Davidson vs. UTC: Gameday Experience

If you want to experience the game on numerous levels, this is what is available:

First:
Watch the game in person, and tailgate with other Davidson Wildcats:
Lot B in the Coliseum Parking Lot is The Official Meeting Spot for the Davidson Wildcats.

Second:
Watch the game live on SoCon.TV.

Third:
Catch live blogging from the game by Will Bryan. Will is going to post updates live from the game.

Fourth:
Follow along with the Wildcat faithful on the in-game message board thread on DavidsonCats.com.

Fifth:
Can't watch on SoCon.TV? Catch the radio broadcast live on TEAMLINE.

Sixth:
Can't get TEAMLINE or SoCon.TV? Catch LIVE STATS. (It's not much, but better than nothing.)

Davidson to open SoCon Tourney play

Davidson will face UT-Chattanooga in the quarterfinals of the SoCon Tournament on Thursday at 2:00 p.m. UTC defeated Wofford in the opening round.

The game will be broadcast live on SoCon.TV for you to watch.

A "Must Read" for the SoCon Tourey

Check out Will Bryan's blog, "Will's World", for tons of articles he has posted on the SoCon Tournament and the Davidson Wildcats in general.

Great stuff. If you don't read it, you are missing out.

Note: Will is going to be posting live from the Davidson/UTC game tomorrow, so be sure to check it out if you can't be there. It will be a great way to get some insight into the tournament experience.

2007 SoCon Coach of the Year:
Bob McKillop

6x winner of this award (1994, 1996, 1997, 2002, 2005, 2007) "Sustained Excellence"

2007 SoCon Freshman of the Year:
Stephen Curry

SoCon/Davidson articles from Wednesday

From Charleston Post & Courier:

Three-for-all is one to see

BY GENE SAPAKOFF

Difficult draw for Bulldogs

Citadel's first-day foe one of SoCon's hottest teams

BY JEFF HARTSELL

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From Spartanburg Herald-Journal:

Getting the point across

TODD SHANESY, Staff Writer

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From AP:

Hines, Curry, McKillop honored by SoCon

Associated Press

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From Portland Press Herald/Maine Sunday Telegram:

A mighty big tournament for such a small school

By Mike Lowe

(makes reference to Maine product, Bryant Barr)

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From Winston-Salem Journal:

SoCon Tournament will start today

By Tommy Bowman

Taking Control: Thompson, senior point guard for Mountaineers, has been a driving force

By Tommy Bowman

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From WIS:

Southern Conference tournament underway in North Charleston
By Bryce Mursch

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From The Chattanoogan:

ESPN Radio to Carry Full SoCon Tournament in Chattanooga Market

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Click here for full Google News search of "southern conference tournament"

Official Davidson Tailgating Location

Davidson Basketball Official Tailgating Spot

SOUTHERN CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT

It’s tournament time! Join in the March Madness and come support the Men’s and Women’s Basketball Teams as they compete for the Southern Conference Championship and an NCAA Tournament bid.

Lot B in the Coliseum Parking Lot is The Official Meeting Spot for the Davidson Wildcats
Tailgating will begin 90 minutes before every tournament game at the Coliseum (Men’s and Women’s)
First tailgates will be Thursday 10am-2pm

North Charleston Coliseum, 5001 Coliseum Drive, N. Charleston, SC

Spartanburg Herald: SoCon Tourney preview

SoCon Tournament Preview: The battle for Charleston
Todd Shanesy, Staff writer

Published February 27, 2007

DAVIDSON (17-1, 26-4)

Head coach: Bob McKillop (18th season)

Key players: Fr. G Stephen Curry (20.7 ppg., 4.5 rpg., 2.8 apg.); Jr. F Thomas Sander (14.2 ppg., 6.4 rpg.); Jr. G Jason Richards (13.5 ppg., 7.5 rpg.).

Reason to believe: Lost only once (to App. State) in last 23 games.

Reason to doubt: Entire team could get food poisoning on some bad shrimp.

SoCon official team links

App State Athletics Official Site
The Citadel Athletics Official Site
College of Charleston Athletics Official Site
Elon Athletics Official Site
Furman Athletics Official Site
Georgia Southern Athletics Official Site
UNC Greensboro Athletics Official Site
UT Chattanooga Athletics Official Site
Western Carolina Athletics Official Site
Wofford Athletics Official Site

A couple of Post & Courier articles

Terriers could be a tough out

Mike Young is hoping this will be the year the Wofford Terriers are around the Southern Conference men's basketball tournament for more than a cup of coffee.

They made it through the first round of the SoCon tourney in both the 2002-03 and 2003-04 seasons, but the last two tournaments have been one and done. Last year, Wofford lost by one point in the first round to Applachian State.

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Appalachian State is now on the board

Bobby Cremins found himself on the phone with Appalachian State coach Houston Fancher on Thursday morning.

"What you guys are doing for the Southern Conference," the College of Charleston coach told Fancher, "is unbelievable. Keep it up."

Cremins article from Post & Courier

Cremins: 'I'm very happy'
By GENE SAPAKOFF

A Wofford student with half of his face painted gold and the other half painted black spent the better part of an evening screaming at College of Charleston basketball players. He was reverently polite, however, as he approached the Cougars' head coach after the game.

"Mr. Cremins," said the student, extending a Sharpie and a game program, "May I have your autograph?"

Oh, what a wild ride. Down and then up, frustration and second thoughts and adulation. And that was just Charleston's 71-58 victory at Wofford on Feb. 17, a game the Cougars trailed 15-4 early and 33-29 at halftime, one night that served as an abridged version of a season.

Bobby Cremins, in his first year back as a head coach since leaving Georgia Tech by mutual agreement six seasons ago, seems to have embraced his "leap of faith" despite tougher competition than he expected and lots of work to do on the recruiting trail.

Click here for entire article.

