Sunday, December 31, 2006

Show about Davidson to be on UNC-TV on January 4th at 8:00 p.m.

I found this on the "Bookwatch Blog":

FROM THE DESK OF
D.G. MARTIN

On Thursday, January 4, at 8 PM and again on Tuesday, January 16, at 10:30 PM, thanks to UNC-TV’s popular Our State program, I will get to visit my hometown, Davidson, near Charlotte. I hope you will tune in and visit Davidson with me. In the meantime here is the article on Davidson that I wrote for Our State magazine. The article is the basis for the program that I hope you will watch.

Thanks & Happy Holidays!

DG


Going Back Home:
A Quick Visit to Davidson and Its College

Passing the shores of Lake Norman as I drive along I-77 towards Charlotte, which is about 20 miles away, I see the sign. “Exit 30-Davidson College.”

Most North Carolinians have heard of Davidson College. Many others know about its beautiful campus and the charming college town that it adjoins. But every day thousands of these people pass by this road sign and give no thought to taking a quick look at the college and the town. Not me. Davidson is in my blood. Every time I get a chance, I have to take this short detour. Why don’t you come with me? Give me an hour and I will give you a quick tour, tell you a few stories, and then send you on your way.

Click here to read this good and lengthy article about Davidson.

Article on McKillop in Lake Norman Magazine

(I'm reprinting/preserving this article here in its entirety, in case it is deleted from their website in the future.)

WINNING WAYS:
Bob McKillop makes Wildcats a fearsome foe
Sports
By Sam Boykin
January 2007

Bob McKillop was a standout basketball player for the East Carolina Pirates when he first encountered the Davidson College Wildcats. It was during a 1969 Southern Conference tournament championship game at the old Charlotte Coliseum. The Wildcats whipped the Pirates 102-76.

McKillop remembered that loss, and the way the Davidson fans had cheered their team and celebrated, when the college offered him an assistant coaching position nine years later. McKillop visited Davidson and, after one look at the scenic campus, accepted the job. The Wildcats went 8-19 that season. Despite the less-than-illustrious start, McKillop eventually was named Davidson’s head basketball coach. Now in his 18th year, McKillop has developed one of the most successful and extraordinary basketball programs in the country.

McKillop says his philosophy and the Wildcats’ success are indicative of Davidson College as a whole, which he describes as a unique and special place. “We’re a mirror of the college and a bright light for the things that it represents – community, family, and people from all social, economic, religious and ethnic backgrounds blending together as one team.”

Connection with his players
McKillop, who grew up on Long Island and was a talented high school baseball and basketball player, says that one of the main reasons he got into coaching was to have an impact upon his players’ lives. “The relationship that coaches build with players is one that, if handled the correct way, is a lifelong relationship.”

Over the years he’s earned a reputation as a caring yet disciplined coach who runs demanding and detailed practices, during which he focus on the fundamentals of the game.

Detlef Musch first played for McKillop in 1988 during the coach’s two-year foray at Long Island Lutheran High School. When McKillop took the reins at Davidson College in 1989, Musch was the coach’s first recruited player. “When I met Coach McKillop I had only played basketball for one year,” says Musch, who now plays professional basketball in Germany. “I had problems making a lay-up. He spent a lot of extra time with me working on all aspects of the game. He was very well organized, and small details were very important. He was tough but fair. Without him I never would have gotten to where I am today. I’m still using the fundamentals that he taught me.”

Brendan Winters played for McKillop from 2002 to 2006 and, like Musch, describes the coach as demanding and detail-oriented, but also inspirational and pivotal to his career. Winters now plays professional basketball in France with two other former Davidson players.

“Coach McKillop definitely helped me get to where I am today,” Winters says. “Coming out of high school I wasn’t highly recruited, but he was the first coach to offer me a scholarship. He believed in me from the first time he saw me play. I can’t say the same for most of the coaches I’ve been around.”

Learning from experience
McKillop says his coaching philosophy of developing close relationships with players deepened when he had the opportunity to coach his own son, Matt. Matt graduated in 2006 after playing for his father for four years.

“That accentuated my whole approach,” McKillop says. “It’s important to remember that every player is someone’s son. You have to have a sense of accountability when a young man is put under your direction. There’s a trust and responsibility you’re accepting when you’re a coach.”

This attitude and style have paid off for McKillop and his team. He’s won more games than any other coach at Davidson, with a record of 282-213. The Wildcats have won seven of the last 11 Southern Conference Division championships, as well as last season’s SoCon championship. He’s also been conference Coach of the Year five times, and has taken his team to three NCAA tournaments and three postseason national invitational tournaments. Moreover, 95 percent of his Davidson lettermen have graduated.

Not surprisingly, such accomplishments have prompted other basketball programs to try to woo him away, but he says he has no plans to go anywhere. “Whenever another school has come knocking it’s always been as a result of the superb performances of the players and other coaches,” he says. “So I see those opportunities as a stamp of approval of what’s going on here.”

In addition, McKillop and his wife, Cathy, have developed deep roots in Davidson, having raised their three kids there. Kerrin, 26, is a 2002 Davidson graduate, and Brendan, 18, is a senior and basketball player at Charlotte Catholic High. Matthew, 23, now plays professional basketball in Europe. “Davidson basketball is my life,” Bob McKillop says. “After 18 years of coaching I’ve got an extended family of former players, fans, friends and supporters. It’s a full plate that occupies almost my every waking hour.”

Photos from the Lake Norman Magazine article







Photos by Richard Rudisill

Davidson wins over Western Michigan, 71-64

Box Score: Click here

Postgame interview with Coach McKillop:
Click here

There was a pretty decent crowd there, too:
Attendance - 3,519....and that is with the students on Christmas break! Good job, Wildcat fans!

