Posting Up

FINAL, DAVIDSON, 73-56

What a great story. Good for Davidson. Could it be a pair of Wildcats victorious Friday? My colleague Rick Plumlee just informed me that Hughes was hurt in the first half. My bad. Curry is taken out, and the crowd - well, the lower portion - gives him a standing ovation. The fans are chanting, “BOB MCKILLOP.” Pretty good stuff - real Cinderella stuff, folks. It’s over and the crowd is appreciative.

3:49 left in regulation, DAVIDSON, 69-51

The best story leading into this afternoon was the administration at Davidson - more on those people later - providing tickets and transportation for the students to come to today’s game. One question - is the administration going to spring for more tickets to Sunday’s regional final? That’s where the Wildcats are headed. How about students at Davidson having their laundry done for them? How great is that? I went weeks - and I wish I was kidding - without doing mine at Boston U. Curry has 29 points, by the way. He has 99 points in three games. Kansas State has to be wondering where this team was last weekend - the Wildcats could have beaten these brick-laying Badgers. LeBron just went to the tunnel and he was soundly booed again. These folks need to let it go. Curry goes over 30 with a 15-footer. It’s now 101 for Curry. The KU coaches watching for scouting purposes can focus on Davidson.

7:57 left in regulation, DAVIDSON, 65-48

Curry with a step back to create room and then a 3 as the shot clock expires. Ridiculous. Who was the last guard to put a team on his back and carry everyone deep into the tournament? That’s what Stephen Curry is about to do. Curry is called for a charge, and McKillop is beside himself. Time is running out for the Badgers, who need offense in a hurry. Where is Trevon Hughes? I mean, I see him, sitting over there on the bench. But I’m sure Bo Ryan would like some of those 25 points Hughes scored against K-State. Curry is unbelievable - I’m running out things to write. Even LeBron was impressed by that one. The best reaction came from his point guard, who kind of rolled his eyes to say, “Wow.” The Badgers look lost - and McKillop has taken Curry off the floor. I like Richards’ game a lot. Richards and Curry will both probably be back next year, and you have to think the Wildcats will have one of the nation’s top three backcourts in 2008 - and that’s even if D.J. Augustin returns to Texas and if UCLA isn’t decimated. Think about it… Oops. Richards is a senior. I’m an idiot.

11:16 left in regulation, DAVIDSON, 57-45

Curry with a pair of free throws, and he’s got 15. Maybe I was a bit hasty on proclaiming Bohannon just a driveway shooter. I think the last drive - a man-sized trip into the lane when he was hit by two Wildcats - proves that he’s a little more. Krabbenhoft hits a 3, which is unexpected, no? Curry has the whole game, folks. He’s the truth. Best collegiate guard I’ve seen - a shooter and a scorer. Last year, he was little more than a shooter. He just went glass from 16 feet, drifting away from the basket. We’re all smitten here on press row. That said, I think Bo Ryan is a heck of a coach, which is my way of saying this isn’t over. A little trash-talking between Krabby and Sander. What poise by Curry. My goodness, he’s a talent. He’s on one of those tremendous runs right now where you can’t do anything to disturb his flow. He’s got 23, and Davidson is up nine. “Are you watching this?” the guy to my left is saying into his cell phone. “These guys can play.” LeBron James, who’s in the house, was just flashed on the big screen here, and the place booed him mercilessly. He knocked out the Pistons last year, remember? Richards drills a 3, and Wisconsin might be in trouble. Every time Curry shoots, you think it’s going in. Shot-clock violation, and a stoppage in action.

