Davidson Trio Receives Preseason Recognition; Men's Basketball Picked First
10/31/2007 3:59:05 PM | Men's Basketball
Joey Beeler -- Assistant SID
DAVIDSON, N.C. -- Jason Richards, Thomas Sander and Stephen Curry have been named to the 2007-08 Preseason All-SoCon team, while two-time defending champion Davidson, was the unanimous selection to win the South Division title as voted on by the 11 league head coaches.
Along with being named to the Naismith Trophy Watch List and nominated for the coveted John R. Wooden Award last week, Curry was selected as the SoCon's Preseason Player of the Year. The son of former NBA sharpshooter Dell Curry, Stephen (pronounced STEFF-in) concluded his debut season in a Wildcat uniform with 730 points (21.5 ppg.) to lead the Southern Conference and an NCAA freshman single-season record 122 three-pointers.
A year ago, Curry ranked among national leaders in three statistical categories (scoring, three-pointers made and threes per game) and reached 20 points in 19 of the 33 games in which he scored double figures. The three-time SoCon Player of the Week broke five Davidson school records during his debut campaign, including the single-season scoring record for points by a freshman. Just the third Wildcat ever to receive SoCon Freshman of the Year honors, Curry connected on 40.8 percent (122-299) of his attempts from long range, while pacing the league in free throw percentage with a clip of 85.5 percent (124-145). To go along with his remarkable shooting totals, he averaged 4.6 boards per game from his guard position.
In addition to earning SoCon first-team honors and league tournament MVP, Curry was selected for the SI.com All-Mid-Major Honorable Mention, as well as to the NABC District 5 Second Team. The Charlotte native was also tabbed by Collegehoops.net as its Mid-Major Freshman of the Year, and to the All-Freshmen Second Team, Mid-Major All-Freshmen, and Mid-Major All-American units. CollegeInsider.com selected Curry as its Mid-Major Freshman of the Year, while including him on its Freshmen All-America Team and Mid-Major All-America Team. He was also voted to the SN/Rivals.com All-Freshmen Team in addition to earning SoCon Player of the Month honors three times.
Over Davidson's final 14 contests, 13 of which were victories, Curry averaged 25.3 points while shooting an impressive 50.4 percent (115-228) from the floor and drilled 60-of-138 (43.4 percent) tries from the outside for an average of 4.3 per game.
Like his fellow backcourt mate, Richards has also been nominated for a prestigious postseason accolade, the Bob Cousy Award. A senior from Barrington, Ill., the Wildcat point guard finished second nationally in assists (249) and assists per game (7.3). A first-team all-league selection by the SoCon head coaches in 2006-07, Richards led the conference in assists, assists per game and assists-to-turnover ratio, while rating 12th in scoring (13.5), fourth in free-throw percentage (.811) and minutes per game (34.3), plus eighth in steals per outing (1.5).
A SoCon all-tournament team member a year ago, Richards had six contests with 10 or more set ups and broke Davidson's single-game record and tied the SoCon mark with 19 assists against Mount Saint Mary. To go along with his three double-doubles via points and assists, Richards earned MVP honors at the Arizona State Sleep America Classic after leading the Wildcats to wins over Ohio and Arizona State.
A native of Cincinnati, Ohio, Sander was selected to the 2006-07 All-SoCon second team after averaging more than 13 points and six rebounds per outing. As a junior, Sander scored in double figures 21 times and reached the 20-point plateau on six separate occasions. The 6-8 forward also recorded five double-doubles last season to run his career total to nine.
In Davidson's SoCon opener with Elon at Belk Arena, Sander set new personal standards for points scored and rebounds with 30 and 14, respectively. In the Wildcats convincing win over the Phoenix, Sander went 10-for-20 from the floor and missed just one of his nine attempts from the charity stripe.
