News and Notes
- W&M owns six wins in the CAA Championships since 2008, the most among current league teams. The Tribe has also advanced to two conference championship games in the last six years, the only CAA program to do so.
- The Tribe's third-place finish in the CAA is the second-highest in program history tied with the 2010 team, which advanced to the league game, before earning a bid to the National Invitation Tournament.
- W&M and College of Charleston will meet for the third time this season after having never met previously. Each team won on its home court during the regular season.
- The Green and Gold's 18 wins rank seventh in program history, while the 10 CAA wins mark the fourth time in the Tribe's 29 years in the league that it won double-digit conference games.
Scouting College of Charleston College of Charleston completed its first season in the CAA at 14-17 overall and 6-10 in league action. The Cougars are coming off a narrow 89-86 setback at home to league champion Delaware on the final Saturday of the regular season. Earlier this season, W&M and Charleston met for the first time and ended up splitting their meetings with each winning on its home court.
The Cougars calling card this season has been their defense. CofC leads the CAA and ranks 25th nationally in scoring defense, allowing just 62.5 points per game. Cougar opponents are only shooting 40.7 percent from the floor, which ranks second in the CAA and 58th nationally. Offensively, CofC scores 63.1 points per game and ranks third in the CAA at 34.5 percent from 3-point range. Charleston is among the top rebounding teams in the country, ranking 16th nationally in total rebounds. CofC is 24th nationally in rebounding margin, outrebounding its opponents by 5.6 per game.
Willis Hall leads CofC and is 11th in the league at 12.2 points per game. He is 36th nationally and third in the league at nine rebounds per game. Anthony Stitt is second on the team at 10 points per game and is sixth in the CAA at 3.0 assists per game. Adjehi Baru averages 9.1 points per game, while ranking among the top 10 in the CAA in rebounding (7.6) and blocked shots (1.4). Freshman Canyon Barry, who is the son of former W&M women's basketball standout Lynn Norenberg-Barry, averages 9.6 points per game and is coming off a career-high 27 vs. Delaware.
In the teams' first meeting in Williamsburg, CofC led by as many as 13 points in the first half and by nine at the half, before W&M rallied behind 69.6 percent shooting in the second half, including 7-of-11 from 3-point range, to pick up a 74-63 win.
Marcus Thornton led W&M with 26 points, while
Brandon Britt chipped in 15. In Charleston, the Cougars outdistanced W&M by shooting 64.2 percent from the field and 63.6 percent from 3-point range, hitting 14 from long distance. Hall scored 21 for CofC, while Barry added 17.
Thornton, Rusthoven Named All-CAA For the second time in as many seasons, junior
Marcus Thornton and senior
Tim Rusthoven were named All-CAA. After being a second-team honoree last season, Thornton moved up to the first team this season, while Rusthoven garnered second-team accolades in 2014 after third-team honors a season ago. It marked just the second time in school history and first since 1998 that W&M placed two players on the top two All-CAA teams. Thornton and Rusthoven became the seventh and eighth multi-year All-CAA honorees in W&M annals. It marks the fifth time that the Tribe had two All-CAA choices in the same season and the first time it pulled the trick in back-to-back season. The Green and Gold had two All-CAA selections in 1998, 2004, 2010 and 2013 to go along with this season. Thornton and Rusthoven are the 12th and 13th time in head coach
Tony Shaver's tenure a Tribe player was named All-CAA.
First-Team All-CAA: Marcus Thornton After receiving preseason first-team All-CAA honors, junior guard
Marcus Thornton became just the third W&M player in the program's 29-year history in the CAA to be named first-team all-league in the postseason. Thornton ranked among the CAA leaders in scoring (18.6) during the year along with being arguably the league's top 3-point shooter, connecting on 39.9 percent from long range and hitting nearly three triples per game. Thornton joined a group of Green and Gold players that includes Randy Bracey in 1998 and Adam Hess in 2003 and 2004 to be selected First-Team All-CAA.
Rusthoven Named Dean Ehlers Leadership Award Winner Senior
Tim Rusthoven was named the 2014 Dean Ehlers Leadership Award winner, marking the fourth time in the last five years that a W&M player garnered the honor. The distinction, which has been presented to the deserving men's and women's basketball player since 1995, is named after former James Madison athletic director Dean Ehlers, who was a founding member of the conference, served as its first President and was a recognized leader through his membership on numerous NCAA Committees. The award is given to the student-athlete who “embodies the highest standards of leadership, integrity and sportsmanship in conjunction with his academic athletic achievement.” A three-time CAA All-Academic Team choice, Rusthoven is heavily involved in the Williamsburg and W&M communities along with being a student leader on campus and in athletics. He is a team captain and member of the W&M SAAC along with his involvement in the Mason School of Business. Rusthoven has been the president of Tribe Fellowship, an on campus Christian fellowship group and has also led a Bible study group of high school boys at the Williamsburg Community Chapel. Rusthoven was a nominee for the 2014 Allstate NABC Good Works Teams®, which recognizes a select group of college basketball student-athletes who have made significant contributions to the greater good of their communities through volunteerism and civic service.
