CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) - Davidson coach Bob McKillop has been around college basketball long enough to realize the significance of the step his program is taking leaving the Southern Conference it once dominated for the Atlantic-10.
“We’re no longer off Broadway, we’re on the big stage now,” said McKillop, now in his 26th season at Davidson.
McKillop’s Wildcats finished either first or tied for first in the Southern Conference in 13 of the last 19 seasons, and went on to win the postseason tournament seven times.
But all seven of Davidson’s NCAA tournament berths during McKillop’s tenure have had to come through winning the conference tournament - a yearly one-and-done scenario that he said is emotionally exhausting.
That’s about to change.
While the Southern Conference has only sent one team to the NCAA tournament in each of the last 15 years, the Atlantic-10 has earned 15 berths in the last three seasons.
“We’re facing a situation in which multiple bids are available, but the rigor and challenge of every night playing against a highly-valued, highly-recruited team is going to be our experience,” McKillop said.
Make no doubt it, getting back to the NCAA tournament could take time for Davidson.
The Wildcats have a roster that includes sophomore, junior and senior classes that consist of players recruited to play at the Southern Conference level. Now the Wildcats are able to compete for four- and five-star recruits.
“We’re not scared though,” said junior guard Brian Sullivan. “I like to think we always up to the level of competition.”
The Wildcats didn’t always have to play their best to beat teams like Samford, Furman and The Citadel. That changes this year playing in a conference that includes 16th-ranked Virginia Commonwealth, last year’s NCAA tournament regional finalist Dayton and George Washington.
“Davidson across the chest meant something in the Southern Conference,” McKillop said. “I don’t think we have earned that right, that privilege in the Atlantic-10.”
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Some things to know about the Davidson Wildcats:
THREE-GUARD OFFENSE: The strength of this year’s team should be its shooting. The Wildcats plan to go with their three-guard offense which includes tri-captains Sullivan, Tyler Kalinoski and Jack Gibbs. Kalinoski is the only starting senior. Sullivan is the top marksman, finishing with 90 3-pointers last season - the most for Davidson since Stephen Curry left in 2009.
REPLACING BROOKS: One of Davidson’s biggest challenges will be replacing three-time Southern Conference Player of the Year De’Mon Brooks, who now plays in Italy. The Wildcats are expected to start freshman Peyton Aldridge and junior Jake Belford at forward, but 6-foot-9 freshman Oskar Michelsen from Finland is a player to watch off the bench.
STACKED ODDS: The Wildcats were picked to finish 12th out of 14 teams in a preseason poll of the league’s head coaches and media members.
OVERCOMING INJURIES: The Wildcats come into the season with a number of returning players coming off injuries. This week marked the first time the Wildcats had all of their players back on the court, although not everyone is ready to play. Guard Jordan Barham is recovering from knee surgery in June and Ali Mackay had surgery on both hips.
SMALL SCHOOL MENTALITY: With an enrollment of less than 1,900 students, Davidson is one of the smallest schools in Division I basketball.
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