Davidson Wildcats men's basketball | |||
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University | Davidson College | ||
Head coach | Matt McKillop (3rd season) | ||
Conference | Atlantic 10 | ||
Location | Davidson, North Carolina | ||
Arena | John M. Belk Arena (capacity: 5,223) | ||
Nickname | Wildcats | ||
Student section | D-Block | ||
Colors | Red and black [1] | ||
Uniforms | |||
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NCAA tournament Elite Eight | |||
1968, 1969, 2008 | |||
NCAA tournament Sweet Sixteen | |||
1966, 1968, 1969, 2008 | |||
NCAA tournament round of 32 | |||
2008 | |||
NCAA tournament appearances | |||
1966, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1986, 1998, 2002, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2018, 2022 | |||
Conference tournament champions | |||
Southern Conference 1966, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1986, 1998, 2002, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2012, 2013 Atlantic 10 2018 | |||
Conference regular season champions | |||
Southern Conference 1964, 1965, 1966, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1981, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2012, 2013, 2014 Atlantic 10 2015, 2022 |
The Davidson Wildcats basketball team is the basketball team that represents Davidson College in Davidson, North Carolina, in the NCAA. The school's team currently competes in the Atlantic 10 Conference. The team last played in the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament in 2022. The Wildcats are currently coached by Matt McKillop, in his third season after succeeding his father Bob after the 2021–22 season. Davidson plays its home games at the Belk Arena in Baker Sports Complex on the school's campus.
The Wildcats have appeared in 15 NCAA Tournaments. Their combined record is 8–16.
Year | Round | Opponent | Result |
---|---|---|---|
1966 | First Round Sweet Sixteen Regional third place Game | Rhode Island Syracuse Saint Joseph's | W 95–68 L 78–94 L 76–92 |
1968 | First Round Sweet Sixteen Elite Eight | St. John's Columbia North Carolina | W 79–70 W 61–59OT L 66–70 |
1969 | First Round Sweet Sixteen Elite Eight | Villanova St. John's North Carolina | W 75–61 W 79–69 L 85–87 |
1970 | First Round | St. Bonaventure | L 72–85 |
1986 | First Round | Kentucky | L 55–75 |
1998 | First Round | Michigan | L 61–80 |
2002 | First Round | Ohio State | L 64–69 |
2006 | First Round | Ohio State | L 62–70 |
2007 | First Round | Maryland | L 70–82 |
2008 | First Round Second Round Sweet Sixteen Elite Eight | Gonzaga Georgetown Wisconsin Kansas | W 82–76 W 74–70 W 73–56 L 57–59 |
2012 | Second Round | Louisville | L 62–69 |
2013 | Second Round | Marquette | L 58–59 |
2015 | Second Round | Iowa | L 52–83 |
2018 | First Round | Kentucky | L 73–78 |
2022 | First Round | #7 Michigan State | L 73–74 |
In 2008, Davidson defeated the Gonzaga Bulldogs, Georgetown Hoyas, and Wisconsin Badgers to advance to the Elite Eight. The Wildcats nearly made the Final Four, but lost to the eventual champion Kansas Jayhawks 57–59. Prior to their Sweet Sixteen matchup, the college's board of trustees supplied students with tickets, transportation and lodging for the Sweet Sixteen and Elite Eight games. [2] Following the tournament, the Wildcats earned a number 9 ranking in the ESPN/USA Today poll. [3] Stephen Curry, who has since become a two-time NBA MVP with the Golden State Warriors, was the leading scorer of this team.
The Wildcats have appeared in nine National Invitation Tournaments. Their combined record is 3–9.
Year | Round | Opponent | Result |
---|---|---|---|
1972 | First Round | Syracuse | L 77–81 |
1994 | First Round | West Virginia | L 69–85 |
1996 | First Round | South Carolina | L 73–100 |
2005 | Opening Round First Round Second Round | VCU SW Missouri State Maryland | W 77–62 W 82–71 L 63–78 |
2009 | First Round Second Round | South Carolina Saint Mary's | W 70–63 L 68–80 |
2014 | First Round | Missouri | L 77–85 |
2016 | First Round | Florida State | L 74–84 |
2019 | First Round | Lipscomb | L 81–89 |
2021 | First Round | NC State | L 61–75 |
The Wildcats have appeared in one College Basketball Invitational. Their record is 1–1.
Year | Round | Opponent | Result |
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2011 | First Round Quarterfinals | James Madison Creighton | W 85–65 L 92–102 |
In a system ranked by ESPN, Davidson was listed as the #44 Basketball Program [4] of the last 50 years (1962–2012) based on its on the court accomplishments during that period. (out of 309 Division I programs that qualified)
"Positives: Under Lefty Driesell, the Wildcats were a powerhouse in the 1960s, racking up seven 20-win seasons in an eight-year span. The ’64–65 team was AP preseason No. 4 and boasted future NBA No. 1 pick Fred Hetzel. Nine combined conference titles (Regular season & Conference Tournaments) since 2005."
