CHARLESTON, S.C. - Playing its sixth road contest in the last seven games, including four of its first five CAA games, the William & Mary men's basketball team wraps up a tough stretch and the backend of the CAA southern swing at Charleston on Saturday afternoon. The contest pits the league's top defense in Charleston against one of the league's best offenses in the Tribe. The clash of styles tips at 4 p.m., and will be available online for FREE in HD at CAA.TV.

Tribe fans can also catch the men's basketball action over the Tribe Radio Network with Jay Colley and Charlie Woollum on the call. The Tide 92.3 FM and 107.9 Bach FM are the flagship stations of the Tribe Radio Network and the audio is also available over the Web at TribeAthletics.com.

Catch up with the Tribe through social media. Follow the Tribe on Twitter @TribeAthletics and for in-game updates @TribeGameDay. Check in with the Tribe on Facebook at WMTribeAthletics, and see what happening with the Green and Gold on Instagram @TribeAthletics. Finally, follow along with the catalog of video content on TribeAthletics.com or check out the Tribe YouTube page. Fans can keep up with W&M men's basketball by following the program on social media as well. Be sure to check out the Tribe on Twitter (@TribeMensHoops), Facebook (TribeMensHoops), Instagram (TribeMensHoops) and Snapchat (TribeMensHoops).
 

News and Notes
- W&M and Charleston square off on Saturday, a year exactly from their last meeting on the hardwood. The Tribe leads the all-time series at 5-2, including a series sweep last season. W&M downed the Cougars, 78-70, in Williamsburg, before picking up its first win in Charleston, 63-61.
- Saturday's game between the Cougars and Tribe will be a contrast of styles. Charleston leads the CAA and ranks fifth nationally in scoring defense (59.8), while W&M is second in the league and 43rd nationally in scoring (81.0). The Tribe plays at the second-quickest pace in the CAA and is 72nd nationally (71.8 possession per 40 minutes), while CofC is the slowest in the CAA and eighth slowest nationally (63.7).
- Over the last five games, senior Daniel Dixon is averaging 24.4 points per game. He has scored in double figures in a career-best nine-straight games and ranks second in the CAA at 21.5 points per game in league action.
- The Tribe has shot 50 percent or better from the floor in each of its last three games. W&M is shooting 52.9 percent (101-of-191) during the stretch and currently ranks 53rd nationally at 47.5 percent overall.
- The Green and Gold is averaging 28 points and 12.1 rebounds per game off the bench this season. W&M has outscored its opponents off the bench in 11 of its 15 games this season, including six contests with 30 or more points.
- Senior Omar Prewitt was recently named one of 30 national candidates for the Senior CLASS Award. The honor recognized senior student-athletes that have notable achievements in four areas of excellence: community, classroom, character and competition.
 
Scouting Charleston
- Charleston enters Saturday's tilt as winners in six straight and 11 of its last 12. CofC is 14-4 overall on the year and sits at 5-0 in CAA play following a 53-51 road win at James Madison on Thursday night. Joe Chealey's jumper with 24 seconds remaining provided the difference.
- The Cougars sport one of the top defenses in the country. Charleston leads the CAA and ranks fifth nationally allowing foes to score just 59.3 points per game. They have been even better in CAA play, limiting teams to 57.8 per contest. CofC also leads the league and ranks 37th nationally according to KenPom.com in defensive efficiency (95.7).
- Charleston leads the country in 3-point field goal percentage defense, holding teams to just 27.2 percent from long range. CofC has been even better in CAA play, limiting league foes to 25 percent from distance. They are second in the league, holding opponents to 40.6 percent shooting from the field.
- Offensively, Charleston scores 64.2 points per game, while shooting 39.8 percent from the field and 31.3 percent from 3-point range. CofC limits its turnovers, averaging only 10.5 per game this season, which is eighth nationally. As a result, the Cougars ranks second in the CAA in turnovers margin (+3.22).  Charleston scores 24.7 percent of its points at the free throw line, which ranks 14th in the country.
- Junior guard Joe Chealey is the Cougars top players, averaging 15.4 points per game, which ranks sixth in the CAA. He adds 3.1 assists per game and ranks sixth in the league at 39.7 percent from 3-point range.
- Sophomore Jarrell Brantley and freshman Grant Riller both average in double figures at 12.8 and 10.5 points per game. Brantley is third in the CAA in rebounding at 8.2 per tilt. Sophomore Nick Harris is seventh in the CAA in rebounding (6.6) and third in blocked shots (1.2).
- W&M leads the all-time series with Charleston at 5-2, including a series sweep last season. The Green and Gold downed the Cougars, 78-70, in Williamsburg, before picking up its first win in Charleston, 63-61.
 
Elite Shooting
- In each of the last three games, the Tribe shot better than 50 percent from the field. During the stretch, the Green and Gold is shooting 52.9 percent (101-of-191). In four of the last five seasons W&M produced three-straight games of 50 percent or better from the field. The Green and Gold did it twice in 2014-15. 
- This season, W&M has seven games of 50 percent or better shooting. The Green and Gold is 6-1 in 2016-17 when making at least half its shots. Under head coach Tony Shaver, the Tribe is 86-12 (.878) when shooting 50 percent or better from the field, including an impressive 41-4 (.911) mark over the last four seasons.
- W&M currently ranks just outside the top 50 nationally in field goal percentage at 53rd (47.5 percent). The Tribe ranks among the top 30 nationally each of the previous four seasons. The Green and Gold ranked as high as No. 14 in 2014-15 (48.3), while coming in 21st in 2015-16 (48), 25th in 2013-14 (47.6) and 30th in 2012-13 (46.7).
 
