DAVIDSON, N.C. -- It’s Sweet 16 time for the Davidson faithful, as loyal fans are arriving in Detroit to cheer on the underdog Wildcats team Friday night.

While bus loads of students and fans left campus Friday morning, a number of red-and-white clad supporters are gathering at the Alvarez Student Union at the university to watch the game together. It’s the first time that Davidson has reached this far in the tournament since 1969.

So far in March Madness play, the 10th-seeded Wildcats have slipped past higher-ranked squads in Gonzaga and Georgetown. Now, the Wisconsin Badgers are all that’s left to stand in the way of Davidson and the Elite Eight.

Wildcat apparel has been flying off the shelves in the past week, especially Sweet 16 and Road to the Final four shirts. The manager of the campus bookstore said they’ve been flooded with phone and internet orders, and are working feverishly to restock those items.

"It's just awesome to be able to see how excited everyone is,” said Gwen Gardner from the bookstore. “The whole campus is just crazy. We're calling this March Madness fever, or Cat Scratch Fever, it's just so much fun."

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Davidson fans arrive in Detroit

DETROIT -- Far from home, the players and some lucky fans are ready to storm Ford Field in Detroit and continue Davidson’s run toward history.

Officials at the site, which is normally home to the NFL’s Detroit Lions, say close to 60,000 fans will be on hand for the game.

“Basketball is traditionally held in arenas, and there's a different atmosphere [at arenas] and we try to make this atmosphere as similar to that as we can,” explained L.J. Wright, the NCAA director of Division 1 basketball.

Bill Ryan of the Detroit Organizing Committee says games in such venues are a sign of things to come. The Final Four will be played at Ford Field next year, and a long line of traditional football domes are ready for future tournament games.

“History has shown that they will continue the upward trend of ticket sales and seats,” he said.

The Wildcats will tip off at 7:10 p.m. News 14 Carolina will have more coverage at 7 p.m. from Davidson College, as well as news and sports reports from Detroit leading up to and after the game. News14.com will have updates and live press conferences as soon as they become available.