Per athletic department policy, number and/or jersey retirement is reserved for players who have earned bachelor's degrees at Davidson. While six players have had jerseys retired, Stephen Curry is the first to have his number retired. Curry qualified after completing his bachelor's degree in May 2022. During the retirement ceremony held on August 31, 2022, Curry not only had his number retired, but also entered Davidson's athletic hall of fame and physically received his Davidson diploma. [5] [6]
Davidson Wildcats retired numbers | |||||
No. | Player | Pos. | Tenure | No. ret. | Ref. |
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30 | Stephen Curry | PG | 2006–2009 | 2022 | [7] |
Honored, but numbers are still active:
No. | Player | Tenure |
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10 | Dick Snyder | 1963–1966 |
11 | Derek Rucker | 1984–1988 |
21 | Hobby Cobb | 1952–1956 |
33 | John Gerdy | 1975–1979 |
42 | Terry Holland | 1961–1964 |
42 | Fred Hetzel | 1962–1965 |
Player | Year(s) | Team(s) |
---|---|---|
Fred Hetzel | 1964 | Consensus Second Team – AP (2nd), NABC (2nd), UPI (3rd) |
1965 | Consensus First Team – AP (1st), USBWA (1st), NABC (1st), UPI (1st) | |
Dick Snyder | 1966 | Consensus Second Team – AP (2nd), USBWA (1st), UPI (2nd) |
Mike Maloy | 1969 | Consensus Second Team – AP (2nd), USBWA (1st), NABC (3rd), UPI (3rd) |
1970 | AP (3rd), NABC (3rd), UPI (3rd) | |
Stephen Curry | 2008 | Consensus Second Team – AP (2nd), Sporting News (2nd) |
2009 | Consensus First Team – AP (1st), USBWA (1st), NABC (1st), Sporting News (1st) |
Player | Years active | Teams | Highlights |
---|---|---|---|
Stephen Curry | 2009–present | Golden State Warriors | 4× NBA champion (2015, 2017, 2018, 2022); 2× NBA Most Valuable Player (2015, 2016); NBA Finals MVP (2022); NBA All-Star Game MVP (2022); NBA Western Conference finals MVP (2022); NBA Clutch Player of the Year (2024); 10× NBA All-Star (2014–2019, 2021–2024); 10× All-NBA (first team: 2015, 2016, 2019, 2021; second team: 2014, 2017, 2022, 2023; third team: 2018, 2024); Olympic gold medalist (2024) |
Fred Hetzel | 1965–1971 | San Francisco Warriors, Milwaukee Bucks, Cincinnati Royals, Philadelphia 76ers, Los Angeles Lakers | Top overall pick in the 1965 NBA draft |
Rod Knowles | 1968–1969 | Phoenix Suns, New York Nets | |
Mike Maloy | 1970–1973 | Virginia Squires, Dallas Chaparrals | |
Dick Snyder | 1966–1979 | St. Louis Hawks, Phoenix Suns, Seattle SuperSonics, Cleveland Cavaliers | NBA champion (1979) |
Brandon Williams | 1997–2003 | Golden State Warriors, San Antonio Spurs, Atlanta Hawks |
Charles Grice "Lefty" Driesell was an American college basketball coach. He was the first coach to win more than 100 games at four different NCAA Division I schools, Driesell led the programs of Davidson College, the University of Maryland, James Madison University, and Georgia State University. He earned a reputation as "the greatest program builder in the history of basketball." At the time of his retirement in 2003, he was the fourth-winningest NCAA Division I men's basketball college coach, with 21 seasons of 20 or more wins, and 21 conference or conference tournament titles. Driesell played college basketball at Duke University.
Michael Terrence Holland was an American college athletics administrator and basketball player and coach. Holland served as the head men's basketball coach at Davidson College from 1969 to 1974 and at the University of Virginia from 1974 to 1990, compiling a career college basketball coaching record of 418–216. Following his retirement from coaching, Holland was the athletic director at Davidson from 1990 to 1994, at Virginia from 1994 to 2001, and at East Carolina from 2004 to 2013.
Robert McKillop is an American college basketball coach who is the former head coach of the Davidson Wildcats men's team of the Atlantic 10 Conference. He has a 100 percent graduation rate for his players during a 33-year tenure.
Wardell Stephen Curry II is an American professional basketball player and point guard for the Golden State Warriors of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Near-unanimously considered the greatest shooter of all time, Curry is credited with revolutionizing the sport by inspiring teams and players at all levels to more prominently utilize the three-point shot. He is a four-time NBA champion, a two-time NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP), an NBA Finals MVP, an NBA All-Star Game MVP, an NBA Clutch Player of the Year, and the inaugural NBA Western Conference finals MVP. He is also a two-time NBA scoring champion, a ten-time NBA All-Star, and a ten-time All-NBA selection. Internationally, he has won two gold medals at the FIBA World Cup and a gold medal at the 2024 Summer Olympics as part of the U.S. men's national team.
Fred B. Hetzel is an American former professional basketball player. He was an All-American college player for Davidson College. Hetzel was the No. 1 overall pick in the 1965 NBA draft by the San Francisco Warriors and played six seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA).