From Charleston Post & Courier

SoCon tourney expected to be highly competitive

By GENE SAPAKOFF

Bobby Cremins has marveled all season at the competitive challenges throughout the Southern Conference. Then Georgia Southern on Saturday handed the Cougars their first SoCon loss to a lower-division team and added a fresh coat of unpredictability to Cremins' postseason outlook.

"The SoCon Tournament ought to be something," said Cremins, the veteran coach in his first season at the College of Charleston. "I know Appalachian State and Davidson are the favorites but there's a lot of teams in this league that are going to have a lot to say. This could be one of the best tournaments they've ever had. I hope we're in the mix."

The fun begins Wednesday at the North Charleston Coliseum.

Starting at 3 p.m., No. 8 Chattanooga plays No. 9 Wofford, No. 7 Western Carolina plays No. 10 Elon, and No. 6 Georgia Southern plays No. 11 The Citadel.

The top five seeds have first-round byes.

No. 1 Davidson will face the Chattanooga-Wofford winner Thursday at 2 p.m., followed by No. 4 UNC Greensboro vs. No. 5 Furman.

No. 2 Appalachian State will play the Western Carolina-Elon winner Thursday at 7 p.m. followed by No. 3 Charleston against the Georgia Southern-Citadel winner at approximately 9:30 p.m.

Davidson went 17-1 in SoCon regular season play, losing only to Appalachian State.

Pressure?

"I think there is pressure once conference play starts, the pressure to earn a bye starts right off the bat," Davidson head coach Bob McKillop said. "And the pressure we've had on us, I think that our team has become used to that."

Georgia Southern is among the upset-minded teams lurking beneath the top seeds. The Eagles, on a SoCon Tournament collision course with the Cougars, had their way with Charleston in Statesboro, winning 74-65. A veteran team that played in the National Invitation Tournament last March finally is healthy with point guard Dwayne Foreman and forward Matt Fields recovered from injuries.

"I certainly feel like we've come together at the right time," Georgia Southern head coach Jeff Price said. "We have to prove that when we get over to Charleston, but there's no question our team is back now. We haven't had a complete team together really all season. Hopefully, we'll be a team people don't want to play in the tournament."

Charleston is boosted by the return of sophomore guard Marcus Hammond, who was the Cougars' third-leading scorer (9.8 points per game) over the first 17 SoCon games of the season. Hammond missed five games with a torn meniscus in his left knee but returned Saturday and scored 9 points in 16 minutes at Georgia Southern.

"He's an absolutely remarkable young man," Cremins said. "I'm shocked that he's out there. I mean, this kid had surgery two and a half weeks ago."

Cremins said he would decide today or Tuesday whether to use the 6-3 Hammond off the bench or as a starter, with freshman Tony White Jr. returning to a reserve role.

"I definitely feel like I'll be 100 percent for the tournament," Hammond said. "I wanted to get some game experience in, get cutting and moving and see how I felt, and it felt pretty good."

From Charleston Post & Courier

Very Upsetting
Davidson and Appalachian State must dodge precedent

By GENE SAPAKOFF

This is a Southern Conference Tournament full of emotion and tier drops, and a few big questions:

-- Will the SoCon, for the first time, place two teams in the NCAA Tournament?

-- Will the College of Charleston, 0-4 against league leaders Davidson and Appalachian State, mesh well enough to get to Saturday night?

-- Beyond?

-- Is lurking Chattanooga capable of a surprise or two?

-- Three?

-- And which group of players will be the first to discover a good Chinese restaurant with hotel delivery?

"I never thought this league was going to be this good," College of Charleston head coach Bobby Cremins said. "I had no idea."

Wofford won at Cincinnati and nearly upset N.C. State - only to finish low in the SoCon standings.

Appalachian State has built an NCAA Tournament at-large candidate resume that includes victories over Vanderbilt and Virginia, a Bracket Buster win at Wichita State and a win over Davidson.

Davidson is aiming for an NCAA Tournament seed three or four spots higher than last year. The Wildcats, as SoCon champs in 2006, were a No. 15 seed, but gave No. 2 Ohio State a scare before losing 70-62 in Dayton, Ohio.

Charleston has played well enough to win against every team in the league, except Appalachian State and Davidson.

"There's a lot of balance in this league and people beat people but Davidson, App State and Charleston, if you look at them compared to some of the other teams, their bodies are bigger, they're deep and they have shooters through their rosters," UNC Greensboro head coach Mike Dement said. "In a given night for those teams, it's another guy. The rest of us are trying to get those things. We're trying to recruit bigger bodies, trying to get bigger or even trying to find a third or fourth scorer."

But precedent is a warning for SoCon Tournament favorites. Davidson, 16-0 during the 2005 regular season, lost in the semifinals to UNC Greensboro. Elon and Georgia Southern were the top seeds in 2006 but neither made it to the championship game.
This year, Chattanooga has the motivation and experience to make for a swell darkhorse candidate. Seniors Keddrick Mays and Casey Long and graduate students Ricky Hood and Bernard Lowndes have been part of a program that won the SoCon Tournament in 2005 and got to the championship game in 2003, 2004 and 2006.

"The SoCon tournament is Chattanooga time," Chattanooga forward Nicchaeus Dokes said, even as the Mocs fell out of contention for the North Division title. "No one is going to want to play us."

Dontaye Draper, the College of Charleston's senior guard, agreed.

"They've been to the championship game, what, three of the last four years?" he said. "Those guys know how to win in the tournament."

Then again, Wofford, even without injured star Eric Marshall, handled Elon and UNC Greensboro, both of which defeated Appalachian State, which won at Davidson.

Teams without byes in a top-heavy league need all the Cinderella hope they can scrounge up.

Some SoCon articles from the Chattanooga paper

They are posted on the UTC message board.

Click here to read.

