William & Mary (W&M) will kick off its Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) schedule at home, marking the third time in five years they have opened the league slate in Kaplan Arena. The Tribe has found success in this setting, winning nine of their last 13 league openers and holding a 16-9 record overall when starting the CAA season at home. Notably, W&M has triumphed in eight of its last nine CAA openers played at Kaplan Arena. Head coach has a solid record in conference openers, securing his first victory last season at Hofstra and boasting an overall 5-3 mark in such games.
The Tribe’s matchup against Towson will be a significant affair as it is the only meeting between the two teams this season. Last year, the Tigers clinched the CAA regular season championship, while W&M finished fourth. As the current season progresses, both teams emerged as preseason favorites, ranked among the top four by league coaches.
W&M has shown marked improvement, jumping 111 spots in the KenPom ratings to a current standing of No. 120, the best for the program since 2016. The Tribe’s standing in the NCAA NET Rankings is also impressive, sitting at 69th, the highest in the CAA. Previously, W&M reached a peak of No. 50 this season, showcasing its growth since the introduction of this evaluation tool in the 2018-19 season.
The Tribe’s nonconference play concluded with a commendable 9-3 record, marking just the seventh occasion in the program’s rich history that they have won nine or more nonconference games, the most since the 1982-83 season. Standouts during this stretch include senior, who scored a career-high 22 points against Radford, hitting 6-of-7 from the field and 9-of-10 on free throws, while also surpassing the 1,000-point milestone. Junior forward has been consistent, scoring in double figures over his last five games, averaging 15.6 points and shooting over 54% from the field.
W&M boasts one of the top shooting capabilities in the country, ranking 20th nationally in two-point shooting at 60.3% and 39th in effective field goal percentage. Junior has established himself as a key contributor, leading the team in scoring with 11.8 points per game.
Senior recently celebrated career milestones by grabbing his 500th rebound and reaching 250 assists, placing him among a select group of players in school history to achieve both feats.
The Tribe’s balanced offensive attack is highlighted by eight players averaging at least seven points per game, with four consistently in double figures. The team is not only scoring efficiently but is also recognized for its fast pace, leading the country in average length of possession (13.4 seconds) and ranking fifth in adjusted tempo.
Defensively, W&M leads the CAA and ranks 18th nationally in forced turnovers, averaging 16.3 per game while converting those opportunities into 20.1 points. The teamwork aspect shines through as well, with an average of 19.5 assists per game, placing them first in the CAA and 12th nationally.
On the professional front, several W&M alumni have signed contracts to play overseas, while Daniel Dixon, a 2017 W&M grad, has been appointed head coach of the Oklahoma City Blue in the NBA G-League after a successful stint as an assistant coach with the OKC Thunder.
The Tribe’s contributions on and off the court continue to inspire optimism as they pursue success in the CAA, demonstrating a well-rounded program that excels in both competition and development of its players.