SPORTS
Wildcats Men’s Basketball Gets Past Saint Joseph’s in Overtime
DAVIDSON, N.C. — To hold off Saint Joseph’s 89-83 in Atlantic 10 play at home Saturday, the Davidson Wildcats had to respond and respond quickly.
But after Hawks guard Ryan Daly hit a 3-pointer at the final horn to force overtime, the Wildcats outscored St. Joe’s 13-7 in the extra session to notch their first league win of the year.
“In overtime, our guys fought, got the lead right away, and it’s the kind of mental toughness we’ve been looking to emerge,” said Davidson coach Bob McKillop.
It wasn’t easy, and there was adversity to overcome. The Wildcats (7-8, 1-2 A-10) let a 15-point second-half lead slip away, missed multiple potentially clinching free throws down the stretch and then allowed Daly, one of the league’s top scorers, to tie it at 76-all after 40 minutes.
“It was a great experience as you look back upon it,” said McKillop. “Going through it was not the most pleasant of experiences.”
Daly’s shot, in particular, had the potential to be a dagger. On the run and with the clock ticking under two seconds, he lofted a shot toward the basket, from the top of the key. It found the net, but was initially ruled a two-point basket. Video replay, however, revealed it was a tying trey.
McKillop said the Wildcats needed to quickly refocus, and they did. The Wildcats scored the first five points of overtime, including the first three from senior guard Jon Axel Gudmudsson, who led all scorers with a season-high 30 points. He also pulled down 10 rebounds.
Luka Brajkovic added 17 points and eight boards for the Wildcats, while Kellan Grady scored 14 and Carter Collins scored 13.
Daly finished with 28 points to lead the Hawks (3-13, 0-4).