Davidson rips Cougars...again

Here are some quick post-game thoughts after Davidson's 81-56 win over the College of Charleston.

-I got several comments over the last few days for calling out Davidson's fans during Wednesday's Elon game. They showed up in force today and did their best to create energy in what was yet another beatdown in Belk Arena. I sat in the student section for the first time in over a year, and definitely felt the strain of creating energy when possessions become less and less urgent as Davidson's lead increases and the Cougars continue to jack up bad shots (they shot 19-50 and turned the ball over 18 times).

-Stephen Curry left the game early with two fouls and Davidson's offense slowed a bit without him anchoring the wing. It was frustrating to see capable scorers continually pass up good shots. On several instances, Jason Richards was forced to jack a bad shot with an expiring shot clock just because the team could not find a satisfactory look.

-Thomas Sander continues to get beaten up like none other. While I am not denying that he is a physical player and that comes with the territory, Sander puts himself into suicidal positions sometimes as he continually gets run over by 240 pound forwards while trying to take a charge (they gave him two tonight). His defense is very effective, but it often leaves him battered and bruised. He came out of the game and did not return after being hammered on a fast break.

-My favorite moment of the game came in the second half when Max Paulhus Gosselin let loose a three-pointer in front of Davidson's bench and Coach McKillop leaped 10 feet into the air as if his team had just won the national championship (in fact, I think he would have been more sedate if Davidson won the national title). Pens and paper came flying out of his pockets and he quickly tried to recompose himself by picking up his things. He was so proud of Max.

-Because of foul trouble and Sander being beat up, Dan Nelms made it into the game at the 11 minute mark. Unfortunately, Nelms was not very productive on the offensive end and he seemed to have trouble securing rebounds despite his height. He will be called upon to provide some important minutes next year, so he will need to be a little quicker and stronger.