Davis falls short of NCAA mark
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio — Antoine Davis outscored them all — except for “Pistol” Pete.
Detroit Mercy’s star guard finished four points shy of surpassing Pete Maravich as the NCAA career scoring leader Thursday night, scoring 22 in a gritty 71-66 loss to Youngstown State in the Horizon League tournament.
Davis came in needing 26 points to break Maravich’s hallowed mark of 3,667 points that has stood for over 50 years. But after picking up his fourth foul with 3:36 left, the slender 6-foot-1 guard, who was trapped and doubleteamed for much of his 38 minutes by the top-seeded Penguins, couldn’t drive as effectively to the basket.
With Maravich’s record still within reach, Davis missed four 3-pointers — one of them a wide-open look — in the final two minutes of an intense game.
While disappointed with the loss and falling short of Maravich, Davis felt pride afterward.
“It’s really special,” he said, leaning against a wall outside 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 just a special feeling. I don’t take any of this for granted at all. I’m thankful for this. Blessed. I still feel like I’m the best scorer of my generation. Nobody can take that from me.”
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 3point line or shot clock.
Davis would welcome another shot at history.
“I would love to play in the CBI, NIT, something,” he said. “Not even for the record, just to go out on a better note.”
Standing next to his son, Detroit Mercy coach Mike Davis, who while living in Houston as coach at Texas Southern had Mike home-schooled, recalled the unique journey they took together.
“He worked really hard over the years, and he’s done some things that should blow people away,” the elder Davis said.