While leading Davidson to the 2006 Arizona State Sleep America Classic Championship with wins over Ohio and the host Sun Devils, the three-year starter averaged 13.5 points and 5.0 rebounds per game to join fellow tri-captains Boris Meno and Jason Richards on the All-Tournament Team.
Joining the Wildcat trio on the preseason All-SoCon team were Kyle Hines of UNC Greensboro, last year's Player of the Year, Shane Nichols (Wofford), Drew Gibson (Wofford), Donte Minter (Appalachian State), Jermaine Johnson (College of Charleston), Louis Graham (Georgia Southern) and Nick Aldridge (Western Carolina).
Georgia Southern is predicted to finish second in the South behind the Wildcats, while College of Charleston earned one first-place vote and is picked third followed by Wofford, Furman and The Citadel.
Like Davidson, UNC Greensboro received the maximum first-place votes and was voted the win the North Division, while Appalachian State was tabbed second. Following the Spartans and Mountaineers are Western Carolina, Chattanooga and Elon.
Returning all five starters and 11 letterwinners from a team that won a school-record 29 games last season and advanced to their second-straight NCAA Tournament, Bob McKillop and his Wildcats will open their 2007-08 slate with an exhibition contest against Lenoir-Rhyne Wednesday at Belk Arena. Davidson's only scheduled preseason affair will tip at 7 p.m., two days before battling Emory in its regular season / home opener Friday, Nov. 9 at 8 p.m.
Southern Conference Coaches Preseason Poll
North Division (First Place Votes)
UNC Greensboro (10) - 60
Appalachian State (1) - 47
Western Carolina - 42
Chattanooga - 35
Elon - 26
South Division
Davidson (10) - 60
Georgia Southern - 48
College of Charleston (1) - 43
Wofford - 35
Furman - 24
The Citadel - 15
Preseason Player of the Year
Stephen Curry, Davidson
Preseason Coaches All-SoCon Team
Stephen Curry (Davidson)
Kyle Hines (UNC Greensboro)
Nick Aldridge (Western Carolina)
Louis Graham (Georgia Southern)
Jason Richards (Davidson)
Donte Minter (Appalachian State)
Jermaine Johnson (College of Charleston)
Thomas Sander (Davidson)
Shane Nichols (Wofford)
Drew Gibson (Wofford)
Along with being named to the Naismith Trophy Watch List and nominated for the coveted John R. Wooden Award last week, Curry was selected as the SoCon's Preseason Player of the Year. The son of former NBA sharpshooter Dell Curry, Stephen (pronounced STEFF-in) concluded his debut season in a Wildcat uniform with 730 points (21.5 ppg.) to lead the Southern Conference and an NCAA freshman single-season record 122 three-pointers.
A year ago, Curry ranked among national leaders in three statistical categories (scoring, three-pointers made and threes per game) and reached 20 points in 19 of the 33 games in which he scored double figures. The three-time SoCon Player of the Week broke five Davidson school records during his debut campaign, including the single-season scoring record for points by a freshman. Just the third Wildcat ever to receive SoCon Freshman of the Year honors, Curry connected on 40.8 percent (122-299) of his attempts from long range, while pacing the league in free throw percentage with a clip of 85.5 percent (124-145). To go along with his remarkable shooting totals, he averaged 4.6 boards per game from his guard position.
In addition to earning SoCon first-team honors and league tournament MVP, Curry was selected for the SI.com All-Mid-Major Honorable Mention, as well as to the NABC District 5 Second Team. The Charlotte native was also tabbed by Collegehoops.net as its Mid-Major Freshman of the Year, and to the All-Freshmen Second Team, Mid-Major All-Freshmen, and Mid-Major All-American units. CollegeInsider.com selected Curry as its Mid-Major Freshman of the Year, while including him on its Freshmen All-America Team and Mid-Major All-America Team. He was also voted to the SN/Rivals.com All-Freshmen Team in addition to earning SoCon Player of the Month honors three times.
