Volunteers help pack shoes at Duke Family Performance Hall Wednesday. (Click to see the larger version. (Bill Giduz photo)

Davidson College students and volunteer firefighters Jamie Watson '11 (left) and Thomas Christy '10 helped pack shoes Wednesday. (Bill Giduz photo)

At least a 100 volunteers turned out at Duke Family Performance Hall at Davidson College Wednesday afternoon to help pack more than 10,000 pairs of shoes and other equipment bound for the Nigerian hometown of basketball player Andrew Lovedale. The shoes were collected in a “Kicks from Cats” drive led by Mr. Lovedale and the nonprofit Samaritan’s Feet.

But the work remains unfinished. Organizers say more volunteers are needed Thursday between 10 a.m. and 8 p.m., or until they’ve finished repacking everything for shipment to Nigeria. “We still have a few thousand pairs,” said Jim Nash of the Davidson College Union, who is helping to organize the packing. Read the full story

Curry puts up a shot against Duke (Tim Cowie photo)

Davidson College point guard Stephen Curry was named a mid-season candidate for the 2009 Naismith Trophy, given annually to the nation’s top college basketball player.

Curry is among 30 finalists for the award on a list announced Tuesday by the Atlanta Tipoff Club. Oklahoma Sophomore Blake Griffin is on the list, as is North Carolina’s Ty Lawson and Tyler Hansbrough (who won in 2008). Others include Jeff Teague of Wake Forest, and Kyle Singler and Gerald Henderson of Duke.

Game tonight

The Wildcats will be home tonight against UNC-Greensboro, at 7 p.m. Meanwhile, volunteers are needed this afternoon at 3 p.m. to help prepare 10,500 pairs of shoes for shipping to Andrew Lovedale’s home town in Nigeria. They were collected in a shoe drive by Lovedale and Samaratin’s Feet. To volunteer or for info, email Morgan Clark (moclark@davidson.edu) or call 704-894-2374.

Read the full story

A Lafayette player dives back to the bag as Davidson first baseman Danny Weiss takes a throw. (Tim Cowie photo)

Davidson baseball coach Dick Cooke rakes the infield Sunday. (Tim Cowie photo)

It may not feel like spring, but it’s baseball season again.

The Davidson College baseball team opened its 2009 season this weekend by winning three out of four games at Wilson Field, including two against Lafayette.

The Wildcats beat Ohio University 8-6 on Friday. On Saturday, they lost to Lafayette, 10-6, then came back to beat Army, 11-4. And Sunday, they evened things up with Lafayette, winning 12-5.

More about the games, and a full schedule for 2009, on DavidsonWildcats.com.

Stephen Curry dribbles through the Butler defense Saturday. Curry had 20 points, but the Wildcats lost to the Bulldogs. More photos below. (Tim Cowie photo)

Gordon Hayward scored 27 points, including 4 of 7 three-pointers, as Butler easily defeated Davidson, 75-63, in a men’s basketball game at Belk Arena Saturday.  The sold out non-conference “BracketBusters” game aired on cable TV channel ESPN.

Davidson’s Stephen Curry returned to the lineup after an ankle-injury a week earlier, but his 20 points was not enough as the Wildcats fell 2o 22-6 on the year. Butler improved to 23-4. Read the full story

Concord Road traffic was diverted for a while Thursday while the new Cat's paw insignia was installed on the pavement. (David Boraks photo)

Workers on Thursday installed a red Wildcat paw on the pavement at Concord Road and Baker Drive, which is the entrance to Davidson College’s Baker Sports Complex. The work is part of a series of improvements the college is making at the intersection, including new pedestrian crosswalks and signs. Read the full story

Andrew Lovedale maneuvers under the basket. (Tim Cowie photo)

With star guard Stephen Curry on the sidelines with a sprained ankle, Davidson College’s men’s basketball team couldn’t match The Citadel, falling 64-46 Wednesday night at home at Belk Arena.

The Wildcats fell behind 28-21 at halftime, despite 9 points from Andrew Lovedale. The visiting Bulldogs added to their lead in the second half, and held the Wildcats to their lowest point total in years.

In Curry’s absence, Lovedale had 16 points and 11 rebounds. Brendan McKillop had 15. Demetrius Nelson had 22 points for Citadel, while Cameron Wells added 15.

Read the full story

Davidson College basketball coach Bob McKillop held Stephen Curry out of practice Tuesday, as the star forward nurses a sprained ankle suffered in Saturday’s game against Furman. The question is, will he be well enough to play in the Wildcats’ Wednesday night home game against Citadel?

“We’re getting close,” McKillop said in a press release Tuesday evening. “It will be a game-time decision.” Read the full story

Davidson College’s women’s basketball team fell to Samford, 78-67, Monday night on senior night, its final home game of the regular season at Belk Arena. The loss dropped Davidson 10 wins and 16 losses overall and 9-8 in the Southern Conference. Read the full story