3/10/2025
And that’s a wrap, folks. With yesterday’s loss against George Mason in the A-10 tournament, the 2024-2025 women’s basketball season is officially over.
It would have been amazing to go further, but I always try to look on the bright side. This mentality comes from a friend’s presentation in elementary school who quoted the famous words of Abraham Lincoln, “Don’t be sad a rose bush has thorns, be glad the thorns have the roses.” Fun fact: That’s not the quote. My friend got it completely wrong. The actual quote is, “We can complain because rose bushes have thorns, or rejoice because thorn bushes have roses.” Double fun fact: Abraham Lincoln never said that. The only source for that quote comes from Facebook and Pinterest threads posted by middle-aged moms which makes me wonder who really created my friend's presentation.
A real quote to use at this moment would be Dr. Seuss’, “Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened.” This team may not have made it to the top, but they persevered through injuries, shooting slumps, and constant criticism - admittedly mostly from me.
So today, we are smiling. And where did you see more people smile last week than at the Oscars? That is, except for Diane Warren who still is yet to win the award for best original song despite being nominated SIXTEEN times. It’s remarkable she still shows up. Einstein defined insanity as doing the same thing repeatedly and expecting different results. Then again, he refused to wear socks, so who is he to speak on sanity?
In light of Oscars’ joy, I will be giving out awards for the season:
The Ronald Reagan ‘Missed Me’ Award for most impactful injury: Millie Prior! In Prior’s absence, Davidson went 1-5 and could not defend in the paint. The award is named for the most baller line in history; following a failed assassination attempt, Reagan uttered the quote at one of his rallies after a balloon popped.
Pastor Peter Henry’s Favorite Player Award: Katie Donovan! This distinguished award is for grit, skill, and hustle. For those confused, Donovan wasn’t mentioned in a sermon I heard, Pastor Henry just happens to be my father.
The Rookie of the Year Award: Candice Lienafa! Everybody in the A-10 better pray she doesn’t make a jump up next year because the potential is more than there.
The People’s Will ‘We’re Gonna Miss You’ Award: Issy Morgan! Although we were never sure if she was going for 2 points or for 20, we were always confident in her steady hand leading the offense. The award’s namesake is the group that failed on five separate occasions to assassinate Tsar Alexander II before finally succeeding on the sixth. I wonder how many times I can mention assassinations before these columns start getting monitored by the CIA? I wouldn’t complain, a reader’s a reader.
The Best Team Award: George Mason! I would have loved to give this to the Wildcats, but George Mason went 2-1 against them and won the A-10 tournament.
The Favorite Team Award: Davidson! This team’s offensive creativity was only matched by their defensive domination, a true joy to watch. Oh, and the dynamic duo of Katie Donovan and Charlise Dunn will only be scarier in their senior year. Everyone better watch out.
3/3/2025
I have a shameful secret:
I missed Davidson’s games this week.
I was busy rehearsing for and performing in my last-ever high-school show choir competition in Nashville. Yes, your sports writer does show choir. This must be like learning Clark Kent and Superman are the same person. We journalists do like our costumes.
Due to this, I was off my phone throughout the weekend, an impressive feat for a teenager, but I made sure to get consistent updates about Davidson basketball. I had a parent volunteer keep me informed, one of the few people there who knew basketball is a popular sport and not just a part of High School Musical.
Davidson’s week mirrored my weekend. Their game against Fordham was a solid 64-52 victory led by Katie Donovan who was surprisingly not included in the starting line-up. That must have fired her up as she scored 24 points. Meanwhile, my show choir scored very well and finished second in our division which we were very pleased with.
Unfortunately, the win and award both felt bittersweet because of an earlier result.
Davidson fell to Richmond in a battle of titans this week, 59-46. The Wildcats held the Spiders to 14 points less than their season average, but seemingly forgot the goal of basketball: putting the ball in the hoop. They shot 38% from the field, 24% from three, and 33% from the line. On the plus side, Tomisin Adenupe scored 19 points, a career high.
I felt the same confused pain when the grand champion of our show choir competition, which consisted of around 11 schools, was a middle school. It was unbelievable and incredible. You can’t begin to understand our slow realization that our hours of blood, sweat, and tears led to an eventual loss to a group of kids, some of whom still use booster seats.
Ironically, that middle school is a feeder for the high school that came in second overall. Don’t get me wrong, those middle schoolers were phenomenal and deserving of the championship, but if my grown teens lost to my adolescents, they’d be running for at least three straight rehearsals. With that being said, we also lost to those adolescents and to those grown teens, so I really shouldn’t be talking.
But alas, all hope is not lost. Davidson may have lost, but they were at least within striking distance of the clear best team in the A-10. With the conference tournament about to start, the Wildcats look dangerous.
And the Howlin’ Huskies (my show choir) still have one more chance for undeniable greatness and a first-place finish: our spring concert where we will be the only group competing - fingers crossed.
