WILMINGTON, N.C. – Senior Connor Burchfield scored the Tribe's final six points and tallied 23 on the night in leading the William & Mary men's basketball team to an 84-81 win at UNCW on Saturday night. Sophomore Justin Pierce, who scored 13-of-14 Tribe points during a key second-half stretch, added 23 points as well, and the Green and Gold (14-7, 7-3) won its fifth CAA road game of the year, moving back into a tie atop of league standings. Senior David Cohn achieved an impressive career milestone on the night, becoming the program's all-time leader in assists in just three seasons.
 
Burchfield drilled a huge 3-pointer, his sixth of the game, with just over a minute remaining after UNCW (7-15, 4-6 CAA) had narrowed the Tribe lead to a single point. He knocked down a trio of free throws over the final 17 seconds, including the final one with 11.2 seconds left to extend the Green and Gold lead to its final margin. The Seahawks' Jordon Talley, who finished with a career-high 25 points, misfired on a 3-pointer in the closing seconds, and fittingly, Burchfield snatched the rebound to cement the Tribe victory.
 
The Green and Gold used a 13-3 run to take control in the early stages of the first half. Burchfield knocked down back-to-back 3-pointers, before the Tribe scored seven-straight points capped by sophomore Nathan Knight finding classmate Matt Milon for a cutting lay-up at the 9:26 mark to open up a 25-15 advantage.
 
W&M led by nine at the break, but UNCW hit five of its first seven shots out of the locker room. A pair of Devontae Cacock dunks sparked the hot start, before a Jaylen Fornes lay-up less than five minutes into the half pulled the home team even at 45.
 
The Tribe responded with seven-straight points led by senior David Cohn. He found junior Paul Rowley for a triple along the right side and followed with a steal on the defensive end that led to his own fast-break lay-up with 13:52 left to extend the margin to 52-45.
 
Talley answered with back-to-back 3-pointers to draw the Seahawks within two. W&M kept itself on the positive side of the scoreboard the rest of the way, though Wilmington twice drew within a point. The final time at 78-77 on Fornes' four-point play with 1:57 remaining.
 
Individual Player Spotlight
Senior Connor Burchfield and sophomore Justin Pierce each finished with 23 points. Burchfield was 6-of-10 from 3-point range, while Pierce shot 9-of-13 from the floor and pulled down a team-high nine rebounds. Senior David Cohn just missed a double-double with 13 points and nine assists. He became W&M's all-time leader in career assists and now has 417 in his three seasons.
 
Jordon Talley led all scorers with a career-high 25 points. Jaylen Fornes added 15 points, and Devontae Cacock finished with a double-double on 12 points and 15 rebounds. Cacock was just 5-of-14 from the floor.
 
Inside the Numbers
- The Tribe finished the night at 55.8 percent (29-of-52) from the field. W&M shot 55.2 percent (16-of-29) in the opening 20 minutes and followed at 56.5 percent (13-of-23) in the second half.
 
- The Green and Gold knocked down 10 3-pointers on the night, marking the third-straight game with double-digit triples. W&M is 9-2 this season when hitting 10 or more 3-pointers. Burchfield hit six 3-pointers on the night, while junior Paul Rowley added a trio from long range.
 
- Defensively, the Tribe held UNCW to 38.1 percent (12-of-34) in the opening half, and the Seahawks finished the game at 43.5 percent (30-of-69). UNCW was 12-of-29 from 3-point range (41.4 percent). It was a season high total for the Seahawks.
 
Notes
With his second assist of the game at the 15:52 mark of the first half, senior guard David Cohn became the Tribe's all-time leader in career assists, surpassing the previous mark of 409 held by Scott Coval (1983-86) … He now has 417 assists in his Tribe career and 446 overall, which ranks 24th among active Division I players … Senior Connor Burchfield tallied a CAA career-high 23 points, hitting six 3-pointers … He scored W&M's final six points … Sophomore Justin Pierce scored 16 of his 23 points in the second half … He tied a career-high with nine made field goals … Pierce scored 13 of W&M's 14 points from the 10:47 mark of the second half until his dunk with 4:05 left to keep the Green and Gold in front … W&M won its fifth CAA road game and seventh overall away from home this season … The seven road victories rank sixth in school history … It marks the fourth time under head coach Tony Shaver that W&M has won seven or more road games in a season and the third time in the last five years … W&M shot 50 percent or better from the field for the 13th time this season, improving to 12-1 when they accomplish the feat … The Tribe has done it six times in CAA play and is 6-0 … The Green and Gold has won nine of the last 12 games against UNCW … It marked the Tribe's 50th CAA win in the last five years, which leads the league.
 
Up Next
The Tribe returns to Kaplan Arena on Thursday night, hosting Elon at 7 p.m. It will be the first of two home contests next week for the Green and Gold as they welcome Drexel to Williamsburg on Saturday. Both games will be streamed on CAA.TV. Tribe fans can catch the men's basketball action over the Tribe Radio Network with Jay Colley 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.
 
The Chesapeake Bank Tony Shaver Show is back on Monday night, Jan. 29, from Paul's Deli in Williamsburg. The weekly show begins on-site at 6:30 p.m., with the live interview airing from 7-7:30 p.m.  Longtime Tribe play-by-play announcer Jay Colley will host the broadcast from Paul's Deli at 761 Scotland Street in Williamsburg. Shows will be held Mondays from Jan. 8 through Feb. 19. The Chesapeake Bank Tony Shaver Show can be heard over the flagship stations of the Tribe Radio Network at 92.3 FM The Tide and 107.9 Bach FM. It will be streamed online at TribeAthletics.com as well.