W&M News and Notes
- Sunday's game at Virginia Tech will be the first of three road games against the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) for the Tribe this month. W&M also travels to Pitt (Nov. 25) and NC State (Nov. 29). It marks the first time the Tribe has played three ACC teams in a season since 1985-86 (Duke, Maryland and Virginia) and the first time it has played three ACC road games in a season since 1983-84 (Virginia, Maryland and Wake Forest).
- The Green and Gold is 16-100 all-time against the ACC. The Tribe's last win against the ACC was an 85-68 upset of NC State to open the 2015-16 season. W&M won at both Wake Forest and eventual regular season champion Maryland during the 2009-10 season.
- The Tribe enjoyed a record-setting night in its win over Mid-Atlantic Christian on Thursday. W&M scored the second-most points in school history (116), won by the fourth-largest margin (76) and the largest since 1943, hit the fifth-most 3-pointers (16), shot the eighth-best 3-point % (61.5) and made the ninth most field goals (39).
- W&M enters Sunday leading the CAA in scoring (87.5) and 3-point % (46.8). Those numbers rank 58th and 19th nationally. W&M is second in the league 3-pointers per game (11.0) and field goal % (51.7). The Tribe ranks 47th nationally in effective field goal % (59.9).
- The Tribe leads the CAA in rebounding (45.0) and rebounding margin (+19.5). Those numbers rank 39th and 19th nationally.
- Defensively, the Tribe leads the CAA limiting opponents to just 57 points per game, a number that also ranks 66th nationally. W&M is third in the CAA, holding foes to 37.3% shooting from the field.
- In his first two games with the Tribe, junior
Noah Collier has made a significant impact, averaging a double-double at 12.5 points and 10 rebounds per game. The Pitt transfer leads the CAA with a field goal % of 73.3, while ranking third in rebounding and blocked shots (2.0). After scoring a career-high 17 points on 8-of-11 shooting in the opening against Navy, he tallied 12 rebounds in just 20 wins in the victory over Mid-Atlantic Christian.
- Senior
Miguel Ayesa erupted for a career-high 23 points in the win over Mid-Atlantic Christian, hitting 7-of-9 from 3-point range. The seven 3-pointers are the seventh most in program history. Ayesa leads the CAA, shooting 72.7% (8-of-11) from 3-point range over the opening two games. He ranks 27th nationally in 3-pointers per game (4.0) and 32nd in 3-point %.
- In each of its first two games this season, the Tribe turned the ball over just 10 times on the way to an assist-to-turnover ratio of 1.7. W&M's turnover rate has improved substantially from 2021-22, when it averaged 16.2 turnovers per game, the sixth-worst mark in the country. The Tribe ranks 44th nationally in turnovers per game and assist-to-turnover ratio. W&M also leads the CAA in assists per game (17.0). Point guards
Tyler Rice and
Anders Nelson have led the way as each sports 10 assists compared to two turnovers through the opening two games. They both rank third in the CAA at 5.0 assists per game.
- Junior
Ben Wight, who has scored in double figures in 14 of his last 18 games dating back to last season, was recognized by the CAA as a preseason all-league honorable mention selection. Wight led the Tribe at 11.6 points and 5.5 rebounds per game last season. His 61.6% shooting from the floor ranked third in the CAA and was the six-best mark in W&M history.
- While the Tribe was picked eighth in the preseason CAA poll, national basketball analyst Jeff Goodman of Stadium and the Field of 68 noted W&M as the CAA's sleeper team according to a poll of the CAA coaches. The Tribe had an inflex of 10 new players for 2022-23 in the form of five transfers and five freshmen.
- 2020 graduate Nathan Knight, who was the National Mid-Major Player of the Year in 2020, signed a two-year NBA deal with the Minnesota Timberwolves in the offseason. He spent his first two seasons on two-way deals with the Atlanta Hawks and the Timberwolves. Knight is 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 since 2017.
- A trio of former W&M players are currently on NBA coaching staffs. Jim Moran '01 is in his second season as an assistant coach with the Detroit Pistons, while Sean Sheldon '16 joined the Utah Jazz as an assistant coach this offseason. Daniel Dixon '17 is an assistant coach with the Oklahoma City Blue, the NBA G-League program of the Oklahoma City Thunder.
