9:13pm (40-33)

They say it's hard to beat a team three times in one season. In the first half of tonight's Citadel-Davidson game, the Bulldogs showed why. The Citadel was led by hot outside shooting and the scoring prowess of J'Mel Everhart and Donnie McLendon. The Bulldogs hit their first 4 field goals en route to a 19 point advantage, halfway through the half. Davidson has been pounded inside as guards Jason Morton, Jason Richards, Matt McKillop and Brendan Winters have all been knocked to the floor on separate occasions with no whistle blown. At one point, Jason M. had two guys clothesline him without a call. Davidson would find later in the half that the refs were letting both teams play and a few Bulldogs began to be knocked around. A backdoor layup and a foul allowed Jason Morton to cut the lead to single digits as the half expired, 40-33.

If Davidson hopes to advance, they will have to overcome a first half deficit for the first time this year. Neither team is in foul trouble and Davidson has played 9 men already this game. Johnson leads all Wildcat scorers with 14, while Davidson has outrebounded the Citadel 25-12 (14 offensive). Meno has had four big offensive rebounds.

The Citadel went 8-15 from 3pt, going 16-31 from the floor. Davidson shot 13-33 from the field and 4-8 from 3. The Citadel has 13 points off of turnovers.

The Wildcat faithful has held their own tonight, and the crowds for both teams are the most excited that the Tournament has had all day.

8:05pm

UNC-G had their chances to pull off the third upset of the night. After coming back from a double-digit halftime deficit, the Spartans had the ball with under 20 seconds to play and a tied score. But three layup opportunities went astray and the Pheonix forced overtime. Several key turnovers plagued the Spartans at the end of the period and Elon was able to hit enough free throws to come out on top, 64-61.

It's on to the nightcap. Davidson vs. The Citadel. I will be cheering for most of the first half but should be able to get in a good analysis at the break. After the game, I will post stats and quotes and hopefully break down a Davidson-Elon matchup tomorrow afternoon.

GO CATS!

4:15

It's mayhem in Charleston. Down by 2 points, CofC's Dontaye Draper drove the baseline and hit an off-balance bank shot to tie the game with under 20 seconds. Chattanooga made its way up the court and the Moc guard drove into a Cougar player in the lane, with no charge or blocking foul called, the line drive shot banked off of the backrim and in, good for a two-point Moc lead. CofC's last second shot was ruled too late as the buzzer sounded and Cougar players and fans cried foul. While the shot was a split-second after the buzzer, it was certainly close enough for controversy. For the seventh straight year, the Cougs are denied the Southern Conference Championship and haven't advanced to the semis since 2003.
Draper, who was held scoreless in the first half, only scored 5 points on the game. The Mocs were led by high-flying Casey Long.
With Charleston and GSU bowing out, only 1 top seed has advanced in the tournament and that was 8th seeded App. St. who beat 9th seeded Wofford yesterday.

3:11

The College of Charleston trails UT-Chattanooga by 10, 43-33 at halftime.
Dontaye Draper got three quick fouls in the first half and has not contributed much for the Cougars. Casey Long has 11 points for the Mocs as they have been able to capitalize on bad passes by the Cougars, turning turnovers into run-out points. The Cougars haven't been able to shoot outside at all and Draper's absence has left a hole in the Charleston offense. There have been a few questionable calls to get Coach Herrion upset, but the first half has simply been sloppy.
College of Charleston fans know this feeling and with Georgia Southern gone, they are missing out on a golden opportunity to capitalize on a weaker bracket. While Davidson fans may be happy to see the Cougars go, their continuing woes might spell disaster for Conference officials who are closely monitoring attendance in their decisions for the future of the tournament. While it is still the middle of the afternoon, attendance has been paltry at best and Davidson will certainly be outnumbered by the Cadets who will most likely be shipped over again.

1:56pm

Giantkillers!

