Detroit Mercy’s Antoine Davis 3 shy of Pete Maravich’s document

With solely a handful of seconds on the sport clock standing between him and immortality, Detroit Mercy star Antoine Davis launched a 3-pointer.

But Davis, who had been chilly all sport, missed as time expired, and Pete Maravich’s NCAA Division I profession scoring mark of three,667 factors was preserved in Youngstown State 71-66 win over Detroit Mercy in a Horizon League match quarterfinal matchup on Thursday.

Davis, the fifth-year star who entered Thursday’s sport needing 26 factors to surpass Maravich, completed with 22 within the loss. Afterward, he mentioned he feels good about his profession and his option to return to Detroit Mercy, the place his father, Mike Davis, is head coach.

Davis had hoped to not solely break Maravich’s document this season but in addition lead his crew to its first NCAA match look in additional than a decade.

“Just special,” Davis mentioned about his profession at Detroit Mercy. “I had the opportunity to play for my dad. I was a couple of points short of the record. God knows what he’s doing.”

But is Davis’ school profession over?

After the loss, each Davis and his father mentioned they’d welcome an invite to the College Basketball InvitationaI or one other postseason match, which might doubtlessly enable Davis to proceed his pursuit of Maravich’s document. The Titans completed 14-19 general and Sep 11 in Horizon League play, so there are not any ensures they’d safe an invitation.

But the CBI selects groups from the pool of faculties that do not get picked for the NCAA match or the NIT. A program with a sub-.500 document remains to be eligible to be chosen. But all CBI entrants should pay a $50,000 charge.

“The NCAA tournament is the goal,” Antoine Davis mentioned after the loss on Thursday. “I wouldn’t have a problem with [the CBI]. I’m sure none of my teammates would have a problem with it.”

Mike Davis mentioned if a postseason match provides Detroit Mercy the chance to play one other sport, he would seek the advice of his crew about it.

“If they want to play, we’ll play,” the elder Davis mentioned. “If they don’t want to play and it’s time to move on, we won’t play.”

Antoine Davis mentioned he did not really feel any stress getting into Thursday’s sport. Even when the ultimate shot left his palms, he mentioned he was serious about shifting ahead within the league match.

“I saw that I was really close and I had a chance [to tie the record], but I was more worried about us winning the game than anything,” he instructed ESPN.

Davis had confronted scrutiny for the best way he pursued the document. He performed in 144 video games and 5 seasons in contrast with three seasons and 83 video games for Maravich, who did not play with a 3-point line. But Davis additionally mentioned he respects Maravich’s mark.

Youngstown State appeared decided to stop Davis from making historical past at its expense. He acquired trapped on most of his crew’s possessions, as Youngstown State tried to drive him into robust seems to be. Davis completed 7-for-26 from the sphere, together with 4-for-16 from the 3-point line. He mentioned he anticipated that stress on Thursday.

“Nobody in the country can guard me one-on-one and that’s been proven,” Davis instructed ESPN after the sport. “I can’t be mad about it. If I had someone like me on their team, I’d have done the same thing. That’s the game plan at the end of the day.”

Now, Davis will probably finish his profession simply shy of Maravich’s document.

Mike Davis mentioned each Maravich and his son achieved one thing particular in school basketball.

“People would have put an asterisk by his name if he would’ve broken [the record],” Mike Davis mentioned after the sport. “Pistol Pete was in a world of his own and there will never be another Pistol Pete in college basketball. I think there will never be another Antoine the way he scored in 144 consecutive games.”

If he does not get one other alternative to play, Antoine Davis mentioned he can be pleased with the best way he and his crew competed all through his profession. Even although he did not match or cross Maravich’s document, he mentioned he’s pleased with what he has completed.

Said Davis: “I’m thankful to even be in the same boat as Pistol Pete.”