There have been some players who go on magnificent March runs throughout the years, but one player continues to stand out among the pack in that regard. That player would be Stephen Curry, and he put Davidson on the map during a two-year stretch.
Curry was not only able to get his Davidson Wildcats team to the Elite 8, but he was also able to create an NBA future for himself as well. It’s almost hard to describe how great Curry was during his college career, and watching the highlights don’t do it justice.
Curry was able to captivate an entire nation, and he had NBA stars showing up to his games just to watch him play. It didn’t lead to a Final Four appearance or a national championship, but Curry took his team much further than they really should have gotten.
Run Came Out of Nowhere
People tend to forget just how good Curry was in the NCAA Tournament as a freshman, as there just wasn’t much of a chance to watch him. Curry played in just one NCAA Tournament game his freshman year and scored 30 points in a first-round loss to Maryland.
That game should have foreshadowed what was to come as Curry, and the Davidson Wildcats were back in the NCAA Tournament during his sophomore season. Curry scored 25.5 points per game during his sophomore season, and Davidson was given a 10-seed in the NCAA Tournament.
Davidson was trailing Gonzaga by 11 points in the second half before Curry put his team on his back and scored 30 points in the final 20 minutes. He finished the game with 40 points to push his team into the second round.
Curry then poured in 25 points in the second half of a huge upset win over Georgetown to push his team to the Sweet 16. In the Sweet 16, Curry and Davidson were able to get past Wisconsin, with the superstar pouring in 33 points.
In the Regional Final, Curry and his teammates were set to take on the heavily-favored Kansas Jayhawks, and it’s hard to describe just how hyped this game was. The season ended with a 59-57 loss to Kansas, and the Jayhawks went on to win the national championship.
Back For More
After the magical run during his sophomore season, many expected Curry to enter the NBA Draft. He announced that he wanted to come back for his junior year, and that provided plenty of excitement throughout the year.
Curry continued to put up ridiculous numbers throughout the regular season, and it looked as if Davidson would once again be a Cinderella team in March. Unfortunately, Curry just didn’t have as much help on that team, and they were unable to win their conference tournament championship.
Curry and the Wildcats did earn an NIT bid that season, but they failed to get past the second round. He continued to make unbelievable shots all season long, and tracking his point total was a nightly hobby every night that season.
Massive NBA Star
Curry generated so much hype and excitement that it was clear that some NBA team was going to take him in the first round of the NBA Draft. The Golden State Warriors were that team, and they surrounded him with a ton of talent in the backcourt.
There is no way that anyone could have predicted how good Curry would be in the NBA, but he has turned into one of the best players in league history. He has won multiple NBA MVP Awards, and he has done it all by shooting shots from all over the floor.
Curry will end up being an NBA Hall of Famer, and people will continue to sing his praises for years to come. All of this started at Davidson College and in the NCAA Tournament that captivated the country.
There are going to be other players that go on magical runs in March, but it’s going to be hard to match what Curry was able to pull off.