Kevin Cary: Above the Rim blog

Go to school against Davidson

Davidson has won 22 of its past 23 games, and 10 straight Southern Conference games. Those 10 wins have come by an average of 18 points. Yet, these Wildcats aren’t invincible entering the conference tournament. Appalachian State showed that in an 81-74 January victory. Davidson’s conference opponents can learn from that game, which showed how to slow the Wildcats.

1. Play Davidson point guard Jason Richards physical. Richards is the Davidson engine, but the Mountaineers found ways to nudge him off-track. He never had clear lanes, and that helped force him in to nine turnovers. Furman applied the same tactic Thursday, and Richards shot 1 for 9. An added bonus for opponents would be getting Richards in foul trouble. When he’s out of the game, the offense bogs down.

2. Shadow Stephen Curry. Appalachian State held Curry to 1-of-11 on 3-pointers by keeping him a few feet out of his comfort zones. Furman also did it Thursday, and the Davidson freshman only had seven points during the first half. Defenders can’t stray from Curry even when he’s 30 feet from the basket. It would help to have a stopper who isn’t concerned with offense, because guarding the Davidson guard is a full-time job.

3. Make your outside shots. Appalachian State made 47 percent of its 3-point attempts against the Wildcats, and Wofford, which lost twice to Davidson by a combined 12 points, also found success from outside. The Terriers made at least 42 percent of their 3-point attempts in both games.

4. Have a quick point guard. That’s the one position that gives Davidson trouble. The Wildcats tried three players to stop Appalachian State’s D.J. Thompson, but none slowed him. Wofford’s Shane Nichols also sliced through Davidson’s defense, averaging 21 points in the two games, and the Wildcats could see him again in the quarterfinals.

5. Get ahead, and stay ahead. Appalachian State maintained a lead throughout most of its game with Davidson, and that’s critical. One of the best attributes the Wildcats have is their ability to take care of the ball and make free throws. Davidson has not lost a game all season that it led in the final three minutes. One thing that will help opponents: if the Wildcats trail at any point this weekend, fans throughout the North Charleston Coliseum will pull against them since they are the tournament favorite.

– Kevin Cary

Kevin Cary: Above the Rim blog

Cary's ballot for All-Southern Conference honors
(abbreviated version - click on the link to read all the notes about the choices)

The Southern Conference media will announce its all-conference teams as well as Coach, Player and Freshman of the Year this week. If my ballot is any indication, Davidson - picked to finish fourth in the South Division this season - will get a lot of recognition for its strong season.Here’s my choices, with comments on award winners and first-team selections:

Freshman of the Year: Stephen Curry, Davidson
Coach of the Year: Bob McKillop, Davidson
Player of the Year: Curry

First team all-conference
Curry, Davidson
Hines, UNC-G
D.J. Thompson, Appalachian State
Dontaye Draper, College of Charleston
Jason Richards, Davidson

Second team
Nick Aldridge, Western Carolina; Donte Gennie, Georgia Southern; Thomas Sander, Davidson; Shane Nichols, Wofford; Keddric Mays, Chattanooga.

Third team
Louis Graham, Georgia Southern; Ricky Hickman, UNC Greensboro; Boris Meno, Davidson; Moussa Diagne, Furman; Donte Minter, Appalachian State.

All-freshman team
Curry, Aldridge, Kellen Brand, Appalachian State, Kendall Toney, UNC Greensboro, Will Archambault, Davidson.

- Kevin Cary

From Charleston Post & Courier

SoCon faces decision on future of tournament
BY JEFF HARTSELL

Chattanooga and Charleston are destination cities with aquariums and river views. Where Charleston boasts history, beaches and the Battery, Chattanooga, Tenn., can claim Lookout Mountain, Ruby Falls and the Chattanooga Choo-Choo.

What else do the two cities have in common?

They both want the Southern Conference Basketball Tournament, preferably for the next three years.

The SoCon Tournament concludes its current run at the North Charleston Coliseum with the men's and women's championship games on Saturday. In mid-March, the league will announce the site of the next three tournaments - for 2008, 2009 and 2010 - and Chattanooga and Charleston were the only cities to submit bids in late January.

Click here for entire article.

From Davidson website

Top-Seeded Wildcats Prepare for SoCon Tournament

Tournament Bracket

DAVIDSON, N.C. -- Riding a 10-game winning streak, the Davidson men's basketball team is preparing to defend its Southern Conference Tournament crown at the North Charleston Coliseum in North Charleston, S.C., beginning on Thursday when the Wildcats play the winner of the game between Chattanooga (14-17, 6-12) and Wofford (10-19, 5-13) at 2 p.m. Davidson (26-4, 17-1) will be attempting to win its ninth tournament title and fourth under Head Coach Bob McKillop.

The 10-game winning streak is tied for the ninth longest in the country, and is also the second win streak of at least 10 games this year for the Wildcats. Davidson won 12 straight from the beginning of December until second-seeded Appalachian State handed the 'Cats their only defeat in conference play on Jan. 20, 81-74. The 12-game streak was the second longest in the country when it was snapped.

You know you're on top...

...when they are posting pictures like this on opposing schools' message boards (Posted on the CofC message board by a guy calling himself "WildcatKiller11"):

SoCon Tournament schedule

Bracket: Click here

First Round
Wednesday, February 28
Session 1 - Game 1: No. 8 Chattanooga vs. No. 9 Wofford, 3:00 p.m.
Session 1 - Game 2: No. 7 Western Carolina vs. No. 10 Elon, 30 minutes after Game 1
Session 1 - Game 3: No. 6 Georgia Southern vs. No. 11 The Citadel, 30 minutes after Game 2

Quarterfinals
Thursday, March 1
Session 2 - Game 4: No. 1 Davidson vs. Winner of Game 1, 2:00 p.m.
Session 2 - Game 5: No. 4 UNC Greensboro vs. No. 5 Furman, 30 minutes after Game 4
Session 3 - Game 6: No. 2 Appalachian State vs. Winner of Game 2, 7:00 p.m.
Session 3 - Game 7: No. 3 College of Charleston vs. Winner of Game 3, 30 minutes after Game 6

Semifinals
Friday, March 2
Session 4 - Game 8: Winner of Game 4 vs. Winner of Game 5, 6:00 p.m. (ESPN Full Court & SoCon Network)
Session 4 - Game 9: Winner of Game 6 vs. Winner of Game 7, 8:30 p.m. (ESPN Full Court & SoCon Network)

Championship
Saturday, March 3
Session 5 - Game 10: Championship, 6:00 p.m. (ESPN2)

From Will's World blog

Wildcats finish season 17-1 in conference

-includes thoughts from Will's trip to Charleston for the game at The Citadel

An older McKillop interview: WFNZ (1/17/07)

McKillop Interview: Click here

Outstanding performance vs. Citadel

Two Words: BRYANT BARR

7-9 from 3-point range
21 points
in 16 minutes

Great performance.

