Posted on Sun, Mar. 30, 2008

Davidson the-dare-to dream team

Wildcats undaunted by odds, No. 1 seed Kansas

KEVIN CARY

kcary@charlotteobserver.com

DETROIT --

Stephen Curry talked about living a dream.

"As a kid growing up, these are the kinds of games you dream about," said Davidson's sophomore guard. "You think about hitting the winning shot at the buzzer, and what that would feel like. But it doesn't really hit you until you get a chance to do it on the court."

Davidson is one win away from the Final Four, a quest that has captivated the country. The Wildcats, the No. 10 seed in the Midwest, can earn a trip to San Antonio by beating No. 1 seed Kansas tonight.

But Davidson players insist this is not "Hoosiers" revisited. Davidson won't run a "picket fence" play to conquer the Jayhawks, and the Wildcats aren't fazed by the daunting history high seeds have had against No. 1 teams.

Teams seeded No. 10 and higher have beaten No. 1 seeds twice in the NCAA tournament. No. 11 George Mason beat No. 1 Connecticut to advance to the Final Four in 2006. Louisiana State, an 11 seed, beat No.1 seed Kentucky 71-67 in 1986.

Those lower seeds have suffered more than 100 losses, many of them blowouts.

"We don't look at those numbers," point guard Jason Richards said. "We don't try to get into the hype."

Davidson (29-6) has a 25-game winning streak, but none of those opponents has a pedigree like the Jayhawks. Kansas (34-3) has won 10 straight, and boasts a roster filled with high school All-Americans and NBA prospects.

Jayhawk coach Bill Self said this year's team is the best he has had, and hinted that the Jayhawks should advance today.

"I've said all year that I would reserve judgment (about which team was best) until after this weekend's games," said Self, whose team has lost in the Elite Eight round three times. "But if we play like we are capable of playing, then I think this is the best team we have ever had."

To counter that, Davidson will continue to rely on Curry, who is averaging 34 points in the NCAA tournament. He said he's having "the time of his life" in leading the Wildcats to three tournament wins.

But he's had help. Davidson has been strong with the ball, giving up fewer than nine turnovers a game, and the Wildcats can draw from experience of playing against other top teams. Davidson lost to two other No. 1 seeds early in the season, losing to North Carolina by four and UCLA by 12 after losing an 18-point lead.

Davidson coach Bob McKillop believes in his team.

"Sometimes you have to brainwash yourself to be confident in your team," McKillop said. "But I'm not brainwashed anymore. These guys have faced every obstacle and they have earned my confidence."

Davidson players also don't call it a fairy tale. But they can't help but envision a happy ending.

"You know you'll get butterflies when you get out on the court," guard Bryant Barr said. "But just thinking about it, you realize this could be a dream come true."