WILLIAMSBURG, Va. – The William & Mary women's basketball team puts its six-game winning streak on the line when it travels to Richmond to take on VCU on Monday, Dec. 21. Tip time between the Tribe and Rams is set for 7 p.m.
OPENING TIP The William & Mary women's basketball team returns to action for the final time before the holiday season as they travel to VCU for an in-state matchup on Monday night in Richmond. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. W&M enters tonight's game with an 8-1 record, which is the best start in Division I history, and tied for the best start in school history. The 1925-26 Tribe also started the season with an 8-1 record. The Tribe meets VCU for the 120th time dating back to VCU's days as RPI. It is W&M's most played series in school history. VCU leads the all-time series by an 80-39 advantage, but the Green and Gold picked up a 56-48 victory over the Rams a season ago.
LAST TIME OUTThe William & Mary women's basketball team used a balanced attack and a suffocating defense as they equaled the best start in program history with a 67-46 win over Norfolk State on Thursday night. Sophomore
Abby Rendle led all scorers with 16 points on 8-of-14 from the field to go along with six rebounds and a season-high six blocked shots. Junior
Alexandra Masaquel notched her third double-double in the last four games with 11 points and 11 rebounds, while adding four assists and three steals. Freshman
Bianca Boggs added nine points, and fellow classmate
Misha Jones chipped in a career-high seven points, including a pair of 3-pointers. Junior
Latrice Hunter tallied a season-high eight points to go with three assists. Norfolk State closed to within 17 points twice in the fourth quarter, but could get no closer as the Tribe posted the 20-point victory in holding its second straight opponent below 50 points. The Green and Gold dished out a remarkable 24 assists on its 27 made field goals.
SCOUTING THE RAMSVCU enters Monday night's contest riding a three-game winning streak. The Rams beat Old Dominion on Saturday night 74-54 to move their record to 9-2 on the season. The Black and Gold feature one of the nation's top defenses, as they are limiting their opponents to just 50.4 points a game, which ranks 10th in the country. On the offensive side of the ball, VCU is averaging 65.6 points per game. VCU's leading scorer Camille Calhoun, who was averaging 11.3 points a night, as been sidelined with an injury. Adaeze Alaeze is averaging 10.0 points per game, while Isis Thorpe (9.9 ppg.), and Ashley Pegram (9.8 ppg.) are just off of the double figure pace. On the boards, VCU is bring down 40.6 rebounds a game, and out rebounding their opponents by more than seven boards a game. Jessica Ogunnorin leads the way for the Rams in that category at 6.3 a night, while Alaeze is second on the squad with 4.9. Beth O'Boyle is in her second year at the helm of the Rams. In two short seasons, she has posted a 25-16 record, and just picked up her 100th career win against Maryland Eastern Shore on Dec. 13.
SERIES HISTORY The Tribe meets VCU for the 120th time dating back to VCU's days as RPI. It is W&M's most played series in school history. VCU leads the all-time series by an 80-39 advantage, but the Green and Gold picked up a 56-48 victory over the Rams a season ago in Williamsburg.
Jazmen Boone led three Tribe players in double-figures with 16 points and seven rebounds in the victory.
Marlena Tremba and
Kyla Kerstetter each scored 12 points for the Green and Gold. VCU's Isis Thrope was also in double-figures with 12 points and five boards.
THE ROAD AHEADW&M concludes a stretch against three straight teams from the Commonwealth to conclude the non-conference slate. The Tribe welcomes Old Dominion on Kaplan Arena on Dec. 29 at 5 p.m. as part of a women's and men's basketball doubleheader. The Green and Gold will open CAA play with a home game versus two-time defending champion James Madison on Sunday, Jan. 3. Tip time for that game is set for 2 p.m.