Welcome to Charleston, SC

There’s more to do than just basketball while you’re
DANCIN’ THE CHARLESTON!

HOTEL INFORMATION

RESTAURANT INFORMATION

For more information on Charleston, SC., visit the Charleston Area Convention & Visitor’s Bureau website.

Charleston Food and Wine Festival – “Four days of Indulgence in one of America’s Best Culinary Destination.” March 1-4, 2007, in historic Charleston. http://www.charlestonfoodandwine.com/?DB_OEM_ID=4000

Harry Connick, Jr. “My New Orleans Tour” at the North Charleston Performing Arts Center. March 2, 2007. http://www.ticketmaster.com/venue/115168/?DB_OEM_ID=4000

SoCon Tournament Info

Official Tournament website: click here

Ticket Information: click here or call the Davidson ticket office [1-800-768-CATS (2287)].

From Davidson ticket office website:
American Express, MasterCard, Visa and Discover accepted.
You may also fax your request to: 704-894-2744.
If you have any questions, please email Jamie Hendricks (mailto:jahendricks@davidson.edu).

Can't go to Charleston and don't have a TV to watch the games? How about SoCon.TV? SoCon.TV will broadcast ONLINE all the SoCon Tournament games (except the championship, due to ESPN's tv rights).

North Charleston Coliseum seating chart (click here for larger view):

One more trip to Charleston

INFO:

2007 Southern Conference Tournament

Charleston, SC

Feb 28 - Mar 3, 2007

#1 seed: Davidson

All games on SoCon.tv (except the Championship Game, which will be on ESPN2)

McKillop interview on WFNZ

Click here to listen.

Wildcats beat The Citadel, 87-70

Davidson ends regular season with a record of

26-4 (17-1 SoCon).

On to the SoCon Tournament!!

Articles

Charlotte Observer:

Barr's 3-spree propels Davidson

OBSERVATIONS KEVIN CARY

Charleston Post & Courier:

Powerful Wildcats gun down Bulldogs

Davidson website:

Frosh Three-Balls Lead 'Cats to 87-70 Triumph in Regular Season Finale

Citadel website:

The Citadel Wraps Up Regular Season with Loss Against Davidson, 87-70

Interview: Davidson legend, Dick Snyder

Interview with Dick Snyder

Thank you to the athletic department for posting this interview on the official website. This was too good not to have archived for those that missed the live broadcast.

At halftime of the Davidson/Ohio U game, John Kilgo interviewed Davidson Wildcat legend, Dick Snyder. Dick's jersey hangs from the rafters in Belk Arena along with the retired numbers of a few other Davidson legends. Dick lives in Arizona and was in attendance at the Davidson/Ohio game. Dick went on to play 13 years in the NBA after his days at Davidson.

Preview from The Citadel website

Bulldogs Celebrate Senior Night at Final Regular Season Game on Saturday

Courtesy: CitadelSports.com

Charleston, S.C. – The Citadel basketball will celebrate the four seniors in a pre-game ceremony before hosting Davidson for their final regular season game of the 2006-07 season on Saturday, Feb. 24 at McAlister Field House. Tip-off is set for 1:05 p.m. and Bulldog fans can listen to the live action on CNN 1450 with Robby Robinson or listen and watch live through Bulldog Insider on http://www.citadelsports.com.

Today’s game is the 128th meeting between Davidson and The Citadel. The series, which dates back to 1926, is led by the Wildcats, 84-43. The last time these teams met was on Jan. 16 at John Belk Arena. Davidson defeated The Citadel, 79-54, while senior guard Donny McLendon led the team with 16 points. The Bulldogs have lost the last 10 match-ups against the Wildcats with their most recent win a 69-50 Bulldog victory on Dec. 8, 2001, the same year Davidson won the Southern Conference Tournament.

Entering today’s game The Citadel (7-21 overall; 4-13) is coming off an intense, 50-40, loss against crosstown rival College of Charleston on Thursday, Feb. 22 at the John Kresse Arena. Extending their losing streak to five consecutive games, the Bulldogs are looking to wrap up their regular season with a win as they head into the Southern Conference Tournament next week.

Davidson (25-4 overall; 16-1 SoCon) has won nine consecutive games and only lost one of 17 conference games. Their only defeat was against Appalachian State who topped the Wildcats, 81-74, on Jan. 20. The Wildcats’ most recent win was a 75-57 victory over Furman on Thursday. Davidson currently holds the top spot in the Southern Conference South Division and has the best overall and conference record among the 11 teams in the SoCon.

For a game recap, results or more information on Bulldog Basketball or The Citadel Athletics, go to http://www.citadelsports.com.

Davidson/Citadel preview from Post & Courier

Davidson at The Citadel

WHEN: 1:05 p.m.WHERE: McAlister Field House.RADIO: WQNT 1450-AM

Davidson (25-4, 16-1 SoCon)

HEAD COACH: Bob McKillop (307-217 in 18th year)

PROJECTED STARTERS: G Jason Richards, 6-2, jr. (13.6 ppg, 7.4 apg); G Stephen Curry, 6-0, fr. (20.8 ppg, 4.6 rpg); G Max Paulhus Gosselin, 6-6, so. (5 ppg, 3.2 rpg); F Thomas Sander, 6-8, jr. (14.4 ppg, 6.4 rpg); F Boris Meno, 6-8, jr. (11.1 ppg, 8.2 rpg).

