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/ Men's Basketball
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/ Men's Basketball
Photo by: Atlantic 10 Conference
Leaving Here as They Began Here – as Champions
4/24/2018 11:36:00 AM | Men's Basketball
2017-18 Highlight Video
DavidsonPhotos.com
The five seniors that we honor are going out as they came in – as champions.
They were the group that transitioned Davidson from the comfortable confines of the Southern Conference to the more challenging arenas of the nationally respected Atlantic 10.
They had an auspicious and surprising beginning. Picked to finish 12th in the A-10 four years ago, the Wildcats shocked the basketball world by winning the conference regular season championship and earning the program's first ever at-large berth in the NCAA tournament.
And to cap off a great four years, this year's senior class – with plenty of help from the undergrads -- led the Wildcats back to the NCAA tournament by winning the A-10 tournament championship, thereby capturing the league's automatic invitation to the Big Dance. Davidson's overall record this season was 21-12, and 13-5 in conference for a third place regular season finish.
Not satisfied with those lofty results, Davidson took mighty Kentucky to the wire before losing by five in the NCAA tournament in a game that could have easily ended in Davidson's favor.
This senior class posted an overall record of 82-48, was 18 games over .500 in A-10 competition with a mark of 45-27, won a regular season conference title and a tournament championship, and played in two NCAA tournaments and one NIT.
Not a bad career's work.
The class was led by Peyton Aldridge, certain to be recognized as one of the greatest players in Davidson basketball history. We could be here all night listing Aldridge's superlatives. Just a few will have to suffice:
He's third all time on Davidson's scoring list behind only Steph Curry and John Gerdy. He's fifth all time on the A-10 scoring list. His 130 career starts are the most ever for a Davidson player.
Highlights of Aldridge's senior season: A-10 Co-Player of the Year. A-10 Tournament Most Outstanding Player. A-10 All-Conference first team. AP Honorable Mention All-America. NABC Reese's All-Star.
What was certain about Rusty Reigel when he signed with Davidson after high school was his love for the school and his desire to play here. Beyond that, he was going to have to earn his minutes through hard work and determination. He didn't disappoint. After playing in 12 games as a freshman, Reigel played in 95 games the last three years of his Davidson career, and started in 30 of those.
He scored 10 points, with eight assists and four rebounds in Davidson's semifinal win over St. Bonaventure. For the season, he led Davidson in 3-point accuracy at 49 percent, and was consistently one of the team's defensive leaders.
Oskar Michelsen is a portrait of mental toughness and persistence. His career had some ups and downs, as most all college basketball careers do, but he stayed in the fray and didn't waver. The result was winning back his starting job as a senior, and serving as an enthusiastic team leader.
In 2017-18, Michelsen started all 33 games, while shooting just under 40 percent from long range. In addition, he scored in double figures six times, including a season-high 18 points going 6-of-9 from 3-point range against Charleston Southern.
Will Magarity's Davidson basketball career spanned two seasons after transferring here from Boston College. He overcame injuries to become one of Davidson's most effective senior players. He shot 55 percent from the field his senior year, which led the team. He had 11 points and six rebounds in the NCAA game versus Kentucky, and his defensive play on the interior of Davidson's zone defense regularly drew postgame praise from Coach Bob McKillop.
Jordan Watkins showed on multiple occasions what he could accomplish on the basketball court when healthy. He hit St. Bonaventure with six threes and 23 points as a sophomore, and burned Charlotte with 22 points as a junior.
The final season for the senior class that you honor tonight saw Davidson play in the school's 14th NCAA Tournament, and the ninth under Coach McKillop. It won the school's first A-10 Tournament title. It secured two wins over nationally-ranked teams. It led the nation in assist/turnover ratio. And it set a school record with 353 made 3-pointers for the season.
A fitting way for these seniors to end their splendid Davidson basketball careers.
DavidsonPhotos.com
The five seniors that we honor are going out as they came in – as champions.
They were the group that transitioned Davidson from the comfortable confines of the Southern Conference to the more challenging arenas of the nationally respected Atlantic 10.
They had an auspicious and surprising beginning. Picked to finish 12th in the A-10 four years ago, the Wildcats shocked the basketball world by winning the conference regular season championship and earning the program's first ever at-large berth in the NCAA tournament.
And to cap off a great four years, this year's senior class – with plenty of help from the undergrads -- led the Wildcats back to the NCAA tournament by winning the A-10 tournament championship, thereby capturing the league's automatic invitation to the Big Dance. Davidson's overall record this season was 21-12, and 13-5 in conference for a third place regular season finish.
Not satisfied with those lofty results, Davidson took mighty Kentucky to the wire before losing by five in the NCAA tournament in a game that could have easily ended in Davidson's favor.
This senior class posted an overall record of 82-48, was 18 games over .500 in A-10 competition with a mark of 45-27, won a regular season conference title and a tournament championship, and played in two NCAA tournaments and one NIT.
Not a bad career's work.
The class was led by Peyton Aldridge, certain to be recognized as one of the greatest players in Davidson basketball history. We could be here all night listing Aldridge's superlatives. Just a few will have to suffice:
He's third all time on Davidson's scoring list behind only Steph Curry and John Gerdy. He's fifth all time on the A-10 scoring list. His 130 career starts are the most ever for a Davidson player.
Highlights of Aldridge's senior season: A-10 Co-Player of the Year. A-10 Tournament Most Outstanding Player. A-10 All-Conference first team. AP Honorable Mention All-America. NABC Reese's All-Star.
What was certain about Rusty Reigel when he signed with Davidson after high school was his love for the school and his desire to play here. Beyond that, he was going to have to earn his minutes through hard work and determination. He didn't disappoint. After playing in 12 games as a freshman, Reigel played in 95 games the last three years of his Davidson career, and started in 30 of those.
He scored 10 points, with eight assists and four rebounds in Davidson's semifinal win over St. Bonaventure. For the season, he led Davidson in 3-point accuracy at 49 percent, and was consistently one of the team's defensive leaders.
Oskar Michelsen is a portrait of mental toughness and persistence. His career had some ups and downs, as most all college basketball careers do, but he stayed in the fray and didn't waver. The result was winning back his starting job as a senior, and serving as an enthusiastic team leader.
In 2017-18, Michelsen started all 33 games, while shooting just under 40 percent from long range. In addition, he scored in double figures six times, including a season-high 18 points going 6-of-9 from 3-point range against Charleston Southern.
Will Magarity's Davidson basketball career spanned two seasons after transferring here from Boston College. He overcame injuries to become one of Davidson's most effective senior players. He shot 55 percent from the field his senior year, which led the team. He had 11 points and six rebounds in the NCAA game versus Kentucky, and his defensive play on the interior of Davidson's zone defense regularly drew postgame praise from Coach Bob McKillop.
Jordan Watkins showed on multiple occasions what he could accomplish on the basketball court when healthy. He hit St. Bonaventure with six threes and 23 points as a sophomore, and burned Charlotte with 22 points as a junior.
The final season for the senior class that you honor tonight saw Davidson play in the school's 14th NCAA Tournament, and the ninth under Coach McKillop. It won the school's first A-10 Tournament title. It secured two wins over nationally-ranked teams. It led the nation in assist/turnover ratio. And it set a school record with 353 made 3-pointers for the season.
A fitting way for these seniors to end their splendid Davidson basketball careers.
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