Davidson Wildcats: 21-11, 13-5 in the Atlantic 10 Conference
Head coach: Bob McKillop (29th season)
Players to watch: Peyton Aldridge (21.8 PPG, 7.8 RPG); Kellan Grady (18.1 PPG, 51.0 FG%); Jon Axel Gudmunsson (13.1 PPG, 5.2 APG)
Season recap: Davidson stole a bid from a bubble team just hours before the brackets were revealed Sunday with a dramatic 58-57 win against Rhode Island in the Atlantic 10 tournament championship. Kellan Grady drove baseline and sunk a floater with a little more than a minute left to put the Wildcats in front, and a late defensive stand put them through to the Big Dance for the 14th time in program history.
Grady was the Atlantic 10's Rookie of the Year and has formed a dynamic duo with senior forward Peyton Aldridge, the co-Player of the Year in the conference. The two combine to average nearly 40 points per game and both shoot well from long distance, fueling a team with a top-20 adjusted offensive efficiency nationally, according to Ken Pomeroy.
Davidson lost to Virginia and North Carolina in the middle of a challenging nonconference schedule before finishing the year strong with eight wins in its last nine games. Its only loss in that span was a triple-overtime defeat at St. Bonaventure Feb. 27.
How they make a run: Aldridge and Grady both come out hot from the field, as the Wildcats' offense moves the ball well and keeps clicking to help them upset a Power-5 opponent.
How they falter: Davidson's size deficiency is exploited on the glass by a physical first-round opponent, as it has a hard time battling in the post and goes down quietly.
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