Duke, Kansas highlight Davidson schedule

 Games against four opponents that finished last season with top-30 NCAA RPIs, including two at home in Belk Arena, highlight the 2011-12 Davidson men’s basketball schedule.

“Our schedule presents many challenging opportunities for our players and many exciting opportunities for our program and fans,” said Davidson coach Bob McKillop. “There is a mix of legendary programs, teams from some of the top conferences in America and
historical Davidson rivalries. Plus, the Southern Conference continues to get better from top to bottom.”

Davidson will play seven opponents that made NCAA tournament appearances last season and a total of nine that made it to the postseason.

The Wildcats will renew its long series with Duke Nov. 18 in Cameron Indoor Stadium and travels to Kansas City to meet Kansas Dec. 19. The Wildcats also host Richmond Nov. 14 and Vanderbilt on Dec. 7 in Belk Arena.

Davidson will host Lenoir-Rhyne in an exhibition Nov. 5, and open the regular season against visiting Guilford on Nov. 11.

The Wildcats will make the short trip to Mecklenburg County rival Charlotte on Saturday, Dec. 10. Their lone Southern Conference game against rival Appalachian State will be Saturday, Jan. 14 in Boone.

Davidson returns 11 lettermen and four starters from the 2010-11 team that finished 18-15 and advanced to the quarterfinals of the College Basketball Invitational. Seven of the Wildcats’ top eight scorers last season were freshmen or sophomores.

2011-12 Schedule:

NOVEMBER: 5, Lenoir-Rhyne (exhibition), 7 p.m.; 11, Guilford, 8; 14, Richmond, TBA; 18, at Duke, TBA; 21, Presbyterian, TBA; 26, at UNC Wilmington, 2


DECEMBER: 1, at Wofford*, 7; 3, Furman*, 7; 7, Vanderbilt, 7; 10, at Charlotte, 7; 19, at Kansas (Kansas City), TBA; 22, at UMass, TBA; 29, Penn, 7.

JANUARY: 5, at UNC Greensboro*, 7; 7, Georgia Southern*, 7; 12 Western Carolina*, 7; 14, at Appalachian State*, 2 p.m.; 19, College of Charleston*, 7; 21, The Citadel*, 7; 26, at Chattanooga*, 7; 28, at Samford*, TBA

FEBRUARY: 1, at Furman*, 7; 4, Chattanooga*, 4; 6, Wofford*, 7; 9, at The Citadel*, 7; 11, at College of Charleston*, TBA; 15, Samford*, 7; 18, BracketBuster, TBA; 23, Elon*, 7; 25, at Georgia Southern*, TBA;

MARCH: 2-5 Southern Conference tournament in Asheville

*-Southern Conference game


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