News and Notes
- W&M leads the all-time series with Towson at 17-15, but the Tigers hold a 9-6 advantage at home. Last season, TU swept the season series, winning in Williamsburg, 76-69, and in Towson, 99-82. The Tribe swept the season series in 2015 and won two of three meetings in 2014.
- Saturday's match-up pits teams of contrasting styles. Towson scores 57.4 percent of its points from 2-point range and 24.9 percent at the free throw line, both among the top 20 in the country. On the other side, W&M scores 34.8 percent of its points from 3-point range, which is 66th nationally.
- The Tribe's offense has been running on all cylinders over its season-best four-game winning streak. During the stretch, W&M is averaging 95 points and 11.5 3-pointers per game, while shooting 60.2 percent from the field and 50.5 percent from 3-point range. The Green and Gold is scoring 1.37 points per possession during the stretch.
- In each of the last four games, the Tribe handed out more than 20 assists, averaging 24.8 per game. W&M averages 17.8 assists per game, which leads the CAA and ranks sixth nationally. The Green and Gold is only eight assists away from 400 for the year, which would be the fifth-straight year and ninth time in the last 10 seasons in reached the mark.
- Senior
Daniel Dixon is averaging 27 points and six rebounds per game, while shooting 65.5 percent from the floor and 71.4 percent from 3-point range over the last four contests. He has scored 20 or more points in eight of his last 14 games and leads the CAA at 22.5 points per game in league action.
Scouting Towson
- Towson enters Saturday at 14-10 overall and 6-5 in the CAA. After dropping their first four CAA games, the Tigers have won six of their last seven, including a 104-103 double OT victory over Drexel on Thursday night.
- TU is the top rebounding team in the CAA, averaging 39.5 per game and outrebounding opponents by 7.3 per contest. They rank among the top 25 nationally in rebounding margin. They are also 25th in the country in offensive rebounds per game (13.2) and 21st in offensive rebounding percentage.
- Offensively, Towson is averaging 73.7 points per game, while shooting 44.4 percent from the field. TU ranks 19th nationally, scoring 57.4 percent of its points from two-point range. The Tigers use the free throw line to their advantage as well. Nearly a quarter of Towson's offense comes at the free throw line, which is 10th in the country. They are fifth nationally according to KenPom.com at getting to the free throw line as well.
- The Tigers rank among the top 100 nationally in both scoring defense (69.0) and defensive field goal percentage (41.6 percent). TU is second in the CAA in field goal percentage defense and steals per game (6.9), while coming in third in scoring defense.
- A quartet of Tigers average in double figures led by junior Mike Morsell at 13.8 points per game. He is coming off a season-high 32 points vs. Drexel. Senior Williams Adala Moto ranks 21st in the CAA in scoring (12.7) and eighth in rebounding (6.8), while classmate John Davis is among the top 25 in both categories as well. He averages 11.9 points and 7.4 rebounds per game, which is fourth in the CAA. Deshaun Morman rounds out the double-digit scorers at 10.5 points per game. He is also third in the league at 1.5 steals per tilt.
- W&M leads the all-time series with Towson at 17-15, but the Tigers hold a 9-6 advantage at home. Last season, TU swept the season series, winning in Williamsburg, 76-69, and in Towson, 99-82. The Tribe swept the season series in 2015 and won two of three meetings in 2014.
Impressive Numbers During the Four-Game Win Streak
- The Tribe's offense has been firing on all cylinders over the last four games, averaging 95 points per contest. It marks the second-best four-game scoring stretch in program history and best since 1954. W&M averaged 96.8 points per game over the first four games of the 1954-55 season against N.C. State (97), Furman (103), Tennessee (79) and Hampden-Sydney (108). In terms of tempo free stats, the Tribe is scoring 1.37 points per possession over the last four games (380 points in 278 possession).
- Over the last four games, the Green and Gold has produced seven-straight halves of basketball of 50 percent or better from the field, including 60 percent in each of the last four. W&M shot 60 percent or better from the field in five of the last eight halves of basketball.
- The Tribe is shooting 60.2 percent (142-of-236) from the field and 50.5 percent (46-of-91) from 3-point range over the last four games. The Green and Gold is averaging 11.5 3-pointers per contest as well and winning by an average margin of 22.5 per game.
- W&M has dished out 20 or more assists in each of its last four wins, averaging 24.8 over the stretch. The Tribe has assisted on nearly 70 percent (69.7) of its made field goals over the last four games. The Tribe also has an assist-to-turnover ratio of 2.3 during that time and is averaging just 10.8 turnovers per contest.
