Maryland Terrapins (24-8) vs. Davidson Wildcats (29-4)
When: Thursday, 12:20 p.m.
Where: Buffalo
Monday, March 12, 2007
From the Observer
ENTICING MATCHUP:
Maryland vs. Davidson (first round): Let's call this the Lefty Driesell Bowl. The Wildcats, who haven't won an NCAA tournament game since Driesell was their coach in 1969, face the Terps, Driesell's team from 1970 to 1986.
BURNING QUESTION:
Will another team -- especially the winner of the No. 5 Butler-No. 12 Old Dominion first-round game -- supplant Winthrop or Davidson as the mid-major story of the tournament?
From Charlotte Observer
Winthrop, Davidson certainly happy to be in tournament but long for a better spotSCOTT FOWLER
ROCK HILL --Selection Sunday is a strange brew. Even if you are guaranteed a spot, happiness mixes with high anxiety and frustration. Few teams get exactly what they want -- a high enough seed, a perfect geographic site and a great matchup....
...Davidson folks weren't terribly happy with the Wildcats' No. 13 seed and trip to Buffalo, N.Y., to play Maryland. It's a matchup Lefty Driesell, who coached at both schools, might love, but Davidson (29-4) could easily have been seeded higher or drawn a less athletic first-round opponent....
...Of the four teams in the Carolinas, there's no doubt North Carolina has the best chance to advance to the Final Four. But there's no telling what March will bring. It would be a great story if Winthrop or Davidson turned into this year's George Mason.
Sunday, March 11, 2007
From Davidson website
Wildcats Tabbed 13th Seed and Draw Maryland in NCAA Tournament
DAVIDSON, N.C. -- Coming off their second straight Southern Conference title, the Davidson Wildcats were tabbed the Midwest Region¹s 13th seed and will take on the 17th ranked Maryland Terrapins (24-8) in the first round of the 2007 NCAA Tournament Thursday, March 15 at the HSBC Arena in Buffalo, N.Y. Game times will be announced Monday.
The winner of Davidson's first-round matchup will advance to face the victor of the first-round game between fifth-seeded Butler and 12th-seeded Old Dominion.
Making its ninth appearance in the NCAA Tournament with a school-record 29 wins, Davidson has won 13 straight and 25 of its last 26 contests.
The Wildcats, who began the season as one of the most inexperienced Division I teams in the country with just a total of 30 collegiate starts among all their returning players, are led by a trio of juniors and freshman guard Stephen Curry. The son of former NBA sharpshooter Dell Curry, Stephen is eighth nationally in scoring at 21.2 points a game, which is the second highest by any freshman behind Kevin Durant of Texas. Along with earning a number of postseason accolades, the native of Charlotte, N.C., has drilled a freshman NCAA Division I single-season record 117 buckets from long range.
Junior point guard Jason Richards runs the offense and is second nationally in assists per game (7.3) and total assists (242). A member of the all-conference and all-tournament teams, Richards (Barrington, Ill.) is averaging 13.6 points per game as well while shooting nearly 40 percent from three-point range and better than 80 percent from the charity stripe.
Down on the blocks Davidson features juniors Thomas Sander and Boris Meno. Sander, from Cincinnati, Ohio, was named to the SoCon¹s second team by media representatives and is third on the team in scoring at 13.5 points per game while hauling in 6.3 rebounds each contest. A native of Paris, France, Meno is the fourth Wildcat scoring in double figures at 11.0 points an outing and is third in the league with 8.1 boards per game.
The Wildcats are guided by 18th-year head coach Bob McKillop, who is the all-time winningest coach in school and SoCon history. Named the conference¹s Coach of the Year a record six time this season, McKillop has recorded seven 20-win seasons, including three straight, and led Davidson to eight SoCon divisional crowns, four league tournament titles and seven postseason appearances ‹ NCAA (4) and NIT (3).
Maryland and the Wildcats have met 10 times on the hardwood with the Terrapins leading the all-time series 7-3. The two clubs last met in the 2005 NIT second round with the Terps rallying from a double-digit deficit to defeat Davidson, 78-63.
Davidson is 5-9 all-time in the NCAA Tournament with its last appearance a 70-62 setback to second-seeded Ohio State a year ago in Dayton, Ohio.