2/22/2025
Three songs dominated my childhood:
American Pie- I have heard all eight minutes of that song well over a hundred times, and I still can’t remember all the lyrics. I probably have a better chance of hitting every word on Eminem’s mind-melting Rap God than I do singing, “Helter skelter in a summer swelter. The birds flew off with a fallout shelter.”
Wagon Wheel- Exclusively the Old Crow Medicine Show version. I used to like the Darius Rucker rendition; then I matured.
Wish You Were Here- How many five-year-olds do you know listen to Pink Floyd? Young Whittier had taste. He also had a mom who had that song as her ringtone, but that feels irrelevant.
Coincidentally, that song was the anthem of the Davidson women’s basketball team in their matchup with George Mason earlier this season. The ‘you’ in question was senior point guard Issy Morgan who missed that game and the next six due to injury.
Morgan’s presence was noticeably absent in an 81-73 defeat despite a 32-point performance from Charlise Dunn.
George Mason learned their lesson. In their highly touted rematch this week, they determined to prevent Dunn’s dominance. The Patriots held Dunn and Donovan (Davidson’s other leading scorer) to three combined points.
That should have been a recipe for a disastrous Davidson defeat, but George Mason forgot one thing.
Issy Morgan.
Finally getting her crack at the Patriots, Morgan took control, dropping 18 points and leading the Wildcats to a statement victory, 66-50.
Morgan’s return is crucial, but she’s not the only difference between the two showdowns. Davidson’s defense held George Mason to 23.4 points fewer than their season average, and 31 fewer than the previous matchup. Lanes were closed, cuts covered, and shots stifled. The Patriots could do nothing but huck up one after Another Brick in the Wall.
This defensive mastery is a credit to Head Coach Gayle Fulks and has been the staple of their six-game win streak. Over this run, the Wildcats’ opponents are averaging an embarrassing 46.3 points per game. For reference, the lowest-scoring team in women’s Division One basketball, UMass Lowell, averages 47.8 points per game. What Davidson is doing is otherworldly; it’s like they’re playing on The Dark Side of the Moon.
As I look back at the beginning of the season compared to now, I think I can tell heaven from hell.
Whit Henry
2/16/2025
Suspension of disbelief is an incredible feat. We willingly ignore all of our critical thinking because we want something to be true. It’s how we accept that the public can’t differentiate between Clark Kent and Superman, a man named Barney Stinson has ladies flocking, and my columns are worth reading.
It’s also how the 1000 or so fans convinced themselves to see the mighty Davidson Wildcats against the lowly St. Bonaventure Bonnies this week. Davidson came in 8-4 in conference play with a three-game win streak. Their opponents came in 1-12 in conference play with a nine-game losing streak.
And although this suspension of disbelief lasted a quarter, Davidson turned up the heat in the second and charged to a victory, 55-37. Katie Donovan had an excellent game, picking up 16 points on 50% shooting and six rebounds. She also denied the Bonnies three times, like what Peter did to Jesus.
5’6 St. Bonaventure senior Dani Haskell typically shines, but she shot for 4-13, in large part due to the average height of the Wildcat starting lineup being 6’0. It kind of felt like bullying, like a mean reversal of Snow White and the seven dwarfs.
Davidson looks so good, they’re starting to trick me into believing in an A-10 title run. Despite being deep into the season, they continue to decide who’s going to be their best player before each game. Earlier this week against Dayton it was Charlise Dunn who dropped 23 points, grabbed 10 rebounds, and stuffed the Flyers FIVE times. The Wildcats won, 61-51.
Davidson looks forward to a huge test this week against George Mason. Will they win? Well, I don’t know, it’s as believable as Stormtroopers finally hitting a shot.
2/9/2025
Spoilers are objectively awful. If you knowingly spoil movies, you are a horrible person. I’m thinking of updating Dante’s Inferno just to add a layer for those who spoil. In fifth grade, my group had a friend who spoiled Avengers: Infinity War; we didn’t speak to him for a week. In retrospect, that was unfair. It should have been at least a month.
Davidson’s performances this week were spoilers for the A-10 tournament. As great as my disdain is for spoilers, I loved this week.
The Wildcats first trounced Loyola Chicago in a commanding 17-point victory. Davidson put on a defensive masterclass, forcing the Ramblers to shoot 33.9% from the field and commit 17 turnovers. A dozen players entered the game for Davidson, with the starters averaging 26.4 minutes. Side note: why does a ‘baker's dozen’ exist? I’m not complaining about the extra bagel, but it’s strange.
In their second matchup, Davidson dominated UMass, 56-38. The defense only got better, with the Wildcats causing the Minutewomen (really doesn’t have the same ring without the alliteration - one might assume it’s a team full of short females) to shoot 26.1% from the field and commit 19 turnovers. That is otherworldly. Only eight players got in, and the starters averaged 35 minutes.