- The Tribe's defensive numbers during the four-game winning streak have improved as well. The Green and Gold is limiting teams 72.5 points per game and just 1.02 points per possession. W&M opponents are shooting just 41 percent (102-of-249) from the field and 32.4 percent from 3-point range (33-of-102). The Tribe is averaging 8.8 blocked shots per game during the stretch and outrebounding its opponents by 6.5 per game over the last four contests.
Lighting Up the Scoreboard
- After scoring 80 or more points in 13 games last season, including four contest with 90-plus, the Tribe is once again flexing its offensive muscle this season scoring 80 or more points in 11 contests. W&M has scored more than 90 points on seven occasions in 2016-17. The Tribe owns three 100-point games this season, which is the second time in program history and first since 1954-55.
- W&M is averaging 81.7 points per game in 2016-17, which ranks second in the CAA and 26th nationally. It would set the program record, topping the school mark of 81.4 points per game in 1955. In CAA play, the Tribe tops the league at 82.4 points per game.
- Over the last four seasons, W&M has scored 80 or more points in a game on 43 occasions. The Tribe is 38-5 (.884) over the stretch when accomplishing the feat. Over head coach
Tony Shaver's first 10 seasons at W&M, the Tribe scored 80 or more points 39 times with the record of 29-10 in those contests.
- W&M has ranked among the top three in the CAA in scoring each of the last four years, the only program in the league to do so.
- The Green and Gold recorded its third 100-point game of the season in a 108-85 triumph over Drexel. The 108 points were the second most in a CAA game in program history and tied highest total ever allowed by the Dragons in regulation.
- The Tribe lit up the scoreboard in back-to-back wins over Milligan and Savannah State to the tune of 113 and 112 points, respectively. It marked the first time in the 112-year history of W&M basketball that the program topped the century mark in back-to-back games.
Dropping Dimes
- In each of the Tribe's last four wins, the Green and Gold dished out more than 20 assists. W&M is averaging 24.8 assists per game during its four-game winning streak. The Tribe has eight games of 20 more or assists this season and is 8-0 in those games. - In its wins this season, the Tribe is averaging 21.6 assists per game compared to just 12.3 in its losses. W&M ranks sixth nationally at 17.8 assists per game.
- W&M has tallied four top-10 assist totals in program history. The Green and Gold dished out a season-high 30 assists on 36 made field goals in its win over Savannah State on Dec. 19. It was the second game of 30 or more assists in Tribe history, trailing the school-record mark of 33 set in 1995 against George Mason. On Jan. 30, W&M dished out 28 assists in its win over Drexel, which was the third-best total in program lore. The Tribe recorded 27 assists on its 32 made field goals in the win over Presbyterian on Nov. 19 and 27 on 36 field goals vs. Northeastern on Feb. 2. Both totals are tied four eighth in W&M history.
- The Tribe had seven games of 20 or more assists last season, which was the most since the 1995 campaign. W&M was 6-1 in those games. Over the last seven seasons, the Green and Gold is 27-1 when dishing out 20 or more assists in a game.
Elite Shooting
- The Tribe has shot over 50 percent from the field in each of its last four wins and in eight of its last 10 games overall. In its last four victories, W&M is shooting 60.2 percent (142-of-236) from the field. Over the last 10 games, W&M has shot 52.9 percent (312-of-590) from the field.
- W&M has 12 games of 50 percent or better shooting in 2016-17 and is 11-1 in those contests. Under head coach
Tony Shaver, the Tribe is 91-12 (.883) when shooting 50 percent or better from the field, including an impressive 46-4 (.920) 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 14th (49.2 percent). The Tribe ranked 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).
- The Green and Gold is one of only three teams nationally, along with Gonzaga and Belmont, to rank among the top 30 nationally each of the last five years.
- W&M ranked among the top 25 nationally in effective field goal percentage each of the last four seasons. In 2016-17, the Tribe ranks 17th at 56.1 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.
- 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 17th nationally at 55 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).
Prewitt Named CAA Player of the Week
- For the second time in his career, senior
Omar Prewitt was named the CAA Player of the Week on Jan. 30. Prewitt averaged 18.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, six assists and a blocked shot per game in the Tribe's victories over Delaware and CAA leader UNCW. It was the second weekly award for W&M this season after senior
Daniel Dixon won the honor on Jan. 2.
- Along with his scoring production, Prewitt shot 59.3 percent (16-of-27) from the field and hit 4-of-6 from 3-point range (66.7 percent).
- Against UNCW, Prewitt scored a season-high 28 points on 12-of-17 shooting, including a perfect 3-of-3 from 3-point range, in leading the Tribe to a victory over the CAA leader. He also topped W&M with seven rebounds and added four assists in the win.
- Prewitt dished out a career-high eight assists compared to zero turnovers against Delaware. He scored nine points to moved into seventh place on the Tribe's career scoring list, passing former W&M standout Quinn McDowell.