The Appalachian State Mountaineers have knocked off the #1 seeded GSU Eagles by a score of 74-61 in the first game of day 2.
Elton Nesbitt was held to 13 points, all of which came in the first half. The Eagles seemed unable to shoot the ball from the outside but stayed close with strong drives to the hoop and finishes. Nesbitt had two fouls for most of the first half and was forced to sit on the bench. The refs were very tight with their calls as both teams were shooting free throws near the end, an element that helped ASU keep the Eagles from developing any sort of rhythm.
Up by three with under 2 minutes, all-conference PG D.J. Thompson hit a big three to extend the lead to six for ASU. GSU was fouled on the next possession but only hit 1 and ASU was able to extend its lead and seal the game on a Thompson steal.
With Georgia Southern gone, the Southern Conference is now guaranteed two postseason berths as the Eagles will pack their bags for the NIT, a new rule that the selection committee implemented this month.
ASU will play the winner of the Chattanooga-CofC game which starts in approximately 15 minutes.

The Cinderella meets the Empire

It is no secret around the Southern Conference that Davidson always has a target on its back. Whether they are 16-0 or 10-5, everyone wants to beat the Wildcats in the Southern Conference tournament.

This year that task will fall to the Citadel Bulldogs. Threatening to finish their season winless in the conference, The Cid played a magnificent game against Wofford last week and won on a last second come-from-behind block by J'Mel Everhart to prevent the Terrier's GW layup.

Now, nearly a week later, lightning has struck twice. The Bulldogs upset the 6th seeded Furman Paladins yesterday, earning them a spot in today's nightcap against Davidson. The Bulldogs had not won a first-round game since 2002, when they beat VMI. That year they proceeded to lose to Davidson in the second round, who went on to win the Tournament Championship.

While Davidson will surely be out to establish themselves as the premier Southern Conference squad, they will have to contend with a Bulldog team that is brimming with self-confidence. The Wildcats have struggled with identity and expectation all season and they could be nipped by a Citadel squad that doesn't care about a 1-15 record. The Tournament marks a new season, and the Bulldogs are undefeated.

In other action in the Tournament yesterday, Appalachian State won a 1-point nailbiter over Wofford, while UNC-Greensboro rolled past Western Carolina. Davidson had lost at least one game to every team that lost today, and is undefeated against the day's victors.

Looking back to Davidson's close victory at The Citadel in February, the Wildcats will need to limit the looks of Everhart and Donny McClendon. Both players are lightning fast and if Everhart hit his shots in the paint combined with McClendon's threes, Davidson will be in trouble. The Wildcats should look to test the Citadel's mediocre frontcourt that got into foul trouble in both Davidson wins this season. If Johnson and Sander can control the paint, and Morton and Winters can slow down the Citadel offense, Davidson should come away with a victory. Once again, the X-factors will lie in Davidson's ability to shoot the outside shot on an unfamiliar basket and the effectiveness of the Corps. It will be difficult for any Davidson crowd to outcheer several thousand military students so every fan in red shouldn't hesitate to make their voice heard.

As the radio announcers were making their concluding remarks after the game tonight, the head analyst noted that "it is very hard to beat a team three times in one season. It doesn't matter who it is." Davidson has beaten the Bulldogs twice this season, and they will need to bring the house to make it thrice.

Coverage will begin immediately following the conclusion of the Elon-UNC-Greensboro game around 8 o clock.

Charleston Info

With so many Davidson basketball fans now reading this blog, many of whom are coming to the Conference Tournament, I thought I would make a quick "Charleston tours" post.

While basketball fans may not have too much time to be a tourist, the late start on Friday and afternoon start on Saturday give opportunities for day activities and a few night dining excursions. I hope that those making the trip will stay through Sunday even if we lose early.

First off, I will list a few "don'ts" for Davidson fans:

-Don't eat at Hyman's Seafood. The restaurant has bought out every tour guide to get its name out there, but they won't publish this statistic. There are no returning diners, ever.

-Don't take a Ghost Tour. Although it might seem obvious, you won't actually see any ghosts on a ghost tour. Instead you spend gobs of money for a twilight walking tour with stupid stories.

-I wouldn't suggest going to Fort Sumter. It's a long process to get tickets, boat ride and all, and it's really just an island with a few walls on it. Go to the National Ft. Sumter Monument on Concord St. for a better feel of what happened for free.

