- W&M and Davidson are old Southern Conference rivals as both joined the league in 1936 and were part of the SoCon until the Tribe departed in 1977. The teams have not met since 2000 when Davidson won 75-70 in the Lobo Invitational in Albuquerque, N.M. Overall, the Tribe has won 11 of the last 13 meetings, but Saturday will be W&M's first trip to Davidson since 1990.
- Freshman bigman
Langdon Hatton has come on strong, scoring in double figures in each of the last four games. He made his first career start at Navy and led all scorers with 17 points. During the recent four-game stretch, he is averaging 13.8 points per game. Hatton also scored a career-high 17 points on 7-of-11 from the floor at Radford. For the year, the rookie forward ranks fourth on the team in scoring at 9.8 points per game and second in rebounding at 4.3 per contest.
- For the second-straight season, W&M ranks as one of the youngest teams in the country according to KenPom.com. After being the 34th youngest team in 2020-21, the Tribe is the 13th youngest team this season, averaging just 1.02 years of experience. W&M started four freshmen and sophomores in each contest in 2021-22, including all five starters on four occasions. The two classes have accounted for 75.4% of the team's minutes (1207-of-1600) and 75.9% of its scoring (400-of-527).
- Sophomore
Ben Wight, who scored a career-high 20 points vs. Mary Baldwin on Nov. 27, tallied his first career double-double the last time out with 12 points and 13 rebounds at Navy. He leads the Tribe in scoring (12.4) and rebounding (6.5). He ranks fourth in the CAA in rebounding and 16th in scoring. Wight also ranks eighth in the CAA in field goal % (57.9) and 14th in free throw % (74.4).
- Freshman
Tyler Rice, who scored a career-high 16 points at Navy, has proven to be one of the top assist men in the CAA. The point guard ranks third in the CAA at four assists per game. According to KenPom.com, his assist rate of 31.9 is 66th nationally. In the opener at Wake Forest, Rice dished out nine assists which were the most for a Tribe freshman in a debut in program history.
- Wight is one of the top rebounders in the CAA. He ranks second in the league in offensive rebounding at 3.4 per game and fourth in rebounding overall at 6.5. Nationally, he is 24th in offensive rebounds per game (3.4) and in rebounding rate (16.1), according to KenPom.com. He pulled down a career-high 13 rebounds, including nine on the offensive end, at Navy. His nine offensive rebounds were tied for the most in a game for a CAA player this season and the sixth-highest total in the country in 2021-22.
- Sophomore
Connor Kochera is reigning CAA Rookie of the Year and ranks third on the team in scoring at 10.6 points per game. He ranks 30th in the CAA in scoring and fifth in 3-point % (45.6). Kochera was named to the preseason All-CAA Second Team.
- W&M is averaging eight steals per game this season, which ranks third in the CAA and 95th nationally. As a team, the Tribe has averaged eight or more steals per game during only three seasons (1976, 1980 and 1981). Kochera, who had a career-high six steals vs. Mary Baldwin, ranks fourth in the CAA and 85th nationally at two steals per game, while Rice is eighth in the league at 1.6 per contest.
- As a team, the Tribe ranks 28th nationally in assist rate, recording an assist on 60.8% of its made field goals. In the opener at Wake Forest, the Tribe dished out 17 assists on 22 made field goals and added 17 assists at Norfolk State.
- Senior
Quinn Blair, who missed the Tribe's game at Navy, had been on a tear recently. After suffering an injury late in the second half against American, Blair returned to the lineup with a career-high 22 points on 7-of-8 shooting in 20 minutes against Howard on Nov. 21. Over his last three games since returning, he is averaging 14.3 points per game and shooting 69.6% (16-of-23) from the field and 50% (4-of-8) from 3-point range. He has scored in double figures in each of his last four games and on the year, ranks second on the team at 11.8 points per game.
- W&M will play seven of its first nine games away from Williamsburg in 2021. It has been a common theme for W&M over the last three years. Over head coach
Dane Fischer's first three seasons, the Tribe has played or is scheduled to play 23 of its 34 nonconference games away from Williamsburg.
- Four former W&M players are either playing or coaching in the NBA. Nathan Knight '20 signed his second two-way NBA contract and is with the Minnesota Timberwolves. He saw action in 33 regular-season games, averaging 3.8 points and 2.2 rebounds per game for the Eastern Conference Finalist Atlanta Hawks in 2020-21. Jim Moran '01 is an assistant coach with the Detroit Pistons. Sean Sheldon '16 is the San Antonio Spurs head video coordinator, and Daniel Dixon '17 is the Charlotte Hornets' assistant video coordinator.
