W&M News and Notes
- The Tribe has won nine of the last 11 games vs. JMU, including both last season. W&M is 23-13 against the Dukes under the direction of head coach
Tony Shaver. The last four meetings between the teams have been decided by seven points or fewer, including two games that went to OT.
- W&M opens the CAA slate at home for the sixth time in the last seven years. The Green and Gold is 13-9 when its league opener comes inside Kaplan Arena, including wins in four of its last five openers at home.
- The Tribe has played one of the toughest schedules in the country. According to the NCAA's new NET rankings, W&M's schedule currently ranks 37th in the country, playing opponents with an average NET rating of 131 (as of Dec. 26). W&M played a CAA-high seven road games in the non-conference portion of the schedule. The Green and Gold's road opponents are a combined 43-5 (as of Dec. 26) at home in 2018. According to KenPom.com, the Tribe's non-conference strength of schedule ranks 43rd nationally.
- Junior
Nathan Knight scored 22 points at No. 3/5 Virginia on Dec. 22, which equaled the most points scored against the Cavaliers this season. He has tallied 20 or more in six of the last seven games and seven contests total this year, which ranks third in the CAA. Knight became the 40th player in school history and 13th under head coach
Tony Shaver to score 1,000 career points with his 24-point effort at Hampton on Dec. 8. Knight, who was named the Lou Henson National Player of the Week on Nov. 26, ranks among the top 15 in the CAA in nine categories, including fifth in scoring (19.3), ninth in rebounding (7.4) and 12th in assists (2.8).
- Junior
Justin Pierce recorded his fifth double-double at Hampton and ranks 30th nationally in double-doubles. He is the only player in the CAA to rank among the top 10 in the league in points (eighth at 16.1), rebounds (third at 9.6) and assists (ninth at 3.2). Pierce is one of only seven players in the country averaging 15 points, nine rebounds and three assists per game.
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Paul Rowley was named one of 30 candidates for the 2018-19 Senior CLASS Award®. The award recognized DI seniors with notable achievements in four categories (community, classroom, character and competition). W&M is one of three schools (out of 353 in DI) to have both a men's and women's player recognized as Bianca Boggs was also honored. Rowley, a second-year law student who graduated magna cum lade in just three years with a double major in finance and computer science, is the third Tribe player to be named a candidate, joining Quinn McDowell '12 and Omar Prewitt '17. The CAA led all conferences with four players on the men's 30-player list. The 10 finalists for the Senior CLASS Award will be named in February.
- W&M, which has led the CAA five of the last six years, ranks second in the league in assists at 15.9 per game in 2018-19. That number also ranks 62nd nationally. The Tribe is 35th in the country according to KenPom.com in assists percentage, recording an assist on 59 percent of its made field goals. W&M has ranked among the top 50 in the category in 10 of head coach
Tony Shaver's 16 seasons, including each of the last four.
- The Tribe has turned the ball over 10 or fewer times in each of the last five games, averaging just 8.8 miscues per contest during that stretch. In the first seven games of the season, W&M averaged 15.9 turnovers per contests. The Tribe leads the CAA and ranks 70th nationally in assist-to-turnover ratio. The Green and Gold has also ranked among the top 20 nationally in assist-to-turnover ratio each of the last three years.
- The Tribe's freshman class has accounted for 85.8 minutes per game this season. W&M's rookies have produced averages of 22.5 points, 9.7 rebounds and 6.8 assists in 2018-19. The group has accounted for 30.3 percent of W&M's scoring, 29 percent of its rebounds and 42.9 percent of its assists. According to KenPom.com, the Tribe is the 22nd youngest team in the country in terms of experience, averaging just 1.06 years per player.
- In two of the first three weeks of the season, freshmen
L.J. Owens (Nov. 12) and
Chase Audige (Nov. 26) were named the CAA Rookie of the Week. The duo is the first Tribe teammates to earn the league's weekly rookie honor in the same season since 2004-05. Owens ranks fourth among CAA rookies in scoring at 8.8 points per game followed by Audige in fifth at eight per contest.
- Pierce is one of the top rebounders in the country, ranking 27th at 9.6 per game. He averages 7.5 defensive rebounds per game which ranks second in the CAA and 17th nationally. His defensive rebounding percentage (28.6) is 18th in the country.
- Knight was named one of 21 players nationally to the Watch List for the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year Award presented by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. The 6-10 center was selected to the CollegeInsider.com Lou Henson Mid-Major Player of the Year Watch List and was an NBC Sports Preseason Mid-Major All-America Second Team in September.
- With his two blocks at Virginia, Knight moved into third on the Tribe's career blocked shots list. His 119 blocked shots tied Terry Tarpey '16. Knight's career block total ranks 41st among active NCAA DI players. He leads the CAA at 1.4 per game this season.
- Rowley and junior
Matt Milon both rank among the active NCAA Division I leaders in career 3-point percentage. Rowley is 22nd on the list at 43 percent from long range, while Milon comes in 18th at 43.4 percent.
- W&M, which has led the CAA five of the last six years, ranks second in the league in assists at 15.9 per game in 2018-19. That number also ranks 62nd nationally. The Tribe is 35th in the country according to KenPom.com in assists percentage, recording an assist on 59 percent of its made field goals. W&M has ranked among the top 50 in the category in 10 of head coach
Tony Shaver's 16 seasons, including each of the last four.
- The Tribe has turned the ball over 10 or fewer times in each of the last five games, averaging just 8.8 miscues per contest during that stretch. In the first seven games of the season, W&M averaged 15.9 turnovers per contests. The Tribe leads the CAA and ranks 70th nationally in assist-to-turnover ratio. The Green and Gold has also ranked among the top 20 nationally in assist-to-turnover ratio each of the last three years.
- The Tribe's freshman class has accounted for 85.8 minutes per game this season. W&M's rookies have produced averages of 22.5 points, 9.7 rebounds and 6.8 assists in 2018-19. The group has accounted for 30.3 percent of W&M's scoring, 29 percent of its rebounds and 42.9 percent of its assists. According to KenPom.com, the Tribe is the 22nd youngest team in the country in terms of experience, averaging just 1.06 years per player.
- In two of the first three weeks of the season, freshmen
L.J. Owens (Nov. 12) and
Chase Audige (Nov. 26) were named the CAA Rookie of the Week. The duo is the first Tribe teammates to earn the league's weekly rookie honor in the same season since 2004-05. Owens ranks fourth among CAA rookies in scoring at 8.8 points per game followed by Audige in fifth at eight per contest.
- Pierce is one of the top rebounders in the country, ranking 27th at 9.6 per game. He averages 7.5 defensive rebounds per game which ranks second in the CAA and 17th nationally. His defensive rebounding percentage (28.6) is 18th in the country.
- Knight was named one of 21 players nationally to the Watch List for the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year Award presented by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. The 6-10 center was selected to the CollegeInsider.com Lou Henson Mid-Major Player of the Year Watch List and was an NBC Sports Preseason Mid-Major All-America Second Team in September.
- With his two blocks at Virginia, Knight moved into third on the Tribe's career blocked shots list. His 119 blocked shots tied Terry Tarpey '16. Knight's career block total ranks 41st among active NCAA DI players. He leads the CAA at 1.4 per game this season.
- Rowley and junior
Matt Milon both rank among the active NCAA Division I leaders in career 3-point percentage. Rowley is 22nd on the list at 43 percent from long range, while Milon comes in 18th at 43.4 percent.