-If you are staying downtown, don't drive. If you are staying at the Sheraton, drive in, park in a lot, and get out. You really can't see much driving, and there are no places to stop, get out for a look and move on. So commit to walking around a general area, then go someplace else.

And here are some good tips.

-Go to the Aquarium complex at Liberty Square off of Calhoun and E. Bay. There's the nice aquarium, Fort Sumter monument, IMAX theater, Food Court, and spectacular views of the harbor and new bridge all together.

-Check out the Wreck in the old village of Mt. Pleasant for great seafood, cheap dining, and a unique experience. The restaurant is literally the wreck of two shrimp boats that crashed into a storage locker in Hurricane Hugo. The tablecloths are made of paper and they don't take debit cards. This place is cool. Plus you can watch them take the shrimp off the boat, carry it to the kitchen, and have it on your plate before you know it. Beat that, Red Lobster!

-Make sure to check out the King St./Calhoun St. intersection. This is the heart of the College of Charleston, and I felt absolute bliss as I walked through there yesterday with my Davidson Wildcats shirt. They don't like being swept and they know this won't be the year where they win a Conference tournament in their own city. Plus, the shopping is good here too!

-Finally, here's a word of advice for first-time tournament goers. Davidson ticket-holders are able to get a seat in the two sections behind the Davidson bench. In order to get in here, you should come before the Elon game ends and wait out in the concourse. When they clear out the previous games' fans, it will be a mad rush for the best seats as they are general admission and no one wants to end up in the upper deck. If you are coming from downtown, take I-26 to I-526, then get off at the Coliseum exit. This will be a 15-20 minute drive, and leave time to park. If coming from the Sheraton, just travel one exit North and you are there. There will be Davidson tailgating going on in Lot C. Make sure to wear your red and cheer on the Cats.



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March-ing On

As February ends today, anticipation is mounting for the Southern Conference tournament. As I returned to church on Sunday, all of the parish members that talked to me all asked what Davidson's chances were. College basketball fever has swept this city.

Davidson finished the season as the 3 seed, meaning that they play on Friday at around 8:30 against the winner of the Furman/Citadel game.

While Furman was the team that ended the Wildcats' spectacular conference run, they also match up quite well with us. They are a team that loves to power the post with Moussa Diagne and then swing the perimeter to find shooters like Eric Webb and Robby Bostain. In our home victory against them a week and a half ago, we were able to hold Webb and Bostain to just two three-pointers and we got Moussa in foul trouble. I feel like our defense is smart enough to be able to double down on Diagne while closing out on outside shooters when the ball goes back to them. If the referees actually call fouls, Sander should be able to get Diagne in foul trouble again, and our defense can stay in the face of Webb and Bostain.

I'm really not worried about the Citadel beating Furman in the first round, but in case they do, we just need to run a Box and 1 defense on Donny McLendon and the rest of the team will fold. McLendon opened up for several three-pointers against us in Charleston, and we had trouble sticking to our gameplan when an inferior team was beating us. The strategy against the Citadel? Stick to your gameplan and don't let them beat you. Very simple.

If we were to win that Friday night game, we would play the winner of the Elon vs WCU/UNCG game. I really think that right now Elon is vulnerable and Western could sneak up on them. The Phoenix nearly lost to the Spartans last week in a game with first place implications. I could see us playing a Catamount team that nearly shut down our entire offensive team a month ago on the road to our first loss in Belk Arena in a year. The key to this matchup, and in large extent to all matchups, is effective defense. I don't think that we do well in shoot-out games where teams just trade baskets (eg. Wofford #2). We have to hold our opponents under 40% shooting, and we cannot allow Western (or Elon) to get easy points in the paint like last time.

If everything works out to plan, we should be facing Georgia Southern in the championship game on Sunday afternoon. Despite their no. 1 seeding, we are clearly a better team than the Eagles as evidenced by our double-digit home win and mere three-point loss in a game where we turned the ball over 28 times on the road.

Certainly anything can happen in this tournament, but this year we get to demonstrate why a conference tournament is a good thing. After last year's disappointing loss in the semis, everyone was asking why the tournament held so much ground if the regular-season champ didn't get anything for losing. I think that Davidson will prove this weekend that they are the best SoCon representative for the field of 65, and that March really is redemption time for all of those struggles back in February.

