Antoine Davis falls 4 factors shy of breaking Pete Maravich’s NCAA scoring document

Antoine Davis outscored all of them – aside from “Pistol” Pete.

Detroit Mercy’s star guard completed 4 factors shy of surpassing Pete Maravich because the NCAA profession scoring chief on Thursday night time, scoring 22 in a gritty 71-66 loss to Youngstown State within the Horizon League match.

Davis got here in needing 26 factors to interrupt Maravich’s hallowed mark of three,667 factors that stood for over 50 years. But after selecting up his fourth foul with 3:36 left, the slender 6-foot-1 guard, who was trapped and double-teamed for a lot of his 38 minutes by the top-seeded Penguins, couldn’t drive as successfully to the basket.

With Maravich’s document nonetheless inside attain, Davis missed 4 3-pointers — certainly one of them a wide-open look — within the closing two minutes of an intense recreation.

While dissatisfied with the loss and falling in need of Maravich, Davis felt pleasure afterward.

“It’s really special,” he mentioned, leaning in opposition to a wall outdoors Detroit Mercy’s locker room. “Maybe in 20 or 25 years somebody is going to be doing the same thing that I did, chase that record, maybe even sooner than that.

“It’s only a particular feeling. I don’t take any of this without any consideration in any respect. I’m grateful for this. Blessed. I nonetheless really feel like I’m the very best scorer of my technology. Nobody can take that from me.”

After the final buzzer, tempers briefly flared after Youngtown State’s Dwyane Cohill, who had guarded Davis for much of the game, appeared to say something to the two-time conference player of the year.

Davis then had to be restrained as debris was thrown at him from the student section inside Beeghly Center.

Unless Detroit Mercy gets an unlikely postseason bid, Davis finishes with 3,664 points in five seasons. Maravich amassed his record in just three years while playing for his dad, Press, and he did it before there was a 3-point line or shot clock.

Davis would welcome one other shot at historical past.

“I’d like to play within the CBI, NIT, one thing,” he said. “Not even for the document, simply to exit on a greater notice.”

From the outset, it was obvious Youngstown State was determined not to let Davis break the record on its floor. The Penguins ran double teams and trapped Davis, who was held to 15 points earlier this season in a loss to YSU.

“That’s the respect I deserve,” he said. “I’m the very best scorer within the league, so I don’t have a look at it as unfair or something like that.”

Wearing a protective mask to protect a broken nose sustained earlier this season at Cincinnati, Davis started slowly in front of a sellout crowd and missed his first four shots before dropping an off-balance jumper from the top of the key.

Davis finished 7-of-26 from the field, including 4-of-16 on 3-pointers.

Just weeks after LeBron James went past Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the NBA’s career scoring leader, Davis just missed his chance to top Maravich, the Hall of Famer his father had him study while learning to play as a kid.

Davis had already set several NCAA records, including consecutive games in double figures (143) and 3-pointers (584). He leads Division I with 159 3s this season, four from breaking Stephen Curry’s record of 162 in a season (2007-08).

Standing next to his son, Detroit Mercy coach Mike Davis recalled the unique journey they took together.

“He labored actually laborious through the years and he’s completed some issues that ought to blow individuals away,” the elder Davis said. “People thought there was no approach he might get near Maravich and he obtained shut.

“He could have had it down to 17 in the last game, but he had some shots that he gave up to his teammates. I couldn’t be more proud of the player that he is and everything he has added to the program and school. It’s been beautiful to see.”

Unlike Davis, who was granted a fifth yr of eligibility as a result of COVID-19 pandemic, Maravich didn’t play as a freshman — it wasn’t allowed on the time — and there was additionally no 3-point line or shot clock, putting a premium on each possession.

It’s mind-boggling to contemplate that Maravich, who died in 1988 at age 40 after struggling a coronary heart assault whereas enjoying in a pickup recreation, averaged 44.2 factors with out taking or making a single 3-pointer.

But it additionally needs to be famous that Maravich tried 3,166 photographs whereas Davis got here in with 2,961.

Davis admitted the document was unimaginable to disregard.

“I knew it was within reach and it was possible to get there,” he mentioned. “The double teams kind of threw me off my rhythm. I should have been able to adjust and play my game, but I still feel like we played as hard as we could.”

Reporting by The Associated Press.

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