McKillop returns as Davidson starter

Hun grad is starter for PU foe

By: Justin Feil
   Matt McKillop knew he’d be facing some pretty tough non-conference road opponents with the likes of Missouri, Duke, St. Joseph’s and Massachusetts on the travel schedule.
   But the Davidson junior guard wasn’t exactly dreading his Jan. 2 date at Princeton the way some Tiger opponents do.
   "I did look forward to playing in front of people I played in front of, and played with a few years back," said McKillop, the 2002 Princeton Packet Player of the Year in his post-graduate year at The Hun School.
   McKillop had his fair share of fans in the Jadwin Gym crowd as the Wildcats lost, 70-68, in double overtime to Princeton on Sunday. And other than the outcome, McKillop enjoyed his brief return to the local area.
   "It was good," said McKillop, who had eight points, four rebounds and an assist in 40 minutes before fouling out with 2:08 left in the second overtime. "It was nice to see some old friends, some familiar faces. And I was fortunate enough to have a lot of family here. It was a good opportunity to come back and have a chance to play here."
   McKillop’s return meant the first-ever match-up between former Princeton Packet Players of the Year. Princeton freshman Noah Savage, another Hun graduate, was honored last season. The two never suited up for Hun together.
   "I did play with Noah in the spring before his junior year," McKillop said. "I was impressed. Today, he made some big plays when they needed them."
   Savage scored eight points also and had three assists while playing 35 minutes before fouling out. He scored Princeton’s first points of the second overtime and followed them with a blocked shot at the defensive end before fouling out with 3:25 to go in the second extra period.
   McKillop scored all his points after halftime. He sank three free throws for Davidson’s first points of the second half for a 25-25 tie, then buried a deep three-pointer — one of just three on the night for the Wildcats — for a 41-38 lead with 6:23 left in regulation. He made one free throw with 3:48 to go to forge a 42-42 tie and his final point of the night, a free throw, gave Davidson a 52-49 lead in the first overtime. The Wildcats stretched their lead to 56-51, but couldn’t hold on in the first overtime before Princeton pulled away in the second overtime.
   "Princeton is a tough team to play," McKillop said after his squad fell to 5-7 going into Wednesday’s game against Southern Conference foe Furman. "We’ve played some good teams. This is another game that prepared us for the conference."
   Some extra preparation is what brought McKillop to Princeton four years ago for a post-graduate season with the Raiders. That year hasn’t been forgotten as McKillop has continued to improve while playing collegiately under his father, Davidson coach Bob McKillop.
   "I just have more experience," the younger McKillop said. "That’s what Hun did for me. It gave me an extra year of experience and it gave me a chance to come here. For Hun to put me at a school like Davidson, it really helped."
   That’s what made his return to Princeton a bit more special and a little less ominous.
   "The fact that I knew a lot of Davidson people were in the stands did help," McKillop said. "It gave us some energy when we made some plays. It felt a lot less like an away game."