Former Charlotte high school star Matthew Fisher-Davis on Vanderbilt’s NCAA loss: ‘It was my dumb mistake why we lost’
Matthew Fisher-Davis fouls Northwestern's best player up one pic.twitter.com/P2jPMle9MI
— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) March 16, 2017
Former Charlotte Christian and Butler High School basketball star Matthew Fisher-Davis landed himself in a big NCAA March Madness controversy Thursday afternoon.
With his Vanderbilt team up by a point on Northwestern with 17 seconds left, Fisher-Davis intentionally fouled Northwestern guard Bryant McIntosh. The foul meant that McIntosh, one of the best free-throw shooters in the Big 10, would get two free throws. He made both and Northwestern eventually won 68-66. Not too many people will remember that Fisher-Davis had 22 points in an otherwise great NCAA tournament performance.
Davis scored 18 in the second half to help his team rally and gain a late lead. He said he thought the Commodores were down a point instead of up a point when he fouled McIntosh. And he thought coach Bryce Drew, who was pointing for him to guard McIntosh, was instead telling him to foul.
“It was a collective effort in coming back, and it was my dumb mistake why we lost,” Fisher-Davis said.
After the game, Fisher-Davis thanked his teammates for their support.
If it were not for the love of the people in this locker room...
— Matthew Fisher-Davis (@_MFD5) March 16, 2017
He also got some reaction on social media.
Feel absolutely horrible for Matthew Fisher-Davis. Wow. #MarchMadness #VandyvsNorthwestern @ESPNCBB
— Jay Williams (@RealJayWilliams) March 16, 2017
NOOOOOOOOO! Matthew Fisher-Davis, in & out of dog house all year, shot us back into the game, then lost his mind and blew the game.
— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) March 16, 2017
Postgame, Charles Barkley talked about Fisher-Davis’ play.
“People always say what they would do under pressure, and you don’t know that until you get into that situation,” Barkley said. “Clearly, the kid panicked. Vandy was up 1, Bryce was yelling something, and the kid just made a mistake. There’s no need to foul in this situation and give the other team two free throws. He just had a brain lock, or a brain freeze or however you want to phrase it. Just a really awful play. Listen, the kid played well and that’s a really tough way to lose a game.”
After the game, Vanderbilt coach Drew stood behind the Charlotte product.
“First, we’re not even in that position without him,” Drew said of Fisher-Davis. “We’ve talked our whole year with our team that one play or two plays doesn’t define a whole game. There could have been a miscommunication after that play with him, but I’m proud of him and how he played the second half.”
Fisher-Davis, a 6-foot-5 junior guard, averaged 22 points and 12 rebounds as a senior at Butler High in the 2013-14 season. He was the Southwestern 4A player of the year and was a top 100 recruit nationally.
This story was originally published March 16, 2017 at 7:47 PM with the headline "Former Charlotte high school star Matthew Fisher-Davis on Vanderbilt’s NCAA loss: ‘It was my dumb mistake why we lost’."