WILLIAMSBURG, Va.—William & Mary women's basketball has already made more history than can be counted on two hands this past week, but the Tribe will look to make more on Thursday night, playing High Point in the school's first NCAA Tournament game in history.
Both the Tribe and the Panthers are No. 16 seeds with the matchup tipping at 9 p.m. ET in Austin, Texas. The game will be nationally broadcast on ESPN2 with the winner advancing to play No. 1 seed Texas on Saturday night.
Stay tuned to @TribeAthletics and @WMTribeWBB on all social media as well as
TribeAthletics.com/MarchOnTribe regarding information for a pregame gathering in Austin and watch parties in Williamsburg.
Tribe Sports Network
For the second consecutive year, the Tribe Sports Network will be providing free audio broadcasts of all W&M women's basketball away contests.
Jack Angelucci will be on the call with a pregame show beginning at 8:30 p.m. ET featuring a pregame interview with
Erin Dickerson Davis. Fans can listen at
tribeathletics.com/listenlive.
Stay up to date with all the information and happenings for the CAA Championship by visiting
TribeAthletics.com/MarchOnTribe. Catch up with the Tribe through social media. Fans can keep up with W&M women's basketball by following the program on social media as well. Be sure to check out the Tribe on Twitter (@WMTribeWBB) and Instagram (WMTribeWBB).
TRIBE NOTES
• The Matchup
The slipper still fits for William & Mary as the Tribe have a date with High Point in the NCAA Tournament's First Four on Thursday in Austin, Texas after winning the program's first CAA title on Sunday. Tip is set for 9 p.m. ET on ESPN2 with the winner earning the right to play No. 1 seed Texas on Saturday.
• The Opponent
Winners of the Big South Tournament after posting an impressive 13-3 mark in the conference, High Point is back in the NCAA Tournament for the second time in program history after making it in 2021. High Point ranks in the top-two of 11 major stat categories in the Big South, including having the top scoring offense and defense.
• Last Time Out
After spotting the opening 14 points to Campbell, William & Mary came storming back to capture the school's first ever CAA title in basketball, 66-63, in Washington, D.C. Sunday. The Tribe didn't lead until the mid part of the fourth quarter, but was in the driver's seat from there on out.
Bella Nascimento posted one of the best games in CAA title game history and the best in W&M history with a career-best 33 points and 11 boards. She earned the tournament's Most Outstanding Player award.
• Finally Dancing
Prior to Sunday's championship game, William & Mary was the lone original DI member from 1938 to have never made an NCAA Tournament in men's or women's basketball. The Tribe will aim for what would naturally be the school's first ever NCAA Tournament win against High Point in the First Four
• Flipping the Script
Entering the CAA Tournament losers of seven of the last eight regular season games, W&M completely flipped the script in a historic run in Washington D.C. After a victory over Hofstra in the second round, the Tribe picked up its first win over a No. 1 seed in the postseason, beating N.C. A&T in overtime. The Tribe rolled No. 4 Drexel by 22 in the semis before beating No. 3 Campbell in the final. W&M trailed by 12 and 13 in the middle of the third quarter to both A&T and Campbell respectively before storming back. W&M was the first No. 9 seed to ever make the CAA final let alone win it.
•Big Bucket Bella
Bella Nascimento was simply sensational in the CAA title game, posting a career-high 33 points and a career-high 11 boards for her second career double-double. Nascimento willed the Tribe down the stretch, scoring 20 of her points in the second half. When the dust had settled, the junior had scored half of W&M's points and accounted for 14 of the team's 27 field goals. The 33 points are the most ever in the postseason by a W&M player.
• But Wait, There's More
While a historic effort,
Bella Nascimento's performance in the CAA title game didn't come out of the blue. Nascimento has had the keys to the Tribe offense all year long. She currently is 15 made field goals away from the program record for most in a single season. The senior has already set the program record of field goal attempts in a season and led the CAA in scoring during league play at 17.8 ppg. Her 10 efforts of 20-plus during CAA action also led the league.
