Will Archambault led the Wildcats with 18 points against Lenoir-Rhyne. (Photos by Bill Giduz)
By LAURIE DENNIS
DavidsonNews.net
No, the stands weren’t full, and no, play did not revolve around a single star, but yes, the Davidson College men’s basketball team can win in the post-Stephen Curry era. The Wildcats handily defeated Lenoir-Rhyne, 87-65, in an exhibition game Saturday night at Belk Arena.
Last year’s star Stephen Curry now plays in the NBA, so all eyes are on how the team will perform without him.
“We got better tonight,” said Coach Bob McKillop after the game.
Davidson controlled the game from the opening minute, when Brendan McKillop stole the ball and made a leisurely lay-up , followed quickly by a three-pointer from Bryant Barr. Five Wildcats scored in a 17-point run before the Bears managed to connect with the net on a free-throw six minutes into the game.
“Equal opportunity,” Coach McKillop said. “We’re an equal opportunity team.”
Lenoir-Rhyne, which had an 18-11 record last year and has been the South Atlantic Conference champ for seven years straight, had a shaky first period. The Bears hit only 9 of 28 field goal attempts and missed all five three-pointers, heading to the locker room at half-time down 45-23. Lenoir-Rhyne came out stronger in the second period, led by junior forward D.J. Blackmon, who scored 18 points and had seven rebounds and three steals.
Sophomore guard Aaron Bond was one of six Wildcats to score three-pointers at Saturday's game.
Four Wildcats scored double digits, led by senior Will Archambault with 18. Bryant Barr followed closely with 17 points, including five crowd-pleasing three-pointers, while both Brendan McKillop and Steve Rossiter scored 10. Eleven different Wildcats made it to the scoreboard, and six of them made three-point baskets.
Sophomore Frank Ben-Eze, who Coach McKillop is grooming to be a power forward/center, is recovering from a knee injury, but still managed to score a basket and make three rebounds and one block.
“I had projected that he would be able to play five to six minutes, and he played seven,” Coach McKillop said.
The Wildcats ran into foul trouble in the second period, losing Ben Allison in the first few minutes and soon after having to sit Archambault on the bench for drawing a fourth foul.
“Ben has been playing well in practice,” Coach McKillop noted. “He has more to give. He was just a little bit anxious tonight.”
The team has a week to get rid of their butterflies. Davidson opens regular season play Nov. 14 at Butler, the first of four road games. (The game will air locally on WJZY-TV, Channel 46.) The next home game will be Wednesday, Nov. 25, against Fredonia State.
