Game 20 - Davidson

Game #20 - Davidson Wildcats
Location: Ramsey Center, Cullowhee, NC
Date: Thursday, January 24th, 2013
Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
Series: The Wildcats own a 36-20 overall record with the Catamounts, and are 15-9 all time in the Ramsey Center
Radio: Catamount Sports Network
TV: none
Live Video: Catamount All Access



A replay of last season's SoCon tournament championship game will take place when perennial league favorite Davidson (11-7, 6-1 SoCon) visits the Catamounts on Thursday, Jan. 24 at the Ramsey Center in Cullowhee, N.C. Tipoff between the Catamounts and Wildcats is set for 7 p.m. (ET). Western is currently second in the latest North Division standings at 5-2, while Davidson is out in front of the South Division with a 6-1 record.

The Wildcats have won four of their last five games, including a 77-68 win over the South Division's second place College of Charleston on Saturday, Jan. 19.

Davidson’s out of conference games included marquee wins over Vanderbilt and West Virginia at the Old Spice Classic in Orlando, Fla., but also had tough losses as well to New Mexico, Gonzaga and Duke. The Wildcats were also handed their only conference loss this season in Statesboro, by an 0-3 Georgia Southern team in a surprising 70-57 victory by the Eagles.

Davidson returned all five starters and their top eight scorers & rebounders from their 2011-12 SoCon championship team. Last year’s SoCon Players of the Year De’Mon Brooks (13.6 ppg/6.4 rpg) and Jake Cohen (13.4 ppg/5.2 rpg) continue to lead Davidson in both scoring and rebounding. This season, the Wildcats are leading the SoCon in scoring margin (+5.9), as well as, 3-point field goals (134), 3-point field-goal percentage (.369) and 3-pointers per game (7.8).  The Wildcats also rank second in fewest turnovers per game (11.6), turnover margin (+1.5) and assist/turnover ratio (1.1).   The Wildcats boast one of the Top 100 scoring offenses in the country averaging 71.4 points per game (96th) which ranks them third-best in the conference, but Western Carolina comes in at fourth-best in the SoCon with a 70.2 point average.

Davidson is a team that we do not want to send to the free throw line, as the Wildcats rank No. 1 in the nation with a free-throw accuracy of 79.4 percent led by senior guard Nik Cochran, who is making 95 percent of his free-throw attempts (57-of-60) this season, which ranks second nationally.  To win, the Catamounts will have to control their fouls, as well as turnovers, and if their shooting does not go cold either half, revenge can be claimed on a Thursday night in Cullowhee.  .

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