•Super Sophomores
Sophomores
Monet Dance and
Cassidy Geddes were also key cornerstones in the CAA Championship run, each earning CAA All-Tournament Team honors. The pair of guards combined for 53 points in the quarterfinal win over N.C. A&T with Dance blowing her previous career-high out of the water with 27 while Geddes scored 26. Dance also scored 12 and 18 against Hofstra and Drexel while Geddes was in double figures in the final.
• Mo Shines Through
Monet Dance's breakout performance at the CAA Championship can be first credited to her prowess from deep. Dance came to D.C. with 18 makes from behind the arc on the year before catching fire at CareFirst Arena. The Roswell, Ga. native hit 13-of-16 treys in the first three games of the postseason and now is shooting 41.3% from three on the year. Also of note, Dance has now started more postseason games in her career then regular season games.
• Stepping Up at the Right Time
Rebekah Frisby-Smith picked quite the time to score in double figures for the first time this season. The Australian graduate student scored a season-high 12 points in the CAA final off four made triples. Nine of those points came in the third quarter to keep W&M in the ballgame. Her last game in double figures came on 3/3/24 scoring 10 at Charleston.
• Not Afraid to Switch it Up
Erin Dickerson Davis has shown no issue switching up her starting lineup throughout the season, using 13 different starting-five combos through 33 match ups. She has never used the same starting five more than eight times this year, with that being the opening night lineup. She used two different starting lineups in the CAA Tournament, even debuting a lineup that hadn't been used all season in the championship game.
• Comeback Kids
Not only did W&M make history this past weekend but they did so in electrifying fashion. The Tribe trailed top-seed N.C. A&T by 12 points in the middle of the third before coming back to force overtime to pick up the program's first win again a No. 1 seed in the quarters. Campbell was the next victim of a W&M comeback in the championship, getting out to a 14-0 lead and again leading by 13 in the third before succumbing to a Tribe offensive bombardment that included a 61.5% shooting effort in the fourth. The Tribe only had won once while trailing at the half before finding second half magic in D.C.
• Everybody Assists
10 different players have led W&M in assists in a single game this season with eight of those players doing so multiple times.
• Road Warriors
Travel is nothing new to this W&M squad as the Tribe only has played 11 of their 33 games this season at home, including just two in the non-conference. Not only has the Green and Gold been on the road often, but has also squared up with tough opponents when doing so. W&M traveled to three teams who are also in this year's NCAA Tournament in 4-seeded Maryland, 8-seed Richmond and 13-seed Norfolk State. The Tribe spent a 35-day stretch (11/29-1/3) without a home game, the 22nd longest stretch in DI. Also of note, W&M is a perfect 6-0 in neutral site games.
• Making the Most of the Spotlight
The Tribe's special season has also come at a time where they ironically have gotten the most television spotlight. The CAA title game was the program's first ever nationally televised contest and the team's 10th this year on some form of television, the most in program history.
• Taking Care of the Rock
The Tribe has won the turnover battle in 13 of the last 20 games. Over that span W&M has turned the ball over under 10 times on four occasions, while also forcing 15-plus turnovers 11 times. W&M won the turnover battle 16-9 in the CAA final.
• Coach E Extended
W&M Director of Athletics
Brian Mann announced in late August that head coach
Erin Dickerson Davis had agreed to a contract extension through 2029. Through two seasons Davis became the fastest coach to 20 CAA wins in program history and fastest to 30 career wins in 95 years.
• 60 is the Magic Number
60 points is a key number for W&M. The Tribe is 24-8 under
Erin Dickerson Davis when holding teams below 60. While team's have had a mixed bag of success scoring in the 60s vs. W&M, opponents are 37-5 against them when scoring 70+ since 2020-21. Offensively, the Tribe is 43-16 when scoring over 60 and 4-29 when held below 60 under Davis.