Senior Spectacular

Incredible victory for the Wildcats today as they pulled out a 2 point win over the College of Charleston. Down by 1 with under a minute to play, Kenny Grant spotted up from the top of the key and hit a three pointer, his only points of the night. The last time we hit a game-winning shot against the College, it was Jason Morton who had also been scoreless on the night. The Cougars had several chances to win it in the end but several shots hit iron and Davidson breathed a sigh of relief.

Looking at my keys to the game, I really felt that Charleston played the game they wanted, but they couldn't make their shots fall. The Cougs outrebounded Davidson and secured 19 offensive rebounds to Davidson's 9. Every board turned into a loose ball, the Cougars method to keep the Wildcats from developing any sort of flow. Fortunately, College of Charleston was inept at hitting close shots and Davidson's cold spurt did not hurt them immensely.

I felt like we played as under control offensively and most of the stat's sheets turnovers could be chalked up to full-court scrambles where anything went. Sometimes I get scared when Jason Morton feels the need to throw up off-balance threes from the sideline, but as long as he continues to hit them, he's the closest thing that we've got to J.J. Redick. And he's taken more pressure off of Brendan Winters, allowing him to play looser.

Boris came out strong in the second half and if we can get Thomas to find a little more touch on his jump hook, then our frontcourt will be untouchable. I was impressed with our aggressiveness on their drives to the hoop as we recorded 6 blocks, a phenomenal number.

Of course, the technical aspects could not overshadow the raw emotion as 7 Seniors played their last game in Belk Arena. Coach McKillop cried as stood with his wife and son at midcourt honoring the player that he'd gotten 4 years to coach into a better player and a better man. Chris Clunie got the first start of his career and Kenny Grant wrote the final chapter as his three-pointer swished through the nets and into history.

Tomorrow we will find out definitively which game seed we will have and I will lay out a full preview of the Conference Tournament.

College of Charleston preview

Although most Davidson fans feel confident that the 'Cats will pull out a win on Saturday against the division rival Cougars, here is a point-counterpoint analysis of the matchups for the big game.

Importance: Both teams share the same record, and although College of Charleston cannot capture a share of first place, they certainly don't want to fall into the fourth slot. However, the last several years that the tournament has been in Charleston, they have been beaten in that quarterfinal night game that the three seed must play. Davidson will be playing for a chance at first place and a final home win for a remarkable Senior class. Advantage: Davidson.

Frontcourt: With the emergence of Andrew Lovedale supplementing the always tough duo of Ian Johnson and Thomas Sander, the Cats will look to secure the rebounds and play clean ball. Boris has shown greater strength with the ball as of late and Davidson hopes that it will carry over to this game. Jermaine Johnson and Josh Jackson have the potential to be solid big men, but an inability to hit inside shots has hurt them all season. As long as Davidson doesn't let the Cougar rebounders leap over them, they should be fine. Advantage: Davidson

Backcourt: Davidson committed a season-high 28 turnovers against Georgia Southern last Monday, 18 of which came from their backcourt. Kenny Grant has emerged into relatively solid floor leader, however he can get flustered sometimes and play out of control. The Wildcats will need to be more patient with their shot selection and hit the open shots that they get. The Cougars' Dontaye Draper might be one of the most underrated players in the conference. Averaging 19.0 ppg, he has an ability to create off the dribble and take any defender to the lane. He caused problems for Davidson's slower defenders in the first game in Charleston but the Cougars were unable to get inside floaters and shots to fall. If the Cougars start getting points in the paint off of Draper's drives, Jason Morton will have to play more as he is the only Wildcat guard quick enough to guard him. Advantage: Cougars

Coaching: Bob McKillop is the conference's winningest coach and there's a reason for that: vision. Coach McKillop always sees where he wants to take his team and he imparts that to his players very well. This season he has had to conform to the needs of his starters, trying to take pressure off of them in practice and game situations. Tom Herrion, on the other hand, has no idea who his team is and it seems they don't seem to care either. Altercation after altercation has left several players suspended for different stretches of games. Herrion has a tendency to lose himself and his team doesn't seem to respond well to that. Advantage: Davidson

Keys to the game
Davidson: The Cats need to stick to their home winning formula. Jump out to a quick lead with easy shots inside, transition run-outs and one shot opportunities on the defensive end. If they establish Ian inside and play a clean game of ball security and smart shots they should win it.

