Free Throws Carry Wildcat Men to Eighth Straight Win, 71-64
12/30/2006 10:04:59 AM | Men's Basketball
Recap | Box Score | Postgame Interview
DAVIDSON, N.C. -- Freshman Stephen Curry scored a game-high 23 points, and Davidson survived a second half in which it managed just six field goals to hold off visiting Western Michigan on Saturday night, 71-64. The victory was the eighth straight for the Wildcats as they improved to 12-3 on the season. Western Michigan fell to 4-8 in dropping its fourth in five games.
More than half of Curry's 23 points came from the free throw line, where he converted all 13 of his foul shots. He struggled from the floor, however, as did the entire Wildcat squad. Curry hit just 4-of-17 (.231) field goals while Davidson as a team shot just 33.3 percent (19-of-57), including a dismal 21.4 percent (6-of-28) in the second half.
The Wildcats enjoyed a 14-point lead entering the second half, 40-26, but the Broncos whittled away at the deficit. Freshman David Kool stroked a trio of trifectas in the first six minutes of the final half to get Western Michigan within six points at 46-40.
The lead remained between four and nine points for the next seven minutes until Curry hit his only second-half field goal, a three-pointer, to give Davidson a 59-49 advantage with 7:07 to play. That would be the final field goal of the game for the 'Cats.
A Kool layup and a three-pointer from Derek Fracalossi got WMU within four, 60-56. The Broncos also got a three-pointer by Michael Redell and a three-point play by Kool to cut the lead to just two points with 2:11 on the clock, 64-62.
After the two teams traded a pair of free throws, the Wildcats missed a three-pointer, giving Western Michigan its first chance to tie the game or take the lead since the first half. But sophomore Max Paulhus Gosselin came up with a big steal to thwart the opportunity.
Point guard Jason Richards hit one of his two free throws after being fouled, so the Broncos had one more chance. Stout defensive pressure forced a difficult shot from behind the arc, and Davidson corralled the rebound. Curry and Thomas Sander each drained a pair of free throws seal the victory.
The Wildcats hit 11-of-12 free throws in the final 3:13 and 28-of-33 (.848) for the game, while Western Michigan went to the line just six times, converting five. On the boards, the Broncos had a sizeable advantage, 43-29, which was negated by turnovers as they committed 26 to just 10 for Davidson. The Wildcats converted those 26 turnovers into 27 points.
In the opening half, a Derek Fracalossi jumper gave WMU a 26-25 lead with 6:36 on the clock. Davidson finished the opening stanza, however, on a 15-0 run, with eight of those points provided by Curry.
Other scoring leaders for the Wildcats were Richards with 11 and Sander with 10, while Richards also led the team with six rebounds and six assists.
Kool and center Joe Reitz each contributed 14 points, and Reitz also hauled in 15 boards for a double-double.
Davidson concludes a brief two-game homestand next Saturday when it hosts College of Charleston in a Southern Conference game at 7 p.m. Western Michigan returns home to host Culver-Stockton on Tuesday, Jan. 2 at 7 p.m.
