Antoine Davis falls short in bid to break Pete Maravich’s scoring mark

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (AP) — Antoine Davis outscoredthem all – except for “Pistol” Pete.

Detroit Mercy’s star guard finished four points shy ofsurpassing Pete Maravich as the NCAA career scoring leader onThursday night, scoring 22 in a gritty 71-66 loss to YoungstownState in the Horizon League tournament.

Davis came in needing 26 points to break Maravich’s hallowedmark of 3,667 points that stood for over 50 years. But afterpicking up his fourth foul with 3:36 left, the slender 6-foot-1guard, who was trapped and double-teamed for much of his 38 minutesby the top-seeded Penguins, couldn’t drive as effectively to thebasket.

With Maravich’s record still within reach, Davis missed four3-pointers — one of them a wide-open look — in the final twominutes 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 outsideDetroit Mercy’s locker room. “Maybe in 20 or 25 years somebody isgoing 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 forgranted at all. I’m thankful for this. Blessed. I still feel likeI’m the best scorer of my generation. Nobody can take that fromme.”

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

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

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

Davis would welcome another shot at history.

“I would love to play in the CBI, NIT, something,” he said. “Noteven for the record, just to go out on a better note.”

From the outset, it was obvious Youngstown State was determinednot to let Davis break the record on its floor. The Penguins randouble teams and trapped Davis, who was held to 15 points earlierthis season in a loss to YSU.

“That’s the respect I deserve,” he said. “I’m the best scorer inthe league, so I don’t look at it as unfair or anything likethat.”

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

Davis finished 7 of 26 from the field, including 4 of 16 on3-pointers.

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

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

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

“He worked really hard over the years and he’s done some thingsthat should blow people away,” the elder Davis said. “Peoplethought there was no way he could get close to Maravich and he gotclose.

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

Unlike Davis, who was granted a fifth year of eligibility due tothe COVID-19 pandemic, Maravich didn’t play as a freshman — itwasn’t allowed at the time — and there was also no 3-point line orshot clock, placing a premium on every possession.

It’s mind-boggling to consider that Maravich, who died in 1988at age 40 after suffering a heart attack while playing in a pickupgame, averaged 44.2 points without taking or making a single3-pointer.

But it also should be noted that Maravich attempted 3,166 shotswhile Davis came in with 2,961.

Davis admitted the record was impossible to ignore.

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