College of Charleston: They need to get on top of Davidson from the beginning. Using pressure defense they can fluster Kenny into committing turnovers and keeping Davidson from getting many shot opportunities. Offensively, the Cougars should exploit their team speed and work to slash into the lane, getting Thomas in foul trouble and shooting high-percentage shots. If they make it a game of attrition and take the crowd out of it, the Cougars can take advantage of Davidson's struggles with close games.

Final Prediction: Davidson 81 College of Charleston 74

Welcome

Welcome all you newcomers to this blog. I will try to provide you with the best in-depth analysis of the Conference Tournament and other postseason options that I can. For those interested in tournament seeding let me map out our options going into this Saturday's game against the College of Charleston.

If WE LOSE:

-We play either Furman (if they win on Sat.) or the winner of WCU/UTC (if Furman loses on Sat.)
-This game would be around 3ish on Friday afternoon next week.

If WE WIN:
And Elon/GSU wins: We get third place and play Friday evening against a Thursday winner.
And Elon wins/GSU loses: We get second place and play early evening against a Thursday winner.
And Elon loses/GSU loses: We are tied for first place and will get the number 1 seed because we hold the tie-breaker with the Eagles (as of now). If this happens, we are guaranteed a berth in the NIT, no matter what happens in the tournament.

If we lose any game in the tournament, then it is over for us. We would have to win three games in a row (Friday, Sat afternon, and Sunday afternoon) to win the Championship which will be televised on ESPN2.

We are looking strong heading into this Saturday's game with only 1 home conference loss in our last 24 tries. If you are near a TV it will be shown on ESPN2 at noon. If you are still in Davidson, please make an effort to come out, as it is Senior Day for 7 special guys.

We need to drive automatic because we can't find the clutch

Davidson couldn't do it. Again. They give up a 7 point lead in the final minutes to lose to Georgia Southern, 76-73. Down just two with under a minute, they were unable to get off a good shot as the shot clock wound down, and two three pointers went awry as the final buzzer sounded.
The stat line of the game was 28 turnovers. Yes 28. They committed 19 in the first half, averaging nearly a turnover a minute.
Making the whole experience that much worse was that the radio feed kept going in and out during the second half, leaving listeners perilously wondering whether Brendan Winters tying shot would go in. It didn't.
We now need Furman and UNCG to win this weekend for a chance at a first place seed. But if we lose to CofC, we could finish as low as fifth in the conference.

Bob

I did an interview with Coach McKillop recently and the thing that really stood out to me is the way in which he has really been tweeking things this season.

If you've read the Observer articles about funky practices, then you might have some idea about what I am talking about. Coach McKillop has realized the invaluable asset of coaching teams individually instead of just coaching to a recruited system. While he certainly finds players who have good shots, toughness inside and intelligence, he has also realized that every player cannot be coached the same way.

This group of seniors could very well be deemed the most prolific class in recent memory with outstanding records to their honor. However, they also might be the most sensitive and thinking class in a while.

Every day, Brendan Winters must face himself and realize that he is not his father and does not have an obligation to match his father's accomplishments. He cannot allow himself to take full blame for every Wildcat loss, and so coach has played him less to make him feel less like the franchise player. Brendan performs better as one of the cogs in the wheel, not the mule pulling the truck (like J.J. Redick).

At the end of warmups, Matt McKillop always secures a ball to shoot a spot-up three-pointer right before he joins his team on the bench. While there is no statistical correlation between his hitting a shot and a strong performance, the fact that he always has take a meaningful chance is a sports psychologist's wonderland.

In key situations in losses this year, Kenny Grant has always unilaterally driven the lane in the hopes of a defensive foul after saving the Princeton game in 2005. However, his lack of vision for a pass created charges against Charlotte, Western and Wofford and turned the momentum over to the opponent.

