Culture at the Core: Davidson Basketball Embarks on 2024-25 Campaign

Monday, November 4

Davidson, N.C.

7 p.m.

Davidson College Athletics

William Peace

Culture at the Core: Davidson Basketball Embarks on 2024-25 Campaign

11/3/2024 5:42:00 PM | Men's Basketball

By: Ben Peake '25

Culture.

Since joining the Atlantic 10 in 2014, Davidson men's basketball has had 16 First and Second Team All-Conference selections and four A-10 Players of the Year. Both are the most among all Atlantic 10 teams in the 10-year stretch. Legendary players have lit up Belk Arena in that time, from Jack Gibbs '17 to Peyton Aldridge '18 to Luka Brajkovic '22. And any basketball fan would be hard-pressed to forget names like Stephen Curry '10 and coaches Bob McKillop and Lefty Driesell. While these Davidson icons are no longer on the court, the men's basketball team is ready to look toward the future and put its stamp on the 2024-25 season.

Culture. We know what Davidson teams are capable of, and head coach Matt McKillop '06 is committed to continuing to make his own mark on Davidson's culture in year three.

"Get better every day has been the mantra."

Steady improvement and poise, especially in key moments, will be crucial. Davidson had 15 games that were decided by five points or less last season. They lost 11 of them.

And yet, a chance for redemption. Davidson is returning three starters from last year's team: Connor Kochera, Reed Bailey, and Bobby Durkin. Hunter Adam, who acted as the team's sixth man, is also back. Kochera and Bailey are this year's captains, and Bailey and Durkin are part of a frontcourt that McKillop believes is "the best in the A-10."

Defensively, there is credence to this. Last year, Davidson had the best defensive efficiency rating it has had in 15 years. Bailey, who was named to this year's Atlantic 10 Preseason All-Conference Third Team, was a big reason why. Another leap from him, and the team has an anchor up top they can work through. The frontcourt will be big. Bailey is 6'10", Durkin is 6'7", Sean Logan, who started 15 games last season, is 6'10" and newcomer Joe Hurlburt is 6'11". The thought of them receiving lobs from Kochera is certainly tantalizing.

Culture. While the defense will prove solid, it's the offense that will look to rebound. This season, McKillop is planning on putting the ball in the hands of his frontcourt players more often, hopefully creating lots of cuts, screens, and ball movement -- all Davidson offensive staples that fans are used to seeing. And, in his introductory preseason press conference, McKillop assured the room that every returning player has improved their shooting ability. But, he's also brought in some backup for this season. Transfer Zach Laput was a career 41 percent three-point shooter at Bentley University. According to McKillop, if you ask Hurlburt what his best skill is, he'll say it's his shooting. Freshman Nick Coval was his high school's all-time leading scorer, and McKillop has been impressed by the shooting abilities of the other two freshmen: Roberts Blums and Manie Joses. In fact, McKillop believes that Davidson's offense has looked more impressive than their defense in moments leading up to the season. This belief will be put to the test soon enough.

Culture. Davidson's non-conference slate includes the prestigious Battle 4 Atlantis tournament, where a match up with Arizona, the 10th ranked team in the AP preseason poll, looms. The Atlantic 10 Conference slate features the usual challenges: VCU and Dayton are first and second, respectively, in the league's preseason poll. You need a tough team to get through this schedule.

"We have a lot of visitors come and observe our practices, and [one of] the most common things we hear them say after being in our gym is that our team is incredibly physical," McKillop remarked.

In the McKillop era (both father and son), Davidson basketball has centered around three-point shooting, basketball IQ and grit. This season, the team is on track to bring these pillars back to the forefront.

Culture. It's time to put the Davidson culture to work.