Davidson will likely get ranked in the AP Top 25 when it comes out later this afternoon, and the Wildcats might also make the ESPN/USA Today Top 25 too.
Those accolades might be a big deal for Davidson fans - other than a one-week ranking earlier this season in the ESPN poll, Davidson hasn't been ranked since 1970.
But don't expect Davidson coach Bob McKillop to peek at the lists today. He grimaced at the mention of the polls after Saturday night's win against Georgia Southern.
"I don't want to think about that," he said. "You look at teams like Kent State and Drake. They got ranked, and then they lost. We are much more focused on what's coming up this week."
McKillop's hesitance is understandable. After their ranking earlier this season, the Wildcats did not play well and lost their next game to Western Michigan. And, Davidson faces enough pressure already, because the Wildcats need to win the Southern Conference tournament to guarantee a NCAA tournament berth.
-- Kevin Cary
Monday, March 3, 2008
Davidson likely to be in Top 25 today
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The Cats just have to "embrace the bullseye" heading to Charleston this week! Winning the SoCon tourney is the priority, but 20-0 is a fine accomplishment in and of itself.
Thanks for all the updates Kevin!
They are ranked #25 with 74 votes.
Davidson in the top 25!? Who have they beat? There only non-conference wins have been over of Emory and NC central, not exactly basketball powerhouses. Sure they've easily handled their Southern Conference schedule, but putting them in the top 25 is a little bit of a stretch to me.
Sorry, "their only"
Davidson needs to be reminded of their proper place. Clemson and Wake no longer play the Wildcats because small schools should never be given an opportunity to defeat great ACC teams. Duke and UNC only agreed to to play Davidson in Bobcats because the Wildcats weren't supposed to be good enough to play with them. Rest assured, they will never, ever play them at Belk Arena.
It simply isn't good for college basketball when a top 25 spot is taken up by the likes of Davidson. Boycotting Belk Arena was supposed to be enough to keep this from happening. Next season, all the BCS teams need to boycott playing Davidson at all. Then the Wildcats will have no way to crash the rankings.
They can't beat anyone good, if no one any good will play them. Boycott Davidson! Send them back where they belong!
Davidson in the top 25!? Who have they beat?
Longest continuing winning streak in the nation: Davidson, 20 wins.
5th in the nation, ppg: Curry, Davidson
1st in the nation in assists: Richards, Davidson
With close losses to UNC, Duke, NCState and having lead UCLA by 18 at the half, Davidson played a much more difficult non-conference schedule than it had to. They've proven themselves worthy of the 25 ranking.
Wake won't play Davidson anymore because Davidson beat them in 2000.
How is Davidson supposed to prove themselves at all if they dont get a chance to play against teams like UNC and DUKE. The idea to keep those teams from playing Davidson is STUPID. They almost beat them and i feel if they played them again, they would beat them. But we wont know that unless they play again.
This is the first year that have had BIGGG games like that. And they did well. I can definitely see them upsetting a team or two in the NCAA Tournament this year..
Who have they beat? There only non-conference wins have been over of Emory and NC central, not exactly basketball powerhouses.
And Winthrop.
The "hate Davidson" vibe here is amazing to me.
You should like them because they're local. Like them because they're underdogs. Like them because the school is small and because the money is small and the media attention is small.
Or hate them because you crap your pants at the sight of Carolina blue and you think every single ACC, Big East, and PAC-10 team deserves to be in the tournament regardless of the rest of the world.
And because you're short-sighted. And bandwagon. And a blowhard.
I'm all for small, local schools getting respect, but name one quality win Davidson has had this year. Sure, beating the likes of the Citadel, Georgia Southern, and Chattanooga night in and night out is great, but is that enough to be named one of the top 25 teams in the country? Davidson loaded up their schedule this year and felt they were going to upset some teams and make some noise, but they didn't beat a single one of those teams, not even one. What qualifies them to be a top 25 team? They couldn't even beat lackluster Charlotte and NC State. I have nothing against Davidson. I just can't see how they're worthy of a national ranking.
74 votes say otherwise
I had wondered why Davidson no longer played Wake Forest (I don't remember Davidson playing Clemson regularly). Davidson plays the likes of Dayton, Butler, Drake & Valparaiso regularly in football -- why not play at least some of those schools in basketball as well?
Anyway, kudos to McKillop, coaches & team on this accomplishment -- it gave me goose-bumps to read it. Stay focused, Wildcats, & you'll emerge victorious from the Southern Conference Tournament.
By the way, what is the worst seeding a Top 25 team got in the NCAA Tournament? Does anyone have a source for this kind of data?
Sure, beating the likes of the Citadel, Georgia Southern, and Chattanooga night in and night out is great, but is that enough to be named one of the top 25 teams in the country?
Apparently, yes.
What qualifies them to be a top 25 team?
The AP voting them in.
I just can't see how they're worthy of a national ranking.
Another reminder of why you're commenting on obscure newspaper blogs and not voting in the national polling apparatus.
Seriously, ya'll, what do you have against Davidson? Is it that a school known mostly for being Ivy League-level scholastically is suddenly scaring the big teams? The 'cats are due for an upset- I for one hope that it happens in March.
Stephen Curry made Jay Bilas' First Team honor roll
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