DAVIDSON, N.C. -- Coming off their second straight Southern Conference title, the Davidson Wildcats were tabbed the Midwest Region¹s 13th seed and will take on the 17th ranked Maryland Terrapins (24-8) in the first round of the 2007 NCAA Tournament Thursday, March 15 at the HSBC Arena in Buffalo, N.Y. Game times will be announced Monday.
The winner of Davidson's first-round matchup will advance to face the victor of the first-round game between fifth-seeded Butler and 12th-seeded Old Dominion.
Making its ninth appearance in the NCAA Tournament with a school-record 29 wins, Davidson has won 13 straight and 25 of its last 26 contests.
The Wildcats, who began the season as one of the most inexperienced Division I teams in the country with just a total of 30 collegiate starts among all their returning players, are led by a trio of juniors and freshman guard Stephen Curry. The son of former NBA sharpshooter Dell Curry, Stephen is eighth nationally in scoring at 21.2 points a game, which is the second highest by any freshman behind Kevin Durant of Texas. Along with earning a number of postseason accolades, the native of Charlotte, N.C., has drilled a freshman NCAA Division I single-season record 117 buckets from long range.
Junior point guard Jason Richards runs the offense and is second nationally in assists per game (7.3) and total assists (242). A member of the all-conference and all-tournament teams, Richards (Barrington, Ill.) is averaging 13.6 points per game as well while shooting nearly 40 percent from three-point range and better than 80 percent from the charity stripe.
Down on the blocks Davidson features juniors Thomas Sander and Boris Meno. Sander, from Cincinnati, Ohio, was named to the SoCon¹s second team by media representatives and is third on the team in scoring at 13.5 points per game while hauling in 6.3 rebounds each contest. A native of Paris, France, Meno is the fourth Wildcat scoring in double figures at 11.0 points an outing and is third in the league with 8.1 boards per game.
The Wildcats are guided by 18th-year head coach Bob McKillop, who is the all-time winningest coach in school and SoCon history. Named the conference¹s Coach of the Year a record six time this season, McKillop has recorded seven 20-win seasons, including three straight, and led Davidson to eight SoCon divisional crowns, four league tournament titles and seven postseason appearances ‹ NCAA (4) and NIT (3).
Maryland and the Wildcats have met 10 times on the hardwood with the Terrapins leading the all-time series 7-3. The two clubs last met in the 2005 NIT second round with the Terps rallying from a double-digit deficit to defeat Davidson, 78-63.
Davidson is 5-9 all-time in the NCAA Tournament with its last appearance a 70-62 setback to second-seeded Ohio State a year ago in Dayton, Ohio.
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."
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."
Gametime
Tipoff is set for 12:20 p.m., according to a CBS news release. Davidson plays the very first game on Thursday in the entire tournament. (The play-in game on Tues/Wed does not count in my book.)
Analysis from FoxSports.com
Midwest Regional breakdown
Jeff Goodman / FOXSports.com
Upset special: No. 13 Davidson over No. 4 Maryland — Bob McKillop's team is young, but he's a terrific coach and he has plenty of talent to knock off the Terps. Freshman Stephen Curry, former NBA player Dell Curry's son, is Davidson's best player.
Best Player You've Never Heard of: Stephen Curry, Davidson
Jeff Goodman / FOXSports.com
Upset special: No. 13 Davidson over No. 4 Maryland — Bob McKillop's team is young, but he's a terrific coach and he has plenty of talent to knock off the Terps. Freshman Stephen Curry, former NBA player Dell Curry's son, is Davidson's best player.
Best Player You've Never Heard of: Stephen Curry, Davidson
Cats get #13 seed, will play Maryland
Davidson faces Maryland in the 4/13 matchup in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament.
More to come.
More to come.
Friday, March 09, 2007
Selection Show & NCAA Tickets
Get your Dancing shoes on as the 'Cats head back to the NCAA Championship!
Join the Wildcats at the Selection Show party this Sunday, March 11 in the Duke Family Performance Hall (located in the Alvarez Student Union) as the Wildcats learn their destination and seed for the NCAA tournament!
The doors open at 5:30pm, and the show starts at 6:00pm.
SoCon Championship t-shirts and hats and March Madness t-shirts will be available for purchase.
