If Davidson (19-7), led by Jon Axel Gudmundsson from Iceland, does not win the Atlantic 10 conference tournament, the Wildcats might not have enough wins to gain an at-large bid to March Madness this year.
Davidson and VCU (20-6) are the two best teams in the A10 right now. Their only guarantee to make it to March Madness is to win the A10 tournament. Otherwise, their fate will be in the hands of the selection committee.
The Davidson Wildcats went to March Madness last year, but Kentucky knocked them out in the first round. Davidson kept it close, but they couldn’t pull off the upset. Davidson has not won a March Madness game in eleven years, since the last time Steph Curry was on the team in 2008.
Secret Viking Weapon Against VCU
Jon Axel Gudmundsson, a junior guard from Grindavik, Iceland, leads the team in scoring and rebounds with 16.8 points and 6.9 rebounds per game.
His backcourt mate, Kellan Grady, a sophomore guard from Boston, adds 16.7 points per game.
Davidson recruits heavily in Europe. They boast players from Iceland, Sweden, Serbia, Nigeria, England, and Austria.
VCU currently holds down first place in the Atlantic 10 with an 11-2 record. Davidson is in second place with a 10-3 record. Both teams have five games remaining in the regular season before the start of the A10 tournament.
Their most recent common opponent were the Dayton Fliers. VCU edged out Dayton by a single point in a thriller last week.
Meanwhile, Davidson lost two out of their last four games including a one point 74-73 loss to Dayton over the weekend. Davidson had won 17-straight games at home until the Fliers picked them off.
Steph Curry Gravy Days
Steph Curry is trying to win his third-straight NBA title with the Golden State Warriors. Before he became a pro, he played he collegiate career at Davidson.
Eleven years ago, he nearly led Davidson to the Final Four. Curry carried Davidson on his back and got them as far as the Elite Eight. The eventual champs, Kentucky, knocked them out in the Elite Eight, but it was a heck of a ride for Curry. The exposure during 2008 March Madness certainly boosted his profile and draft stock.
The 2019 NBA All-Star Game was hosted in Curry’s hometown of Charlotte this year. During the All-Star Break, Davidson took in a Davidson home game against St. Joseph. Jon Axel Gudmundsson led all scorers with 26 points.
After the win against St. Joe’s, Curry jumped into the Davidson student section and took selfies with the jubilant crowd.
On Deck: Atlantic 10
With five games remaining, Davidson hits the road for three of them. Their next matchup is at Rhode Island (12-13). Next week, they head to LaSalle (8-16).
Meanwhile, VCU is riding high off a seven-game winning streak. They also have five more games on their schedule with three home games. They host George Washington (7-18) on deck, but have a tough game about St. Louis (17-9) next week.
With March Madness approaching, the South Dakota State Jackrabbits, Nevada Wolfpack, Houston Cougars, Buffalo Bulls, and Yale from the Ivy League are other bubble schools or teams you should watch.
