Kansas vs. Davidson game recap: Davidson’s upset bid falls short

Steph Curry knows the feeling.

Yet again, Davidson had Kansas on the ropes. For a while, at least. A dominant final 10 minutes from the Jayhawks, however, erased what had been a fun first 30 minutes as Kansas pulled away for an 89-71 win in Kansas City.

Bob McKillop has assembled another strong squad for Davidson. Even after an embarrassing loss to Charleston, the Wildcats have the firepower to bring it against tough opponents. The duo of Peyton Aldridge and Jack Gibbs is so strong when they’re on, but on Saturday, Gibbs couldn’t bring it. While Aldridge played well with 22 points off of four threes, Gibbs struggled with 12 points compared to his 24.3 average.

Kansas’s tri-headed guard combo is its strength. We hear about Josh Jackson, but don’t realize how talented he is until we watch him dominate our teams. 18 points and eight rebounds is just what Jackson does and he does it game after game. Add in Frank Mason III’s 18 points and six rebounds and you’re set. Oh wait, there’s Devonté Graham too. Mix in Carlton Bragg Jr.’s play off the bench and the Jayhawks can be as good as anyone. They’ve got strong guard play and an unselfish mentality.

Meanwhile, Davidson’s got a young team that’s bound to make its mark in a few upsets this year. McKillop’s crew includes six international recruits. Nigerian forward Nathan Ekwu pitched in 10 points and eight rebounds, and Will Magarity had nine points. Because they, along with Aldridge, are juniors, look for Davidson to make a huge splash this year and next.