This looked like a postseason matchup. Davidson played their best five and shut down UMass. As much as I’ve praised their offense all season, it’s the defense that could take this team to the tournament. In their one ranked matchup all season against N.C. State, a team that averages 76.7 points per game, Davidson held them to a mere 59. If they can stay stifling, Davidson could dance.
This is now a three-game win streak for the Wildcats, and that number should hopefully grow. Anyone doubting Davidson in the A-10 Tournament is going to be shocked. Just like how I was when I first watched The Usual Suspects. I couldn’t believe Keyser Soze is actually - just kidding.
2/2/2025
Yesterday, I had one of the biggest viewing vibe switches in my life. A couple of buddies and I spent the morning watching guys bash each other's brains out in UFC fights before attending my high school’s wrestling match, and then a youth production of Finding Nemo Jr. I can’t quite explain how wrong it felt to be watching joyous children join in song after roaring for more blood to come out of a man’s face.
Davidson women’s basketball gives me the same rollercoaster of emotions. They lost a winnable game this week against St Joes, 60-46, and then beat VCU in a game that was probably too close, 54-50.
Their status as a slightly above-average team would be fine, but there are moments where they look like a top-25 team. Their offensive sets can be so creative and devastating to defend that their inconsistency hurts. It’s like eating a bag of chips that contains both regular and sea salt and vinegar chips. You would be fine with the regular ones if you didn’t get a taste of the better option.
It’s hard to explain the pain this causes. I had a longtime Davidson fan drive me home after the game the other night. Before we left the arena he warned me, “One condition of you riding with me: do not talk about Davidson women’s basketball.”
It seems for every positive there’s a negative, and vice-versa.
Negative: Issy Morgan has been out with an injury.
Positive: In her stead, freshman Sienna Dauer has come into her own and has become a solid rotation piece.
Positive: No defender knows what Katie Donovan will do on her drives.
Negative: I’m not completely sure Katie Donovan knows either.
Negative: Davidson shot 28% from the field and 27% from three against VCU.
Positive: They won somehow? Shoutout a defensive masterclass which forced 22 turnovers.
Davidson takes on the Loyola Chicago Ramblers this week. My editor, Dave, recommends I go there because all I do is ramble.
1/26/2025
I have a list of unofficial holidays that should be widely celebrated. Here’s a snippet:
August 30th- My birthday. I have sent letters to the government for years to make this a national holiday. All of them have been ignored, so much for democracy.
The first Thursday of March Madness- More than 10 games are going on, upsets galore, and the fun teachers put the games on instead of boring slideshows. I salute those teachers.
February 29th- It’s utterly ridiculous there’s an extra day once every four years and we all just act like it’s natural. I would never advocate for the purge. But… if there was going to be a day to have it, it would be the 29th.
Oscar nomination day: Sure, it’s nice to see incredible movies be recognized, but the real bliss is watching semi-pretentious film Youtubers gripe about almost everything.
Here are a couple of things I learned from those Youtubers which I will be stealing to sound smart in conversation:
The Academy snubbed Luca Guadagnino’s movies Challengers and Queer (Someone should make a movie like Challengers but about a more niche sport like water polo or chess boxing - I’d watch). Nickel Boys snuck its way onto the Best Picture list which is good, but it meant A Real Pain and Sing Sing didn’t get nominated which is bad (I have no idea what the solution was). Dune Part Two didn’t get as many nominations as it should have (I actually agree with this one).
Most importantly, Emilia Pérez garnered 13 nominations, putting it alongside movies such as Oppenheimer and Gone with the Wind. Never has a movie united movie lovers in this way. Unfortunately, the unity comes from pure hatred for the movie. The shocking nominations are as mysterious as Amelia Earheart, D.B. Cooper, and Malaysia Flight 307. Anyone else notice a trend there? Maybe air travel is just a mystery overall.
The whole situation got me into a detective mood. Luckily, a seemingly unexplainable situation arose this week when Davidson lost to Saint Louis, 60-51. That’s a typical scoreline at first glance, but just 21 days ago the Wildcats beat the Billikens, 94-53. To many, this would be unsolvable, but not to Whittier ‘Sherlock’ Henry.
I missed the defeat (it was at 11 am on a Sunday), so I had to rely on clues. First thought, was Davidson on the road? Nope. Did they beat themselves with dumb mistakes? Once again, no. Although the Wildcats committed 17 turnovers and 13 fouls, they still bested Saint Louis in both categories. Was it classic Davidson injury trouble? Sort of. They were missing Issy Morgan who led in scoring in the first matchup, but that still doesn’t explain a 50-point difference in final scores.
Through shrewd sleuthing skills (the box score), I discovered it was again the second quarter that did in Davidson. In the Richmond game, they scored four points in that period. This time, they scored five.
Just like any good Sherlock story, my realization only led to more questions. Why is the second quarter so devastating? Here are possible theories:
The Wildcat made a twisted deal with the devil: This would help explain Sunday morning start times.
