WILLIAMSBURG, Va. – William & Mary won its fourth straight to open Colonial Athletic Association play with a 79-63 victory over UNCW. Here are the five story lines and the highlights behind the Tribe (12-5) improving to 4-0 in CAA play for the fourth time in program history.
 
The UNCW game highlights are available above or by clicking HERE.
 
1) Seniors Nathan Knight and Andy Van Vliet each posted double-doubles on Thursday night. Van Vliet led the Tribe with 18 points on 6-of-11 from the floor and added 11 rebounds, while Knight registered a career-high with 17 rebounds and added 17 points. It marked the sixth time this season that both players tallied a double-double in the same game. Knight increased his nation-leading double-double total with 13, while Van Vliet posted his eighth double-double.
 
2) Defense has been a staple of the Tribe's early CAA success. Each of W&M's last three opponents have failed to score 65 points, and the Green and Gold held two of those three foes to less than 40% shooting. The Seahawks shot only 35.6% (21-of-59) from the field, including just 6-of-20 beyond the 3-point arc. UNCW was just 1-of-9 from 3 in the second half after hitting five in the opening 20 minutes. After the Seahawks' Jaylen Simms scored 17 first-half points, junior Luke Loewe drew the second-half assignment and led the way of W&M limiting the UNCW sophomore to 1-of-5 shooting and only four points.
 
3) The Green and Gold owned the opening five minutes of both halves in its win over UNCW. The Tribe held the visitor to 0-of-5 with four turnovers in the game's opening 5:57. Offensively, W&M hits four of its first six shots in the first half to lead 10-0 with 15:22 left in the half. In the second half, the Tribe connected on five of its first seven from the floor, while UNCW as just two of its first seven. In total, W&M used a 14-4 run to start the second half to increase its lead to 47-33 with 14:51 remaining. The Seahawks could get no closer than 12 of the rest of the way.
 
4) W&M dominated the glass against UNCW, outrebounding the Seahawks, 44-30. The 44 rebounds tied for the most in a CAA game this season. It marked the third-straight game and 11th time this season that W&M outrebounded its opponent. The Tribe pulled down 13 offensive rebounds and turned it into 12 second-chance points.
 
5) The Tribe set a season-high in free throws made with 22 and also connected on 88% (22-of-25) at the charity stripe. W&M leads the CAA in free throw % in league games at 83.9%. Knight (8-of-8), graduate student Tyler Hamilton (5-of-5) and Van Vliet (4-of-4) were all perfect at the charity stripe combining to go 19-of-19.
 
Up Next
- The Tribe welcomes Charleston to Williamsburg on Saturday in a match-up of the two remaining undefeated teams in CAA play. Tip-off is set for 2 p.m. from Kaplan Arena.
- The game will be broadcast on FloHoops. All Tribe home games and the program's remaining 15 CAA games will be streamed on FloHoops. A FloHoops subscription is $12.50 per month or $95.88 per year ($7.99 per month) and provides access to 130 CAA men's basketball games, as well as special features.
- Tribe fans can catch the men's basketball action over the William & Mary Sports 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 William & Mary Sports Network and the audio is also available over the Web via the Tune-In app.
 
Two chances for Tribe fans can get an inside look at William & Mary basketball next week. On Monday night, Tribe Talk Presented by Chesapeake Bank with Dane Fischer is back at Precarious Beer Hall. The 30-minute on-air show begins at 7 p.m. Fans can hear the live broadcast on the William & Mary Sports Network and its flagship station 92.3 FM The Tide. Tribe Talk will also be available online via the Tune-In App.
 
'Dining with Dane' also returns on Tuesday, Jan. 14. The monthly luncheon featuring Tribe head coach Dane Fischer, which begins at noon, is held at Anna's Brick Oven and include a buffet for $13.75. The 'Dining with Dane' series provides fans the opportunity to get Coach Fischer's thoughts on the season and upcoming games.