WMU article about losing to Davidson

Broncos Second Half Comeback Falls Short, 71-64

DAVIDSON, N.C. -- Western Michigan came back from 14 points down at halftime to pull within two, 66-64, with 1:34 to go, but couldn't take the lead and Davidson survived, 71-64, in front of 3,519 at Belk Arena.

Up by just two, the Wildcats (12-3) notched a steal with 34 seconds to go and and converted 1-of-2 free throws to give the Broncos (4-8) a chance to tie, but David Kool's three-pointer was long and Davidson rebounded and converted four more free throws down the stretch to seal the win.

Click here for entire article.

Newspaper articles: Cats beat WMU

Wildcats' winning streak hits 8
KEVIN CARY

DAVIDSON - For all of Davidson's shiny statistics entering Saturday's 71-64 win against Western Michigan, the Wildcats relied on something a little less glamorous to win their eighth straight.

A gritty defense forced 26 Western Michigan turnovers, including the pivotal play in the final minute, to help Davidson escape.

The Wildcats (12-3) built a 14-point halftime lead, but Western Michigan whittled that down to 66-64 with less than a minute left. The Broncos (4-8) had the ball, but Davidson had an unsung counter attack.

Sophomore Max Paulhus Gosselin only scored five points Saturday, but he was a pest all night. He disrupted passing lanes, tipped passes and helped keep Western Michigan off its rhythm.

Click here for entire article.

******************
Thanks to Bill Cobb for finding this article:
Turnovers, fouls keep Broncos winless on road
By Herb White
Special to the Gazette

DAVIDSON, N.C. -- Western Michigan University's breakthrough road win will have to wait until next year.

The Broncos' daunting road schedule hit another pothole Saturday in a 71-64 loss at Davidson in the first meeting between the schools. Western (4-8), which has the nation's sixth-toughest schedule, fought back from a 14-point deficit to 66-64 with 1 minute, 39 seconds left, but could get no closer and fell to 0-6 in road games.

Click here for entire article.

Cats defeat final OOC opponent, Western Michigan

From Davidson website:

Free Throws Carry Wildcat Men to Eighth Straight Win, 71-64

DAVIDSON, N.C. -- Freshman Stephen Curry scored a game-high 23 points, and Davidson survived a second half in which it managed just six field goals to hold off visiting Western Michigan on Saturday night, 71-64. The victory was the eighth straight for the Wildcats as they improved to 12-3 on the season. Western Michigan fell to 4-8 in dropping its fourth in five games.

More than half of Curry's 23 points came from the free throw line, where he converted all 13 of his foul shots. He struggled from the floor, however, as did the entire Wildcat squad. Curry hit just 4-of-17 (.231) field goals while Davidson as a team shot just 33.3 percent (19-of-57), including a dismal 21.4 percent (6-of-28) in the second half.

The Wildcats enjoyed a 14-point lead entering the second half, 40-26, but the Broncos whittled away at the deficit. Freshman David Kool stroked a trio of trifectas in the first six minutes of the final half to get Western Michigan within six points at 46-40.

Click here for entire article.

Friday, December 29, 2006

Western Michigan University facts

Western Michigan University (abbr. WMU) is a public university established in 1903; its main campus is located in Kalamazoo, Michigan, USA. As of 2006, the school has slightly less than 25,000 students. The school is the fourth largest in the state of Michigan and is one of the 50 largest universities in the United States. The school's mascot is Buster Bronco, and the school colors are brown and gold.
-from Wikipedia's Western Michigan University entry

Game Notes from the Western Michigan website:
Click here

Wildcats face Western Michigan at Belk on Saturday night @ 7

From the Western Michigan official website:

Broncos Face Another 2006 NCAA Tournament Team Saturday Night

KALAMAZOO -- Western Michigan takes its Mid-American Conference best RPI (93) and strength of schedule (7) to Davidson, N.C., for a game against the Davidson Wildcats, a 2006 NCAA Tournament team, on Saturday, Dec. 30 at 7 p.m.

This game is the second straight against a team that competed in the Big Dance a year ago and the fifth overall this season. The Broncos have had 10 days off since falling at Indiana, 77-69, on Dec. 20. Freshman David Kool scored a team-high 18 points in his second straight start and Joe Reitz notched his second consecutive double-double with 14 points and 12 rebounds.

The Broncos and the Wildcats have never met.

Wednesday, December 27, 2006

Richards named Mid-Major Player of the Week by CollegeInsider.com

This makes two weeks in a row that Richards gets national player of the week for mid-majors. Jason is really becoming a great player, no doubt about it. Congratulations, Jason!

WEEKLY MID-MAJOR ACCOLADES:
week ending December 24, 2006

PLAYER OF THE WEEK:

Appalachian State’s duo of Donte Minter and D.J. Thompson made a strong case for weekly honors, but the player of the week recognition goes to another Southern Conference performer in Davidson’s Jason Richards. Last week the 6-foot-2 junior guard shared the honors with New Orleans’ Bo McCalebb, but this week it is all Richards. He had a career-high 25 points to help beat host Arizona State in the championship game of the ASU Holiday Classic. Richards, who scored 18 points and dished out eight assists the day before, was named the tournament MVP. The junior connected on 8-of-13 shots from the floor, including 4-of-5 from behind the arc, while playing all but one minute in the game.

Monday, December 25, 2006

Wildcats move up in Mid-Major Top 25

Davidson now stands at #9 in the latest Mid-Major Top 25 poll from CollegeInsider.com. The Wildcats moved up from #17 last week, after beating Ohio Univeristy and Arizona State in route to winning the ASU Sleep America Classic in Tempe, Arizona last week.