Over Davidson's final 14 contests, 13 of which were victories, Curry averaged 25.3 points while shooting an impressive 50.4 percent (115-228) from the floor and drilled 60-of-138 (43.4 percent) tries from the outside for an average of 4.3 per game.
Like his fellow backcourt mate, Richards has also been nominated for a prestigious postseason accolade, the Bob Cousy Award. A senior from Barrington, Ill., the Wildcat point guard finished second nationally in assists (249) and assists per game (7.3). A first-team all-league selection by the SoCon head coaches in 2006-07, Richards led the conference in assists, assists per game and assists-to-turnover ratio, while rating 12th in scoring (13.5), fourth in free-throw percentage (.811) and minutes per game (34.3), plus eighth in steals per outing (1.5).
A SoCon all-tournament team member a year ago, Richards had six contests with 10 or more set ups and broke Davidson's single-game record and tied the SoCon mark with 19 assists against Mount Saint Mary. To go along with his three double-doubles via points and assists, Richards earned MVP honors at the Arizona State Sleep America Classic after leading the Wildcats to wins over Ohio and Arizona State.
A native of Cincinnati, Ohio, Sander was selected to the 2006-07 All-SoCon second team after averaging more than 13 points and six rebounds per outing. As a junior, Sander scored in double figures 21 times and reached the 20-point plateau on six separate occasions. The 6-8 forward also recorded five double-doubles last season to run his career total to nine.
In Davidson's SoCon opener with Elon at Belk Arena, Sander set new personal standards for points scored and rebounds with 30 and 14, respectively. In the Wildcats convincing win over the Phoenix, Sander went 10-for-20 from the floor and missed just one of his nine attempts from the charity stripe.
While leading Davidson to the 2006 Arizona State Sleep America Classic Championship with wins over Ohio and the host Sun Devils, the three-year starter averaged 13.5 points and 5.0 rebounds per game to join fellow tri-captains Boris Meno and Jason Richards on the All-Tournament Team.
Joining the Wildcat trio on the preseason All-SoCon team were Kyle Hines of UNC Greensboro, last year's Player of the Year, Shane Nichols (Wofford), Drew Gibson (Wofford), Donte Minter (Appalachian State), Jermaine Johnson (College of Charleston), Louis Graham (Georgia Southern) and Nick Aldridge (Western Carolina).
Georgia Southern is predicted to finish second in the South behind the Wildcats, while College of Charleston earned one first-place vote and is picked third followed by Wofford, Furman and The Citadel.
Like Davidson, UNC Greensboro received the maximum first-place votes and was voted the win the North Division, while Appalachian State was tabbed second. Following the Spartans and Mountaineers are Western Carolina, Chattanooga and Elon.
Returning all five starters and 11 letterwinners from a team that won a school-record 29 games last season and advanced to their second-straight NCAA Tournament, Bob McKillop and his Wildcats will open their 2007-08 slate with an exhibition contest against Lenoir-Rhyne Wednesday at Belk Arena. Davidson's only scheduled preseason affair will tip at 7 p.m., two days before battling Emory in its regular season / home opener Friday, Nov. 9 at 8 p.m.
Southern Conference Coaches Preseason Poll
North Division (First Place Votes)
UNC Greensboro (10) - 60
Appalachian State (1) - 47
Western Carolina - 42
Chattanooga - 35
Elon - 26
South Division
Davidson (10) - 60
Georgia Southern - 48
College of Charleston (1) - 43
Wofford - 35
Furman - 24
The Citadel - 15
Preseason Player of the Year
Stephen Curry, Davidson
Preseason Coaches All-SoCon Team
Stephen Curry (Davidson)
Kyle Hines (UNC Greensboro)
Nick Aldridge (Western Carolina)
Louis Graham (Georgia Southern)
Jason Richards (Davidson)
Donte Minter (Appalachian State)
Jermaine Johnson (College of Charleston)
Thomas Sander (Davidson)
Shane Nichols (Wofford)
Drew Gibson (Wofford)
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