This is a part of a conspiracy by Fanduel or DraftKings: Regardless of the validity of this claim, anyone betting on these games should take a hard look in the mirror.
Someone convinced the team the second quarter doesn’t count: Use this as a wake-up call - It does.
But I think I’ve cracked it. Davidson must be losing on purpose to draw opponents into a false sense of security so the Wildcats can dominate the A-10 tournament. Simply elementary.
1/20/2025
The world rarely makes sense. 77+33 doesn’t equal 100, NFL overtimes are decided by a coin toss, and platypuses exist. As much as I love upsets and chaos, it’s nice when everything goes as expected for a change.
So it was lovely when Davidson handily defeated St. Bonaventure this week, 83-45. The Wildcats are now 5-1 in conference play while the Bonnies are a lousy 1-6. What was supposed to happen happened. Not much more to say here.
So let’s look forward to this upcoming week! Davidson now faces a huge test against 15-3 George Mason. While they may be good at basketball, George Mason is one of the lamest names for a university in the nation, right up there with Harvey Mudd. For those unfamiliar, George Mason is known as the “forgotten founder,” and for good reason. He refused to sign the Constitution, ran a failed wine industry, and lost the friendship of George Washington.
I don’t entirely blame the university. George Washington, James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and Thomas Jefferson were already taken. But they picked George Mason? Really? They couldn’t have picked Benjamin Franklin or Patrick Henry? I’ve always liked Patrick Henry’s quote, “Give me liberty or give me death.” I have a similar one, “Give me any name besides George Mason or give me death.”
The Wildcats will need to slow down George Mason’s Kennedy Harris who averages 15 points per game. Fun fact: If her middle name were Trump, she would be the entire 2024 election. No wonder she plays for the Patriots.
1/12/2025
I trudge through the snow-covered empty streets. Iris by the Goo-Goo Dolls plays as I sit in the local coffee shop. A depressed writer staring at a blank computer- I look like an indie movie character. Now, you might assume this is because of some breakup, personal loss, or existential crisis, but no. It’s because Davidson made ONE FIELD GOAL IN THE ENTIRE SECOND QUARTER against Richmond.
Davidson had good looks; they just couldn't hit. Never has there been a more appropriate time to say there was a lid on the basket. Open shot after open shot rolled out. It got so bad the broadcast inexplicably stopped commentating on the game for a minute and a half to talk about Duke’s Cooper Flagg. It was like a car crash. I didn’t want to look, but I couldn’t take my eyes off it. Also, it felt like a 5000-pound Ford F-150 slamming into me.
I have to go to my church's youth group after this, but I’m not sure how to explain that that second quarter has me questioning my faith. It has me questioning everything. Why are we here? Why do I watch basketball? Why do people think Cars 2 is bad? Sure, it lacks the emotional depth of most Pixar movies, but dang it, it’s entertaining. We were given a shocking brutal and complex spy thriller and you people dare to complain?
Now you may feel that tangent was unnecessary, but in times of trouble, I turn to my childhood to pick me up. So instead of writing about the 63-41 loss, here’s a limerick about the second quarter:
They didn’t put the ball in the hoop
Miss after miss made my face droop
The bricks caused so much pain
Commentating was in vain
So the people just talked about Coop
1/5/2025
Sports Illustrated once genuinely predicted sporting events would regularly sell recreational drugs. “The hot dog of tomorrow will pack the same kick as the marijuana brownie of today.” Oh, how I wish I lived during the ‘70s. And although the insane antics of the Cameron Crazies and the Bills Mafia occasionally make me wonder if they were secretly right, I can fairly confidently say the prediction was dead wrong.
Most predictions are. Everyone wants to be the visionary who knows better than everyone else, and oftentimes this leads to rather hilarious results. My personal favorites are when Colin Cowherd proclaimed Ben Simmons was the next Lebron (partially true - they’re equally hated by the city of Philadelphia) and when Skip Bayless foresaw Johnny Manziel leaving a greater legacy in Cleveland than Lebron James. Unfortunately, Manziel enjoyed far too many, uh what should I call them…Sports Illustrated’s “hot dogs of tomorrow.”
While I make fun, almost every prediction I have made surrounding Davidson Women’s basketball has been wrong. With that in mind, most would assume I would refrain from making any more predictions. But I am who I am. As the great Wayne Gretzky once said and the greater Michael Scott stole, “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.”
In light of this, here are five bold predictions for the rest of the season:
Davidson will finish undefeated at home: Maybe it’s the intimate feel of John Belk Arena, maybe it’s the new logo on the court, maybe it’s the incredibly handsome, kind, and charming ticket agent named Whittier Henry, who’s to say? Whatever it is, it works. The Wildcats are 6-0 on their turf with an average margin of victory of 21.5 points.
Candice Lienafa will win the A-10 6th Man of the Year award: Lienafa has been an electric addition to this Davidson roster. The freshman is averaging 10.4 points per game, 4.4 rebounds per game, and has an undeniable spark plug energy every time she enters the game.