Sunday, December 24, 2006

Merry Christmas!!

Christmas tree in front of the library.
The Wildcat & company in a Christmas parade.

Retrospective: Davidson beats UNC in 2001

While we have a little break in the action for Christmas, I thought it might be fun to take a look back at a great moment in Davidson Basketball history (McKillop era). This is the only time that I know of that Davidson was the LEAD STORY on ESPN Sportscenter. What an exciting night this was! (I still have the t-shirt, pictured above.)

November 20, 2001:
Davidson 58, UNC 54

CHAPEL HILL -- Merely astonishing became unthinkable Tuesday night. A home loss to Hampton is one thing for North Carolina, but back it up with one to Davidson -- whew, man --it's chaos at the Smith Center.

Can you believe this?

"Nah," Jason Capel said. "Nah. No way."

Believe it. After Tuesday's 58-54 loss to the Wildcats -- who were without their best player -- Carolina is 0-2 for the first time since the 1982-83 season. The Tar Heels have never, ever started a season by dropping their first two games at home in 92 years of playing basketball.

"We've got to get better," UNC coach Matt Doherty said.

Better, and then some. Break this one down by itself, and there are glaring weaknesses. The Tar Heels turned the ball over 20 times -- 14 in the first half --against the same kind of zone defense they're likely to see all year. They shot just 30 percent from the floor, but continue to say they're good shooters. For the second straight time, a team came to the Smith Center, shot less than 40 percent, and won.

UNC's two seniors, Jason Capel and Kris Lang, combined to hit 7 of 28 field goals. When the Heels needed them most --down by two with 15 seconds left --Capel jumped up in the paint, looked for Lang underneath, and fired a hard pass that ricocheted off Lang's chest out of bounds.

After that play, the Heels stood on the floor, blank stares across their faces. There was nothing else to do. This was not just about Davidson or Hampton. This was about what could be one of the longest, most difficult years in Carolina basketball history.

"When I took the job [two summers ago], I had a feeling that this could be a challenging year," Doherty said.

"I can't tell you what the stock market's going to do next month, but I had a feeling that this would be a challenging season. And it is. And it will be."

Several people told Davidson coach Bob McKillop -- who coached Doherty in high school on Long Island and later hired him as an assistant --that he was catching the Heels at precisely the wrong time. They would be mad. They would want revenge.

McKillop thought otherwise, even though he came into the game with junior guard Wayne Bernard -- who led the team with 13.7 points a game last year -- suspended for academic reasons.

"What we did realize was that the mentality of their players would be somewhat in doubt, their confidence would be rather fragile, much like a glass that drops and shatters," McKillop said. "It's pretty tough to put that back together in a 72-hour period."

It will be even more difficult now. So afterward, Doherty went around a quiet locker room and told his charges, who now have a couple of days off for Thanksgiving, to go home and find their favorite park, their favorite gym, and shoot. Get comfortable. He wants them to rediscover their confidence, not to mention their shooting strokes. In two games, the Heels are hitting just 34.6 percent from the floor.

"It baffles me," Doherty said. "But you're talking about young men that are fragile, and right now, we're fragile."

Capel, for one, was supposed to be the strength of this team. But after hitting just 1 of 9 3-pointers against Hampton, he failed to make one from long range until his shot from straight on with 55.6 seconds left things tied at 54-54. He finished just 1-for-6 on 3-pointers and scored nine points.

"I had the opportunity of a lifetime to lead this team," Capel said. "And I'm just not doing it right now."

Still, he had forged a tie. The announced crowd of 14,705 was ready to celebrate a win, any win, against anyone, and because UNC had trailed almost all night -- and by as many as 12 -- a tie with a minute left seemed pretty good.

But on the next possession, Davidson's Michael Bree drove by UNC freshman Melvin Scott -- who led the Heels with 15 points -- and fed a wide-open Chris Pearson for an easy jam. Davidson led, 58-56.

"I thought it was over," said Davidson guard Peter Anderer, who led the Wildcats with 18 points.
That's when Capel tried to find Lang.

"I had a shot," Capel said. "But I really didn't have a good look at the basket, and I saw Kris open, so I threw it to him."

And it went out of bounds. Anderer, who went to the line and made both ends of a one-and-one, said he was nervous before the game. But at the tip ...

"We're all equals when we step out on the court," he said.

Right now, the Heels would like to be anybody's equal. No matter who, no matter how.

"I don't know," Capel said. "I don't know."

The only thing to know: Carolina is 0-2, and things have never been quite like this in Chapel Hill.

Saturday, December 23, 2006

Article from The Arizona Republic

Davidson drops Devils
Norm Frauenheim
The Arizona Republic

The preliminaries are over. Arizona State said hello to a new coach and a new season through 11 games with a mix of everything that only adds up to a predictable uncertainty about its fate in Pac-10 play.

There was promise. There was frustration. There were surprises. There was inconsistency. There was a lot of Jeff Pendergraph. Good, bad and the unknown summed up ASU.

It was all there Friday in a 75-70 loss to Davidson at Wells Fargo Arena for the title in a four-team tournament, the ASU Sleep America Classic...

Click here for entire article.

SoCon teams racking up wins over high-major schools

Wofford beat Cincinnati
Furman beat Vanderbilt
Davidson beat UNCC and Arizona State, wins ASU Sleep America Classic
App State beat Vanderbilt and Virginia, wins San Juan Shootout

I may have missed one or two others, but this is the most SoCon victories over high-major conference schools that I can remember.

My observation of the obvious

This may be a statement of the obvious, but I am going to post it anyway.