NOTES: Davidson has clinched the SoCon regular-season title, the No. 1 seed for the SoCon Tournament, and an automatic bid to the NIT should it fail to win the tourney championship. ... Davidson has won nine straight games, its last loss by 81-74 to Appalachian State on Jan. 20. ... Davidson beat The Citadel, 79-64, on Jan. 16 ... The Wildcats are coming off a 75-57 win over Furman on Thursday. ... Curry hit 10 of 17 shots and scored 24 points in that game.

The Citadel (7-21, 4-13 SoCon)

HEAD COACH: Ed Conroy (7-21 in first year at Citadel, 45-53 in fourth year overall)

PROJECTED STARTERS: G Kevin Hammack, 6-1, sr. (13.2 ppg, 3.3 apg); G Donny McLendon, 6-0, sr. (12 ppg, 3.3 rpg); G Jonathan Brick, 6-0, so. (2.6 ppg, 1.6 rpg); F J'Mel Everhart, 6-6, sr. (7.8 ppg, 6.7 rpg); F Bryan Streeter, 6-6, fr. (4 ppg, 3.2 rpg).

NOTES: The Bulldogs have lost five straight and 10 of 11. ... Their last win was by 52-49 over Elon on Feb. 5. ... The Citadel is coming off a 50-40 loss at College of Charleston on Thursday night ... The Bulldogs have averaged 49.5 points over their last six games. ... The Citadel has lost 10 straight to Davidson. ... The Citadel could finish anywhere from No. 9 to No. 11 in seeding for next week's SoCon Tournament. ... Today is the final home game for seniors Kevin Hammack, Donny McLendon, J'Mel Everhart and Joseph Thompson

After the Furman game

I was watching the Furman game on SoCon TV. Just before the video feed was cut after the game, they showed the entire Davidson team go into the stands and pose for a picture with a fan. It was very hard to tell what was taking place and who the fan was. Kilgo was describing it, but he could not really tell what was going on either.

I had somewhat forgotten about it, until I received an email with this picture attached (photo credit to J. Bailey). This is apparently a long-time Davidson fan that has developed ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease). If anybody knows more details, please share them with us. If any of this information is incorrect, please let us know as well.

Once again, McKillop and the Davidson Wildcats show they are truly a class act.

UPDATE -This was posted by JR on DavidsonCats.com:

"Dick Sanderson, who has ALS, has been a great fan of Davidson for over a decade. To my knowledge, he has not missed a game since coming down with the disease almost 3 years ago. Dick has coached youth basketball, baseball and soccer here in Davidson. The two of us actually coached Brendan McKillop in youth soccer years ago. He is a dear friend of Bob McKillop and most people in town. One of the nicest, most genuine individuals you will ever meet. He has a GREAT spirit even with this cruel disease! Speaks volumes about Bob and our program to take this picture. Rather than cutting down nets and doing other self-promoting activities, our TEAM goes up to be photographed with a gentleman who will cherish that photo the rest of his life. I love to win, but this is the real part of being a Wildcat. Never seen a group of kids and coaches who care more about their fans, school and community. This intangible is what sets Bob and his program apart from many others. What a thoughtful gesture!"

Back to Charleston

Davidson plays at The Citadel in the final regular season game, before preparing for the SoCon Tournament. Davidson has the #1 seed for the tournament.

Game time: 1:05 p.m. @ McAlister Field House

No TV coverage
No SoCon TV coverage

Listen via the internet: TEAMLINE

Charlotte Observer discusses NCAA at-large chances

3 area mid-majors make case for at-large bids
DAVID SCOTT

The Charlotte region is home to three of the country's most accomplished mid-major basketball programs -- Appalachian State, Davidson and Winthrop. All three have one thing in common: an uncertain chance at making the NCAA tournament unless they win their conference tournaments....

...each team can make a case for an at-large bid: Appalachian State's victories against Vanderbilt and Virginia, Davidson's near-total domination of the Southern Conference's regular season and Winthrop's willingness to go on the road to play major powers. Each has a respectable RPI (Ratings Percentage Index)....

Davidson (25-4, 16-1 Southern)

LOCATION: Davidson RPI: 58

COACH: Bob McKillop (307-217, 18 seasons )

SIGNIFICANT VICTORIES: Arizona State, 75-70; Ohio 83-74.

PLAYER TO WATCH: Freshman guard Stephen Curry, son of former Charlotte Hornets guard Dell Curry, leads the Southern Conference in scoring (20.8) and is a 41.4 percent 3-point shooter.

NCAA TOURNAMENT HISTORY: 8 appearances (1966, '68-70, '86, '98, 2002, '06), 5-9.

SKINNY: With the Southern Conference regular-season title clinched, the Wildcats are guaranteed a berth in the National Invitation Tournament. One thing they might have going for them in the conference tournament is revenge (they lost to Appalachian State, 81-74, in January).

DID YOU KNOW? McKillop recruits internationally. The Wildcats have players from France, Turkey, Canada and Nigeria.

NEXT GAME: Today, at The Citadel (1 p.m.)

Steph talks about his dad's influence

Dad gives his son a shot
• STEPHEN CURRY In his own words
As told to Staff Writer David Perlmutt

Stephen (pronounced Ste-fen) Curry was a baby when he and his family arrived in Charlotte in 1988. His father, Dell, was an original Charlotte Hornet and one of the NBA's finest 3-point shooters ever. Growing up, Stephen and brother Seth were always lofting shots at a driveway goal. Now 18, Stephen is a freshman guard at Davidson College, averaging 20.7 points per game. Recently, ESPN's Jay Bilas of Charlotte called him one of the 10 best freshmen in the country.