D, D, D, Defense The Green and Gold's defense has been strong all season, but even better in its last two games holding the last two opponents to under 50 points. The Tribe accomplished the same feat last season on Jan. 15 and Jan. 18, but the split the games. The last time W&M held its opponents to under 50 points and won both games was Dec. 21, 2009, Dec. 30, 2009 and Jan. 3, 2010 when the Green and Gold picked up three straight victories while holding on their opponents under 50 points.
TAKING CARE OF THE ROCKOne of the Tribe's greatest strengths this season has been taking care of the basketball. Through nine games, W&M is averaging just 13.7 turnovers, which ranks 36th in the country. The Green and Gold is yet to have game this season where they have committed 20, or more turnovers. In terms of assist to turnover ratio, the Tribe leads the CAA with a 1.3 assist to turnover ratio, which is 16th-best in the NCAA.
OLD FRIENDSW&M has already play two games against former CAA rivals against Richmond on Nov. 20 and American on Nov. 25.
The Tribe will also play VCU (Dec. 21) and Old Dominion (Dec. 29). Currently the Green and Gold holds a 1-1 record against former league mates.
COMMONWEALTH CLASHOnce again the William & Mary schedule is full of natural rivals including six-games against schools from the Commonwealth of Virginia.
The Tribe plays Richmond (L, 50-56), Norfolk State (W, 67-47), VCU (Dec. 21), Old Dominion (Dec. 29), and James Madison (Jan. 3 & Feb. 19). The Tribe is currently 1-1 against teams from Virginia.
DOUBLE DIGIT DIMESJunior
Marlena Tremba recorded 10 assists in the Tribe's win at Clemson on Dec. 5. It was the most assists in a game since Katherine DeHenzel had 10 assists in a game at George Mason on Jan. 19, 2012. Tremba's 10 assist tie her for sixth in W&M single-game history.
STRONG STARTFor just the seventh time in the Division I history of the program, and the 22nd time in school history the Tribe women's basketball program opened a season with back-to-back wins. The strong start continued as the Tribe is 8-1, which is the best start in Division I school history. It is also tied for the best start in school history with a team from 1925-26. With a victory tonight, the Tribe would be 9-1, which would also match the 1925-26 squad. That year the team finished the year with a 9-1 record.
NON-CONFERENCE WINSWith two regular season non-conference games remaining, the Tribe's eight regular season non-conference wins are already tied for the most since the Tribe became a Division I program in 1982-83. The school record for regular season non-conference wins is eight (2015-15, 2011-12 & 1989-90). W&M has won seven non-conference games on seven different occasions, while the Tribe has picked up five win in four different seasons.
BATTLE OF BOARDSW&M has won the battle of the boards in three games of the last four games. It is the first time under coach Swanson that the Green and Gold has won the rebounding battle in three straight contests, and it marks the first time since Feb. 28-March 3, 2010 that the team as accomplished that feat. The Tribe has posted a 3-1 record when they have the battle of the glass. For the year the Green and Gold has a narrow 37.2-36.3 advantage on out rebounding opponents
ROAD WARRIORS Three of the Green and Gold's first four games this season are on the road, which marks the third consecutive season that the Tribe has had three of its first four contests away from Williamsburg. The Tribe found success last season away from home, winning seven games. Prior to the 2014-15 season, W&M had won just seven true road games in the previous six years combined. So far, W&M has been rolling off of last year's momentum on the road, as the Tribe owns a 4-1 record away from Kaplan Arena. W&M's four road wins are the second-most in terms of number in the country, and ranked tied for fifth.
REELING IN THE WINSW&M is currently in the midst of its first six-game winning streak since the 2006-07 season. That streak lasted for seven games and spanned from Dec. 10, 2006-Jan. 11, 2007. The longest winning streak in school history is 21-games, which happened over a handful of seasons from 1926-30. In terms of single-season win streaks the longest is eight games, which took place twice from Feb. 12-March 6, 1981, and Feb. 6, 1926-March 6, 1926. W&M has also had three, seven game winning streaks in school history.
