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Chapter 66: Davidson vs Syracuse
🕑 Added 2025-04-23 12:59:53 +0000 UTCThe next two rounds of the NCAA South were being moved to Indianapolis, Indiana’s capital city. And the venue? None other than Lucas Oil Stadium, home turf of the NFL's Colts, temporarily transformed into an NCAA battleground.
With a seating capacity of 62,421, the stadium was packed to the rafters today. Fans had been buzzing all week about this matchup: No. 2 seed Davidson Wildcats vs. No. 5 seed Syracuse Orange.
Stephen Curry vs. Jonny Flynn.
That’s the faceoff everyone’s been dying to see.
Who’s the top point guard in college basketball right now?
And can Lin Yi—Davidson’s seven-foot freak of nature—carve a path through the muscle-bound defense of Syracuse?
Since the bracket dropped, fans have been dreaming of a Davidson vs. UNC showdown in the South Final. But Syracuse is out here trying to ruin that fairytale. Can the Orange pull off the upset and knock Davidson out before they even get to the Tar Heels?
We’re about to find out.
Both teams’ fan colors were different, so from the broadcast’s wide shots, it created a divide between the two schools' fans. For today, Davidson’s rocking their white away kits while Syracuse is sticking with their signature orange.
Another notable change compared to the last round was that the number of Chinese reporters here for the Sweet 16 has doubled.
Wu Xiaolei even swapped out her shoes for a fresh pair of runners—she’s serious today. She told herself to stay calm, but the second the Wildcats walked out…
LIN!!!
LIN!!!
STEPHEN!!!
STEPHEN!!!
Lin Yi and Steph Curry are absolute stars in this year’s March Madness.
A good-looking, fun-to-watch team? Yeah, that always grabs attention. Americans aren't immune to that charm either. Let’s be real: we all love a pretty game done by handsome guys.
Meanwhile, over on the Syracuse bench, Jonny Flynn wasn’t exactly impressed. Watching Lin and Steph warm up, he muttered, “Tch. Look at these two. You’d think they were NBA stars already.”
His teammate Paul Harris nodded. “They might as well be.”
Flynn, clearly feeling some type of way, raised his arms to hype up the Orange crowd. “Come on, give me some energy!”
Lin Yi caught it and grinned, dragging Curry over. “Yo, is Flynn about to launch an energy blast or something?”
Steph laughed. “Man, I swear, the second you hit the NBA, you’re getting fined.”
Lin shot a cheeky grin. “Worth it.”
...
On the court, veteran ref Dale Anthony, who’s been refereeing since before some players were born, walked to the center circle with the ball in hand. Sweet 16 games always get national attention, and this one’s no different. Dale knew he had to keep things tight and fair.
Oh, and sitting courtside? None other than Carmelo Anthony, repping Syracuse and rocking his championship-era cap. The man came through to support his alma mater. That’s the perk of being a big-name school—legends always show up.
As for Davidson… well, their biggest basketball names are on the floor right now: Lin Yi and Stephen Curry.
Before tip-off, Lin leaned down and tapped Steph’s head. “Remember our plan—take your time, stay patient.”
Steph nodded with a smile. "Got it."
The Wildcats' strategy today? Pretty simple: get Steph his stats and the win.
Though it was Coach McKillop’s system, Lin Yi had a few ideas of his own. Fortunately, McKillop wasn’t one of those old-school hardheads—he listened. The man had believed in Curry from the start, way back in high school. So when Lin made his pitch, McKillop gave it a go.
First move? Let Lin Yi start aggressively. Run pick-and-rolls with Steph and force Syracuse to react. If they switch on defense—boom, that’s Curry time.
Steph’s no slouch in college, especially when he’s been battling Lin in practice daily. Lin knew: set screens, draw defenders, and Steph would cook.
And yeah, Steph needed to touch the ball a lot. Give him chances to drive, sneak in floaters, and rack up points. Even if the threes aren’t falling, a few midrange buckets and layups keep the scoreboard ticking.
Second key? Push the pace. Fast breaks were Davidson’s secret weapon. Let Steph rack up assists in transition, and Lin—being a gazelle in a big man’s body—would be there to finish plays.
On defense, Lin’s plan was simple: crash the rim, leave rebounding to Steph. Sounds weird? Maybe. But Lin had watched a lot of future NBA films, especially the Thunder’s rebounding setup with Westbrook. Letting the guard clean up the boards helped set up fast transitions. Genius.
If Syracuse clanked enough shots, Steph could walk out of here with a monster triple-double.
Steph knew it too. Dude was locked in, no goofy grins or waves to his family. This was business.
He had one goal today: completely shut down Jonny Flynn.
Flynn had been talking trash about owning New York, and Steph? Oh, he had plans. Madison Square Garden, D’Antoni’s fast-paced offense, a fat rookie contract—it was all waiting.
“New York is mine,” he thought. “Ain’t no way I’m ending up anywhere different.”
Tip-off
Ref Dale Anthony tossed the ball up. Lin Yi, all arms and wingspan, easily won it.
First play? Curry and Lin ran the pick-and-roll.
“Whoa, the Wildcats opened with a pick-and-roll?” Barkley chimed in on commentary.
Kenny Smith added, “Yeah, Davidson’s go-to move.”
While they’d been showcasing post-ups and isolations in earlier rounds, this? This was the real Wildcats.
Lin Yi and Stephen Curry—two names, one play, and a stadium full of anticipation.
Let the game begin.