Coach McKillop has done several things to try to "take the pressure off" and help the players where they are. From the tip to 17 minute mark of the Wofford road game, he sat at the end of the bench and didn't say a word. He has used props in practice to lighten the tone and keep the players loose. He has been more visible on campus, joking with the guys and their friends in the Union.

On this last week of the regular season, everyone realizes that Coach McKillop is not a monolithic source of strategy and yelling. He has been touched by the integrity and intensity of the Davidson fan base. He relishes the remaining weeks of coaching his son and other special Seniors. And he knows that every player has a real life. Basketball is life, and yet it isn't. So whether or not we hit the last shot to win the tournament, life will go on for very special people; and coach McKillop has let them know that. Now hopefully they can finally hit that shot.

Win over Furman

This 2005-2006 basketball season has been a tale of two teams. Or has it? One could look at Davidson's conference leading margin of victory and home wins over the likes of Missouri and St. Joe's and be convinced that this is one of the best Wildcat squads in recent history. One also might argue that inconsistency has plagued a team that has lost four out of seven conference road games, and has not been able to come back from a halftime deficit. However, this team has continued to claw through every opponent they have faced this season and have not relinquished until the final buzzer sounded.
Last Saturday, the Wildcats epitomized Coach McKillop's philosophy of playing one game at a time, enjoying the moment, and moving on to the next play.
Taking on the team that broke the Wildcats' remarkable record for conference victories, the Wildcats (16-9, 9-4) gave the Furman Paladins a lesson in aggressive, fundamental basketball. Davidson jumped out to a 28-9 lead in the first half that was capped off by a Jason Morton '06 three-pointer, his eleventh in a row dating back to the Wofford game. That mark set a new team and conference record for consecutive three-point baskets. Like so many opponents before them this year, Furman seemed stunned in the first half and they were never able to claw their way closer than 15 points, falling by a final margin of 77-59.
The Wildcats were paced by a double-double from Thomas Sander '08 who finished with 10 points and 11 rebounds and Ian Johnson '06 who finished with a game-high 20 points. The Wildcats finished with 34 points in the paint, showing the interior dominance that makes Davidson foes continually have to double down when the ball goes down low. Davidson's seemingly newfound aggressive style found the Wildcats picking up unprecedented amounts of offensive boards and second chance points. Morton and Matt McKillop '06 sparked a defensive effort worthy of praise as they resoundingly shut down the Paladin perimeter game, holding shooters Eric Webb and Robby Bostain to just 10 total points, and 1-4 from three point range.
"I really thought Matt showed some grit out there today," said head coach Bob McKillop. "We played with high energy and I'm really proud of our guys."
Apart from the College of Charleston, Davidson has faced all of the top five teams in the Southern Conference at Belk Arena and come away with resounding victories. In a great departure from last year's heart-stopping close thrillers, Davidson has opened up games in the first half this season, holding a 9.5 average margin of victory that leads the Southern Conference.
Kenny Grant '06 continued to direct the floor as he dished out a game-high nine assists, helping to maintain Davidson's top assist mark in the conference and ranking of sixth in the nation.
"Our hallmark is unselfish play that opens up the floor," said coach McKillop. "And Kenny has really developed into the floor leader that keeps that together."
The victory over Furman also marked a pivotal performance by the Davidson fan base. After consecutive home games with underwhelming attendance, the Wildcat supporters showed up in droves and waved their white towels in an impressive display for the TV cameras.
"People don't realize how much the crowd can affect the outcome of a game," said coach McKillop. "Our players thrive off of their energy which makes it louder. It is a mutual relationship."
Sitting tied for first place with Elon and Georgia Southern, Davidson's trip to Statesboro this Tuesday will be a pivotal game in the outcome of the season. If the Wildcats win, they are guaranteed their fifth straight division title and an automatic berth the NIT if they were to lose in the conference tournament. With a loss the Wildcats would have to beat the College of Charleston on Saturday and hope that the Eagles lose.

New Episode

Hey I finally got a new radio show online. You can go to www.listentowalt.com/sports to download it. Although my co-host was a little distracted, I think the show came out pretty well. Enjoy!