My dad told us when we were young that whatever sport we chose, he'd support us. Deep down, I know he wanted me to play basketball.

As kids, we had a regulation goal and a little goal that we could dunk on. Dad didn't like us shooting on that little goal.

He wasn't always outside shooting with us -- but I know he was watching. Occasionally, he'd come out for some one-on-one, or a game of H-O-R-S-E. I never beat him, but I came close a couple of times.

He coached my AAU teams but left it to me to improve my game. Except one summer, he tried to teach me to shoot a different way. I was short when I started playing varsity in high school. I shot from my waist. He taught me to shoot it above my head so I didn't get blocked.

My grandmother -- Dad's mom -- says she can see his shot in me.

Dad and my mom (Sonya) stressed education and cautioned us not to make basketball a first priority. They threatened to take away basketball if we slacked off from school.

That's why I chose Davidson. I'm working towards the NBA, but when I graduate I will have more of a chance for success.

Saluting the Seniors: Falconi & Hull

Senior Night 2007

Profile: #20 Lamar Hull G 5-9 Sr

Profile: #25 John Falconi G 6-4 Sr

***********************

Pictures with the families:

Boris rejects Furman dunk

This was a nice block by Boris. I'm glad it was caught by the photographer, Tim Cowie.
Nice shot, Tim.

McKillop: Furman Postgame Interview

McKillop Interview: Postgame Audio

Davidson whips Furman: articles

From The Charlotte Observer:

Curry ignites Wildcats again

KEVIN CARY

DAVIDSON - Coach Bob McKillop said Davidson looked tight in its 75-57 win against Furman Thursday night.

Then one shot by freshman Stephen Curry helped loosen up the Wildcats.

Curry's twisting left-handed layup was the key shot in a 23-6 spurt that gave the Wildcats a 55-41 lead. He weaved around one defender, then had Furman forward Moussa Diagne standing under the basket.

No problem. Curry shifted hands in the air and did an underhand scoop around Diagne to tie the game at 35.

"I told him after the game, I know you scored 24 points, but that shot was the most exciting thing I've ever seen," forward Thomas Sander said.

Click here for entire article.

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From The Greenville News:

Davidson slams Furman

By Ann Green

STAFF WRITER

DAVIDSON, N.C. -- Furman took its against the best team in the Southern Conference on Thursday night, and came up way short.

Davidson used a second-half onslaught to turn back Furman 75-57 in the college town where the Paladins haven't won since 1990.

On "Senior Night" in Belk Arena, freshman Stephen Curry stole the spotlight, as he has been doing for much of the season.

The Charlotte native, whose father, Dell, spent 16 seasons in the NBA, including 10 with the Charlotte Hornets, had a game-high 24 points, 17 in the second half. He broke the 20-point barrier for his ninth straight game.

Click here for entire article.

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From Furman website:

Curry Leads Davidson Past Furman in SoCon Basketball Action, 75-57

From Davidson website:

Hot-Shooting Second Half and Curry's 24 Points Lead Wildcats to SoCon No. 1 Seed

Davidson wins 2007 Southern Conference
Regular Season Championship!!

Davidson beats Furman 75-57 on Senior Night at Belk Arena

Wildcats wrap up #1 seed in SoCon Tournament

From Charlotte Observer

Area coaches up for award
INSIDE THE REGION JIM UTTER

The Carolinas have been home to some of best basketball this season among mid-major schools, and three area coaches have been recognized for their success.

Appalachian State's Houston Fancher, Davidson's Bob McKillop and Winthrop's Gregg Marshall are among the 15 finalists for the Hugh Durham Mid-Major Coach of the Year award, which will be presented during the Final Four in Atlanta.

Fancher, in his seventh year with the school, has led the Mountaineers to a 22-6 record, 13-3 in the Southern Conference. Should Appalachian State beat UNC Greensboro tonight, the Mountaineers will lock up the North Division title and match the school record for victories in a season.

McKillop, in his 17th season with the Wildcats, is enjoying one of his most successful seasons. Davidson is 24-4, 15-1 in the Southern Conference and has locked up the South Division title. Davidson hosts conference rival Furman tonight in the Wildcats' final home game of the season.

Marshall, who has led the Eagles to a 24-4 record and the school's sixth Big South Conference regular-season championship, is trying to guide the team to its seventh NCAA tournament appearance in his nine seasons as coach.

Winthrop plays its final regular-season game Saturday at Coastal Carolina.

Baseball and Track doing well

Check out Will Bryan's "Wildcat Sports Pulse" for info on the baseball team's sweep of the Georgetown Hoyas and the track team setting a new record.

From FoxSports.com

Team Report: Getting Inside

If nothing else, Davidson showed itself to be vulnerable, well at least in terms of winning a game by single digits.

On Feb. 17, Davidson routed Western Carolina, 92-59. It was the team's seventh straight win, with the Wildcats winning on average by 20 points over that stretch. Not to mention it was Davidson's 20th win in 21 games.

"These guys just continue to work hard," Davidson coach Bob McKillop told the Asheville Citizen-Times. "They want to keep getting better, and they've accepted the challenge of working as hard as it takes to get there."

However, two days later, Wofford gave Davidson a game before the Wildcats emerged, 80-73, behind freshman sensation Stephen Curry's 28 points.

"I thought we were pushed and challenged like we haven't been in a while," Davidson coach Bob McKillop told the Charlotte Observer. "Wofford kept knocking us to the mat.

"I'm thrilled that we went through this experience, because we'll need this experience as we head into the conference tournament.'

While Davidson's RPI isn't great, at 63 as of Feb. 19, it's hard to imagine the Wildcats not receiving an NCAA Tournament invite if it wins their final two regular-season games and loses in the SoCon tourney final. That would be 30 wins, and well, 30 wins is 30 wins. Also, Davidson plays a legit non-conference schedule, including Duke, Missouri, Michigan and Arizona State.

