GRAND FORKS-March Madness is a time when college basketball fans love to embrace the underdog. There may be no better Cinderella story than University of North Dakota senior guard Corey Baldwin.
Six years ago, Baldwin was a high school graduate working at Autozone and as a security guard at a Walgreens in Bridgeport, Conn., with fading dreams of college basketball.
Thursday, March 16, he'll be in the starting lineup when the No. 15-seeded Fighting Hawks make their NCAA Tournament debut against No. 2-seeded Arizona in Salt Lake City.
"Six years ago, I could never dream of this," Baldwin said. "I was working two jobs after being a high school star. I'm thanking God for all of the blessings he has given me."
Baldwin posted the first double-double of his career in the Big Sky Conference quarterfinals in Reno, Nev., last week. He had 18 points and 10 rebounds in a win over Portland State.
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He went 11-for-16 from the 3-point line in Reno and led the team in scoring in the quarterfinals and semifinals. He averaged 14.6 points per game and reached double figures in all three games.
"It's one of those feel-good moments," UND coach Brian Jones said. "It's a young man who didn't have the opportunities out of high school and was still finding himself. He's kind of like our team. We've always taken the more difficult road.
"But that has made him the man he is today. He's going to come out of here with a college degree, an NCAA tournament experience and a Big Sky all-tournament selection."
After spending two years out of high school not playing college basketball, Baldwin's best friend, Jamill Powell, who later played at Eastern Kentucky, convinced his junior college basketball coach at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M to give Baldwin a chance.
Former UND assistant Shawn Dirden eventually discovered Baldwin while scouting the junior college ranks.
Baldwin made an immediate impact for the Fighting Hawks as a junior last season, averaging 7.8 points per game and starting 29 of the team's 33 games.
This season, Baldwin has had a moderate boost in points per game, now at 10.3, but he has been more efficient.
He raised his 3-point shooting percentage from 36.6 percent last year to 42.2 percent this season. He and star point guard Quinton Hooker are the only two Fighting Hawks to start all 31 games.
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Baldwin credits his bump in production to his time spent with first-year UND assistant Brad Davidson, a shooting specialist who came to Grand Forks after working with the Australian national team.
Davidson, who had a lengthy professional career in Australia, said he's tried to instill the mindset in Baldwin that he can be confident because he has put in the work to succeed.
"If you miss a couple of shots or have a bad first half, you have to have the confidence to know the numbers will sort themselves out," Davidson said. "He's got great rhythm to his shot. He has good progression in his shooting action. I've tried to develop the day-to-day habits of shooting. We always get up extra shots."
Jones said Davidson has had a big impact on Baldwin, as well as a few other of the Fighting Hawks' shooters.
"(Davidson) came in here and showed me what it takes to be a champion," Baldwin said. "It's no days off."
NCAA TOURNAMENT
Who: North Dakota vs. Arizona
When: Thursday, 8:50 p.m.
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Where: Salt Lake City
TV: TBS
Radio: 790-AM
