Davidson Wildcats
Southern Conference (26-7, 17-1)
Davidson got off to a bit of a slow start, but the non-conference slate turned out to be extremely difficult. They did manage to get wins over Vanderbilt and West Virginia. But after that the Wildcats got into Southern Conference play and continued to dominate. Coach Bob McKillop has been here before and he has the experience and talent to make a bit of noise in March.
Big Wins: 11/23 vs West Virginia (63-60), 12/29 at Richmond (70-64), 2/23 Montana (93-87)
Bad Losses: 11/17 at Milwaukee (68-73), 12/22 at Drexel (58-69), 1/14 at Georgia Southern (57-70)
Coach: Bob McKillop (24 seasons at Davidson)
Why They Can Surprise:
Coach McKillop has eight players he can depend on no matter what the situation. Of those eight players, seven of them are upperclassmen and five of them were starters last season. Forwards Jake Cohen and De’Mon Brooks lead the way. Cohen, a 6-10 senior, is a very difficult player to defend. He is a quality outside shooter and can simply shoot right over most opposing defenders. At the least he makes big men move out to the perimeter and opens up space in the paint for his teammates. Brooks is the tougher forward, but he is not too shabby when it comes to shooting either. The experience in the backcourt is just as prevalent. Chris Czerapowicz is an emerging wing who can use his size to score above the rim and help out on the glass. Nik Cochran is an amazingly accurate shooter from long range and J.P. Kuhlman will find all of those scorers, while rarely turning the ball over.
Why They Can Disappoint:
Tyler Kalinoski, Clint Mann and Tom Droney all provide quality minutes off of the bench. Droney was a starter last season and Kalinoski has earned a few starts this season. Going eight deep, Davidson can get up and down the floor while under control and put quite a few points on the board. However, the Wildcats can give up points in a hurry too. Cohen is a decent shot blocker, but he will not be the cause of much fear from opposing players. Cohen will also need help defending stronger post players. When Davidson needs to double team in the post, they will leave a shooter open and that has happened quite a bit this season.
Probable Starters:
J.P. Kuhlman, Senior, Guard, 8.1 ppg, 3.6 apg
Nik Cochran, Senior, Guard, 9.8 ppg, 3.4 apg
Chris Czerapowicz, Junior, Guard, 9.2 ppg, 5.1 rpg
De’Mon Brooks, Junior, Forward, 13.8 ppg, 6.2 rpg
Jake Cohen, Senior, Forward, 14.8 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 1.7 bpg
Key Roleplayers:
Tom Droney, Junior, Guard, 4.2 ppg, 2.1 apg
Tyler Kalinoski, Sophomore, Guard, 7.8 ppg, 1.7 apg
Clint Mann, Senior, Forward, 7.3 ppg, 3.0 rpg
By the Numbers:
Scoring Offense: 73.7 (42nd in nation, 1st in conference)
Scoring Defense: 62.4 (64, 3)
Field-Goal Percentage: 46.0 (50, 1)
Field-Goal Defense: 41.5 (115, 3)
Three-Point Field Goals Per Game: 7.7 (45, 2)
Three-Point Field-Goal Percentage: 37.2 (52, 1)
Free-Throw Percentage: 80.5 (1, 1)
Rebound Margin: 2.3 (109, 3)
Assists Per Game: 14.0 (97, 2)
Turnovers Per Game: 11.0 (23, 1)
Last Five Postseason Appearances:
2012 NCAA Second Round loss to Louisville
2011 CBI First Round win over James Madison
2011 CBI Second Round loss to Creighton
2009 NIT First Round win over South Carolina
2009 NIT Second Round loss to St. Mary's
2008 NCAA Round of 64 win over Gonzaga
2008 NCAA Round of 32 win over Georgetown
2008 NCAA Regional Semifinal win over Wisconsin
2008 NCAA Regional Final loss to Kansas
2007 NCAA Round of 64 loss to Maryland
*all team stats through 3/10
See All Men’s Basketball Postseason Capsules