15:57 left in regulation, DAVIDSON, 44-38

Some folks here are experiencing some Internet connection issues and, believe it or not, I’m not one of them. That has absolutely no bearing on the game - and neither does the fact they’re giving away candy here on press row - but these are the kind of details you can only find here at “Posting Up.” Great look from Curry, who would join Mike Beasley on the All-Make it Look Easy Team. Who else is on the club? I might put D.J. Augustin on the squad at the point. If you have suggestions at small forward and center, I’m listening. It looks so effortless. Another pull-up jumper for Curry, and the Wildcats are up four. Curry with a steal. No direct points, but the Davidson fans are jacked up. Speaking of which, where they’re seated, there is a Budweiser sign. But the NCAA has covered it up because, well, it’s alcohol. You know, it’s taboo. Stiemsma went soft but was fouled, and he hits a pair. Boris Meno violently rips a rebound away from Joe Krabbenhoft, and he is warned by officials - but no foul was called. A dunk for Lovedale, who has put together a nice game.

HALFTIME, 36-all

Butch got hit in the eye, stumbled a bit and still delivered an entry pass, an assist. Obviously, it’s a foul, but it wasn’t called. Not a rant on officiating because, really, I don’t care about the officiating. In the long haul, it all evens out. But those kind of no-calls frustrate me. Obviously, Butch was hit. Now, if you want to argue how hard he was hit, and go down that road, well, that’s another story. But he was hit. There was contact, which should constitute a foul. OK, I’m climbing down from my soapbox. How did Curry miss that runner? He’s human after all - even though he has 81 points in two-and-a-half games. Barr is hitting some big shots for Davidson. Butch is bailed out right before the half - right after he traveled. He is hacked with a second left on the shot clock and four left in regulation. But he misses the first, and the Badgers are still down one. But he makes the second. We’re tied at the half.

4:12, DAVIDSON, 33-28

Barr drills a 3, and it begs the question - how much does one guy make a team? I mean, Curry is that good - but it’s not as if the other guys are stiffs. Lovedale hits, and Wisconsin burns a timeout, down suddenly by five. Davidson is a good, good team. I think the Wildcats are the better team tonight. Will it play out that way? Oh, I doubt it. I haven’t predicted anything worthwhile yet.

6:02 left in 1st half, WISCONSIN, 28-25

Driveway shooter alert on both teams - Bohannon for Wisconsin and Archambault for Davidson. They hit threes. The pace has temporary picked up. Butch hits his second 3, and why do I get the feeling he’s going to stick on some NBA team’s roster because of that stroke at that size? Richards with a rough runner off the glass that goes. McKillop retrieves a wayward ball and dribbles it between his legs. Nice. Bohannon is getting loose, but Hughes forces something. News flash - guard Curry, who hits another 3. Flowers drops in a 3, and this is almost run and gun. Butch with a flush. Man, Curry is good.

11:56 left in 1st half, DAVIDSON, 13-10

Just wrote a bunch of stuff and it was erased somehow. Bummer - because it was good. Real good, which is a perfect description of Stephen Curry. Oh, I remember what I wrote before - not impressed by Wisconsin’s guards. It’s as if they sold their souls for that win against K-State. Yeah, it’s original, right? I like Davidson’s backcourt much better, and Richards is a gamer, too.

6:55 p.m.

Plenty of good seats available at Ford Field. Can’t tell if the red in the stands is there in support of the Badgers or the Wildcats. Barry Alvarez - I’ve seen him everywhere this week - is chumming around with Lew Perkins. Myles Brand just walked by - Bob Knight would be pissed. Can’t explain enough how this court set-up is just a disaster waiting to happen. Since I’ve got sidebar duty tonight, it might be my story when it happens - and trust me, it’s going to happen. Right now, the mascot edge goes to Davidson - now that’s a Wildcat. And I’m giving the cheerleader edge to Wisconsin - it’s a BCS school, after all. But in my limited dealings, private schools usually bring “it” stronger than public schools, but that isn’t the case tonight. Weird - there’s a group of fans in Michigan State gear. I get it - we’re in Detroit, but this place does have an airport. If you want to support the Spartans, you can board a flight to Houston. Really. And it’s not just a few people in green, either. What I like, though, is the energy from the Davidson fans. Have to love the underdog - it’s an unwritten rule at these events. Bo Ryan’s tie is kinda fly. The band is playing “Welcome to the Jungle.” Fitting? Not really. It’s Detroit.