A Davidson player will drop 40 points in a game: I’m not sure exactly who. There’s no real clear candidate to do it, not a single player averages over 12 points a game, but in a way that strengthens my belief in this one. Every game a new player steps up. The Wildcats cohesion is admirable. They care not who goes off in a game, instead, they feed the hot shooter as much as possible. In the victory over Duquesne, Kyra Bruyndoncx picked up 17 points. In the smiting of Saint Louis, Issy Morgan grabbed 20 points. In some games it’s Katie Donovan. Other times it’s Charlise Dunn.
Davidson will win the A-10: This take isn’t new from me, but my faith grows with each passing game. This week the Wildcats beat the La Salle Explorers, 78-61 and the Saint Louis Billikens, 94-53. What on God’s green earth is a “Billiken” you ask? Apparently, it is a charm doll that came to an 1800s Kansas City teacher in a dream. Nowadays, teams across the country dream about playing the Billikens- no disrespect.
With seconds remaining in the A-10 championship game, Charlise Dunn will cross up a defender, step back, shoot a three, it will roll off the rim, and Katie Donovan will tip it in, earning Davidson a ticket to the dance: Ok sure, this might be a long shot, but imagine if I’m right.
12/29/2024
It’s genuinely unhealthy how drastically sports affect my mood. Unlike most, my seasonal depression usually occurs in the summer when I force myself to watch my Detroit Tigers play baseball. However, when they shockingly went on their Cinderella run to make the playoffs, the high was incredible. 2024 was a tough year for any fans of Davidson women’s basketball. I know it was for me. The amazing start to last season fell apart as player after player sustained injuries as 2024 progressed. The team's poor physical health really brought down my mental health. The start to this year seemed promising, but Millie Prior’s shoulder injury and Charlise Dunn’s slow return prevented real consistency.
So 2024 was cursed, but hope prevails! Davidson is now rolling out the same lineup for each game and the results are slowly coming. As the Wildcats begin conference play, I’ve compiled five ways for the team to keep me and other fans out of therapy in 2025:
Feed Katie Donovan: After dropping 24 points in the game against Charlotte, Donovan followed up with 25 in the victory against Duquesne. I’m sure coaches across the country are showing their teams footage of Donovan playing. Except for her two three-pointers, all her buckets were layups down low. Donovan excels in shot fakes, footwork, and an innate toughness to finish through contact. Somewhere George Mikan is smiling.
Hold on to the ball: Davidson has been turning the season around as of late. Since nearly upsetting NC State, they have been on a three-game win streak. Unfortunately, they still average 15.6 turnovers per game. That isn’t awful, but it’s frustrating for such a talented team. I wish I had some clever comment about this, but this saddens me too much even to try.
Give Charlise Dunn as many minutes as possible: After the number of minutes she missed in 2024, fans deserve to see Dunn on the court. She and Donovan played 37 minutes in the matchup with Duquesne, a staggeringly high number that led to Dunn picking up 21 points and 16 REBOUNDS?? Goodness gracious.
Stay healthy, please: A tall order for the Wildcats and something entirely out of their control, but in the words of Sabrina Carpenter “Please, please, please don’t bring me to tears.” I’m not sure the song is about basketball, but the sentiment remains the same.
Win on the road: The 76-70 defeat of Duquesne was Davidson’s first win on the road of the season. Before then, the Wildcats were 0-5. I know Davidson has a pretty campus, but the team has to be able to get it done away from home.
One last note: I dislike all teams Davidson plays against equally, spare a rival or two. After having to spell “Duquesne” four times for this column, I hope the Dukes lose the rest of their games.
12/23/2024
Davidson triumphed over the state of North Carolina this week, picking up nearly identical wins over UNC Pembroke, 84-53, and UNC Charlotte, 82-55. In the spirit of the season, I won’t be nitpicking turnover totals or shooting percentages. Instead, I’m following the lead of exhausted middle-school teachers everywhere; it’s Christmas Movie time!
Each of the players selected will be compared to a holiday movie character. The comparisons are mostly subjective, but there will be the occasional legitimate similarity.
Millie Prior: Frosty the Snowman -Undeniable physical forces that bring so much joy to the school children/teammates. Unfortunately, I’m often nervous that Prior's shoulder will melt away just like Frosty.
Katie Donovan: Kevin Mcallister (Home Alone)- Each tortures intruders with their elite defensive play. Whether those intruders are sneaking into the paint or the house, they are shut down. This one isn’t perfect - Donovan isn’t the annoying little twerp Mcallister is - but both first names starting with K really helps the comparison.
Candice Lienafa: John McClane (Die Hard)- High-level shooters with the type of competitive edge needed to hold off 12 terrorists/robbers in Nakatomi Plaza. One knocks out three-pointers, the other knocks out European gang members. One last note on Die Hard (can you tell I’m a fan?), that franchise has never gotten the respect it deserved for naming its sequel Die Harder.
