W&M News and Notes
- While UNCW leads the all-time series with W&M at 43-29, the Tribe has enjoyed the most recent success with the Seahawks, winning 10 of the last 13 contests. W&M is 16-15 under head coach
Tony Shaver against UNCW. Over the last seven meeting, both teams are averaging nearly 90 points per game. The Tribe is at 89.7, while the Seahawks are scoring 87.7 per contest.
- The Tribe has improved on the defensive end of the court in CAA play. W&M ranks third in defensive efficiency (103.5) in league games and has held three CAA opponents to score a point or less per possession. The Tribe limited two opponents in the non-conference to a point or less per possession. In CAA play, the Tribe ranks second in the league holding teams to 43.6 percent from the field and third in defensive 3-point percentage (33.7).
- The Tribe's 3-point production has improved in CAA play as well. After shooting just 31.7 percent from 3 and hitting 7.9 triples per game through the non-conference season, the Tribe's numbers have jumped to 36.1 percent and a CAA-best 9.4 3-pointers per contest in league action. W&M is also scoring 38 percent of its points in CAA play on 3-pointers compared to just 32 percent in the non-conference.
- Junior
Nathan Knight recorded a double-double in three of his last four games and is averaging 23.8 points, 11 rebounds and 4.8 assists per contest during that stretch. He is the only player in the CAA to rank among the top 10 in the league in scoring (third at 19.4), rebounding (ninth at 7.7) and assists (10th at 3.3). He ranks third in the league with nine 20-point games and two 30-point contests. Earlier this season, he became the 40th player in school history to score 1,000 career points. His scoring average ranks 56th nationally.
- In CAA play, junior
Matt Milon leads the league at 3.7 3-pointers per game and is averaging 15.6 points per contest. He has scored in double figures in nine of the Tribe's last 11 games. Milon ranks 65th nationally in 3-pointers per game (2.9) and 81st in 3-point percentage (.394). Among active NCAA D1 players, his 43.0 career 3-point percentage ranks 22nd nationally.
- Twice this season, freshman
Chase Audige was named the CAA Rookie of the Week. He garnered the honor on Nov. 26 and Dec. 31. Audige is one of four CAA players to earn the league's top rookie honor on multiple occasions this season and the first W&M player since Omar Prewitt in 2013-14 to win multiple honors. Audige ranks third among CAA rookies in scoring at 9.4 points per game and sixth in the league in steals (1.3).
- The Tribe dished out 20 or more assists in four of its seven CAA games and is averaging 19.1 per game in league play. In total, W&M has dished out 20 or more assists on seven occasions this season and is 5-2 in those contests. Over the last nine seasons, the Green and Gold is 42-4 when dishing out 20 or more assists in a game.
- Junior
Justin Pierce ranks among the national leaders in both double-doubles and rebounding. He is third in the CAA and 31st nationally in double-doubles (7). Pierce ranks 37th nationally at 9.3 rebounds per game and 16th in defensive rebounding (7.6). He is one of only six players in the country averaging 15 points, nine rebounds and three assists per game (as of Jan. 22).
- Knight is only two blocked shots shy of moving into second on the Tribe's career list. His 137 career rejections rank third in W&M history trailing second place Adam Duggins' (2000-03) 139. Knight's career total ranks 34th among active NCAA DI players. He leads the CAA at 1.8 blocks per game this season, which is also 59th nationally. Knight is up to 2.6 per game in CAA play.
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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 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, once again tops the league in assists at 17.1 per game in 2018-19. That number also ranks 21st nationally. The Tribe is ninth in the country according to KenPom.com in assists percentage, recording an assist on 63.6 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.
- 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.
- The Green and Gold leads the CAA in blocked shots at 4.5 per game, which also ranks 50th nationally. In CAA play, the Tribe is blocking 5.6 shots per game. W&M has ranked among the top three in the league each of the previous four years, including leading the CAA in 2016-17. Each of the last four seasons has ranked among the top 10 in W&M history.
