Saturday, February 21
Davidson, N.C.
12:00 p.m.
Davidson College
vs
No. 21/22 Butler
Wildcats Host Bulldogs Saturday at Noon
2/20/2009 7:21:42 PM | Men's Basketball
Davidson Wildcats (22-5, 15-2 SoCon) vs. Butler Bulldogs (22-4, 13-3 Horizon)
ESPNU BracketBusters
Date: Feb. 21, 2009ESPNU BracketBusters
Time: Noon
Site: John M. Belk Arena (5,223 capacity) - Davidson, N.C.
Audio: John Kilgo calls the action on the Davidson Radio Network (1350 AM, 610 AM, online on Teamline); Also broadcast live on Westwood One with Bill Rosinski calling the game and Dave Odom providing color analysis
Video: Televised live on ESPN with Brad Nessler calling the action and Jimmy Dykes providing the color analysis
Web sites: Davidson (www.DavidsonWildcats.com), Butler (www.butlersports.com)
Layup Line
• Davidson continues a four-game homestand by hosting No. 21/22 Butler in its final non-conference game of the season.
• It's an ESPNU BracketBusters showdown, and the noon game will be televised live on ESPN.
• The contest will also be broadcast live nationally on the Westwood One Radio Network.
• Davidson made its first appearance in the BracketBusters last season and defeated Winthrop 60-47 on the road en route to a 25-game winning streak and a spot in the NCAA Tournament Midwest Regional championship game.
• As part of the agreement, the 'Cats will play a return game at Butler in November or December of the 2009-10 season.
• It's the Wildcats' first contest against a ranked team since a 79-67 loss at Duke Jan. 7.
• It's the first time Davidson has hosted a team ranked in the AP?Poll in Belk Arena since Dec. 3, 1997, when No. 24 Wake Forest defeated the 'Cats 61-56. Davidson “hosted” No. 1 North Carolina and No. 7 Duke at Time Warner Cable Arena in Charlotte last season.
• Davidson is 13-74 when playing a ranked opponent, including 0-3 this season.
• The 'Cats have won 12 of their last 14 overall but are coming off a 64-46 Southern Conference setback to The Citadel Wednesday.
• Davidson has won 27 of its last 29 in Belk Arena, including a 10-2 record this season.
• Davidson boasts a 203-60 (.771) all-time record in Belk Arena.
• Three of Davidson's final four games of the regular season are at home.
• Junior guard Stephen Curry needs 70 points to pass John Gerdy and become Davidson's all-time leading scorer.
• Curry needs 161 points to pass Skip Henderson (Marshall, 1983-88) to become the all-time leading scorer in Southern Conference history.
• Curry, who leads the nation in scoring, has been named one of 17 finalists for the Bob Cousy Award, presented annually to the nation's top point guard.
• Curry has moved into the top-10 in NCAA Division I career 3-pointers. He is 10th with 386 and 26 away from moving into the top-5.
• Davidson has now tallied 20-plus wins for the fifth straight season. It's the ninth time the 'Cats have posted 20 wins under head coach Bob McKillop. It's the first time in Davidson history the 'Cats have had five consecutive 20-win seasons.
• With 10 SoCon wins this season, McKillop has now led the Wildcats to double-digit league victories 15 times, including the last eight campaigns.
• Butler enters the game having won 14 of their last 17 contests, but has lost its last two, including a 63-60 decision at Milwaukee Wednesday.
• Today's game will be the Bulldogs' fourth in the last nine days.
• Butler is 10-3 on the road this season.
• The Bulldogs are the only team in the Horizon League without a senior on their roster.
Kicks From 'Cats
• Davidson College and Samaritan's Feet are sponsoring Kicks from 'Cats – The Andrew Lovedale Shoe Drive at today's game.
• Kicks from 'Cats will be supported by a White Out, and special white shirts are available for purchase in the Davidson College Bookstore and online. Proceeds will support the cost of shipping the shoes to Africa.
• People coming to the game are also asked to bring a new pair of shoes, preferably basketball shoes in men's size 3 and up. The shoes will be distributed to people who need them in Benin City, and perhaps elsewhere in Nigeria.
• Shoes will be collected and sorted at the game by Davidson students, a group of alumni organized by Pete Ashcraft '57, and Samaritan's Feet, a non-profit organization dedicated to changing lives through Shoes of Hope distributions around the world. Samaritan's Feet will also coordinate the complicated logistics associated with shipping and distribution in Nigeria.
• Lovedale hails from Benin City, Nigeria, and only makes it home once every year.
• When he does go back to Nigeria, he collects used gear (shoes, shorts, shirts, basketballs) from his teammates to take home and distribute to his less fortunate countrymen. He fills as many bags as the airlines will allow and comes back to the US with nothing.
• The 23-year-old senior political science major estimates that he has taken 10 bags over since his freshman season.
• Lovedale says there are many interested in basketball in Nigeria, but they do not have the proper equipment. He wants to help give them the chance to learn the sport that has given him the opportunity to go to school in the United States.
• He was nominated for the Lowe's Senior CLASS Award, which recognizes student-athletes for great achievement during competition and in their community while staying in school.
Series History
• Davidson and Butler have never met on the hardwood.
• The two schools do have some familiarity as they are both members of the Pioneer Football League, an NCAA FCS conference.
• The Wildcats and Bulldogs have met five times on the gridiron with Davidson holding a 5-0 edge in the series.
• The 'Cats defeated Butler 46-34 in the 2008 season finale at Davidson's Richardson Stadium.
• The Pioneer Football League includes Dayton, Drake, San Diego, Valparaiso, Jacksonville, Campbell and Morehead State.
Leftovers From The Citadel Game
• Curry missed the first game of his college career, having appeared in all 96 previous contests.
• With three blocked shots, Lovedale moved into a tie for third place on both the Davidson single-season and career blocks list.
• He now has 43 swats on the year and is two away from becoming the third player in school history with 100 career blocks.
• It was the eighth straight sellout in Belk Arena.
Claw Marks
• Davidson has held its opponents under 40 percent shooting in 15 games this season and has won all 15.
• The Wildcats have outrebounded their opponent in 18 games this season and have won all 18.
• Stephen Curry has hit the 20-point mark in 70 career games, the 30-point mark in 27 outings and the 40-point plateau five times. He owns the school record for career games with 40 or more and career contests with 30 or more.
• The 'Cats won a hard-fought road game, 55-52, at Samford Jan. 31. It was the first time Davidson scored 55 or less and won since a 53-48 home victory over UNC Greensboro Feb. 5, 2002.
• Davidson held Furman to 13 second-half points Jan. 21. The Paladins were held to four points in the first 17:10 of the stanza.
• Davidson set a school record with 25 steals against Guilford Nov. 14. Curry and Max Paulhus Gosselin combined for 17.
• The 'Cats' victory over NC?State Dec. 6 was their first against an ACC school since defeating North Carolina 58-54 in Chapel Hill Nov. 20, 2001.
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