Antoine Davis surpassed them all – except for “Pistol” Pete.
Detroit Mercy’s star guard fell four points short of surpassing Pete Maravich as the NCAA career-scoring leader on Thursday night, scoring 22 in a 71-66 loss to Youngstown State in the Horizon League Tournament.
Davis needed 26 points to break Maravich’s hallowed mark of 3,667 points which stood for more than 50 years. But after picking up his fourth foul with 3:36 left, the slender 6-foot-1 guard, who was trapped and double-teamed by the top-seeded Penguins for much of his 38 minutes, could not drive effectively. . basket.
With Maravich’s record still within reach, Davis missed four 3-pointers—one of them a wide-open look—in the final two minutes of an intense game.
Disgusted by Maravich’s loss and fall, Davis felt proud afterward.
“This is really special,” he said, leaning against a wall outside Detroit Mercy’s locker room. “Maybe in 20 or 25 years, someone is going to do the same thing I did, chasing that record, maybe even sooner.
“It’s just a special feeling. I don’t take any of it for granted. I’m grateful for it. Lucky. I still think I’m the best scorer of my generation. No one can take that from me.”
After the final buzzer, anger flared after Youngstown State’s Dwayne Cohill, who had guarded Davis for the majority of the game, appeared to say something to the two-time conference player of the year.
Davis then had to stop as debris was thrown at him from the student section inside the Beagley Center.
Unless Detroit Mercy receives an unexpected postseason bid, Davis finishes with 3,664 points over five seasons. Maravich set his record in only three years playing for his father, Press, and he did so before there was a 3-point line or shot clock.
Davis would welcome another shot at history.
“I would love to play in CBI, NIT, something,” he said. “Not even for the record, just to leave on a better note.”
From the outset, it was clear that Youngstown State was determined not to let Davis break the record on his floor. The Penguins ran double teams and trapped Davis, who was at 15 points in a loss to YSU earlier this season.
He said, ‘This is the respect I deserve. “I’m the best scorer in the league, so I don’t see it as unfair or anything like that.”
Wearing a protective mask to protect a broken nose suffered earlier this season in Cincinnati, Davis started slowly in front of a sellout crowd and missed his first four shots before sinking an off-balance jumper over the top of the key. Went.
Davis finished 7 of 26 from the field, including 4 of 16 on 3-pointers.
Just weeks after LeBron James passed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the NBA’s career scoring leader, Davis missed his chance to top Maravich, the Hall of Famer his father taught him to play as a child. had studied.
Davis had already set several NCAA records, including consecutive games in double figures (143) and 3-pointers (584). He leads Division I with 159 3’s this season, four shy of breaking Stephen Curry’s record of 162 in a season (2007–08).
Detroit Mercy coach Mike Davis, standing next to his son, recalled the unique journey they took together.
“He’s worked really hard over the years and he’s done some things that should blow people away,” the elder Davis said. “People thought there was no way he could come close to Maravich and he came close.
“He could have got it down to 17 in the last game but he had a few shots which he passed on to his teammates. I am proud of the player that he is and I am proud of what he has added to the program and the school. It’s been beautiful to watch.
Unlike Davis, who was allowed a fifth year of eligibility due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Maravich did not play as a freshman—it was not allowed at the time—and also had no 3-point line or shot clock. , placing a premium on every possession.
It’s mind-boggling to consider that Maravich died of a heart attack while playing in a pickup game in 1988 at age 40, averaging 44.2 points without making or taking a single 3-pointer.
But it should also be noted that Maravich attempted 3,166 shots while Davis came away with 2,961.
Davis acknowledged that the record was impossible to ignore.
“I knew it was within reach and it was possible to get there,” he said. “Double teams throw me out of my rhythm. I should have been able to adjust and play my game, but I still think we played as hard as we could.”