Davidson Finishes Road Trip at UMass Thursday

Davidson Wildcats (7-3) vs. UMass Minutemen (9-3)

Date: Dec. 22, 2011 - 7 p.m.
Site: Mullins Center (9,493 capacity) - Amherst, Mass.
Audio: John Kilgo calls the action with Logan Kosmalski and Ken Hall on the Davidson Radio Network (1660 AM, 1350 AM, 1450 AM, 104.7 HD3, online at DavidsonWildcats.com and mobile devices with Radio.com and TuneIn Radio Apps)
Video: Live on UMassAthletics.com
Web sites: Davidson (DavidsonWildcats.com), UMass (UMassAthletics.com)

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Layup Line
• Davidson finishes off a three-game road trip at UMass Thursday at 7 p.m. in the Mullins Center.
• The Wildcats are 17-6 in their last 23 games, dating back to last season. Davidson is coming off an 80-74 win over No. 12 Kansas (AP Poll) Monday in Kansas City. It was Davidson's first win over a ranked opponent since the Wildcats' Elite Eight run in 2008.
• The Wildcats are off to their best start since the 2008-09 season, when they began the campaign 8-1.
• Davidson is 3-2 on the road this season.
• Davidson returns seven of its top eight scorers and four starters from last season. Players who accounted for 81 percent of the team's scoring and 87 percent of the team's rebounding are back in uniform this year.
• JP Kuhlman and Jake Cohen were selected preseason All-SoCon by the league's coaches. Both players have been starters for the bulk of their careers.
• Kuhlman is 47 points away from 1,000 for his career, and Cohen is 62 points shy.
• The 'Cats, who have posted nine straight winning seasons, were picked to win the SoCon South Division in the league's Coaches and Media Polls.
• UMass enters the contest riding a three-game winning streak and is coming off a 72-67 home win over Quinnipiac last Saturday.
• Tonight's game opens a four-game homestand for the Minutemen, who are 5-0 in the Mullins Center this season.
• UMass was picked 12th in the A-10 Preseason Coaches Poll.
• The Minutemen have played two SoCon opponents this season. They opened their season with an 85-67 win over Elon and lost 85-61 to College of Charleston in the Battle 4 Atlantis in November.

Series History
• Davidson leads the all-time series, which began in 1982, 4-3.
• The Wildcats have won three of the last four, including a 63-61 decision in Belk Arena in the last meeting in 2009.
• Each of the last three contests have been decided by three points or less, and the game before that was a nine-point Wildcat win in overtime.
• Last time: Davidson's JP Kuhlman hit both ends of a one-and-one opportunity from the free-throw line, and UMass' Anthony Gurley's shot rolled off the rim as time expired as the Wildcats topped the Minutemen 63-61 in Belk Arena.
• With the game tied 61-61, Kuhlman drove left and had a path to the basket when Gurley was whistled for a hand check on the floor with 4.1 on the clock. After a timeout, Kuhlman drained two from the charity stripe to give the 'Cats a two-point lead.
• Davidson called a timeout to set up the defense, and UMass inbounded to Ricky Harris, who dribbled past half court and called another timeout with one second remaining. On the sideline out of bounds, the Minutemen tried a lob under the basket, but the ball got tipped off the glass and wound up in the hands of Gurley. His layup attempt rolled off the front of the rim as the final horn sounded.
• Kuhlman finished with 18 points for Davidson. Brendan McKillop scored 13 points, and Bryant Barr recorded nine points and six rebounds, hitting three 3-pointers in the first half. Jake Cohen collected eight points, four rebounds and three blocked shots.
• Harris led the Minutemen with 21 points, and Gurley finished with 17 points and seven rebounds.

Claw Marks
• JP Kuhlman has been named to the Cousy Award watch list. The award is given annually to the nation's best point guard.
• The Wildcats rank third in the nation in team free-throw percentage (.800).
• Davidson has made 20 or more free throws in four games this season.
• Davidson hit all of its free throws (14-for-14) against Duke Nov. 18, for the first time since 2008 (Appalachian State, 6-for-6).
• The Wildcats have led at halftime in nine games this season.
• Davidson did not give up a 3-pointer at UNCW Nov. 26 (0-for-3).

In-Season Honors
• Three different Wildcats have been named SoCon Player of the Week this season.
• Nik Cochran earned the honor Dec. 20, after leading Davidson with 21 points in an 80-74 win over No. 12 Kansas.
• JP Kuhlman was named SoCon Player of the Week Nov. 29, after scoring 21 points to lead Davidson to a 70-67 victory at UNC Wilmington.
• Jake Cohen was named SoCon Player of the Week Dec. 6, after averaging 21 points and six boards in a pair of league wins over Wofford and Furman.
• De'Mon Brooks was named All-SoCon for the month of November by CollegeHoops.net

Davidson Milestone Watch
• Jake Cohen is 58 blocked shots away from breaking the school record. Frank Ben-Eze needs 25 to crack the top-10.
• Cohen needs 62 points for 1,000, and 179 rebounds to crack the top-20.
• JP Kuhlman needs 47 points for 1,000.

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