Becoming the (Whit)man
- After serving as the Tribe's top reserve post player his first two seasons, redshirt junior Jack Whitman has seamlessly stepped into a starting forward position. He started all 14 of his appearances this season, averaging 11.4 points and 6.1 rebounds per game, while shooting 65.9 percent from the field. In CAA play, he has upped his scoring average to 14 points per game.
- The Lexington, Ky., native currently ranks 24th in the CAA in scoring, 11th in rebounding and sixth in the offensive rebounding (2.4). He is second in the league in field goal percentage and in CAA play, is shooting 76.7 percent from the field.
- Whitman has scored in double figures in eight of his last 12 games, including a career-high 21 points on 9-of-12 shooting at UNCW. He has been a consistent offensive producer in 2016-17, scoring eight or more points in 12 of his 14 games.
- In W&M's 112-85 win over Savannah State, Whitman tallied his first career double-double with 15 points and 15 rebounds. He added 16-point performances against Big South foes Presbyterian and Liberty and tallied 13 points in just 16 minutes at Duke.
- According to KenPom.com, as of Jan. 12, Whitman ranks 17th in the country at 7.5 fouls drawn per 40 minutes. Whitman is averaging nearly six free throw attempts per game and hitting 3.4 per contest.
 
Effective and Efficient Offense
- Over the last four years, the Tribe possesses one of the most effective and efficient offenses in the country according to the advanced statistical website KenPom.com.
- The Tribe ranked among the top 100 in adjusted offensive efficiency each of the last four seasons. W&M currently ranks 93rd this season (108.5). The Tribe was a program-best 31st in 2014 (111.9) and was 44th last season (112.3). Adjusted offensive efficiency is the number of points scored by a team per 100 possessions and is a tempo free stat, meaning the pace at which a team plays does not factor into the stat.
- According to the website, W&M ranked among the top 70 nationally in effective field goal percentage in six of the last seven season. In 2016-17, the Tribe ranks 67th at 53.3 percent. The Green and Gold ranked sixth in the category in both 2013-14 (55.9) and 2014-15 (56.3) along with coming in at No. 16 (54.8) last season. Effective field goal percentage is the same as regular field goal percentage, but gives teams more credit for made 3-point field goals.
- Like effective field goal percentage, the Tribe ranked among the national leaders in two-point field goal percentage in six of the last seven campaigns. The Green and Gold is currently 54th nationally at 53.3 percent. Each of the previous three campaign, W&M was among the top 25 nationally, coming in 12th in 2016 (54.7) and eighth in 2015 (54.8).
- Each of the last four years the Tribe led the CAA in adjusted offensive efficiency, effective field goal percentage and two-point field goal percentage.
 
Dixon Scoring Tear
- Senior Daniel Dixon has been on the tear of late, scoring in double figures in a career-best nine-straight games. In CAA play, Dixon ranks second in the league at 21.5 points per contest.
- Over the last eight games, Dixon is averaging 21.5 points per game. He is shooting 57.1 percent (60-of-105) from the field and 41.8 percent (23-of-55) from 3-point range.
- Dixon scored 30 points in two of the last five games. He tallied a career-high 36 points at Old Dominion on Dec. 29, before pouring in 32 points on Jan. 5 against Elon. During the last five games, his scoring average is up to 24.4 points per game.
- After struggling and failing to score in 24 minutes at Central Michigan, Dixon has scored in double figures in nine-straight games. In total, he leads the Tribe with 12 double-digit scoring games this season.
- During each of his four seasons at W&M, Dixon's scoring average has increased each season. In 2016-17, he is averaging a career-best 16.1 points per game, which leads the Tribe and ranks fourth in the CAA.
 
In the National Rankings
The Tribe ranks among the top 100 nationally in a number of statistical categories. Here is a look at where W&M ranks nationally (as of Jan. 12):
 
Assists Per Game - 27th (17.3)
Defensive Rebounds Per Game - 37th (28.0)
Scoring Offense - 43rd (81.0)
Assist-to-Turnover Ratio - 45th (1.31)
3-Pointers Made Per Game - 49th (9.1)
Field Goal Percentage - 53rd (47.5)
Fewest Fouls Per Game - 55th (16.9)
Blocked Shots Per Game - 68th (4.6)
 
Prewitt Named a Candidate for the Senior CLASS Award
- Senior Omar Prewitt was selected as one of 30 candidates nationally for the 2016-17 Senior CLASS Award® in collegiate basketball. The honor recognized senior student-athletes that have notable achievements in four areas of excellence: community, classroom, character and competition.
- Prewitt is the lone CAA representative on the candidate list. He is the first Tribe men's basketball selection since Quinn McDowell was a top-10 finalists and Second-Team Senior CLASS All-American in 2012.
- On campus, Prewitt has been a men's basketball representative of W&M's Student-Athlete Advisory Council (SAAC) each of the last three years. He helped with the program's annual blood drive and Harvest Baskets. Prewitt and SAAC collected approximately 100 harvest bags filled during the fall of 2016 with food donations to benefit FISH and Grove Christian Outreach in the Williamsburg community. In October, Prewitt helped lead SAAC's Soctober drive, collecting sock donations to give to people in need in the Williamsburg community. Also in the community, Prewitt has be involved with reading at local elementary schools and encouraging students in their school work. He leads a small group of high school students at the Williamsburg Community Chapel.
- From the list of 30 candidates, a committee will select ten finalists for the Senior CLASS Award in February.  Those 10 names will then be placed on the official ballot for a nationwide vote. Fan balloting will be coupled with votes from coaches and media to determine the recipient of the award.  The Senior CLASS Award winners will be announced during the 2017 NCAA Men's Final Four® and NCAA Women's Final Four® this spring.