WILLIAMSBURG, Va. - After playing five of its first seven CAA games and seven of its last nine contests overall on the road, the William & Mary men's basketball team opens a four-game homestand against Delaware on Thursday night. It will be the first meeting between the Tribe and Blue Hens this season. The contest carries a 7 p.m. tip-off and will be broadcast online for FREE in HD on Tribe Athletics TV via Stretch Internet.

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 swept the season series from Delaware last season, but the Blue Hens lead the all-time series at 24-10. The Tribe averaged 92 points per game last season against the Blue Hens, winning 94-79 in Newark and 90-64 in Williamsburg.
- Each of the Tribe's three CAA wins has come by a single possession. The Green and Gold won on the road in OT at Hofstra by two points and own homes wins over Elon by three and vs. JMU by a single point.
- The Tribe coaching staff will be wearing sneakers with the special gold Princess Lacey's Laces in honor of the Coaches vs. Cancer Suits And Sneakers Week to raise awareness about the American Cancer Society's lifesaving mission, and promote the American Cancer Society as a place for help and support.
- Over his last seven games, senior Daniel Dixon is averaging 21.9 points per game. He has scored in double figures in a career-best 11-straight games and ranks third in the CAA at 19.5 points per game in league action.
- The Tribe leads the CAA and ranks 48th nationally at 16.3 assists per game. According to KenPom.com, W&M is 41st in the country in assist rate, dishing out assists on 59.3 percent of its made field goals.
- 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 Delaware
- Delaware is under the direction of first-year head coach Martin Ingelsby, who spent the pervious 13 seasons as an assistant coach at Notre Dame. The Blue Hens are 8-13 overall and 1-7 in CAA play on the year.
- UD opened the season going 7-6 in the non-conference schedule, including a win at home over Iona to close out the slate. The Blue Hens have lost seven of their last eight games. They snapped a six-game losing streak with a 69-62 win at home over Northeastern on Jan. 19. Most recent, UD suffered a 75-58 loss at home to Towson on Thursday.
- Delaware ranks fourth in the CAA in scoring defense allowing team to only score 69 points per game. The Blue Hens are third in the league in 3-point field goal percentage defense (.333) and fifth in field goal percentage defense (.431).
- Offensively, UD is the lowest scoring team in the CAA at 63.6 points per game and have averaged fewer in league play at 61.2. Delaware plays at a slower place ranking among the 40 slowest in the country at 65.4 possessions per 40 minutes. The Blue Hens shoot 40.7 percent from the floor and 30.8 percent from 3.
- Freshman Ryan Daly has been the Blue Hens top player and one of the top freshmen in the CAA, earning the league's rookie of the week honor on four occasions. He is averaging 14.9 points per game, which is eighth in the CAA, and has increased his production to 19.3 in league action. Daly is also seventh in the CAA and UD's leading rebounder at 6.7 per game.
- Junior Anthony Mosley is second on the team and 30th in the CAA at 10.4 points per game, while senior Cazmon Hayes and sophomore Chivarsky Corbett are at 9.4 and 8.1 points per game. Mosley also leads the CAA in steals per game (1.7), while ranking 13th in assists per game (2.6). Sophomore Eric Carter ranks 19th in the CAA and second on the team at five rebounds per game.
- Delaware leads the all-time series with W&M at 24-10, including an 11-5 margin in Williamsburg. The Tribe snapped a nine-game losing streak to UD with a series sweep last season. W&M won at Delaware, 94-79, before picking up a 90-64 win during the second annual Gold Rush Game.
 
 
Suits And Sneakers® Week
- The Coaches vs. Cancer Suits And Sneakers Week, January 23-29, 2017, is a nationwide event that unites coaches across the country to raise awareness about the American Cancer Society's lifesaving mission, and promote the American Cancer Society as a place for help and support. While coaching games during the week, coaches across the country, including the Tribe coaching staff, will wear sneakers with their game attire as a visible reminder about the importance of nutrition and physical activity in reducing cancer risk.
- Along with their shoes, the Tribe staff will #laceupforlacy, wearing the special gold Princess Lacey's Laces. As Michigan State University's number one fan, eight-year old cancer patient Lacey Holsworth and her special relationship with star player Adreian Payne dominated the media for a significant portion of the 2013-2014 NCAA basketball season. Although she shortly thereafter passed away, she gives hope and inspiration to millions of others affected by cancer. As a special promotion beginning Suits And Sneakers Week, and continuing through the end of the college basketball season, fans will have the opportunity to wear a specially designed pair of sneaker laces from Shoe Carnival, available online or in stores, in memory of Lacey. Funds raised will support the American Cancer Society and Princess Lacey's Legacy, to continue save lives and support those affected by pediatric cancer.
 