Charlise Dunn: The Conductor (The Polar Express)- The way Dunn put that NC State defender on skates reminded me of when The Conductor drifted an entire train filled with children across a breaking frozen pond. So much style and skill from the both of them,
Issy Morgan: Kris Kringle (Miracle on 34th Street)- Handing out Christmas gifts and dishing out assists is what these two do. Both have an innate sense of what the receiver is looking for, though Mr. Kringle gets told explicitly in letters.
After the break, conference play begins. Everyone better enjoy this brief period of calm. Merry Christmas and yippee-ki-yay to you all!
12/16/2024
I’ve found myself crying either tears of joy or sadness after many sports games in my viewing life. Watching the Davidson vs NC State game may have been the only time I’ve ever felt inclined to do both.
Despite being on the road against a reigning final-four team, the Wildcats were so close to pulling the upset, barely losing 59-57. To quote the fans of Ted Lasso’s team, AFC Richmond “It’s the hope that kills you.” The hope didn’t just kill Davidson fans, it danced and spit on their graves.
Let's walk through the game. The Wildcats start strong and the first quarter ends in a tie. Hope starts to sneak into the hearts of fans. The second quarter stays close and Davidson is only down one at the break. It’s nice hope has stuck around for this long, but everyone knows it could pull an Irish exit at any moment. Heading into the fourth quarter, Davidson holds a four-point lead. Hope has now fully blinded every fan watching.
Flash forward to seven seconds left in the game, and Davidson has the chance to go up one or two. Many times in these moments, college hoops fans find themselves screaming in agony as a player dribbles out the clock and then chucks up a prayer from 30 feet. This team is smarter than that. The ball finds its way to Charlise Dunn who drives into the lane and puts up a layup. Hope giveth. It just didn’t fall. Hope taketh away. NC State inbounds, gets fouled, makes the first free throw, and attempts to miss the second to let the clock run out but airballs, so Davidson gets to inbound. Hope suddenly reapers stage right! Half-court heave doesn’t have a chance. Hope takes a bow and exits stage left.
On the bright side (I often find myself writing in these columns, a reflection of how the season is going), Millie Prior is so back. Regaining her presence down low is essential on both sides of the ball. Since she went out, teams have outrebounded Davidson 171-146. Today, Davidson outrebounded State, 45-44. In addition to her nine rebounds and three boards, her return has unlocked point-guard Issy Morgan. After the early-season matchup with Wofford, I predicted Morgan could win A-10 Player of the Year if she kept playing at the level she did in that game. Since then, I’ve barely mentioned her name. Don’t get me wrong, she’s continued to be a strong player even if she hasn’t been lighting up the stat sheet, but her impact has been limited with her center Prior watching from the sideline. That stat line is thanks in large part to the pick-and-roll game with Prior.
In simpler terms, Frodo needed Sam, Joey needed Chandler, Timon needed Pumba, and Issy needed Millie. Against State, she came alive for 20 points and 8 rebounds. Additionally, Prior’s ability to score down low draws help defenders which opens up shooting opportunities for all her teammates.
Charlise Dunn landed herself the #4 spot on the SportsCenter top ten plays for her ankle-breaker crossover that dropped her defender before cashing a three-pointer. The anchor described it saying, “That sent her (the defender) into next week!” Looking at my schedule filled with exams this week, I’m jealous.
12/8/2024
I’m writing from a beachfront balcony this weekend. I like to think of myself like Hemingway. Unfortunately, after Davidson’s loss to Ball State, my strongest similarity to ol’ Ernest is severe depression. Last week, I reassured you that the simple trick to flipping this run of losses was improving shot-making, especially from beyond the arc. Well, against the Cardinals, Davidson shot 40 percent from three. So they should have won, right, Whittier? Isn’t this why we read your column? Aren’t journalists responsible for insights that lead to correct predictions? Yeah, sorry, guys…
It takes a strong man to admit when he’s wrong. I am incredibly weak. My friends affectionately say I have, “mosquito bites of muscle.” I wasn’t necessarily wrong; my mind was in the right place. I just didn’t consider all the factors. The early-season injury to Millie Prior is really starting to hurt the team defensively. They are in dire need of additional physical presence down low. The Wildcats gave up ten offensive rebounds while only grabbing three themselves. This helped lead to Davidson being outrebounded overall, 36-22. Davidson’s inability to prevent opposing squads from gaining additional chances puts them on their back foot for every game. Frustratingly, Davidson shoots themselves in that foot over and over again. In their nine games so far, they have only won the turnover battle twice. They committed 17 turnovers in this matchup, bringing their season average to 16.7 a game. It is nearly impossible to win with a turnover rate like that. On the bright side, Katie Donovan looked amazing in the matchup with the Cardinals, picking up 6 rebounds and 19 points on 8-11 shooting.
