AP article on SportingNews.com

Davidson, upset with seed, to face Maryland
Associated Press

DAVIDSON, N.C. -- Having won 25 out of its last 26 games, Davidson coach Bob McKillop thought his team would be rewarded with a nice seed in the NCAA tournament.

When the selection committee Sunday gave Davidson a 13 seed and a matchup with Atlantic Coast Conference power Maryland in the first round, McKillop didn't hide his disappointment.

"I was thinking somewhere around a 10 or 11. Maybe the worst case scenario a 12," McKillop said. "But it is what it is. We have to play the game, so we'll be ready to play.

"I thought the committee would look at lot more than what conference you're affiliated with. If you look at the conference, that's why some schools get an 8 or 9 and lose 10 games. We lost four games, and once since Nov. 25, and we get a 13 seed."

The Wildcats (29-4), champions of the Southern Conference, will have to upset the fourth-seeded Terrapins on Thursday in Buffalo, N.Y., to end a streak of five straight NCAA tournament losses. Maryland (24-8) had won seven straight games before an upset loss to Miami in the first round of the ACC tournament.

The matchup does provide motivation. The Terrapins are part of a league that dominates the basketball chatter in this region. Several Wildcats, including freshman sensation Stephen Curry, grew up dreaming of playing in the ACC.

"I grew up here. You hear about them a lot," said Curry, the son of former NBA sharpshooter Dell Curry. "It's going to be fun to play them in the first NCAA tournament for me."

Junior guard Jason Richards is one of the few players on the young squad who were part of the last Davidson-Maryland matchup, in the third round of the National Invitation Tournament two years ago. The Wildcats led by 16 in the first half, but couldn't hang on and lost 78-63.

"It's pretty cool, playing Maryland," Richards said. "Everyone down here talks about the ACC. No one really talks about the Southern Conference. It's our opportunity to get Davidson on the map and show them what we can do."