The Maryland Terrapins men's basketball team represents the University of Maryland in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I competition. Maryland, a founding member of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC), left the ACC in 2014 to join the Big Ten Conference. Gary Williams, who coached the Terrapins from 1989 to 2011, led the program to its greatest success, including two consecutive Final Fours in 2001 and 2002, which culminated in the 2002 NCAA National Championship. Maryland has appeared in 30 NCAA tournaments and won their conference tournament 4 times. The Terrapins have competed in 100 seasons, accumulating an overall record of 1,641–1,086 as of the 2022–23 season. Maryland is currently coached by Kevin Willard.
The Davidson Wildcats are the NCAA Division I intercollegiate athletics teams representing Davidson College of Davidson, North Carolina, United States. A member of the Atlantic 10 Conference (A-10), Davidson College sponsors teams in ten men's and nine women's NCAA sanctioned sports.
The 2008–09 Davidson Wildcats men's basketball team represented Davidson College in NCAA men's Division I competition. The Wildcats had emerged in recent years as a legitimate national power despite being a mid-major school with one of the smallest student bodies in the NCAA Division I. The team was given high expectations after advancing to the NCAA tournament Elite Eight in 2008.
Charles William Driesell is an American basketball coach who is the boys' varsity basketball head coach at the Maret School in Washington, D.C. Formerly a college basketball coach, Driesell served as an assistant coach under Gary Williams at the University of Maryland, spent six seasons as head coach at Marymount University, and was head coach at The Citadel from 2010 to 2015. He is the son of former Maryland coach Lefty Driesell, and played for his father's team in college. Driesell was named the new boys' basketball coach at the Maret School in Washington, D.C., in the summer of 2015.
The Lefty Driesell Defensive Player of the Year Award is an award given annually to the most outstanding men's college basketball defender in NCAA Division I competition. The award was established in 2010 and is named after head coach Lefty Driesell, who is the only head coach to amass 100 wins at four different Division I schools and is best remembered for his success with the Davidson Wildcats and Maryland Terrapins programs.
The 2007–08 Davidson Wildcats men's basketball team represented Davidson College in NCAA men's Division I competition during the 2007–08 NCAA Division I men's basketball season.
The 2017–18 Davidson Wildcats men's basketball team represented Davidson College during the 2017–18 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Wildcats were led by 29th-year head coach Bob McKillop and played their home games at the John M. Belk Arena in Davidson, North Carolina as fourth-year members of the Atlantic 10 Conference. They finished the season 21–12, 13–5 in the A-10 to finish in third place. In the A-10 tournament they defeated Saint Louis, St. Bonaventure, and Rhode Island to be A-10 Tournament champions. They received the A-10's automatic bid to the NCAA tournament where they lost in the first round to Kentucky.
Leroy Jevon Carter is an American professional basketball player for the Chicago Bulls of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the West Virginia Mountaineers. A point guard for the Mountaineers, Carter was known as one of the top defensive players in college basketball, winning the NABC Defensive Player of the Year and the Lefty Driesell Award after both his junior and senior seasons, and winning the inaugural Naismith Defensive Player of the Year in his final season.
Kellan Grady is an American professional basketball player for MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg of the Basketball Bundesliga (BBL), the top tier basketball league in Germany. He played college basketball for the Kentucky Wildcats and the Davidson Wildcats.
The 2006–07 Davidson Wildcats men's basketball team represented Davidson College in NCAA men's Division I competition during the 2006–07 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. Coached by Bob McKillop and led by freshman guard Stephen Curry, the Wildcats won the Southern Conference regular season and tournament titles, and reached the 2007 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament. The team finished with an overall record of 29–5.
The 2022–23 Davidson Wildcats men's basketball team represented Davidson College during the 2022–23 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Wildcats were led by first-year head coach Matt McKillop and played their home games at the John M. Belk Arena in Davidson, North Carolina as members of the Atlantic 10 Conference (A-10).
The 1967–68 Davidson Wildcats men's basketball team represented Davidson College in NCAA men's Division I competition during the 1967–68 NCAA University Division men's basketball season. Led by head coach Lefty Driesell, the team played its home games at Johnston Gym. The Wildcats finished first in the Southern Conference regular season standings and won the Southern Conference tournament to receive an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament – the school's fourth appearance in five years. Davidson finished win an overall record of 24–5.
The 1968–69 Davidson Wildcats men's basketball team represented Davidson College in NCAA men's Division I competition during the 1968–69 NCAA University Division men's basketball season. Led by head coach Lefty Driesell, the team played its home games at Johnston Gym. The Wildcats finished first in the Southern Conference regular season standings and won the Southern Conference tournament to receive an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament – the school's fourth appearance in five years. Davidson finished win an overall record of 27–3.
Douglas T. Cook is an American former professional basketball player. He played college basketball for the Davidson Wildcats and was selected by the Cincinnati Royals as the 22nd overall pick in the 1970 NBA draft. Cook played professionally for one season with Virtus Bologna in Italy.