Game 25, 2024-25: Davidson (2/12)

[MikeUMA]

Davidson comes to town on Wednesday. NESN+ will have it, as will ESPN+. As usual, get to The Bill if you can.

Cats are 14-9 / 4-6, fresh off the 71-60 home win over Richmond on Saturday.
https://davidsonwildcats.com/news/2025/ ... mond-71-60

At 4-6, they're alone in 11th place in the current A-15 standings, but only 2.5 games out of 3rd in this logjam of a league.

Cats are a perfect 11-0 in Quad 4 games, but 2-9 above that. Their visit to us will be a Quad 3.
https://bracketologists.com/team/davidson-wildcats

Matchup: https://bracketologists.com/matchup/NDAxNzI0NDIz

[inthescoop]

Funny enough, Davidsons best player, Reed Bailey, is from Massachusetts..

Also, is there any league in college basketball with more parity than the A10?

[69MG]

I'm a little concerned about the matchup with Davidson.

Bailey is very good, averaging 22.7 in A10 play. He's 6'10, 230 and a good shooter. Most of his shots are interior, but he's 7/15 from 3 and around 80% from the line. He's also averaging 4.5 assists per game so the offense runs through him. He takes 15 shots a game and almost 8 free throws. I don't know who I would put on him and I hope Frank makes the right call.

Durkin (6'7, 220) plays the 4. He's averaging 14.6 and 7.3 boards while hitting 37% from 3. He takes 8 threes a game.

Kochera (6'5) plays the 3 and averages 10.2 and 4.3. He has not been a threat from 3 at 23%. Their front court can shoot free throws. All 3 are at 79% or higher.

Their guards are both 6'4 and about half of their shots are from 3. Because of their size advantage I can see them trying to post up Sool and Curry.

While I love what DHS has done playing the 5, I don't want him guarding Bailey as I'm afraid he might get in early foul trouble. I'd rather have DHS play the 4 in this game and guard Durkin. It would mean another lineup change for Frank, playing either Shahid or Malek at the 5. Now you can see why this matchup concerns me!

[DoctorJ]

What if Bailey gets into foul trouble trying to guard DHS?

Sounds like one of those games we run four or five guys in at center over the course of the game.

[Juice Stand]

Playing against the taller guards is the concern for me. Wednesday might be a struggle for Curry and Worthy. One bright spot from the St Louis game was Jayden's ability to recognize, deny, and deflect passes on back door cuts to Jimerson. Davidson plays with a lot of back door cuts, so maybe he can be disruptive in that sense.

Davidson always scares me. They play a unique style and always seem to have shooters.

[69MG]

I tend to focus on the defensive end because our offense is so unpredictable. Most of our points, when the offense is working, come from outside shots by Sool and Curry and second chance points from offensive rebounds.

It may surprise some people, but in league play we are shooting better than our opponents from the field (42% to 40%), from 3 (31% to 29%) and shockingly from the free throw line (70% to 69%). That, along with rebounding (+4.5 per game) is how we are winning. If we don't play defense, our offensive numbers will not carry us.

[Floyd]

Guys are buying in and seeing that if they play hard on both ends of the floor they're in every game. There's been a change in the team's demeanor, they have looked more focused and engaged in each other on the floor. I think they're gonna end the year real strong

[69MG]

This, from one of the betting sites:

Malek Abdelgowad F 2/10 Undisclosed QUESTIONABLE Abdelgowad missed the previous matchup due to an undisclosed injury, and his status for Wednesday's matchup against Davidson is unknown.

I would like to have all hands on deck for this one. I watched some video of Bailey. He plays a lot like Josh Cohen. I don't think he will bully his way to the basket, but he has good footwork, good hands and finds ways to score. If Shahid or Malek can stay between him and the basket they may be able to keep him from going off. Don't have to block his shots, just alter them.

The opening lines have us as a 2 or 2.5 point favorite.

[MikeUMA]

Why is Davidson MBB the whitest team in the universe? Seriously. It's like looking at a roster from the 1950s. They have 2 black players, and neither of which are from the US. Manie Joses averages less than 9 minutes a game, and Phillip Kavu has yet to appear.

Looking at last year's roster, they had 1 black player, so, improvement? Jarvis Moss played just 6.1 mpg last season, then transferred out (to Radford this season).

[NilesGold]

I watched some video of Bailey. He plays a lot like Josh Cohen. I don't think he will bully his way to the basket, but he has good footwork, good hands and finds ways to score. If Shahid or Malek can stay between him and the basket they may be able to keep him from going off. Don't have to block his shots, just alter them.

I think DHS is the best to guard Bailey. DHS struggles with guys who can outmuscle him, and I don’t see Bailey doing that. I would worry that Malek and especially Shahid will bite on Bailey’s fakes trying to block them.

[Camby4Life]

Funny enough, Davidsons best player, Reed Bailey, is from Massachusetts..

Also, is there any league in college basketball with more parity than the A10?

Starting point guard Mike Loughnane is from Quincy and played at BC High for his dad Bill. There is a UMass connection with Bill who coached Monty and JD at Southie.

[69MG]

Well, there's a game tonight even if only about 5 of us seem to give a hoot. An interesting comment from "The Belk Report", probably the most knowledgeable Davidson poster on twitter.

The Belk Report
@BelkReport
·
1h
The combination of Rahsool Diggins playing at an A10 POY level and UMass’ elite ability to attack the offensive glass means that Davidson’s preferred lineup will not work tonight. I think you need to start with Manie on Sool and/or Hunter needs to be in at all times.

Davidson has started the same 5 for all of their A10 games. I love that they want to change it up. The 2 guys that Belk is touting each average less than 3 points a game in league play. He's worried about our size and Sool's shooting. Both guys he's touting are 6'7 but he doesn't say which player or players should be pulled. Their two shortest starters are 6'4 so they are not exactly a small team.

[Floyd]

69, I'll be on the couch with the fire blazing, sipping on a Switchback Ale or 2 watching the minutemen dismantle Davidson

[69MG]

^ I know you care and will watch. A reminder, the game is on NESN+ and ESPN+. I will drag my butt to Amherst and see if the guys can take this one. It's a big deal for seeding if we can go 4-3 the rest of the way and today is one of our best chances for a W.

[inthescoop]

Not a fan that the spread is only -1.5 at home.

SLU lost yesterday so if UMass wins today, we will be #3 in the A10.