One good sign about this team is that we have had so many different players lead the team in scoring, or make significant scoring contributions. With Steph on the bench in fould trouble yesterday, Jason stepped up in a big way to score 25 points. Thomas Sander has led the team by dropping 30 points in a game, if I remember correctly. Steph has obviously led the team in scoring numerous times. MPG has dropped 20 or so on a team or two. I may be leaving a player or two out, but my point is not to single out players.

My point is that the depth on this team is great. We don't have to depend on one player to single-handedly lead this team to victory. While we would have liked Steph to have avoided fould trouble and played more yesterday, we could take comfort in knowing that other players on the team were going to step up and fill the void. That's how this team seems to be working this year.....and, as Martha Stewart would say, that's a "good thing".

A few comments from ASU message board

Here are a few quotes from their message board about the game:

•"loss to davidson? ouch, i had hoped our team was past losing to these no name teams. pol 4 for 17 from the field. thats not good. hopefully they can rebound and go into pac play with a little swagger. I saw davidson shot 53% from 3-point range"

•"I can remember in some years past when Davidson had a solid team. Haven't heard much about them this year. I am still suprised that they beat ASU though."

•"I was at the game. Davidson is a solid mid-major. They are 11-3. They could win their conference. We went through a spell in the second half where we were not covering the perimeter very well and everything they threw up went in. "

•"sounds like davidson might also (make it to the NCAA tournament)."

And last but not least, my favorite statement, because it is so true of Davidson:
•"With many of these mid-majors, we (ASU) have superior athletes but they (Davidson) have superior basketball players."

Article from ASU's Scout.com site

Sun Devils Fall Short Despite Late Surge
By Garrett Cleverly


It was like a sequel to a movie that included the same jokes, same themes but in this case a much different ending. The Davidson Wildcats scratched and pawed away their prey for a 75-70 victory over the Maroon and Gold in the Sleep America ASU Classic Tournament.

After Thursday’s sluggish offensive performance against North Carolina A&T the Devils (6-5) looked to come out and create a more balanced offensive attack. However, the team became so one dimensional relying on Jeff Pendergraph in the first half, and found themselves down early and having to dig themselves out of a big hole. “We came out flat and let them get ahead of us and instead of preventing them of getting a lead we had to come back,” Pendergraph said.

The Devils are now becoming somewhat of a Dr. Jeckle and Mr. Hyde. One game their offense will show up and another just their defense. In this case it was the former. As much as ASU kept it interesting in the first half, much to them out rebounding the Wildcats 23-7, they still allowed Davidson to shoot a 52% from the field. Much of the damage inflicted on the home team, was due to numerous pick and roles and drives to the basket that created scoring opportunities, and gave Davidson a 36-31 lead at halftime.

ASU biggest bright spot thus far this season has to be their second half performance in games that include their extreme perseverance to overcome huge deficits. “If you want to look at the positive,” said Coach Herb Sendek, “our team showed tremendous competitive spirit to battle and fight and kick to get back in the game.”

Nonetheless, the Wildcats had a different plan in mind jumping out to a 6-0 run one minute into the half, and the onslaught didn’t end there. The visitors had a 20-point lead with 8 minutes remaining in the game. The Sun Devil started their comeback, tanks to freshman Christian Polk, who helped reduce the deficit to only five points three minutes later.

But overall the Devils’ inexperience, as well as their struggles shooting crucial free throws late in the game, eventually doomed them Friday afternoon. The team’s freshmen shot 8 out of 34, while the rest of the team was 15-23. The maroon and gold finished a respectful 73% from the charity strip, but missed six attempts late in the game that could have had netted the Devils a win in the Sleep America ASU Hoops Classic.

Jeff Pendergraph and Serge Angounou registered identical numbers with 17 points and 12 rebounds apiece. Christian Polk scored 16, but only shot 20% from beyond the arc. Jason Richards of Davidson led all scorers with 25 including 80% from the three point line.

The Devils will take off a few days for Christmas vacation and come back on Christmas night to start and prepare for their first conference game at home on December 28th against Stanford.

Charlotte Observer article

Wildcats won't buckle
Richards, Davidson hand Sun Devils rare defeat in tournament

MARK BROWN
Special Correspondent


TEMPE, Ariz. - After Davidson captured the Sleep America Classic with a 75-70 win Friday afternoon against host Arizona State, important elements of a developing team were evident.

Davidson was sailing along with a 65-45 lead with just over eight minutes left. That's when the Sun Devils began a 10-0 run, and eventually had the margin to 72-68. Despite hitting only three free throws during the final 3 minutes, 46 seconds, the Wildcats hung on to stretch their winning streak to seven games.

"Here, you have to credit to Arizona State and the program Herb Sendek is building," Davidson coach Bob McKillop said. "They certainly did not quit, but give us some credit, too. We didn't cave in."

The Wildcats did dodge a bullet in the final 12 seconds when Christian Polk, Arizona State's leading scorer, missed a 3 with Davidson ahead 74-70. Jason Richards followed with one of two free throws to create the final margin.

It was the Sun Devils' second loss in the tournament title game in nine years. They lost in the first round in 2000.

In defeating Ohio University 83-74 in the opening round Thursday, the Wildcats (11-3) launched 35 3-pointers, made 14 for nearly a 37 percent shooting percentage. Friday against Arizona State (6-5), the Wildcats fired only 17, and made nine.

McKillop decided to press the Arizona State perimeter, and capitalize on points in transition.
"We realize we have offensive weapons, but we wanted to emphasize defense," said Richards, who led Davidson with 25 points.

"Against Arizona State, we didn't want the ball inside to their big guys. So we pressed, and things worked out."

McKillop said the Arizona State game was Richards' best effort of the season. In addition to knocking down four 3s, the junior handed out three assists.

Richards hit three 3-pointers after intermission, and he had one with 4:47 remaining that created a 70-62 Davidson advantage.

