- After having its last three games postponed due to CoVID-19, W&M returns to action with the 101st meeting against JMU and the teams' first since February of 2020. The Tribe has won six games in a row and 13 of the last 15 vs. the Dukes to pull even in the all-time series at 50. Seven of the last eight games between the teams have been decided by seven points or fewer, including two OT games.
- With its one-point wins over Hofstra and Northeastern, the Tribe is 2-0 in CAA play for the second time in three years under head coach
Dane Fischer. W&M started the 2019-20 season at 6-0 in league action. It marks the 12th time overall that W&M started CAA play 2-0 and the fourth time in the last five years.
- Defensively, the Tribe has limited its opponents to just a point per possession over the last seven games. In its two CAA wins over Hofstra and Northeastern, the Green and Gold posted a defensive efficiency of 88.4, limiting both teams to less than a point per possession. W&M held the Pride to season lows in field goal % (30.2), 3-point % (17.6) and points (62) after Hofstra entered as the CAA's top shooting team and among the top 50 nationally in 3-point % and scoring. The Tribe forced Northeastern in 20 turnovers, tallying 13 steals, and scored 27 points off those miscues.
- Through two games, W&M leads the CAA in defensive efficiency (88.4), effective field goal % defense (43.2) and 3-point % defense (20.8). On the other side, JMU leads the CAA in offensive efficiency (122.4), effective field goal % (67.8), 3-point % (51%), and free throw % (90.3) in league games.
- Freshman
Julian Lewis was named the CAA Rookie of the Week on Jan. 3 after averaging 12.5 points, 8.0 rebounds, 4.0 assist and 2.0 steals per game in the Tribe's 2-0 CAA start. He had a career-high 14 points to go with eight rebounds, five assists and four steals in the win over Northeastern and scored the game-winning lay-up vs. Hofstra with 10.9 seconds remaining.
- Both W&M's CAA wins came in last-second fashion. In the win over Hofstra, W&M scored the game's final four points in the last 15.5 seconds.
Connor Kochera's steal led to a
Julian Lewis lay-up with 10.9 seconds left for the game-winner. Against Northeastern, W&M scored the game's final three points, all from the free throw line.
Yuri Covington hit two free throws to tie the game with 1.3 seconds left. After an NU turnover on the inbounds pass, Kochera was fouled in the corner with 1 second left and hit one of three at the line to down the Huskies.
- 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 12th youngest team this season, averaging just 0.98 years of experience. W&M has started four freshmen and sophomores in each contest in 2021-22, including all five starters on seven occasions. The two classes have accounted for 77.7% of the team's minutes (2330-of-3000) and 79.6% of its scoring (742-of-932).
- The Tribe's trio of freshmen -
Langdon Hatton,
Tyler Rice and
Julian Lewis - ranks among the top CAA rookies (players without previous college experience) in scoring, rebounding and assists. Lewis is among the league's top six freshmen in all three categories at No. 6 in scoring (6.2) and second in rebounding (4.3) and assists (2.3). Rice leads all rookies in assists (3.6) and is tie for third in scoring (7.0), while Hatton is fifth in scoring (6.6) and third in rebounding (3.6).
- Sophomore
Connor Kochera, who is reigning CAA Rookie of the Year, ranks among the top 22 in the CAA in both scoring and rebounding. He is 24th in the league at 11.4 points per game and 19th with 5.1 rebounds per contest. He scored a season-high 19 points vs. Fairfield and recorded his second career double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds against Old Dominion. A preseason All-CAA Second Team pick, Kochera is seventh in the CAA in steals (1.5) and ninth in minutes played (32.5).
- Sophomore
Ben Wight has been the Tribe's most improved player in 2021-22. He ranks 28th in the CAA in scoring (11.0), while coming in 11th in the league in rebounding (5.7). Earlier this season, Wight scored 18 points at Wake Forest and posted his first career double-double with 12 points and 13 rebounds at Navy. Wight ranks fourth in the CAA in field goal % (61.4) and fifth in offensive rebounding (2.9). Nationally, he is 56th in offensive rebounds per game.
- Four former W&M players are either playing or coaching in the NBA. Nathan Knight '20, who signed with the Minnesota Timberwolves in the offseason, recently started his first career game on Dec. 27 vs. the Celtics and posted a 20 points and 111 rebounds. In 2020-21, he saw action in 33 games, averaging 3.8 points and 2.2 rebounds per game for the Eastern Conference Finalist Atlanta Hawks. 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.
