WILLIAMSBURG, Va. – The William & Mary women's basketball team hits the road for three of its next four contests starting with a CAA northern swing. The trip gets underway at Northeastern on Friday, Jan. 15. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m.
OPENING TIP William & Mary women's basketball opens a stretch of three of four games on the road with the CAA's northern swing starting Friday, Jan. 15 at Northeastern. Tipoff between the Tribe is set for 7 p.m. W&M enters Friday's contest looking to get back into the win column following its first conference loss against Drexel on Sunday afternoon. W&M has rebounded with victories following each of its two previous losses. The Tribe and Northeastern meet for the 16th time in series history on Friday night in Boston. It is also the first of two regular season meetings between the two programs. The Huskies make the return trip to Williamsburg on Jan. 31. Northeastern holds a slight 8-7 advantage in the series. However, W&M swept the season series a year ago. The Tribe picked up a double overtime win in Boston, before 15-point victory in Williamsburg.
LAST TIME OUTThe William & Mary women's basketball team suffered a 67-50 setback to Drexel on Sunday afternoon, snapping a three-game winning streak. W&M (11-3, 2-1 CAA) cut a 15-point halftime deficit to as little as four in the third quarter, but the Dragons (6-8, 2-1 CAA) responded with a 14-3 run led by Sarah Curran to put the game away. Sophomore
Abby Rendle led W&M with a career-high 23 points on 11-of-19 shooting from the floor. Classmate
Jeanne Gaumont also added a career performance, scoring 10 points to go with a team-high five rebounds. Gaumont was 3-of-6 from 3-point range, blocked two shots and took a pair of charges. It was the first time in a 54-game stretch that the Green and Gold failed to hold a lead.
SCOUTING THE HUSKIESNortheastern is also looking to rebound from a loss as they enter Friday night's contest against the Tribe. The Huskies own a 6-8 record overall with a 1-2 mark in league play. NU is scoring just over 60 points a game at 60.6 ppg. this season. Samantha DeFreese is the lone player in double-figures 14.2 points per game. Claudia Ortiz is just outside of the double-figures plateau at 9.4 ppg, while Jess Genco and Gabriella Giacone are both averaging 8.8 points a night. On the glass, the Huskies are bringing down 40.3 rebounds per game. DeFreese leads the way with 8.0 rebounds a night. Francesca Sally is second on the squad with 6.1 boards a game. Kelly Cole is in her second season with Huskies. She has posted a 10-33 record in her two years at the helm.
SERIES HISTORY The Tribe and Northeastern meet for the 16th time in series history on Friday night in Boston. It is also the first of two regular season meetings between the two programs. The Huskies make the return trip to Williamsburg on Jan. 31. Northeastern holds a slight 8-7 advantage in the series. However, W&M swept the season series a year ago. The Tribe picked up a double overtime win in Boston, before 15-point victory in Williamsburg. Last season, junior
Alexandra Masaquel led the Tribe against the Huskies just missing averaging a double-double with 12.5 points and 9.5 rebounds. Classmate
Marlena Tremba averaged 11 points and 3.0 assists in the two games.
THE ROAD AHEADThe Tribe concludes its two-game road trip as they travel to Hofstra on Sunday, Jan. 17. That game will tipoff at 1 p.m., and be televised on the American Sports Network. TV Clearances will be available on TribeAthletics.com. W&M returns home to face UNCW on Friday, Jan. 22. Tip time from Kaplan Arena is set for 7 p.m.
O CANADASophomore
Jeanne Gaumont has provided a nice spark off of the bench for the Green and Gold over the last two games for the Tribe. She has registered career-highs in each of the last two games in points with nine and 10 respectively. She has added nine rebounds, seven assists, and two blocks. For the season, the Saint-Lambert, Quebec native is averaging 3.0 points per game, 1.6 rebounds, and 1.0 assist per game in 12.8 minutes.
SHARING IS CARINGA key to success this season for W&M has been they have shared the rock. W&M ranks 18th in the country in assists per game with 17.5. Furthermore, the Tribe has averaged 18.5 assists per game in its 11 wins this season. In its two losses, the Green and Gold has averaged just 14.0 assists.
FORCING TURNOVERS For the season, W&M is averaging 19.1 turnovers per game, which ranks 52nd in the country and first in the CAA. W&M has forced five opponents into 20, or more turnovers this season.
DOUBLE DIGIT DEFICITSW&M has only trailed by double-figures on five separate occasions this season. However, the Green and Gold has rallied to win three of those five games. W&M overcame double-digit deficits against Clemson, Old Dominion, and James Madison.
MAKES YOU WANNA STAYThe Green and Gold played its first overtime game this season against James Madison on Jan. 3, picking up a 65-59 victory over the Dukes. W&M played four overtime games a season ago, going 2-2. However, the Tribe has picked up three consecutive overtime victories dating back to last season.
MID MAJOR TOP 25For the first time in the history of the poll, the Tribe earned a spot in the CollegeInsider.com Mid Major Top 25 at No. 25 for the week of Jan. 5. This week, the Tribe is just outside of the Top 25 at No. 27.
CRASHING THE GLASSFor the first time under head coach
Ed Swanson's W&M tenure, the Green and Gold recorded 50 or more rebounds in a contest. It was the first time since Jan. 31, 2013 that the Green and Gold pulled down more than 50 boards. That night the Tribe had 54 in 63-61 win at UNCW.
TAKING CARE OF THE ROCKOne of the Tribe's greatest strengths this season has been taking care of the basketball. Through 14 games, W&M is averaging just 14.6 turnovers, which ranks them 36th in the country. The Green and Gold has had just one game this season where they have committed 20, or more turnovers. In terms of assist to turnover ratio, the Tribe is second in the CAA with a 1.2 assist to turnover ratio, which is 27th-best in the NCAA.
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 (L, 47-73), Old Dominion (W, 75-64), and James Madison (W, 65-59, Feb. 19). The Tribe is currently 3-2 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 Green and Gold now has the school record for best 13-game start at 11-2.
WEEKLY AWARDSJunior
Marlena Tremba became the Tribe's first player to earn a weekly award when she was tabbed the CAA's first player of the week on the week of Nov. 16. The junior poured in a career-high 26 points in the season opener against Mount St. Mary's on her way to the award. Freshman
Bianca Boggs was the second Tribe player to earn a weekly award when she was named CAA Rookie of the Week for the week of Dec. 21. She scored nine points, adding a rebound, two assists, two blocks, and two steals in a win against Norfolk State. Junior
Alexandra Masaquel won her first CAA weekly award with the player of the week nod for the week of Jan. 4. She averaged a double-double in two victories over ODU and JMU.
GRAND COUNTDOWNWith her first quarter 3-pointer against Norfolk State, junior
Marlena Tremba entered the 900-point plateau for her career. Entering today's game against Drexel she is just 37 points from her 1,000 career point. She would become the 17th player in school history to eclipse the 1,000-point plateau.