Join The Cats For The Big Dance!!!!
NCAA Tickets On Sale
Sunday, March 11 at 7pm
Ticket Office: 1-800-768-CATS
***ALL Orders received will be charged for Round 1 Tickets.
Should Davidson advance to Round 2, ticket holders will be charged accordingly and tickets will be available at the host site.***
***All orders are for Davidson Sessions only***
Join the Wildcats at the Selection Show party this Sunday, March 11 in the Duke Family Performance Hall (located in the Alvarez Student Union) as the Wildcats learn their destination and seed for the NCAA tournament!
The doors open at 5:30pm, and the show starts at 6:00pm.
SoCon Championship t-shirts and hats and March Madness t-shirts will be available for purchase.
Join The Cats For The Big Dance!!!!
NCAA Tickets On Sale
Sunday, March 11 at 7pm
Ticket Office: 1-800-768-CATS
***ALL Orders received will be charged for Round 1 Tickets.
Should Davidson advance to Round 2, ticket holders will be charged accordingly and tickets will be available at the host site.***
***All orders are for Davidson Sessions only***
Thursday, March 08, 2007
SoCon Tournament Champs
The clock expires, the Wildcats celebrate on the court, while the large Davidson crowds celebrates in the stands.
Wednesday, March 07, 2007
SoCon Champs accept the trophy
The team accepts the Southern Conference Tournament Championship trophy before a large crowd of Davidson fans after the game on Saturday.
A few videos from the Furman semifinal game
Jason drives for 2 points.
Steph hits 3 pointer.
Jason dishes to Max for a runner.
Steph hits 3 pointer.
Jason dishes to Max for a runner.
Andrew Lovedale can dunk
Andrew Lovedale slams one home against Furman in the second half of Friday's semifinal game. He got a T for hanging on the rim (which was nonsense...the Furman guy runs underneath him), but it's still a sweet dunk.
MORE VIDEOS TO COME.......
MORE VIDEOS TO COME.......
Tuesday, March 06, 2007
Davidson Superfan: Dick Sanderson
Dick Sanderson is a HUGE Davidson Wildcat fan. You may have noticed, after the victory against Furman at Belk Arena and claiming the #1 seed in the SoCon Tournament, that the entire team climbed the stairs at Belk Arena to pose for a celebration picture with Dick. If you were at the game on Saturday in Charleston, you would have also seen the entire team climb the stairs in the North Charleston Coliseum to pose for a team picture with Dick and celebrate the SoCon Championship with him.I have not met Dick, but I have heard a fair amount about him....all of it amazingly good. It is my understanding that Dick has attended most, if not all, of the Davidson home games this season, and in numerous seasons past. I am also told that Coach McKillop and Dick are friends, and that Bob would raise his fist to Dick after each home victory this year as Bob left the floor, as his way of celebrating the victory with him. Additionally, Dick coached youth basketball, soccer and baseball in the Davidson community, even coaching Bob's son, Brendan, in soccer. Everyone that I have spoken to says that Dick Sanderson is a cherished member of the Davidson community, and is an inspiration.
At the hotel on Saturday night, Coach McKillop addressed the crowd of Davidson faithful. He spoke about what great people the players are. Coach gave several examples, one of which was a story about cutting down the nets just a couple of hours beforehand. While the team was taking turns cutting down the net in front of the Davidson bench, at least one of the players quietly slipped down to the other end of the court to cut down the other net. Of course, nobody paid much attention, since all the activity was on the other end of the court. After they cut down the net that was not receiving any attention, the players took that other net up to Dick, which I believe he wore around his neck the rest of the evening. The rest of the team followed, and the celebration pictured above was the result. That must have been a special moment for Dick because, as Coach McKillop was talking about it to the crowd at the hotel, Dick appeared to be crying. I happened to be standing next to Dick at that time, and it was a moment that I will never forget.
Nantes is the Davidson of France
Kenny, Brendan and Logan (photo of Kenny unavailable) all play together for Nantes in France.
The Nantes team website has a photo gallery, but won't let me copy any of them to post. There is one photo I saw which has Brendan dribbling to the basket, with Kenny in the background. Pretty wild.