"Davidson is an outstanding shooting team, and they make you pay," said Sendek, who left N.C. State after last season. "I thought we showed a good competitive spirit against a very good basketball team."

Notes
• Against Ohio University on Thursday, Davidson had four players score in double figures, led by : freshman Stephen Curry's 19 points. Richards added 18 and center Boris Meno chipped in with 17 points and 16 rebounds.

• Davidson is off until playing at home Dec. 30 against Western Michigan.

• Richards was named the tournament's most valuable player.

Sleep America Classic - All Tournament Team

Jason Richards (Davidson) - MVP
Boris Meno (Davidson)
Thomas Sander (Davidson)
Jeff Pendergraph (ASU)
Serge Angounou (ASU)
Whitney Davis (Ohio)

"Jason Richards was named Tournament Most Outstanding Player and was joined on the All-Tournament team by Boris Meno and Thomas Sander. Jeff Pendergraph and Serge Angounou were named from ASU, while Whitney Davis of Ohio was the sixth selection."
-from ASU official website

Friday, December 22, 2006

Photos from the ASU Sleep America Classic

Davidson vs. Arizona State - Championship Game
Davidson 75 - Arizona State 70






Davidson vs. Ohio - Round 1
Davidson 83 - Ohio 74


Photo credit: (AP Photo/Roy Dabner)

From Arizona State official website

Sun Devil Comeback Comes Up Short Against Davidson

TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) - A Sun Devil rally fell short Friday in the championship of the Sleep America Classic, as Davidson knocked off Arizona State 75-70.

The Wildcats (11-3), paced by 25 points from Jason Richardson, led by as many 20 points.

It was just the second loss in the championship game of the tournament for ASU in the last nine years. The Sun Devils lost in the first round in 2000.

Click here for entire article.

Davidson/ASU Article

Late run not enough for ASU

TEMPE, Ariz. - Jason Richards scored 25 points, including 4-of-5 3-pointers, to lead Davidson to a 75-70 victory over Arizona State Friday in the championship game of the Arizona State Sleep America Classic.

Thomas Sander added 14 points for the Wildcats (11-3), who led by as many as 20 points before the Sun Devils rallied to cut the lead to three in the final seconds.

It was just the second loss in the championship game of the tournament for ASU in the last nine years. The Sun Devils lost in the first round in 2000.

Jeff Pendergraph had 17 points and 12 rebounds, his fifth double-double this season, for the Sun Devils (6-5).

Davidson shot 49 percent, including 9-of-17 from 3-point range, while winning its seventh game in a row.

Boris Meno and Stephen Curry each made a pair of baskets to start the second half as Davidson built a 45-33 lead. The Wildcats followed with an 11-3 run to go up 65-45 with 8:25 remaining.

Serge Angounou scored 10 of his 17 points during a 12-0 Arizona State spurt and later made two free throws to cut the lead to 72-68 with 1:44 left. After Davidson missed three of four free throws, Derek Glasser scored a layup with 24.3 seconds left to cut it to 73-70, but Arizona State could get no closer.

Wildcats beat Arizona State, and I have a headache

After being up by 20 points with 8 minutes left, the Wildcats let the lead get to as little as 3 points....but still held on to beat Arizona State, 75-70. I listened to the game on XM Radio (the Arizona State broadcast) since I was driving to my in-laws' house. As the lead dwindled, I about had a wreck due to going into cardiac arrest as I heard the game slipping away. Thank goodness the Wildcats won. However, after the stress from the end of the game, I have a massive headache.

All that travel and playing games so close together has got to be good training for tournament time. And, yes, I wish the lead had not slipped like that. However.....we must remember that winning games when things aren't going your way is the sign of a good team.

Good win. Bring home the trophy, guys! Tournament Champions!

From Davidson official website:
Wildcats Hold Off Arizona State 75-70 to Claim ASU Sleep America Title

PS: Jason Richards was out of his mind today, scoring 25 points!
I will admit that I have been a bit of a Jason Richards detractor in the prior two years. However, his performance this year has convinced me that he has matured as a player and turned the corner. I have total and complete confidence in his floor leadership. Great job, Jason! Keep leading this team just like you have been!

Davidson vs. Arizona State: 4 p.m. today

Davidson game notes: Click here

Listen to the game online:
Listen Live

Also:

Listen to the game on XM Satellite Radio on channel 195

Curry gets mentioned in another ESPN.com article

Elite teams are relying on stud freshmen
By Andy Katz
ESPN.com

...There are plenty of sleepers around the country, maybe no one more so than Stephen Curry of Davidson, son of former NBA guard Dell Curry. Curry was averaging over 20 points a game heading into a weekend tournament at Arizona State. The ACC schools missed on Curry and now Davidson's chances of winning the Southern Conference are directly affected by Curry's decision to be its lead guard.

Did the NBA draft rule have an affect on Curry? Hardly. His play this season (32 in a 10-point loss at Michigan, 30 in a 12-point win at Chattanooga) should show the depth of this class...

Davidson/ASU preview from SportsNetwork

Davidson (10-3) at Arizona State (6-4)

DATE & TIME: Friday, December 22nd, 4:00 p.m. (et).

FACTS & STATS: Site: Wells-Fargo Arena (14,141) -- Tempe, Arizona. Television: None. Home Record: Davidson 5-0, ASU 6-2. Away Record: Davidson 2-3, ASU 0-2. Neutral Record: Davidson 3-0, ASU 0-0. Conference Record: Davidson 3-0, ASU 0-0. Series Record: First-ever meeting.