Elite Shooting
- The Tribe has shot over 50 percent from the field in four of its last six games. W&M has eight games of 50 percent or better shooting in 2016-17 and is 7-1 in those contests. Under head coach Tony Shaver, the Tribe is 87-12 (.879) when shooting 50 percent or better from the field, including an impressive 42-4 (.913) mark over the last four seasons.
- The Tribe has ranked among the national leaders in shooting in recent seasons. According to advanced statistical website KenPom.com, the Green and Gold has ranked among the nation's elite in effective field goal percentage and two-point percentage over the last seven seasons. W&M has also ranked among the country's top shooting teams in traditional field goal percentage in the last five years.
- This season, W&M currently ranks 77th (46.7 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).
- W&M ranked among the top 70 nationally in effective field goal percentage in six of the last seven seasons. In 2016-17, the Tribe ranks 76th at 52.6 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 77th nationally at 52 percent. Each of the previous three campaigns, 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.
 
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. 25):
 
Defensive Rebounds Per Game - 27th (28.2)
Assists Per Game - 48th (16.3)
3-Pointers Made Per Game - 54th (8.9)
Scoring - 62nd (78.7)
Blocked Shots Per Game - 71st (4.4)
Fewest Fouls Per Game - 75th (17.6)
Field Goal Percentage - 77th (46.7)
Assist-to-Turnover Ratio  - 78th (1.21)
 
Bomber Package
- The Tribe lineup possesses some of the top 3-point shooters in the Colonial Athletic Association and some of the best in W&M history. The Green and Gold has two of the top five in the CAA in 3-point percentage and three of the top 10 in program history. 
- Junior Connor Burchfield, who led the country in 3-point percentage last season at 56.3 percent, leads the CAA at 46.6 percent in 2016-17. Classmate Greg Malinowski is right behind him at No. 4 in the league shooting 43.9 percent from 3-point range. While not reaching the minimum qualifications for the league rankings, sophomore Paul Rowley has hit 24 3-pointers on the year and is shooting 47.1 percent from distance. 
- Senior Daniel Dixon tops the team and ranks fourth in the CAA at 2.2 3-pointers per game. He has ranked among the top five in the league in 3-pointers made each of the last three years.
- In W&M history, Burchfield, Malinowski and Dixon all ranks among the top 10 for career 3-point percentage. Burchfield leads the way and is No. 1 in program history shooting 49.4 percent from 3-point range followed by Malinowski in sixth (40 percent) and Dixon in ninth (38.3 percent).
 
Dixon Scoring Tear
- Senior Daniel Dixon has been on the tear of late, scoring in double figures in a career-best 11 straight games. Dixon, who missed the Tribe's setback at Charleston, ranks third in the league at 19.5 points per contest in CAA play.
- Over his last seven games, Dixon is averaging 21.9 points per game. He is shooting 52 percent (53-of-102) from the field.
- Dixon recorded his first two career 30-point 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 his six games, his scoring average is up to 23.3 points per game.
- After struggling and failing to score in 24 minutes at Central Michigan, Dixon has scored in double figures in 11-straight games. In total, he leads the Tribe with 14 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 third in the CAA.
 
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.
 
Top Free Throw Shooter
- Senior Daniel Dixon leads the CAA and ranks 12th nationally at 90.4 percent (58-of-64) from the charity stripe.
- His single-season free throw percentage ranks second in W&M history, trailing just the 91.7 percent (111-of-121) of Scott Coval in 1985-86.
- Dixon is a near perfect 23-of-24 from the free throw line in CAA play. In fact, he has made 40 of his last 42 free throw attempts.
- For his career, Dixon is shooting 80.6 percent (141-of-175) from the free throw line, which ranks 11th on the Tribe's career list.