Davidson’s journey to Phog Allen Fieldhouse marked a natural transition point in the season.
The Wildcats finished non-conference play at 8-4 after a 90-61 loss to Kansas, with Atlantic 10 starting on Dec. 30 against Duquesne. Kansas was never a referendum on Davidson’s season. It served as the final non-league game before conference play begins and the focus shifts entirely to the A-10 grind.
I spoke with Head Coach Matt McKillop just before Davidson’s win over Mercyhurst, a game that featured the most complete first half of the season for the Wildcats. Since that conversation, Davidson followed that performance with a flat opening half at Temple and then closed out non-conference play at Kansas, meaning solidifying that consistency remains the goal as conference play approaches.
McKillop made no distinction between preparation and results during our conversation.
“I think it prepares us really well for A-10 play,” he said of the non-conference schedule. “We go through our preseason, we think we’re getting better and then we realize those first three weeks are going to be a bear.”
The Wildcats responded well on that opening stretch, starting 5-0 with wins over Washington State, Charlotte, Bowling Green and Boston College.
From McKillop’s perspective, the non-conference schedule offered a first look at what league play will require.
“Utah State’s defense is very unique and difficult to prepare for,” McKillop said. “We were clearly not good enough defensively.”
Saint Mary’s offered a different challenge.
“Saint Mary’s is a top 20 defense,” he said. “We didn’t have a great first half, but we had a very strong second half.”
What connected these games, according to McKillop, was familiarity.
“That Utah State team had four starters who played together last year. Saint Mary’s had five,” he said. “You can’t exercise or drink a protein shake that gives you a combined year of experience.”
That reality has come to light during Davidson’s rotation. The Wildcats started two freshmen Ian Platteeuw And Devin Brown and a number of newcomers have played meaningful minutes. That experience is built in real time.
“Every time we step on the court, every time we step into the film room or the weight room,” McKillop said, “it’s an opportunity to build on what we don’t have yet together.”
One theme McKillop returned to during the conversation was depth and balance.
“What we’re trying to instill is a strength-in-numbers mentality,” he said.
That approach has been evident in the way Davidson has used his rotation, with minutes and production evenly distributed and contributions coming from well outside the starting group.
“There are nights when Robert Blums can’t get off the floor because of his defense,” McKillop said. ‘There are nights when J. Q. Roberts‘ Athleticism and physicality change the game. And there are nights when Nick Coval has a matchup that allows him to be really effective offensively.
The challenge, as McKillop recognized, is maintaining that identity.
“Strength in numbers must be consistent,” he said. “It feels great when you win. It’s harder when you lose, but it’s a daily process.”
McKillop described the next step as continued growth within what the team is already doing.
“I don’t think we need to reinvent anything,” he said. “We just have to get better at these things.”
Offensively the margins were clear.
“Our offense was pretty good other than the turnovers and offensive recovery,” McKillop said. “When we execute, our efficiency is quite high.”
He pointed to execution at specific times as a sign of what the team is capable of.
“At Synergy, we were in the 96th percentile in off-court offense,” he said. “Our ability to execute there was really good.”
“The next step,” he added, “is to appreciate basketball and find ways to get more second chances.”
Davidson’s depth was most tested in the frontcourt. Sean Logan returned to action at Kansas, getting his first minutes since the game against Utah State after a knee injury that also cost him most of last season. Platteeuw missed time earlier in the year with mono, while J. Q. Roberts And Joe Hurlburt both have worked back from concussions.
That context shaped the rotation and accelerated the learning curve within the selection. It has also reinforced why Davidson has leaned so heavily on depth.
Kansas represented Davidson’s most demanding non-conference environment, but the timing was as important as the opponent.
“We’ll see an interesting road environment as we go to Phog Allen Fieldhouse, and I think that will be valuable,” McKillop said.
He emphasized that the environment of the game is as important as the game itself.
“Coming into a hotel, doing walkthroughs in a ballroom, having a mentality that we don’t have at home,” he said. “This is how you build up experience to play on the road.”
For Davidson alumni, the setting carries weight in itself.
“Phog Allen Fieldhouse is historic,” McKillop said. “It’s not just about the coach or the players. It’s about the history.”
Now that non-conference play is complete, what follows will become more important. Davidson finished 6-12 in Atlantic 10 play last season with a very different roster, and this year’s group goes deeper into the competition, with less shared experience, and is still figuring out what it can be.
“I think we’re just scratching the surface of the team we can be,” McKillop said.
One chapter closed in Lawrence. The next one starts on December 30 at exit 30, with #30 in the building.
Conference play will bring the answers Davidson is looking for.
Q&A with head coach Matt McKillop
On how the non-conference schedule has prepared the team for A-10 play
“I think it prepares us really well for A-10 play. You start building a schedule with a blueprint, but it never goes exactly as planned. All of a sudden you’re starting the season at Washington State, going to Charlotte, Bowling Green and then the Charleston Classic. We realized pretty quickly those first three weeks were going to be a bear.”
“To be as ready as we were with so many newcomers, to compete at a high level and perform at a high level, not that we did it as consistently as we needed to, I’m very happy with that. We played at the level that we’re going to see night in and night out once conference play starts.”
About road environments and why they matter
“Charlotte was the only real road environment we played in, but it’s really the experience around the game that matters. Coming into a hotel, going through a walkthrough in a ballroom or conference room, having that mentality that we don’t get when we’re in Belk Arena or our own practice facility.”
“That’s where our guys need to gain experience to be prepared to play on the road. We’ll see an interesting road environment when we go to Phog Allen Fieldhouse and I think that will be valuable.”
About building experience with a new group
“Every time we step on the court, every time we step into the screening room or the weight room, it’s an opportunity to build on what we don’t yet have together. That experience doesn’t exist without us being present and aware of it.
“I think we’re still exploring the team we can be.”
About depth and setup flexibility
“What we’re trying to instill is a strength-in-numbers mentality. There are nights when Roberts Blums can’t get off the floor because of his defense. There are days when JQ Roberts’ athleticism and physicality can change the game, both on the defensive end and the offensive end.
“There are also days when Nick Coval has a matchup that allows him to be really effective offensively. Our guys have shown a willingness to make sacrifices and be great teammates. It could be Hunter’s night. It could be Josh’s night. That has to be consistent.”
On what excites him about Kansas
“Phog Allen Fieldhouse is what I think about. It’s historic. It’s not just about the coach or the players. It’s the history.”
“When we got the chance to plan the game, our players were excited. It wasn’t about a particular player or coach. It was about competing against a perennial powerhouse in a historic arena.”
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