Fear not, friend; these struggles will be quelled. If Davidson can fix these turnover troubles, the ship will be righted. They travel over to Raleigh this week to play a flailing N.C. State. ESPN gives the Wolfpack a 98.8% chance of victory. That seems disrespectful. Sure, Davidson isn’t at the top of their game currently, but if they cut their turnovers even a little, they can hang with anyone. In the words of Mr. Hemingway, “Man is not made for defeat… A man can be destroyed but not defeated.” The Wildcats are far from defeated.
Although I would love to, I will refrain from making a prediction after repeatedly jinxing this group. In all honesty, I’m starting to consider the problem isn’t rebounds or turnovers, it might just be me.
12/1/2024
Anyone can wear their team’s jersey after they win a big game. True strength lies within those who proudly rep their squad the day following a major loss. Despite a frustrating 0-2 weekend down in Fort Myers, I encourage everyone to break out every piece of Davidson merch they have to sport around town this week. When the Wildcats eventually win the A-10, this will be nothing but a funny memory. Then again, I should probably stop making bold predictions; they haven’t worked out for me so far.
Davidson took on Virginia Tech in their first matchup of the mini-tournament. This was the type of game you watch, then immediately turn on a Disney movie and curl up with a mug of hot cocoa as you remember better times. The final score was 79-50. Last week, I griped about the team committing 25 personal fouls and turning the ball over 16 times. This week, they committed 25 personal fouls and turned the ball over 17 times versus the Hokies. I don’t know what treacherous deeds I have done to deserve this karma. On the bright side, it is officially time to buy your Candice Lienafa stock. She is continually improving with each passing game. She led Davidson in points with 12. ESPN might occasionally know what they're talking about. I concede.
It is hard to win while turning the ball over. Giving away possessions is not intuitive to scoring. Teams that manage to overcome this fault often do so through the three-point shot. If one has fewer chances, they have to make the most of the ones they have. Take the dominant 2015-16 Golden State Warriors, for instance. They finished in the bottom third of turnovers for the NBA, yet they still set the all-time record for wins due to their lights-out shooting led by Davidson alum Steph Curry. Living and dying by the three is not unheard of. Unfortunately for the women, they often have been dying by the three. In their losses this season, they are shooting a combined 23.2 percent from deep. In their wins, that number jumps to 37.5 percent.
This problem was evident in their matchup with Belmont. Davidson had 18 turnovers and shot 22.7 percent from the three-point line. This isn’t to say this roster is filled with bad shooters.
It’s not. In fact, these being the areas of concern for the Wildcats gives me hope. They start two freshmen, and injuries have had players rotating in and out; turnovers are natural for teams that are getting used to each other. Additionally, shots are going to fall. This group is too talented for this drought from downtown to last long. As Yankee legend Yogi Berra put it, “I ain’t in no slump, I just ain’t hitting.” Davidson simply just ain’t hitting, but believe me, they will.
There is a light at the end of the tunnel, and that light has a name: Charlise Dunn. After ending her incredibly successful junior year early due to injury, she’s back. The senior has been slowly integrated into the lineup over the past four games and is already making a difference. She reintroduced herself to the college basketball world against Belmont with 16 points and 8 rebounds, five of which were offensive. She had a tenacious defensive effort as well, picking up three steals and one block. All of this while shooting 50 percent from the field.
Davidson looks forward to a matchup with a solid Ball State team. Hopefully, by the time the buzzer sounds, the Cardinals will be left in a Bawling State.
11/24/2024
On my grandparents' fridge is a magnet that reads, “If I could do it all again, I would still choose you.” It’s a sweet sentiment. After this week’s devastatingly close loss against Wake Forest 60-55, I propose there should be a magnet in the Davidson women’s locker room reading, “If we could do it all again, we wouldn’t turn the ball over 16 times and commit 25 personal fouls.”
That was it. That was the difference. Davidson was up one at the half and was leading by six when the buzzer sounded at the end of the third quarter. Some may look at that game and be disappointed in how it unraveled in the fourth quarter, and that’s fair, but being the staunch optimist I am, I encourage everyone to look on the bright side. They should have beaten an ACC squad. The Wildcats played the better game. All without their starting center. They gave their opponents 27 free throws, gifted them the ball 16 times, and shot 25% from the three-point line. Despite this, they still had a shot at tying or winning the game with ten seconds left and another chance at tying with four seconds left.
Issy Morgan put up another strong effort. She finished with 11 points and 6 assists. Katie Donovan continued to produce. She had 11 points as well. Since Millie Prior got injured in last week’s game against Wofford, senior Tomsin Adenupe has been starting. She picked up 10 points, but also locked in on the other end, grabbing 3 steals and 1 block.
Displaced aggression occurs when one is so upset at something that they exert their anger on something else. Some have theorized Ted Bundy may have committed his crimes due to this. Similarly, the Wildcats' frustration at their loss against the Demon Deacons the day before would certainly help explain the murder committed in John Belk Arena versus Presbyterian College. They absolutely smashed the Blue Hose by 42, 81-39. It was an all-around dismantling, wire-to-wire victory. 12 separate players logged points on the stat sheet. It is worth noting, PC is now 0-6 on the season. There might not have been this many unhappy Presbyterians since King Charles II tried to impose the Episcopal form of the church in Scotland in the 17th century. Regardless, a good win is a good win.