GAME NOTES: The ASU Sleep America Classic championship is on the line today, as the Davidson Wildcats tangle with the host Arizona State Sun Devils from Wells-Fargo Arena in Tempe. The Wildcats earned their spot in today's game by defeating Ohio University, 83-74, on Thursday night. It was the sixth straight win by Davidson, which improved to 10-3 overall and a perfect 3-0 in neutral- site affairs. As for Arizona State, it opened its own tournament last night as well, posting a 71-66 triumph over North Carolina A&T. The win was the Sun Devils' second in a row, as they improved to 6-4 overall and 6-2 at home. The ASU holiday tournament is in its 40th year, and the Sun Devils have won 29 of the past 39 events, including 13 of the last 17. Today's game marks the first- ever meeting between these two schools on the hardwood.

The Wildcats did their damage from behind the arc last night, as they knocked down 14-of-35 three-point attempts en route to a nine-point victory. The team also converted 15-of-16 free-throw attempts, in addition to winning the battle on the boards, 52-41. Stephen Curry led the charge with 19 points, while Jason Richards had 18 points and eight assists. Boris Meno even got into the mix, as he notched a double-double with 17 points and 16 rebounds. On the year, Curry heads the squad in scoring at 20.1 ppg, and he is also shooting 41.8 percent from three-point range. Thomas Sander is next in order with 14.8 ppg, while Richards adds 11.7 ppg to go along with a team-best 8.3 apg. As a team, Davidson is averaging a healthy 83.3 ppg, in addition to outrebounding its opponents by 10.0 rpg.

The Sun Devils did it with defense last night, as they held North Carolina A&T to a dismal 34.5 percent shooting effort from the floor in their five-point win. ASU, itself, knocked down 41.1 percent of its field goal attempts, while dominating the boards 50-32. Antwi Atuahene headed the charge, as he notched a double-double with 18 points and 11 rebounds in the victory. Christian Polk, who leads the team in scoring (14.6 ppg) on the season, was held to just eight points on 3-of-10 shooting from the floor. Jeff Pendergraph contributes 11.1 ppg and a team-best 9.3 rpg for ASU on the season, while Serge Angounou adds 10.2 ppg and a solid 8.0 rpg. Overall, the Sun Devils are turning in 64.8 ppg while holding their opponents to a just 60.9 ppg.

Davidson has been playing with a great deal of confidence of late, and although the team is on the road, its ability to score points and dominate the boards is why it should come out on top today.

Sports Network Predicted Outcome:
Davidson 77, Arizona State 70

DC beats Ohio: Articles

From Ohio website:
Bobcat Men Tripped Up in ASU Classic Opener, 83-74
Davidson gets past `Cats in tourney nightcap

TEMPE, Ariz. - The Ohio men's basketball squad suffered an 83-74 setback in the first game of the ASU Sleep America Classic when it fell to Davidson late Thursday night.

The Bobcats (6-3) were paced by Jerome Tillman's (Beavercreek, Ohio) third double-double in the last five games as he netted a team-high 19 points and 12 rebounds. Tillman led four Ohio players in double-figure scoring as Whitney Davis (Ann Arbor, Mich.) and Bubba Walther (Cincinnati, Ohio) each netted 18 while Leon Williams (Baltimore, Md.) finished with 12.

Stephen Curry led four Davidson (10-3) players in double figures with 19 points as the Wildcats earned their sixth win in a row.

Click here for entire article.

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From Davidson website:
Meno and 'Cats Streak to Six with 83-74 Win Over Ohio in ASU Classic

TEMPE, Ariz. -- Boris Meno recorded his fourth career double-double with 17 points and 16 rebounds to lead the Davidson Wildcats to their sixth straight victory as they defeated Ohio University, 83-74, Thursday evening at Wells Fargo Arena to advance to the championship of the ASU Sleep America Classic. Enjoying its longest streak since the 2004-05 season, Davidson improves to 10-3 on the campaign. The Bobcats fall to 6-3 overall.

Click here for entire article.

Wildcats beat Ohio Bobcats, 83-74

Despite giving up numerous defensive rebounds to Ohio in the second half, Davidson held on to win against Ohio 83-74. This was a good win against a very good mid-major team.

Curry fouled out with about 3 minutes left.

Davidson will face Arizona State tomorrow for the championship of this 4-team tournament.

More to come.

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For in-game comments from Will's World, click here.

For in-game comments from all kinds of people on DavidsonCats.com, click here.

Halftime interview: Dick Snyder

Halftime interview:
Dick Snyder, former All-American Wildcat from the glory days of the 1960s, who scored 46 points against Ohio U. the last time Davidson played Ohio U, spoke with Kilgo at half. Snyder's number is retired and hangs in the rafters of Belk Arena. He now lives in Arizona and I believe he said he has an insurance agency in Phoenix.

Snyder quotes:
"Fred Hetzel was probably the best player in Davidson history..."

"What an opportunity to go to Davidson to play in a program like that..."

"I only get to see Davidson a couple of times a year on TV..."

"I went to Davidson College so I could have fun playing basketball, play baseball, and go on to play professional basketball..."

"I played 13 years in the NBA..."

"What (Lefty) did (at Davidson) was incredible..."

"Davidson College basketball players epitomize what a student-athlete is..."

"No question that Davidson is fortunate to have Bob McKillop..."

"I'm impressed with Curry's poise and his defensive footwork..."

"It's great to be able to watch the Cats out here..."

From the Davidson Hall of Fame website:

Snyder led Davidson to its first Southern Conference basketball championship and NCAA playoff bid in 1966. That same year he was first team All-American, Southern Conference Athlete of the Year and Basketball Player of the Year. Snyder also starred in baseball for the Wildcats. He was chosen high in the NBA draft and played 13 professional seasons. Snyder ranked 17th in NBA career scoring when he retired.

