DETROIT — Davidson senior forward Thomas Sander was in his senior economics seminar Wednesday when somebody in the class raised a hand and said there was a big announcement.

The school's Board of Trustees said it would pay for as many students as possible to attend Friday night's NCAA Midwest Regional men's basketball semifinal against the University of Wisconsin at Ford Field.

"Everybody started going crazy. I guess that's when (it hit)," Sander said of the excitement back at his school this week. "I just saw the smiles, it was pretty cool. Everybody is really into this. It got so much response, it was overwhelming."

Davidson had about 500 students sign up to go, but only enough buses to transport about 300 of them. The school located just north of Charlotte, N.C., has about 1,700 students.

"The response was tremendous and frankly, surprisingly large," school spokeswoman Stacey Schmeidel told The Associated Press. "We actually have a lot more students who want to go, but we're trying to find more buses."

The Board of Trustees is paying an estimated $120,000 (about $400 per student) for bus transportation, two nights lodging and a game ticket to watch the Wildcats in their first Sweet 16 appearance since 1969. Seven buses were scheduled to leave at 5 a.m. Friday to make it here in time for the game.

Senior point guard Jason Richards said several of his friends who couldn't previously afford the trip now are coming.

"The sense of intimacy that exists on our campus is unparalleled in NCAA Division I basketball," Davidson coach Bob McKillop said. "When the Board of Trustees votes ... to go in their personal pockets and put out the money so that every student can go to this game ... that reaches a level that's unprecedented.

"I'm stunned by it, thrilled by it. I just hope that we have a great relationship between the academic arena and the athletic arena. You always concern yourself when you cross that border. I think we have a sensitive enough faculty that they will understand this is a very unique opportunity."

Comfortable in the spotlight

The Davidson players spent the week as the media darlings of the Sweet 16 teams, but none of them seemed too concerned that the intense spotlight will affect them against the Badgers.

"I'm not really worried about what's going on," guard Will Archambault said in what only could be described as a loose and relaxed locker room. "We love the support from everybody. We're just going to continue playing the same way we have all year long."

The Wildcats, who have won 24 games in a row, believe last year's tournament experience — losing to Maryland in the first round — has helped this season, along with tough non-conference games against North Carolina, Duke and UCLA.

"We're trying to come into this like any game we've played all year," said freshman guard Brendan McKillop, the coach's son. "We've had the same keys before every game. We're just trying to stick with what we've done to get us on the win streak we have going and try to keep it going."

Bob McKillop described himself as "numb" during the first two tournament victories over Gonzaga and Georgetown in Raleigh, N.C., but his feeling has since returned.

"I'm at ease now in my life," he said. "I have never been more at ease, more comfortable, more grounded than where I am right now."