Team Report: Notes and Quotes

--Davidson's Feb. 19 victory over Wofford was its 24th of the season. That broke the program's single-season record of 23 set in 1995-96.

--Davidson junior guard Jason Richards set the program's single-season assist mark in the Wofford win. He finished the game with 212.

QUOTE TO NOTE: "To be honest, Davidson had to come in here and not have their 'A' game tonight, and we needed to have our 'A' game to have a chance. Obviously, that didn't happen." -- Western Carolina coach Larry Hunter, to the Asheville Citizen-Times, on his team's 92-59 loss to Davidson on Feb. 17.

Team Report: Roster Report

KEYS: Barring a huge upset, Davidson should enter the tournament at 26-4 and barring an upset there, the Wildcats have a legitimate chance at winning 30 games this season. The key for the team's success this season has been perhaps the nation's most underrated backcourt in Jason Richard and Stephen Curry.

ROSTER REPORT:

G Stephen Curry overtook UNCG junior center Kyle Hines for the SoCon scoring lead after dropping 28 points on Wofford on Feb. 19. It marked the eighth straight game Curry had scored at least 23 points.

G Jason Richards scored 21 points, including a career-high six 3-pointers, in the Feb. 17 92-59 rout of Western Carolina.

Kevin Cary: Above the Rim blog

(Note: I'm knocking on wood right now as I post this...)

Davidson could join rankings soon

Davidson received votes in the AP and ESPN/USA Today coaches’ polls this week, but the Wildcats might do more than that next season.

For the first time since 1970, Davidson could be nationally ranked.

Consider this: All 11 of Davidson’s scholarship players return next season from a team that is expected to have at least 28 wins this season.

Davidson (24-4) wasn’t expected to be this good this soon. The Wildcats were picked to finish fourth in the South Division of the Southern Conference after graduating seven seniors from last season’s NCAA tournament team. The Wildcats roster had started the second-fewest games (30) of any Division I program.

But that youth has adapted quickly, and now Davidson could even sneak into the preseason poll next year. For that to happen, the Wildcats would probably have to win at least one game in the NCAA tournament this season, but Davidson should be among those getting votes in the preseason next year.

-- Kevin Cary

Last home game: Furman

Furman tomorrow night at Belk....

McKillop postgame interview

Wofford game:

Postgame Audio

Quoting the Wofford coach, Mike Young

On Davidson:

"They've been killing people," Wofford coach Mike Young said. "They've just been ripping people apart."

"We did everything we could against an elite team," Young said. "And I'm not talking about an elite Southern Conference team. I'm talking about a team deserving of NCAA (tournament) consideration regardless of whether they win the (SoCon tournament) or not."

On Stephen Curry:

"How about that guy?" Young said. "He's over the top. He cuts your heart out."

Wildcats defeat Wofford

From Spartanburg Herald-Journal:

Terriers challenge Wildcats in loss
TODD SHANESY, Staff Writer

DAVIDSON, N.C. -- Davidson basketball coach Bob McKillop wiped his brow and let out a sigh of relief as he walked slowly from the court. It's been a while since he had to sweat one out like that.

The Wildcats, having already clinched a division title and closing in on the No. 1 overall seed for the upcoming Southern Conference tournament, got quite a scare Monday night from Wofford before pulling out an 80-73 victory at Belk Arena.

On its current seven-game winning streak, Davidson (24-4, 15-1) has blown out opponents by an average 20.4 points. Three of those were by at least 30, and once the Wildcats led by more than 50.

Click here for entire article.

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From The Charlotte Observer:

Wildcats thwart Wofford threat
Davidson's 24th victory a struggle against 9-18, last-place Terriers team
BRETT HONEYCUTT

DAVIDSON - Wofford wouldn't go away, and Davidson had trouble finding the knock-out punch it needed Monday at Belk Arena.

But the Wildcats (24-4, 15-1 Southern) pulled out the victory 80-73 and won for the eighth straight time and 20th in 21 games.

They also set a school record for victories in the regular season, breaking the mark of 23 set in the 1995-96 season.

With two regular-season games left, the conference tournament and a possible NCAA or National Invitation Tournament bid, the overall mark of 27 victories, set in 1968-69, might be broken as well.

Click here for entire article.

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From Wofford website:
Davidson outlasts Wofford 80-73

From Davidson website:
Curry's 28 Leads Wildcats Past Wofford, 80-73

Davidson mentioned in ESPN.com "bubble" article

Forde Minutes: Less nip/tuck, more bubble muck

By Pat Forde
ESPN.com

Will Bryan has several recent Davidson posts

Check these posts out at his blog:

Will's World

Kevin Cary: Above the Rim blog

BracketBusted? Davidson might be ...

The BracketBusters games over the weekend helped boost the profiles of Appalachian State and Winthrop, but Davidson athletic director Jim Murphy said his school doesn’t regret its decision to not play.

“It comes at a difficult time in the season for us,” he said. “If we were sent across the country, that would be a rigorous schedule for us.”

Davidson is already scheduled to play three games this week - Monday night’s game with Wofford, a home game with Furman Thursday and a game at The Citadel Saturday. Appalachian State beat Wichita State Saturday, then flew to Atlanta early Sunday morning. The team then rode a bus to Boone later that day before heading to Western Carolina Monday night.

More than 100 teams participated in the BracketBusters this season, but aren’t guaranteed a marquee matchup. ESPN dictates which teams play each other, and that can create a game with little excitement. Southern Conference teams UNC Greensboro and Chattanooga hosted teams with 19 losses (UNC Wilmington and Jacksonville St.) and now must schedule a return visit to those schools next season.

Murphy said he didn’t expect Davidson to enter the BracketBusters next season either, because the school already has a difficult nonconference schedule lined up including games with Duke and North Carolina.

