WILLIAMSBURG, Va. – William &  Mary men's basketball hosts its annual Gold Rush game when CAA-leading UNCW visits Kaplan Arena on Saturday afternoon. The game will be broadcast nationally on CBS Sports Network with John Fanta and Tarik Turner on the call for the 4 p.m. tip.

The Gold Rush is annually one of the top attended games in the CAA. The seventh annual Gold Rush will feature a gold pom-pom giveaway thanks to the Virginia Lottery and FREE gold t-shirts will be given out to William & Mary students thanks to the W&M Alumni Association. Halftime will also feature the popular Diaper Derby presented by Virginia529.
 
Fans can purchase tickets for a special price of $20 to the Golden Weekend for both the men's game on Saturday and the women's contest vs. JMU on Sunday. Click "GOLDEN WEEKEND PACKAGE" on the Tribe ticket page and enter promo code "GOLDEN" to claim this special deal.

Tribe fans can catch the men's basketball action over the Tribe Sports Network with Jay Colley and Bobby Dwyer on the call. Locally in Williamsburg, fans can listen in on The Tide 92.3 FM.

Catch up with the Tribe through social media. Fans can keep up with W&M men's basketball by following the program on social media as well. Be sure to check out the Tribe on Twitter (@WMTribeMBB), Facebook (WMTribeMBB), and Instagram (WMTribeMBB).

W&M News and Notes

- While UNCW leads the all-time series at 45-32, W&M has won 13 of the last 18 meetings between the teams, including the lone contest last season in the CAA Tournament first round, 73-60, in Harrisonburg, Va. The teams split the season series in 2019 and 2020 with each winning on its home court.
 
- Saturday's game marks the Tribe's seventh annual Gold Rush Game. In the previous six Gold Rush Games, the Tribe has averaged 84.2 points per contest in winning all six. The Gold Rush Games have also been among the best attended in the CAA, averaging 5,286 fans.
 
- As of Feb. 4, graduate student Brandon Carroll is one of only five nationally averaging 1.5 steals and 1.5 blocked shots per game. He is the only player in the CAA currently ranked among the top 10 in blocks (2nd at 1.6) and steals (6th at 1.6). In CAA play, he has been even better at 2.4 steals per game.
 
- Over the last five games, sophomore Connor Kochera is averaging 14.4 points per game. He scored a season-high 23 points, including 19 in the second half, in the Tribe's win at Drexel on Jan. 22. On Thursday, he led W&M with 17 vs. Charleston. Kochera ranks 18th in the CAA in scoring (12.0).
 
- The Tribe has developed a balanced scoring attack in CAA action. W&M has four players averaging double figures during the league slate. Sophomore Ben Wight leads the way at 13 per contest followed by Kochera (12.0), Carroll (11.5) and sophomore Yuri Covington (10.1). Freshmen Julian Lewis (8.7) and Tyler Rice (7.6) are also producing above their season averages in league play.
 
- Wight has been automatic from the floor this season. He ranks 41st nationally according to KenPom.com in effective field goal % (63.5). Wight ranks fourth overall in the CAA at 62.5% shooting and is up to 67.1% in league play, which ranks third in the league. Wight's field goal % ranks fourth in W&M history.
 
- 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 14th youngest team this season, averaging just one year of experience (1.0). 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 78.9% of the team's minutes (3648-of-4625) and 79.4% of its scoring (1193-of-1502).
 
- Carroll has been an impact scorer of late, tallying double figures in seven of the last eight games. Over that stretch, he is averaging 12.5 points, 6.6 rebounds and 2.5 steals per game. At Charleston on Jan. 25, he recorded the first stat line in NCAA D1 of at least 15 points (16), five rebounds (9), six steals (6), five blocks (5) and one assist (1) since 2010.
 
- The Tribe has outrebounded seven of its last 13 opponents, including five in CAA play. W&M ranks second in league game in rebounding (36.9) and defensive rebounds (26.4), while ranking third in offensive rebounds (10.5) and fifth in rebounding margin (-0.3).
 
- Freshman Julian Lewis is one of the top stat-stuffing first-year players in college basketball. He is one of only 17 first-year players nationally averaging six points (6.7), four rebounds (4.2) and two assists (2.3). He has been even better in CAA play averaging 8.7 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game. Lewis ranks 15th in the CAA in assists per game. 
 
- Wight has been the Tribe's most improved player this season. He has increased his scoring from 4.4 last season to 12.0 this year (+7.6) and his rebounding from 3.4 to 5.9 per contest (+2.5). Wight ranks 10th in the CAA in rebounding and 21st in scoring. He also has three double-doubles on the year, including a pair of 20-point, 10-rebound double-doubles in back-to-back games at Delaware (1/20) and Drexel (1/22). He is the only CAA player with two games of 20 points and 10 rebounds in league play.
 
- On two occasions in CAA play, a Tribe freshman was named the league's rookie of the week. Most recently, Langdon Hatton earned the honor on Jan. 17 after producing his first career double-double with 13 points and 14 rebounds against JMU. Julian Lewis garnered the honor on Jan. 3 after averaging 12.5 points, 8.0 rebounds and 4.0 assists in wins over Hofstra and Northeastern.
 
- 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, started his first career game on Dec. 27  vs. the Celtics and posted a 20 points and 11 rebounds.  He has appeared in 26 games for the T-Wolves this year. In 2020-21, he appeared in 33 games 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.