Davidson head coach Bob McKillop announced the Wildcats’ schedule for the 2005-06 season, and it is littered with high-caliber opponents. Among the marquee games are three versus Atlantic-10 schools, two against ACC squads — including the defending national champion — and one each against schools from the Big 12 and Big East conferences, not to mention the always difficult slate of Southern Conference contests.

The Wildcats boast seven seniors returning this season, and that experience will be a big factor when the schedule begins on the road at Duke on Nov. 19. Last year Davidson trailed by just four points with 5:40 to play before the Blue Devils pulled away for a 13-point victory in the Charlotte Coliseum.

The home opener on Nov. 22 is the start of three straight games versus A-10 teams when Massachusetts comes to Davidson. The ’Cats are looking to avenge last year’s 70-67 loss to the Minutemen in Amherst, Mass. St. Joseph’s also comes to Belk Arena for a rematch of last season’s 15-point Wildcat loss at The Palestra.

The Hornets’ Nest Game for the battle of Mecklenburg County takes place on Charlotte’s home floor this season on Nov. 30. The 49ers have won the event each of the last two years since Davidson scored a 75-56 triumph at Belk Arena in 2002-03.

Davidson enters the 2005-06 season with a 24-game winning streak against Southern Conference teams during the regular season, and the first challenge to that streak takes place on Dec. 3 in Boone, N.C., against the Mountaineers of Appalachian State. Davidson returns home on Dec. 7 in hopes of defeating Missouri for a second straight season following an 84-81 victory to start the 2004-05 season in Columbia, Mo.

In the midst of three games against Division III opponents, the Wildcats travel to Syracuse on Dec. 18. It is the first game between the two schools in 11 years. Davidson closes out the 2005 calendar year at the University of Illinois at Chicago of the Horizon League on Dec. 29.

The difficulty doesn’t let up when the new year comes to be as the ’Cats head to Chapel Hill for a bout with the defending national champion Tar Heels. Davidson defeated them back in November of 2001, 58-54, for its first victory over UNC since the 1951-52 season, but was tripped up the last two meetings.

“The non-conference games will test us and challenge us, physically and mentally,” Coach McKillop stated. “What great preparation for Southern Conference games! The parity within the SoCon will bring hope and excitement to every match-up throughout the entire season.”

The conference slate begins in earnest on Jan. 7 with a home game against Wofford. Davidson will get a shot to knock off the defending SoCon Tournament champion, Chattanooga, on the Mocs’ home floor on Jan. 23.

The final non-conference game comes against Princeton in Belk Arena on Jan. 29. And on Feb. 8, the ’Cats host UNC Greensboro, the team that knocked Davidson out of the Southern Conference Tournament last March.

The Wildcats, who won two road games in the NIT last year, are led by reigning Southern Conference Player of the Year Brendan Winters. The senior averaged 16.7 points and 5.1 rebounds a game last year while shooting better than 43 percent from behind the arc. Coach McKillop has fellow seniors Kenny Grant (5.6 apg), Ian Johnson (11.1 ppg), Matt McKillop (7.7 ppg) and Jason Morton (10.4 ppg) to make another run at the conference championship and return to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2002.

The complete schedule is listed below and in the attached PDF.

Davidson College Men’s Basketball
2005-06 Schedule

November
    Friday    4    Concordia (Exhibition)    Davidson, N.C.    6:30
    Saturday    19    at Duke    Durham, N.C.    5:00
    Tuesday    22    Massachusetts    Davidson, N.C.    7:00
    Saturday    26    St. Joseph’s    Davidson, N.C.    2:00
    Wednesday    30    at Charlotte    Charlotte, N.C.    8:00

December
    Saturday    3    at Appalachian State*    Boone, N.C.    3:30
    Wednesday    7    Missouri    Davidson, N.C.    8:00
    Saturday    10    Catholic    Davidson, N.C.    7:00
    Thursday    15    St. Mary’s (Md.)    Davidson, N.C.    7:00
    Sunday    18    at Syracuse    Syracuse, N.Y.    1:00
    Wednesday    21    Clark University    Davidson, N.C.    7:00
    Thursday    29    at Illinois-Chicago    Chicago, Ill.    8:00    

January
    Tuesday    3    at North Carolina    Chapel Hill, N.C.    7:00
    Saturday    7    Wofford*    Davidson, N.C.    7:00
    Tuesday    10    The Citadel*    Davidson, N.C.    7:00
    Saturday    14    at Furman*    Greenville, S.C.    tba
    Tuesday    17    at College of Charleston*    Charleston, S.C.    tba
    Saturday    21    Georgia Southern*    Davidson, N.C.    2:00
    Monday    23    at Chattanooga*    Chattanooga, Tenn.    7:00
    Friday    27    Elon*    Davidson, N.C.    7:00
    Sunday    29    Princeton    Davidson, N.C.    7:00

February
    Saturday    4    Western Carolina*    Davidson, N.C.    1:00
    Wednesday    8    UNC Greensboro*    Davidson, N.C.    7:00
    Saturday    11    at Wofford*    Spartanburg, S.C.    7:00
    Monday    13    at The Citadel*    Charleston, S.C.    7:15
    Saturday    18    Furman*    Davidson, N.C.    2:00
    Tuesday    21    at Georgia Southern*    Statesboro, Ga.    7:30
    Saturday    25    College of Charleston*    Davidson, N.C.    4:00

Southern Conference Tournament
March 1-4 at North Charleston Coliseum
Charleston, S.C.

Boldface type denotes a home game
Asterisk (*) denotes a Southern Conference game
All dates are tentative

Check out more 2005-06 Team Schedules.