But the school might rue passing it up again. Davidson’s nonconference opponents this season did not meet expectations, and the Wildcats could use the BracketBusters game as an extra opportunity next year. Appalachian State’s win Saturday gives the Mountaineers a much better chance of getting an at-large berth this season than Davidson if either team fails to win the Southern Conference tournament. Appalachian State now is 5-2 against teams in the RPI top 100. Davidson is 1-4.

-- Kevin Cary

Davidson downs Wofford , 80-73

Wildcats move to 24-4 (15-1 SoCon).

Box Score

Attendance: 3,741
(Belk Arena)

More to come...

Wildcats continue to climb in Top 25 voting

Week 16

ESPN/USA Today Poll
voting points received:
Davidson 31, Indiana 31, Kentucky 31
(pretty good company, huh?)

AP Top 25
voting points received:
Davidson 8

If I'm not mistaken, this is, by far, the most voting points received in the McKillop era, and probably since the Lefty/Holland era.

Click here to join the discussion about this on DavidsonCats.com.

Davidson crushes Western Carolina

Curry, Richards Lead 'Cats to 92-59 Victory

Box Score

CULLOWHEE, N.C. -- Stephen Curry and Jason Richards combined for 46 points and 11 of Davidson's 16 treys, the most by a team ever at the Ramsey Center, as the Wildcats clinched the SoCon South Division regular-season crown with a convincing 92-59 victory at Western Carolina Saturday evening. The win was the seventh straight for the Wildcats and 19th out of their last 20 as they improve to 23-4 overall and 14-1 in the league. WCU falls to 10-17 and 7-9.

A 6-1 shooting guard from Charlotte, N.C., Curry finished with a game-high 25 points and has gone for at least 23 in every game of the Wildcats' current streak. The SoCon's second leading scorer made 6-of-11 from the floor, five triples and missed just one of his nine attempts from the charity stripe. Curry has connected on 94 threes this season and broke Brendan Winters' mark of 89 with his first of the evening 1:18 into the contest.

Click here for entire article.

Up Next: Western Carolina

I'm heading out of town, so I don't have much time to post prior to this game.

Briefly, here are the links to both schools' basketball websites. You should be able to find what you need there. Both have game notes.

Davidson Wildcats

Western Carolina Catamounts

Click here for TEAMLINE to listen.

Click here for Live Stats.

More press for Steph

Best Freshman Class Ever? Not Quite
Class Evokes Memory of 1979, 1995 Legends
By JIM LARRANAGA

Who are the best freshmen in the country and how do they compare to past greats?

1. Kevin Durant, Texas
2. Greg Oden, Ohio State
3. Brandan Wright, North Carolina
5. Spencer Hawes, Washington

4. Stephen Curry, Davidson

Hey, I have to have one mid-major player in my top five.

Don't let his size (6-foot, 180 pounds) or school fool you. This son of former NBA shooting star Dell Curry has had just as great an impact on his college team as the other fabulous freshmen.

Stephen is averaging 20.1 points and 4.6 rebounds per game, with a high of 30 points and 11 rebounds at UT-Chattanooga. He has led the Davidson Wildcats to a 21-4 record and first place in the Southern Conference.

Like his father, he has shot lights out this season, connecting on 41 percent from 3-point range and 86 percent from the foul line, even though teams are focusing more and more of their defensive attention on him. Should Davidson not win the Southern Conference Tournament, this just might be the year the league gets two bids instead of one. Either way, Stephen Curry will be a great addition to the Big Dance. He is not a household name yet but could be come March.

Davidson lost last year in the first round of the NCAA's to Ohio State in Dayton but with Bob McKillop at the helm this group of Wildcats could claw their way into the second round and beyond. Stephen is not as big as Chauncey Billups or quite as versatile as Isiah Thomas was when he led his Indiana Hoosiers to the 1981 title in Philadelphia, but then again Isiah was a sophomore. Let's give this rising star some time.

Random post

"The Most Effective Free Throw Distraction in Basketball History"

Chris Alpert: Where are they now?

Chris Alpert
Director of Basketball Operations and Player Personnel

Chris Alpert is taking on the challenges of his second season as director of basketball operations and player personnel for the National Basketball Development League. Alpert served two years as coordinator of basketball operations for the NBDL before being promoted to his current position.

Under the direction of NBA Senior Vice President for Basketball Operations Stu Jackson and NBDL President Phil Evans, Alpert's duties include oversight of NBDL player personnel, coaching, officiating, on-court policy and procedures, as well as scheduling. His role as director of player personnel makes him responsible for evaluating, recruiting and signing players for the NBDL.

The Long Island, N.Y. native comes from a solid basketball background that started as a player, first at Chaminade High School in Mineola, N.Y. and Northfield (Mass.) Mount Herman before a stellar career at Davidson University, where he was captain of the team in 1995 and 1996 and set the school record for career assists. Alpert also played professionally in Europe.

After serving as Southeastern regional scout for the New York Knicks from 1997-2001, Alpert also spent the summer of 2001 scouting for the Milwaukee Bucks before coming on board with the NBDL. His responsibilities with the Knicks included evaluating top collegiate prospects and submitting monthly reports on the top players. He scouted the NIKE Desert Classic for the Bucks in preparation for the 2001 NBA Draft.

Previous stops along the way for Alpert include Cary (N.C.) Academy, where he served as head coach of the junior varsity boy's team and assistant coach of the varsity boy's team. He has also been responsible for the coordination and management of special events for professional athletes, specifically basketball camps and golf tournaments, while working for Pro Management Plus, Inc.

As a player at Davidson, Alpert won the Thomas D. Sparrow Award, awarded annually to one senior athlete for outstanding dedication and contribution to Davidson athletics and the Helen Devane Carnegie Award, awarded annually to one Davidson College freshman who demonstrates the highest level of courage and mental toughness. He also served on the Davidson Student-Athlete Athletic Advisory Committee.

Alpert, 31, is single and resides in Mauldin, S.C.