Prewitt Named CAA Rookie of the Year Freshman
Omar Prewitt became just the third Tribe player in program history to be named the Colonial Athletic Association Rookie of the Year. The Mount Sterling, Ky., native led CAA rookies in a number of categories, including scoring (11.8), 3-pointers made (47), 3-point percentage (37.6), free throw percentage (77.2) and steals (28), while ranking second among league freshmen in assists (1.9) and rebounds (4.7). He became the eighth CAA All-Rookie choice under head coach
Tony Shaver and the second CAA Rookie of the Year. Prewitt joined Thomas Roberts, a three-time All-CAA selection in his career, in 1990 and Corey Cofield, a two-time all-league pick, in 2004 as W&M players named CAA Rookie of the Year.
Leaders in the Classroom Once again, the Tribe led the way with three of the league's 10 CAA All-Academic Team selections as seniors
Tim Rusthoven,
Kyle Gaillard and
Brandon Britt earned the honor. It marked the third straight season in which Rusthoven received All-Academic honors and he becomes just the second three-time first-team pick in W&M history. The honors were the third of Britt and Gaillard's careers as well as Gaillard earned his second-straight first-team accolades and Britt moved up to the top team after receiving second-team honors the previous two seasons. It marked the fourth time in the last five years that the Tribe placed three of its five starters on the CAA All-Academic team. Rusthoven, Gaillard and Britt brought W&M's three-time All-Academic team selections to seven. Gaillard, a finance major, has already accepted a position at Well Fargo in Washingon, D.C., following graduation in May. Under head coach
Tony Shaver, the Tribe has had 36 CAA All-Academic team honorees, the most in the CAA since 2004.
Tribe Tourney Success Under Shaver No W&M head coach has enjoyed more success in the Colonial Athletic Association Tournament than current Tribe headman and two-time CAA Coach of the Year
Tony Shaver. In the 18 years prior to Shaver's arrival in Williamsburg, the College totaled just two CAA Tournament wins. Over the last 10 under his direction, the Green and Gold owns seven league tournament wins, including the program's first two CAA Championship Game appearances in 2008 and 2010.
Winning at the CAA Tournament Since 2008, the Tribe is among the elite in the league when it comes to winning at the CAA Championship. W&M is the only current CAA program to compete in the CAA Championship Game on two occasions in the last six seasons. The program's six wins in the CAA Championship since 2008 are also tops among current league teams.
CAA Tournament Wins Since 2008
| W&M |
6 |
| James Madison |
5 |
| Northeastern |
4 |
| Delaware |
4 |
| Towson |
4 |
| Drexel |
3 |
| Hofstra |
3 |
| UNCW |
2 |
Into the CAA Record Books On two occasions since 2008, the Tribe has set to CAA record for 3-pointers made in a season. W&M first topped the mark in 2008 with 257 triples, before bettering the mark with 295 in 2010. The Green and Gold's 2013-14 3-point production is only two long-range baskets away from moving into the top five in CAA history. W&M sits at 255 made 3-pointers entering the CAA Championship, a number that ranks 14th nationally, as of March 2. Here is a look at the CAA all-time top five in 3-pointers made:
CAA 3-Point Records
| 1. |
339 |
VCU |
2010-11 |
| 2. |
295 |
W&M |
2009-10 |
| 3. |
270 |
UNCW |
2008-09 |
| 4. |
267 |
VCU |
2011-12 |
| 5. |
257 |
W&M |
2007-08 |
| |
255 |
W&M |
2013-14 |
Top Scoring Teams in School History For the second time in the last five seasons, the Tribe has enjoyed one of the top scoring seasons in school history. W&M's 2,121 points this season currently ranks fourth in program annals. The school record is 2,213 points scored by the 2010 NIT team. The Green and Gold is only 92 points shy of setting the school record. The Tribe's 73.1 points per game this season ranks second in the CAA and is the best scoring average since 1995-96 for W&M. According to KenPom.com, as of March 3, W&M ranks 49th nationally in adjusted offensive efficiency at 111.7. The adjusted offensive efficiency factors in the quality of opposing defenses, the site of each game, and when each game was played (recent games get more weight) to the raw points scored per 100 offensive possessions.
Single Season Points Scored
| 1. |
2213 |
2010 |
| 2. |
2193 |
1949 |
| 3. |
2175 |
1977 |
| 4. |
2121 |
2014 |
| 5. |
2117 |
1970 |
Among the Nation's Best in Effective Field Goal Shooting According to KenPom.com, W&M is among the most effective shooting teams in the country ranking among the national top 10 in effective field goals percentage. Effective field goal percentage differs from conventional field goal percentage by taking into account the extra value of a made 3-pointer. The Tribe ranks seventh nationally, as of March 3, in the category at 55.5 percent. Creighton leads the country in effective field goal percentage at 58.8.
Green and Gold Success Under Shaver W&M head coach
Tony Shaver has led the Tribe to one of its most successful stretches in school history. Over the last eight seasons, the Green and Gold has won 15 or more games eight times, including three wins totals among the top eight in W&M history. By contrast, W&M produced only two seasons with 15 or more wins in the 20 years prior to Shaver's arrival in Williamsburg. The Tribe headman is closing in on another career milestone, sitting only eight wins shy of 500. Following his third double-digit CAA wins total this season, Shaver ranks ninth in league history in CAA victories at 87. He also currently ranks 24th among active NCAA Division I head coaches with 492 wins, which is also tops among CAA head coaches. Shaver is the all-time winningest head coach at W&M with 134 victories.
