Davidson 2008 NCAA Tournament Capsule

Davidson Wildcats - Southern Conference (26-6, 20-0)

Seed: #10 - Midwest Region

RPI: 30

Big Wins: 2/13 at UNC Greensboro (83-78), 2/22 at Winthrop 60-47), 3/1 at Georgia Southern (89-69)

Bad Losses: 11/21 at Western Michigan (76-83), 12/5 at Charlotte (68-75), 12/21 at North Carolina State (65-66)

Last NCAA Appearance: 2007, First Round loss to Maryland

Coach: Bob McKillop (0-4 in 4 NCAA appearances)

Probable Davidson Starters:

• Jason Richards, Senior, Guard, 12.6 ppg, 8.0 apg, 3.2 rpg
• Stephen Curry, Sophomore, Guard, 25.1 ppg, 2.8 apg, 4.8 rpg
• Max Paulhus Gosselin, Junior, Guard, 3.4 ppg, 3.5 rpg
• Thomas Sander, Senior, Forward, 7.7 ppg, 5.0 rpg
• Andrew Lovedale, Junior, Forward, 6.4 ppg, 5.2 rpg

Key Davidson Roleplayers:

• Bryant Barr, Sophomore, Guard, 5.4 ppg, 1.1 rpg
• Stephen Rossiter, Sophomore, Forward, 3.2 ppg, 3.4 rpg
• William Archambault, Sophomore, Forward, 5.5 ppg, 2.0 rpg
• Boris Meno, Senior, Forward, 7.8 ppg, 5.8 rpg

Why They Can Surprise:
Not many teams, mid-major or not, can match Davidson’s backcourt. It all starts with sophomore Stephen Curry, who averages a smooth 25.1 points per game. Curry is a superb shooter and knocks down over four long balls per game. But he is not all about the three-pointers, Curry does a remarkable job getting to the basket and the free throw line (where he shoots 90 percent). If there is scoring to be done, Curry can do it.

The man who feeds him the ball is Jason Richards. The consistent senior averages a nation high 8.0 assists per contest. Surprisingly, over his last two years as a starter, Richards has turned into a great secondary scorer to Curry. In that regard he is a lot like Curry, but obviously less prolific. He will hit the long ball and get to the basket. His quickness to the basket will lead to many lay-ups or dishes off to his teammates. Max Paulhus Gosselin will not take many shots, in fact he should probably take even fewer, but he does all the little things to help the team succeed.

Why They Can Disappoint:
The three point shot is the great equalizer in college basketball, but Davidson can take too many. When Curry is knocking down 43.8 percent of his and sharpshooter off the bench Bryant Barr is nearly reaching the 42 percent mark, it is not a bad thing for them to take some three’s. However, some others have a tendency to get into the three-point shooting contest when the team would be better off if they chose their shots more carefully. Yet, that is what has gotten Davidson to where they are, so if it works, who really cares. But if the shots are not falling, the Wildcats will have trouble getting the upset.

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Who To Watch:
It is not just about the backcourt. Thomas Sander, Andre Lovedale and Boris Meno are all experienced players who share the minute at the forward spots. Sander is the best scorer of the bunch and can spread out the defense, although he is one of those guys who takes too many three-pointers. Meno and Lovedale have split starts this season. Meno is a little better scorer, but Lovedale is more efficient on the offensive end. Both are decent rebounders and lead the way to the team’s positive rebounding margin.

By the Numbers:

Scoring Offense: 78.7 (23 nd in nation, 1 st in conference)

Scoring Defense: 62.9 (51, 1)

Field-Goal Percentage: 47.3 (37, 2)

Field-Goal Defense: 41.5 (69, 2)

Three-Point Field Goals Per Game: 9.1 (17, 2)

Three-Point Field-Goal Percentage: 36.4 (113, 4)

Free-Throw Percentage: 71.9 (85, 1)

Rebound Margin: 4.3 (44, 2)

Assists Per Game: 17.3 (16, 1)

Turnovers Per Game: 12.2 (23, 1)

Joel’s Bracket Says: Second Round loss to Georgetown

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