Next up is another ACC matchup, Virginia Tech on November 29th in the Fort Myers Tip-Off. Fort Myers clearly hasn’t realized the season tipped off almost a month ago. ESPN says Davidson has a mere 7.5% chance of winning. I say ESPN hasn’t watched enough Davidson basketball games this year—my prediction: Davidson-72, Virginia Tech-68. Knock on wood.
11/17/2024
If any of your loved ones are unlucky enough to be fans of Wofford basketball, please check in on them after this Saturday. The men went down to Duke where they were held to 35 points and lost by 51. To make matters worse, if there is even any lower point than losing by 51, the women got manhandled by the Davidson Wildcats later in the day. The 74-63 win over the Terriers is a huge step forward for the Davidson squad. Following a tough week with a three-point loss to Highpoint and an 18-point loss to Cincinnati, (I very well might have jinxed them with my column, my bad) the women bounced back in a major way. They took a 25-22 lead with 6:34 remaining in the second quarter and didn’t look back. The team shot a ridiculous 44% from the three-point line. Seven of their eleven came in the second quarter where they outscored Wofford 27-11. When this group gets hot, they look unstoppable.
Senior Issy Morgan came alive today. She hadn’t scored in double digits in the first three games, but she exploded for 21. If one knew nothing about this season, they would assume Morgan is an All-American and a front-runner for A-10 Player of the Year. If she keeps playing the way she did this afternoon, she should be. She dropped 23 points, grabbed 6 rebounds, and had 5 assists. She shot 50% from the three-point line and overall.
Sophomore Katie Donovan is your dad’s favorite player. She’s smart, she hustles, and she plays stifling defense. She picked up 17 points and 13 rebounds while shooting 50% from the field. Freshman Candice Lienafa has burst onto the scene. The last two games she has come off the bench to lead the team in scoring. When no one else could get over 10, she picked up a tough 18 in the hard loss to Cincinnati on Wednesday. She got the nod and started. She scored 9 points and followed the trend of shooting 50%. She also guarded Wofford center Mia Flor despite being three inches shorter. Big win for all the short kings and queens out there, myself included.
It wouldn’t be a Davidson women’s basketball game if someone didn’t get hurt. With 5:29 left in the 3rd quarter, senior center Millie Prior came into the lane to play help defense on a driving Mia Flor. Unfortunately, when attempting to block the shot, Prior re-aggravated something in her right shoulder. She was already playing with a brace of sorts on that shoulder. She was taken into the tunnel and did not return to the game.
This was a mature win for the group. It wasn’t just a hot second quarter that propelled them to a win. It was consistent focus while facing Wofford’s constant full-court press which lasted the entire game. (Rick Pitino was spotted crying tears of joy while watching the Wildcats.) It was the dedication to making the extra pass. It was the choice to take charges despite being up 18. It was the cohesive nature of the offense. This team is an absolute pleasure to watch. Don’t get me wrong, there is room to improve. They turned the ball over 17 times, which is somehow down from their season average of 18.25 per game (Rick Pitino was spotted crying tears of sadness when reading that stat).
One last fun fact. The starting five is an all-international group. Overall, a majority of the team is international. Onto week three!
11/9
Have you ever heard of a team having six of their players tear their ACLS? No one has. That is, except for fans of the Davidson Women’s Basketball Team last season. The team started loaded with potential. They won 12 of their first 13 including a win over the mighty Duke Blue Devils who made it to the third round of the NCAA Tournament. Then it all came crashing down. Injury after injury ripped the roster apart. It was as if some higher power chose to smite the team out of pure boredom. What the '96 Bulls were to winning, the '24 Wildcats were to the injured reserve. The team held open tryouts, canceled multiple games, played senior night with only seven active players, and forfeited the rest of the season.
That’s all in the rearview window. This is a new year. Despite the perils of the past, the team is back. Led by New Zealander senior forward Mellie Prior, the squad already has a win. They came back from a double-digit deficit to narrowly defeat Florida Gulf Coast, a tournament team. The barn burner ended 57-56 after a FGU shot ran around the rim with five seconds to go. A huge three from senior Mallorie Haines gave the Wildcats their largest lead of the game and eventually won them the game. The women put on a defensive clinic, holding the national sixth-best team three-point shooting team to merely two triples.
The team is currently projected to finish fourth in the Atlantic 10. The prediction is dead wrong. If I jinx them by writing this, I apologize, but as long as injuries don’t rear their ugly head, this team should blow this conference out. They have a motto: Share, Shoot, Stifle. By the end of the season, every team that has the misfortune of playing the Wildcats will know this slogan very well.
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