Thursday, December 21, 2006

Gametime: 11 pm EST

Follow the Wildcats:

Listen Live for Davidson broadcast.

Here's a link to the Ohio U. radio broadcast, if you are so inclined to check out what they say before, during or after the game.

Ohio U. broadcast: click here

Davidson in the NCAA stat leaders

Jason Richards is 2nd in the nation in assists per game.

Steph Curry is 46th in the nation in scoring, 15th in 3-pointers made per game, 35th in steals per game.

Click here for individual stat leaders.

Davidson is tied for 8th nationally in 3-pointers made per game, 27th in free throw percentage, 9th in rebound margin, tied for 5th in team assists per game, 20th in scoring offense.

Click here for team stat leaders.

Davidson article - men & women

Wildcat basketball teams still on roll
KEVIN CARY

DAVIDSON - It's a prime time to be a Davidson basketball fan.

Both the men's and women's teams are undefeated in conference play, and were a combined 19-5 entering Wednesday's women's basketball late game at Gonzaga.

They've been especially hot lately. The men's team has won five straight games, and the women's team has won seven straight entering its game with Gonzaga.

Click here for entire article.

Curry tied for second best scoring freshman

Click here for the article. It's just a blurb in a Pittsburgh paper. I thnk his average is now higher after the 30 point game the other night.

Top 10 Div. I freshman scorers through Dec. 17.

K. Durant,Texas -- 20.4
S. Curry, Davidson -- 19.3
R. Mitchell, Duqesne -- 19.3
J. Florence, Mercer -- 18.9
T. Porter, Oregon -- 18.2

Davidson faces Ohio tonight at 11 pm EST

'Cats Look to Extend Streak in First Round of ASU Classic vs. Ohio
Game Notes / Listen Live / Live Stats

TEMPE, Ariz. — Off to its best start since the 1995-96 season, Davidson has won five straight contests and looks to extend its streak with a pair of games in the 2006 Arizona State University Sleep America Classic.

The Wildcats will open the event with a 9 p.m. (MST) / 11 p.m. (EST) tip-off against the Ohio Bobcats on Thursday before playing either host Arizona State or North Carolina A&T on Friday afternoon.

Click here for entire article.

Other info: Ohio University website

Click here for Ohio Univeristy Game Notes

Click here to go to the Ohio University Basketball Message Board

Ohio vs. Davidson
This Year: Thursday's game will be the first meeting between the Bobcats and Wildcats since Davidson gained a 96-83 win at home on Dec. 21, 1965.
All-Time: The Wildcats hold a 2-0 edge in the all-time series with Ohio, which dates back to the 1963-64 season.

Ohio University is in its 100th year of basketball. Congratulations to the Bobcats.

Click here for a preview of this game from Will's World.

Davidson women sweep West Coast trip

Dec. 18
at Eastern Washington
Cheney, Wash.
Wildcats Match School Record With Seventh Straight Victory, 67-58

Dec. 20
at Gonzaga
Spokane, Wash.
Three-Ball Carries Red-Hot Wildcats To Record Eighth Straight Win, 77-69

From the Gonzaga website: Women's Basketball Falls to Davidson

Note:
The Davidson women have now won 8 in a row, and are 11-2 overall. They finished the month of December without a loss, which I am told is a first for the program.

These girls are good. Keep it up, ladies!

Non-basketball Davidson post

"The Great Waterballoon Experiment"
This is completely off-topic here, but I had to post this clip. This is a bunch of Davidson students dropping a mammoth-sized water balloon from the top floor of Richardson dorm at Davidson. It brought back memories of doing "wild and crazy" things like this when I was at Davidson, and it made me laugh. I thought it might do the same for you. Enjoy!


"Deathball"
I'm not sure what this is all about, but I believe it's the same group of guys on 4th Richardson dorm having a good time playing "deathball". This is soooooo "college".

Curry for 3 against MSM

Curry makes ESPN.com headline

[Here's the article in its entirety. I'm reprinting (preserving) it here since ESPN.com will eventually delete it from their site.]
Ex-NBA shooter's son is star frosh at Davidson
By Kyle Whelliston
Special to ESPN.com


CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. -- Unwelcome visitors at the Roundhouse, more formally known as McKenzie Arena, have long had to deal with a small but throaty group of Chattanooga Mocs fans on the sideline directly across from the team benches. And on this Monday night, for a revenge rematch of last March's Southern Conference title game against Davidson (won by the Wildcats in an 80-55 rout), the local rowdies unleashed every possible insult they could think of.

"Hey number 30!" one leather-lunged Chattanooga fan bellowed as the teams took to the floor. "This is a college game. You're not old enough to be out there!"

At first glance, No. 30 in Davidson dark red, Stephen Curry (pronounced STEFF-in), certainly looks every bit a freshman -- a high school freshman, maybe. Or at the very least, his photogenic charm seems more likely suited to wooing young ladies with soulful R&B ballads instead of hooping it up with the big boys. At the time being, there's very little about his frame (a lithe 6 feet and 180 pounds, soaking wet) that announces intimidating basketball prowess.
That is, until the ball goes up.

Three minutes into the contest, Curry offered Chattanooga his calling card, a long-distance 3 that silently slinked through the twine. Less than a minute later, he drove the lane for a poster-perfect finger roll. When he wasn't finding teammates open for 3s of their own or directing traffic, he was putting together a few clips for his YouTube highlight reel; halfway through the first half, Curry sneaked into the paint to scoop an offensive rebound off the floor, then used expert upper body control to maneuver the ball into the cylinder around jutting and waving tree limbs. This was no fresh-faced kid -- what we had here was a baby-faced assassin.

