

Oh, and Steph Curry went there. Figured I should mention that.

Curry and countless other players competed under famed coach Bob Mckillop. Known for being one of the first coaches to heavily incorporate stats into the game, he made Davidson a flame throwing, shot-chucking, and all-around entertaining squad. However, he isn’t central to this story nor is Steph. Both meant the world to the fans, but no longer have any effect on the team. The name Mckillop will still appear throughout the season as his son Matt is the current head coach of the men. In his third year with the group, he bravely leads the Wildcats into the fearsome Atlantic 10 conference. 

The A-10 is stacked this year, and many believe the Davidson men will finish near the bottom, if not dead last. This column will follow not only the wins and losses versus opponents on the court, but also the battle between Davidson and the critics’ prophesying their downfall. As a fan, it is my duty to hope for the best; it is also my instinct to complain when they do anything slightly wrong. Any criticism, however harsh, is simply the ranting of a delusional cheerleader who thinks he should be the coach.

Whether Davidson goes undefeated, or winless, or Birnan Wood comes to Dunsinane, I will be here to tell you about it. Week one saw the men defeat William Peace University by a scoreline of 88-47. Although William Peace is Division III and the matchup arguably felt like a violation of the 8th Amendment, a win is a win. The boys followed that up with a strong win over Bowling Green, 91-85. Three Wildcats ended with 20 points or more, including junior Reed Bailey leading with 24. 

On Saturday, November 16th, the squad faced off against East Tennessee State in a rematch from last year. ETSU pulled out a 70-68 win in the previous matchup. Once again, it was a tight matchup. However, this is a different Davidson team. They scraped out a 76-70 victory led by Reed Bailey. He has taken a serious jump up from last season. He finished with 18 points and 8 rebounds. Senior guard Zach Laput had a huge game off the bench, he dropped 14 while shooting 85.6% from the field. No bucket of his was more important than his "and one" layup following his offensive rebound with 0:45 left in the game. His big play put Davidson up 71-67. 

Maybe my fandom of Detroit sports has made this word too ingrained in my brain, but I can’t think of a better descriptor for this group than gritty. They work. They hustle. They scored merely three three-pointers and still won, a feat that seems impossible in the current basketball world. They out-rebounded ETSU by 12 rebounds. 

Three games down, undefeated. Take that, critics.

Davidson-3 Doubters-0