W&M News and Notes
-W&M and High Point meet for the eighth time in the last nine years. The all-time series is even at five fol-lowing the Tribe's 70-56 victory in
Dane Fischer's head coaching debut last season. W&M has won the last two games with the Panthers inside Kaplan Arena.
- High Point is the second Big South foe of the week for the Tribe. Following its 75-58 win at Hampton, W&M is 27-17 all-time against the league, including an 14-4 mark over the last seven years.
- Through the opening two games of the season, the Tribe offense has clicked at a league-leading level. W&M leads the CAA in field goal % (50.3) and 3-point % (44.1), while ranking second in scoring (79.3), assists (14.7) and 3-pointers per game (8.7). Nationally, the Tribe is ninth in 3-point % and 37th in field goal %. According to KenPom.com, the Tribe ranks 15th nationally in effective field goal % (58.0). W&M has ranked among the top 31 nationally in effective field goal % each of the previous eight seasons.
- Senior
Luke Loewe was one of the most improved players in the country, and as the Tribe's lone scholarship senior, he stepped into a starring role this season. Loewe ranks third in the CAA and 40th nationally at 20 points per game. This week, he tallied a game-high 20 points in the win at Hampton and at George Washington, scored 17 of his game-high 24 points over the final 25 minutes, including the game-winning lay-up with 12.3 seconds left. Loewe also ranks the CAA leaders at fourth in assists (4.3), fifth in 3-point % (50.0), ninth in 3-pointers made (2.3), 13th in free throw % (78.6) and 15th in field goal % (51.2).
- After playing two years behind
Nathan Knight, who signed a two-way NBA deal with the Atlanta Hawks, junior
Mehkel Harvey has been impressive to start this season. The 6-9 forward picked up his first career double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds in the win at Hampton. Harvey leads the country in blocked shots at four per game, including a career-high five rejections at George Washington. He ranks third in the CAA and 75th nationally in offensive rebounding (3.0) and seventh in the league overall in rebounding (7.0).
- The Tribe erased a 19-point first-half deficit in its 85-84 overtime victory at George Washington. It marked the largest road comeback in school history and the third biggest overall. The double-digit rally was the second under head coach
Dane Fischer as W&M also overcame at 16-point deficit at American in 2019. Senior
Luke Loewe (24 points) and freshman
Yuri Covington (16 points) combined for 31 of W&M's final 44 points in the win. The Tribe shot 59.3% in the second half, while limiting GW to 38.7% and 11 turnovers in the period.
- In each of its three games, the Tribe has started at least two freshmen. In total, W&M rookies have comprised 46.7% (7-of-15) of the team's starts and 39.5% (237-of-600) of the team's minutes. In the opener at ODU, three freshmen (
Yuri Covington, Kochera and
Ben Wight) started for just the ninth time in the last 32 years (914 total games since the 1989-90). The Tribe started three freshmen on seven occasions in 1989-90 and one time in 2018-19. Last season, W&M's starting lineup featured two seniors, two graduate students and a junior.
- Freshman
Connor Kochera, who missed Monday's win over George Washington due to a non-COVID related illness, earned CAA Rookie of the Week honors on Nov. 30 after enjoying an exceptional debut in a Tribe uniform. He led the team with 19 points which marked the most points for a Tribe freshman in an opener since Edwin Ofori Attah (22) in 2004. Kochera was 6-of-7 from 3, including a perfect 5-of-5 in the second half. His six 3-pointers tied a W&M school record for treys in the first game of the year.
- W&M will play eight of its first 11 games on the road in 2020-21, including four of its five nonconference contests. Last season, the Tribe played 12 of its first 16 games on the road. Over head coach
Dane Fischer's first two seasons, the Green and Gold has played or is scheduled to play 13 of its 18 nonconference games on the road. Last season, the Tribe tied a school record with 10 road wins.
- As a team, the Tribe was picked 10th in the preseason standings. Hofstra, who won the CAA regular season and tournament titles in 2020, was the preseason pick to win the league. Last season, W&M was picked seventh in the preseason and finished second with a 13-5 league mark. In 2019-20, the Tribe won the fourth-most games in school history (21) and posted program records in conference wins (13) and road wins (10).
- 2020 graduate
Nathan Knight, who was the Lou Henson National Mid-Major Player of the Year last season, signed a two-way NBA contract with the Atlanta Hawks on Nov. 24. He became the third W&M player, joining Marcus Thornton (Cleveland Cavaliers 10-day contract in 2018) and Daniel Dixon (Boston Celtics preseason Exhibit 10 deal in 2017) to sign an NBA deal in the last four years.
- In his first season as a head coach,
Dane Fischer received multiple Coach of the Year award, including VaSID State, CAA and NABC District 10 honors. He was also a finalist for a pair of National Coach of the Year awards, including the Hugh Durham Award Mid-Major Coach of the Year and the Joe B. Hall Award, which is presented annually to first-year D1 head coach. His 21 wins in 2019-20 were the second-most for a rookie head coach in the country last season.