"Steph has the green light for anything," said Davidson head coach Bob McKillop. "He's earned it. And to have earned it in such a short period of time ... you can throw out the jump shot and the dribble and the ballhandling; you can start with the foundation of accountability that his parents have taught him. It's that accountability that makes him coachable and team-oriented and getting better every game."

Curry does indeed have a not-so-secret genetic edge. Fill in the parts of his name edited for brevity and you get "Wardell Stephen Curry II." You probably remember Wardell Stephen Curry I simply as Dell Curry, No. 30 in Charlotte Hornets teal, one of the deadliest long-range bombers in NBA history. During a 16-year pro career, Curry the elder connected on 1,248 3-pointers, and his 40.1 percent mark from beyond the arc ranks him as one of the NBA's all-time top 10.

But Curry the younger wasn't born with his dad's silky 3-point shot. He had to learn it the hard way. Once he'd fully committed himself to basketball in high school after a promising youth baseball career (at 10, he played with McKillop's son Brendan on a state championship team), he spent a lot of development time with his father.

"It was the summer after his sophomore year," recalled Curry the elder, wearing a Davidson sweatshirt and sitting among a small group of Curry family members who all made the five-hour trip from Charlotte to alternately cheer Stephen on and tally his points on scorecards. "I had a talk with him. He was shooting from his waist. I told him that if he wanted to be a college player, he needed to bring his shot up higher."

"That summer was the worst time shooting I ever had," said Stephen. "I mean, I could shoot it before, but because I was so short, I had to change my shot. He helped me with that, but the transition was real hard."

Curry's reconstructed shot eventually translated into a blistering 48 percent mark from downtown during his senior year at Charlotte Christian High, and he's currently clipping at 39.8 percent on 3s as a young collegian (39-for-98). But he's no one-dimensional bombardier; intense sessions of one-on-dad have paid off on the defensive side of the ball, as well. On Monday against Chattanooga, he collected three steals, pulled down 10 defensive rebounds and also brought about caroms for his teammates by playing in-your-shorts perimeter defense on the Mocs' guards, forcing a number of bad shots and redirecting a handful of others.

"Stephen has rare traits for a freshman; he isn't focused on just one end of the court," McKillop said. "Defensively, he is years ahead of what a freshman is. Most kids in freshman years come in, they've played AAU basketball for 80 games a summer where they run up and down the floor and shoot. Steph came to us with a real sense of defensive understanding and a willingness to commit to play."

All of which begs the obvious question: How did a promising recruit with a budding all-around game -- and an NBA pedigree no less -- not end up attending a high-major school? Virginia Tech (alma mater of both Dell and Stephen's mother Sonya, a former Hokies volleyball star) showed interest, but there were steep conditions.

"[Virginia Tech] wanted him to redshirt or walk on," Dell said. "He wanted to play right away. [Davidson] was his decision ... it has strong academics and background, and we're glad it worked out."

So instead of following directly in his father's footsteps, Stephen took his résumé -- high school all-conference, all-state and team MVP -- to Belk Arena instead.

"That was a tough time," Stephen said. "Virginia Tech kinda left a bad taste in my mouth. But Davidson was a much better situation. They were on me from the start ... I knew they wanted me, and I knew I could have an impact right away."

Curry's college debut certainly made an impact on the stat sheet -- in a negative way as well as positive. It came in a fast and loose 81-77 Wildcats win over Eastern Michigan on Nov. 10 at the John Thompson Foundation Classic in Ann Arbor, Mich. Curry scored 15 points but coughed the ball up a staggering 13 times; so far in 2006-07, no D-I player has racked up more turnovers in a game. But Curry shook it off like a seasoned veteran the following day, torching the nets for 32 points on 11-of-15 shooting in a loss against host school Michigan. The freshman ended up with 63 points over the course of the three-day tourney and later was named Southern Conference Player of the Month for November.

"I don't want to confuse my game too much," Stephen said of his development. "I want to keep my game where it is but keep moving forward. I do want to improve my leadership on the court and work on being a good point guard, because in my junior year, after [Jason] Richards graduates, I'll probably have to move from the two to the one."

And while Curry undergoes his transformation from man-child to man, the Wildcats are quietly winning games they aren't supposed to. Davidson came into the season coping with the graduation losses of 76 percent of its scoring from a squad that followed up a SoCon championship with an eight-point loss to Ohio State in an NCAA 2-vs.-15 game. Since there were only 30 D-I starts among its 13-man 2006-07 roster, the media and coaches picked Davidson to finish a distant fourth in the league's South Division. But the Wildcats now find themselves 9-3, and their pair of consecutive 20-win seasons just might end up turning into a full-fledged streak.

"Surprised is the right word for it," McKillop said of his team's fast start. "But I have a group this year that loves to play together and doesn't get bored with practice, guys like [sophomore guard] Max Paulhus Gosselin and [redshirt freshman forward] Stephen Rossiter and Stephen Curry."

When the Wildcats broke open the game on Monday for that ninth victory, their superstar-in-waiting was front and center. A no-look assist to sophomore forward Andrew Lovedale in the lane opened a seven-point lead at the eight-minute mark of the second half, and then Curry's long 3 gained Davidson its first double-digit lead seconds later. When Chattanooga rallied late to pull within four, a key Curry steal with two minutes left in regulation broke the momentum for good, helping lift the Wildcats to a 90-82 win.

And once the shot clock went dark, Curry dribbled out the clock at the timeline and then left the ball on the floor near half court with three seconds left, before the buzzer broke the fallen hush of the arena. His final numbers for the night: 30 points, 11 rebounds (his first college double-double) and six assists. Nobody, not even the Roundhouse hecklers, had any sort of snappy comeback for that.

Kyle Whelliston is the founder of midmajority.com and is a regular contributor to ESPN.com.