Davidson Returns to A-10 Action Against Duquesne

DAVIDSON WILDCATS (10-4, 0-1 A-10) vs. DUQUESNE DUKES (6-8, 1-0 A-10)

SERIES HISTORY
Series Record: Davidson leads, 12-1
First Meeting: Feb. 7, 2015 | Davidson won, 95-69
Last Meeting: Feb. 7, 2024 | Davidson won, 72-59
Davidson Record at Home: 5-0
Davidson Record on Road: 7-1
Davidson Record at Neutral Site: 0-0
Matt McKillop's Record: 2-0

WILDCAT SCRATCHES
• After closing out the non-conference season with its 10th win of the season, Davidson looks for its first A-10 victory of the year against Duquesne Saturday.
• The 'Cats are a perfect 8-0 on McKillop Court this year.
• Davidson's big three - Reed Bailey, Connor Kochera and Bobby Durkin - are averaging 18.1, 15.8 and 15.0 points per game, respectively.
• Zach Laput and Roberts Blums have aided the offensive effort, averaging 8.4 and 5.4 points per game, heading into Saturday's tip.
• Davidson's Bobby Durkin currently ranks first in the Atlantic 10 in 3-point percentage (45.1%) and second in 3-pointers per game (3.29). Those same metrics also rank 22nd and 24th nationally.

LAST TIME OUT | DAVIDSON 57, GEORGE MASON 69 | DEC. 31, 2024 | EAGLEBANK ARENA
• George Mason shot 55.8 percent in a 69-57 victory over Davidson to open Atlantic 10 Conference play Tuesday afternoon inside EagleBank Arena.
• Despite the loss, Reed Bailey led the way for Davidson with a game-high 20 points on 8-of-12 shooting. Hunter Adam came off the bench to finish with a career-best 11 points highlighted by a 3-for-3 effort from deep.
• Zach Laput (11) and Bobby Durkin (10) also scored in double figures for the Wildcats, who shot just 37.5 percent from the floor in the second half.

THE LAST MEETING | DAVIDSON 72, DUQUESNE 59 | FEB. 7, 2024 | UPMC COOPER FIELDHOUSE
• In addition to scoring his 1,000th career point, Davidson's Connor Kochera finished with a game-high 19 points to lead the Wildcats past Duquesne, 72-59, last February inside UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse.
• He was joined in double figures by backcourt mates Grant Huffman (18) and Bobby Durkin (11). Then-freshman Hunter Adam came off the bench to match his season-high of nine points for the Wildcats, who ended with 16 assists
on 23 field goals.
• The victory was one of five Atlantic 10 wins for the 'Cats a season ago, while the Dukes went on to win the 2024 A-10 Championship and picked up a win over #21 BYU in the First Round of the NCAA Tournament.

OUT WITH A BANG
• Amidst Davidson's second-straight 10-3 start under head coach Matt McKillop, the Wildcats closed out non-conference action shooting 54 percent from the floor over four-straight halves of play (vs. Bethune-Cookman & Eastern Michigan).
• After shooting 52.9 percent from the field against Bethune-Cookman, the 'Cats torched the nets again at a 53.1 percent clip versus Eastern Michigan.
• The four-half stretch marked the first time Davidson shot 50 percent in four consecutive halves since the 'Cats did so in 2018 in back-to-back days, against Saint Louis and St. Bonaventure, to advance to the A-10 Championship game in Washington, D.C.

LEAD BY EXAMPLE
• In addition to Connor Kochera and Reed Bailey's leadership, senior walk on Michael Katsock was also named a team captain prior to the Wildcats game against George Mason (12/31).
• During team dinner, the coaching staff named Katsock the program's third team captain for the remainder of the season.
• "He has been superb," said head coach Matt McKillop. "He does everything you ask. He helps in so many ways and he is selfless in so many way. His effort, his attitude made this something that he absolutely earned. I'm thrilled he's going to finish his career as a captain of the Davidson basketball team."

IN BLUMS
• Davidson guard Roberts Blums was named Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Week on Monday, Dec. 16. The weekly honor was the first for Blums and the Wildcats this season.
• In a 2-0 week, Blums averaged 12.5 points, 1.5 assists and one rebound per game, while shooting 47.4 percent from the floor and 43.8 from 3-point range (7-of-16).
• The freshman from Latvia scored a season-best 13 points in the 75-71 win over Charlotte Dec. 10, then scored 12 in a win over Detroit Mercy (12/14). He hit a season-high four treys against the Titans.

FACTS, FIGURES & FINDINGS
• Reed Bailey's 18.1 points per game ranks third in the A-10 and 70th nationally. His 77 made free throws checks in at 17th nationally.
• Connor Kochera (11th) and Bobby Durkin (14th) also sit top-20 among the league's leading scorers.
• Davidson is 8-1 this season when four 'Cats reach double-figures in scoring.
• When Zach Laput has reached double-digits this season, the Wildcats are 5-1.
• In his career at Davidson, the 'Cats are 4-1 in games where Bobby Durkin leads the way in scoring.
• The 'Cats rank among the nation's best in assist/turnover ratio (29th/1.58).

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