Senior guard Jason Richards is interviewed at Davidson College’s 900 Room after the Wildcats learned of their No. 10 seed in the NCAA tourney. (Bill Giduz photo)

The Davidson College union burst into thunderous cheers Sunday afternoon as the nationally-televised “Selection Sunday” program on CBS flashed “Davidson” on the screen. The Davidson men’s basketball team had just been named a No. 10 seed in the Midwest region. That means the Wildcats will play No. 7 Gonzaga Friday night in Raleigh, in the first round of the NCAA men’s basketball championships. The winner will play the winner of the Georgetown /University of Maryland Baltimore County matchup, also in Raleigh Friday.

Davidson had not been higher than a No. 13 seed in its previous four trips to the NCAAs, and has not progressed beyond the first round since 1969.

TV crews were on hand at the union Friday to film the men’s team and hundreds of fans who filled the 900 room and the union atrium, craning their necks at the big screen televisions. The “Selection Sunday” show released the East region first, which brought muted cheers for No. 1-ranked UNC, and a few hollars for No. 13 seeded Winthrop, a Wildcats rival. But the roars were deafening during the next set of bracket run-downs when Davidson appeared in the listings. The No. 1 seed for the Midwest region is Kansas.

All eyes were on the big screen Sunday as Wildcat fans awaited news of Davidson’s NCAA tourney placement. Team members were part of an even larger crowd inside the college union’s 900 Room. (Laurie Dennis photo)

Want tickets to see the game? Best of luck. But go ahead and check the college website for NCAA info. Tickets for Davidson sessions only will go on sale at 7 p.m. Sunday at the college ticket office. And click here for printable brackets.