M. Basketball Takes on Elon in SoCon Semis

1S Davidson Wildcats (23-7) vs. 2N Elon Phoenix (15-15)

Date: March 4, 2012 - 8:30 p.m.
Site: U.S. Cellular Center (6,600 capacity) - Asheville, N.C.
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: ESPN3 (Darren Goldwater and Dean Keener)
Web sites: Davidson (DavidsonWildcats.com), Elon (ElonPhoenix.com)

Full game notes (PDF)
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Layup Line
• Davidson continues play in its 57th Southern Conference Tournament in the semifinal round Sunday. The No. 1S Wildcats will take on No. 2N Elon at 8:30 p.m. in the U.S. Cellular Center.
• The contest will be televised live on ESPN3 and the SoCon Sports Network with Darren Goldwater and Dean Keener calling the action.
• Davidson and Elon played just once in the regular season, and the Wildcats earned a 66-45 victory at home Feb. 23.
• The Wildcats are 3-1 all-time against the Phoenix in the SoCon Tournament, and Elon's victory came in the last meeting, a 66-59 decision in 2010 in Charlotte.
• The Wildcats are led by two SoCon Players of the Year. De'Mon Brooks earned the honor from the SoCon coaches, and Jake Cohen got the award from the media association. While the media association (began voting in 1951-52) and the coaches (began voting in 1989-90) have differed on their selections over the years, it's the first time two players from the same team have split the honor.
• Davidson coach Bob McKillop was named Coach of the Year in the coaches' poll. It's his eighth SoCon Coach of the Year distinction.
• The Wildcats are 16-3 in their last 19 contests and are coming off a 73-54 win over Furman in the SoCon Tournament quarterfinal round Saturday night.
• The win over Furman snapped a three-game SoCon Tournament losing streak for Davidson. The Wildcats lost their first game in each of the last two tournaments.
• This will be the sixth meeting between Davidson coach Bob McKillop and Elon coach Matt Matheny. Matheny, who is in his third year with the Phoenix, was an assistant coach on McKillop's staff for 16 seasons.
• Matheny played football and basketball for the Wildcats and is a 1992 Davidson graduate.
• Elon assistant coaches Tim Sweeney (2 years) and Will Roberson (3 years) were also members of McKillop's staff at Davidson, and Roberson is a 2002 Davidson graduate.
• The SoCon Tournament is in Asheville for the first time since 1995. Davidson played in the tournaments there from 1984-88 and from 1993-95.
• Davidson owns a 9-7 record in SoCon Tourney games in Asheville. The Wildcats won the tournament in 1986 and also advanced to the championship game in 1987 and 1994.
• Davidson is 17-14 overall in SoCon Tourney semifinal games and 3-1 all-time in semifinal games in Asheville.
• Saturday's win against Furman was Davidson's first neutral site contest this season (the Kansas game in Kansas City is considered a Jayhawk home game by the NCAA).
• Elon has won its last two since falling at Davidson Feb. 23. The Phoenix are coming off a 65-58 victory over Georgia Southern in the SoCon tourney quarterfinals Saturday.

Series History
• Davidson leads the all-time series 34-13, but the teams have split the last four meetings. Davidson won the last contest in the series, 66-45, Feb. 23, in Belk Arena.
• The series began with a 25-17 Elon victory Jan. 18, 1916.
• The 'Cats are 3-1 against Elon in the SoCon Tournament and 18-4 during Bob McKillop's tenure.
• Last meeting: De'Mon Brooks tallied 25 points and 10 rebounds, and Davidson held Elon scoreless for the final 6:21 of the contest to earn a 66-45 victory over the Phoenix Feb. 23, Belk Arena.
• With the win, Davidson clinched the SoCon South Division title.
• Clint Mann collected a season-high 12 points and six rebounds for the Wildcats, and Jake Cohen finished with 11 points and four boards. JP Kuhlman scored eight.
• Lucas Troutman led Elon with 15 points to go along with five rebounds. Ryley Beaumont and Jack Isenbarger each scored six.
• The Wildcat defense hounded the Phoenix, forcing 15 turnovers and blocking six shots to hold the Phoenix to 32 percent shooting from the floor. The 'Cats had nine steals with Brooks leading the way with four.
• Davidson, which shot 37 percent for the game, also controlled the glass, with 50 rebounds and 20 offensive boards.
• Davidson pushed a double-digit margin to 16 points on a pair of Brooks free throws with 11:33 remaining before Elon made a run. The Phoenix outscored the 'Cats 8-2, and a pair of Troutman free throws trimmed the margin to 10 points with 6:21 left.
• But the Davidson defense clamped down from there and did not allow a point the rest of the way. Meanwhile, Brooks scored four points and Chris Czerapowicz hit a 3-pointer to help Davidson pull away.

Academic All-American
• JP Kuhlman has been named third-team Capital One Academic All-America by the College Sports Information Directors of America.
• He is the seventh Davidson men's basketball player to garner Academic All-America honors and the first since Derek Rucker earned first-team accolades in 1988.
• He has a 3.80 grade point average in religion and plans to attend medical school after graduating from Davidson.

Claw Marks
• With the best overall record in the SoCon, the Wildcats have clinched the league's automatic bid to the NIT.
• Ninety-eight percent of the 'Cats' scoring and 96 percent of their rebounding comes from juniors, sophomores and freshmen.
• The 'Cats have posted 20 wins under head coach Bob McKillop 10 times, including six of the last eight seasons. Davidson has won 20 games in a season 19 times.
• Davidson has won its eighth SoCon division title in the last 11 seasons and the 11th title under head coach Bob McKillop.
• The Wildcats rank eighth in the nation in team free-throw percentage (.766). Nik Cochran, Jake Cohen and JP Kuhlman all rank in the top-12 in the SoCon.
• Davidson has made 20 or more free throws in 11 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 'Cats also made all seven attempts against Chattanooga Feb. 4.
• Davidson changed the starting lineup for the first time this season against Samford, Feb. 15, as Chris Czerapowicz got his first career start.
• The Wildcats have led at halftime in 25 games.
• JP Kuhlman has been named to the Cousy Award watch list. The award is given annually to the nation's best point guard.
• By defeating Kansas 80-74 Dec. 19, the Wildcats defeated a ranked opponent for the first time since topping Wisconsin 73-56 in the 2008 NCAA Tournament.
• It was Davidson's first win over a ranked opponent in the regular season since defeating No. 15 South Carolina Jan. 16, 1974.
• It was the 'Cats' first win over a ranked opponent on the road since defeating No. 17 St. John's 88-84 Jan. 4, 1972.
• Davidson finished the campaign with a 6-5 record in non-conference games.
• Davidson did not give up a 3-pointer at UNCW Nov. 26 (0-for-3).
• The 'Cats' game against Georgia Southern Jan. 7, was the 300th in Belk Arena, which opened in 1989. Davidson won the contest 96-74.
• Davidson returned 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.

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