Click here for the photo gallery. Then go to the Nantes-Rouen game photos. There are plenty of Brendan, Kenny and Logan. It's strange seeing them in something other than red and black.
Brendan (1st) and Logan (2nd) appear to be leading the team in scoring, with Kenny (4th) not far behind. However, I am trying to interpret a French stat board, and I don't speak the language.
(Yes, I had a little time on my hands during a conference call this morning.)
Whatever happened to...?
Former Davidson player database.I'm not sure how accurate this is, but it's interesting, nonetheless.
**Notice that Kenny Grant, Brendan Winters and Logan Kosmalski are on the same team in France (Nantes).
Ben Ebong: Where are they now?
From Eurobasket.com:Ben Ebong (202-F/C-76, college: Davidson) an American center born in Nigeria arrived late on Wed evening and signed a contract for the rest of the season.Ebong played this season in the CBA for the Yakima Sun Kings (14 g, 16.1 ppg qnd 9.6 rpg) before heading to Croatia where he played for KK Split.
At Split he played 3 games in the Adriatic league with averages of 9.0 ppg and 5.3 rpg. In the Croatian league he averaged 10.8 ppg and 6.6 rpg in 5 games.
Since leaving Davidson after the 98-99 season he has played all over the world; from the IBA to Australia as well as Argentina and Spain. He also played in Puerto Rico, Germany and Turkey.
Nice AP article
Davidson, Winthrop give Charlotte area NCAA tournament hopes
MIKE CRANSTON
Associated Press
CHARLOTTE, N.C. - For an area best known for its big banks, NASCAR and sweet tea, another distinction has emerged here: mid-major hotbed.
Davidson (29-4) and Winthrop (28-4), on opposite ends of the sprawling Charlotte region, have each set school records for wins. Winthrop has won 18 straight games, while Davidson has won 25 of 26.
And fresh off conference tournament victories, both schools are determined to make noise in the NCAA tournament.
"Winning 29 games, and Winthrop winning 28 is extraordinary," Davidson coach Bob McKillop said Monday. "Coaches understand how difficult that is at any level. So right away we separate ourselves from so many other teams in the country."
At first glance, the two schools have little in common.
Davidson, a private school 20 miles north of Charlotte, has a rich basketball history including two trips to the Elite Eight in the late 1960s under Lefty Driesell. Since then, the school is 0-5 in the NCAA tournament.
But Davidson, behind superb freshman Stephen Curry, is headed back to the NCAAs for the second straight year after Saturday's 72-65 win over College of Charleston in the Southern Conference title game. It was the culmination of a remarkable season for the Wildcats, who were picked to finish fourth in the league's Southern Division in the preseason after losing seven seniors from last year's team.
Winthrop, a state school 25 miles south of Charlotte in Rock Hill, S.C., is a former all-women's school that didn't field a men's team since 1978-79. It was one of the worst programs in the nation until Gregg Marshall took over in 1998. He led the senior-laded Eagles to their seventh NCAA tournament appearance in his nine years Saturday with a 84-81 win over VMI.
On Monday, the Eagles - led by slasher Torrell Martin and big man Craig Bradshaw - were No. 24 in The Associated Press poll, the first ranking in school history.
Neither school has a bad loss. Winthrop lost at No. 3 Wisconsin in overtime and led No. 8 North Carolina by nine early in the second half before losing. The Eagles' other losses are to No. 7 Texas A&M and No. 17 Maryland. Winthrop won at Mississippi State, Missouri State and Old Dominion.
Davidson won at Arizona State, while its losses are to No. 21 Duke, Michigan, Missouri and league rival and 22-game winner Appalachian State.
Now both schools are looking ahead to the NCAA tournament. As coach, Marshall is 0-6 in the NCAAs, but Winthrop was never seeded higher than 14. That will change this year, with Winthrop looking at 10-seed or better.
"We've broken through the glass ceiling that you can't get better than a 14 seed in the Big South," said Marshall, whose 15th-seeded Eagles lost on a buzzer-beater to Tennessee in the first round of last year's NCAA tournament.
"Why can't we be 5 or 6 seed? But honestly I think we'll be a 10 or 11. Yes, we haven't advanced in the NCAA tournament. Give us a decent seed, and we'll talk about it."
McKillop feels his Wildcats also should be rewarded with something better than the 13 or 14 seed usually reserved for the Southern Conference champion.
"How many teams have won 29 games? Put us on the same line with teams that have won 25 of their last 26 games," McKillop said. "Put us in the same range with teams that have only lost one game since Nov. 25.
"Remember we're the second-youngest team in the nation. Factor all of those things in there and I've got to think we've got a pretty attractive seed."
Despite their proximity, Winthrop and Davidson haven't played since 1992, when they were both in the Big South. But Marshall said they've come close to scheduling each other as they struggle to find opponents.
"Most people hang up the phone when we call," Marshall said. "We've gotten really close. Scheduling is very difficult, but I think it's a natural. I'd love to play them."
MIKE CRANSTON
Associated Press
CHARLOTTE, N.C. - For an area best known for its big banks, NASCAR and sweet tea, another distinction has emerged here: mid-major hotbed.
Davidson (29-4) and Winthrop (28-4), on opposite ends of the sprawling Charlotte region, have each set school records for wins. Winthrop has won 18 straight games, while Davidson has won 25 of 26.
And fresh off conference tournament victories, both schools are determined to make noise in the NCAA tournament.
"Winning 29 games, and Winthrop winning 28 is extraordinary," Davidson coach Bob McKillop said Monday. "Coaches understand how difficult that is at any level. So right away we separate ourselves from so many other teams in the country."
At first glance, the two schools have little in common.
Davidson, a private school 20 miles north of Charlotte, has a rich basketball history including two trips to the Elite Eight in the late 1960s under Lefty Driesell. Since then, the school is 0-5 in the NCAA tournament.
But Davidson, behind superb freshman Stephen Curry, is headed back to the NCAAs for the second straight year after Saturday's 72-65 win over College of Charleston in the Southern Conference title game. It was the culmination of a remarkable season for the Wildcats, who were picked to finish fourth in the league's Southern Division in the preseason after losing seven seniors from last year's team.
Winthrop, a state school 25 miles south of Charlotte in Rock Hill, S.C., is a former all-women's school that didn't field a men's team since 1978-79. It was one of the worst programs in the nation until Gregg Marshall took over in 1998. He led the senior-laded Eagles to their seventh NCAA tournament appearance in his nine years Saturday with a 84-81 win over VMI.
On Monday, the Eagles - led by slasher Torrell Martin and big man Craig Bradshaw - were No. 24 in The Associated Press poll, the first ranking in school history.
Neither school has a bad loss. Winthrop lost at No. 3 Wisconsin in overtime and led No. 8 North Carolina by nine early in the second half before losing. The Eagles' other losses are to No. 7 Texas A&M and No. 17 Maryland. Winthrop won at Mississippi State, Missouri State and Old Dominion.
Davidson won at Arizona State, while its losses are to No. 21 Duke, Michigan, Missouri and league rival and 22-game winner Appalachian State.
Now both schools are looking ahead to the NCAA tournament. As coach, Marshall is 0-6 in the NCAAs, but Winthrop was never seeded higher than 14. That will change this year, with Winthrop looking at 10-seed or better.
"We've broken through the glass ceiling that you can't get better than a 14 seed in the Big South," said Marshall, whose 15th-seeded Eagles lost on a buzzer-beater to Tennessee in the first round of last year's NCAA tournament.
"Why can't we be 5 or 6 seed? But honestly I think we'll be a 10 or 11. Yes, we haven't advanced in the NCAA tournament. Give us a decent seed, and we'll talk about it."
McKillop feels his Wildcats also should be rewarded with something better than the 13 or 14 seed usually reserved for the Southern Conference champion.
"How many teams have won 29 games? Put us on the same line with teams that have won 25 of their last 26 games," McKillop said. "Put us in the same range with teams that have only lost one game since Nov. 25.
"Remember we're the second-youngest team in the nation. Factor all of those things in there and I've got to think we've got a pretty attractive seed."
Despite their proximity, Winthrop and Davidson haven't played since 1992, when they were both in the Big South. But Marshall said they've come close to scheduling each other as they struggle to find opponents.
"Most people hang up the phone when we call," Marshall said. "We've gotten really close. Scheduling is very difficult, but I think it's a natural. I'd love to play them."
Monday, March 05, 2007
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