The Opponent: Charleston Cougars (11-10, 3-3 CAA)
The Coach: Doug Wojcik (second season at CofC, 35-21, 175-113 overall). Wojcik led the Cougars to a 24-11 overall record in his first season at the helm, including a trip to the Conference Championship game and an invite to the CBI Post Season tournament.
The Series: This will be the 1st game in the budding series between William and Mary and The College of Charleston ... The Cougars are in their first year as members of the CAA. The Tribe has played the University of Charleston (WVa) and Charleston Southern, should that help...
Last Time Out: The Cougars got 22 points and 6 boards from Willis Hall in a 58 ?56 defeat to the JMU Dukes on Saturday. The Cougars missed a couple chances at a last second win, falling to 3-3 in CAA play. Adjehi Baru contributed a double double, with 13 points and 13 boards.
The Skinny: The Cougars returned four starters from last year?s squad, including guard Anthony Stitt and post player Adjehi Baru. Front court players Anthony Thomas and Willis Hall also returned. The Cougars also have Nori Johnson now starting and get production from R-Freshman Canyon Barry off the bench.
The Cougars are not a great offensive team, scoring only 63.2 ppg, while shooting 41.5 %, but are the top Defensive team in the CAA, allowing only 62.7 ppg. They get most of their scoring from the two inside players, Willis Hall, at 12.2 ppg and Adjehi Baru at 10.1 ppg. Guard Anthony Stitt also scores 10.1 ppg. They are the second best rebounding team in the Conference, getting 9.4 boards per game from Hall and 7.6 rpg from Baru. He also has 35 blocks on the season.
The Key Players:
? #53 6?6? G-Senior Willis Hall averaged 17.0 ppg and 12.5 rpg, leading up to JMU, with double-doubles vs. NU (14pts/13reb) and Towson (20pts/12reb). He?s posted five double-doubles in the past eight games. Hall scored his 1000th point vs. JMU. He also has over 700 rebounds in his career. He leads the Cougars in scoring at 12.2 per game and rebounding at 9.4 per game (3rd in CAA).
? # 1 6?9? Junior Adjehi Baru contributed 15 points and 9 rebounds vs. Towson. He recorded his 5th double-double of the season against JMU, with 13 points and 13 boards. He averages 10.1 ppg and 7.6 rpg (5th in CAA)
? # 3 6?7? Senior Anthony Thomas scored a season-high 16 points, grabbed nine rebounds and added five assists and five steals at NU. He averages 7.2 ppg and 4.8 rpg.
? #22 6?1? Junior Anthony Stitt is averaging 12.4 ppg, 3.6 rpg and 3.1 apg over his last five games. He scores 10.1 ppg and hands out 3.1 apg.
? #11 6?5? Senior Nori Johnson, now starting, leads the Cougars in scoring in CAA contests at 12.2 ppg.
? #24 6?6? R-Freshman Canyon Berry, scores 9.4 ppg off the bench. Like his famous Dad (Rick), he also shots free throws underhanded.
Tribe Talk:
? Junior Marcus Thornton scored a team-high 26 points at Drexel, including the game winning buzzer-beater and also dished out 3 assists, with only 1 turnover. Thornton leads the CAA in scoring (19.1 ppg) and in treys made (3.1 pg) per game. He is shooting 76% from the FT line (6th).
? Senior Tim Rusthoven had 15 points, 5 boards and 4 assists in the Drexel victory. He is 11th in the CAA in scoring at 13.1 ppg, 14th in rebounding at 5.6 per game and is 2nd in the league in shooting percentage at 57%.
? Freshman Omar Prewitt scored 10 points at Drexel and pulled down a team-high 9 boards, while adding 2 assists. He?s averaging 12.6 ppg, good for 14th in the CAA. He is 75% from the line, to date.
The Tribe is the best shooting team in the CAA at 47% and the best 3 point shooting team at 39%. W&M leads the CAA in 3 pointers made per game (8.7) and assists (14.0). They are second in scoring at 72.9 ppg.
Final Thoughts: This will be a good test against one of the teams picked high in the Pre-Season (3rd) Poll, who may still be trying to find themselves. The Cougars have been up and down shooting recently, and are somewhat inconsistent from three. They have a strong inside game with Hall and Baru and hit the boards hard. The Tribe will need to show that it can handle prosperity and play defense like they did in the second half in Philly. It will be the CAA?s best shooting team (W&M 47%) against the league?s second best defenders (CofC allowing 42%). Hopefully, the Tribe Riflemen, Thornton, Prewitt, Boatner, Gaillard and Britt will all be ?on? from long range. Tim will again need some help on the boards against their inside bangers.
Brand new opponent...coming off a great last second win...need a huge crowd...
The Coach: Doug Wojcik (second season at CofC, 35-21, 175-113 overall). Wojcik led the Cougars to a 24-11 overall record in his first season at the helm, including a trip to the Conference Championship game and an invite to the CBI Post Season tournament.
The Series: This will be the 1st game in the budding series between William and Mary and The College of Charleston ... The Cougars are in their first year as members of the CAA. The Tribe has played the University of Charleston (WVa) and Charleston Southern, should that help...
Last Time Out: The Cougars got 22 points and 6 boards from Willis Hall in a 58 ?56 defeat to the JMU Dukes on Saturday. The Cougars missed a couple chances at a last second win, falling to 3-3 in CAA play. Adjehi Baru contributed a double double, with 13 points and 13 boards.
The Skinny: The Cougars returned four starters from last year?s squad, including guard Anthony Stitt and post player Adjehi Baru. Front court players Anthony Thomas and Willis Hall also returned. The Cougars also have Nori Johnson now starting and get production from R-Freshman Canyon Barry off the bench.
The Cougars are not a great offensive team, scoring only 63.2 ppg, while shooting 41.5 %, but are the top Defensive team in the CAA, allowing only 62.7 ppg. They get most of their scoring from the two inside players, Willis Hall, at 12.2 ppg and Adjehi Baru at 10.1 ppg. Guard Anthony Stitt also scores 10.1 ppg. They are the second best rebounding team in the Conference, getting 9.4 boards per game from Hall and 7.6 rpg from Baru. He also has 35 blocks on the season.
The Key Players:
? #53 6?6? G-Senior Willis Hall averaged 17.0 ppg and 12.5 rpg, leading up to JMU, with double-doubles vs. NU (14pts/13reb) and Towson (20pts/12reb). He?s posted five double-doubles in the past eight games. Hall scored his 1000th point vs. JMU. He also has over 700 rebounds in his career. He leads the Cougars in scoring at 12.2 per game and rebounding at 9.4 per game (3rd in CAA).
? # 1 6?9? Junior Adjehi Baru contributed 15 points and 9 rebounds vs. Towson. He recorded his 5th double-double of the season against JMU, with 13 points and 13 boards. He averages 10.1 ppg and 7.6 rpg (5th in CAA)
? # 3 6?7? Senior Anthony Thomas scored a season-high 16 points, grabbed nine rebounds and added five assists and five steals at NU. He averages 7.2 ppg and 4.8 rpg.
? #22 6?1? Junior Anthony Stitt is averaging 12.4 ppg, 3.6 rpg and 3.1 apg over his last five games. He scores 10.1 ppg and hands out 3.1 apg.
? #11 6?5? Senior Nori Johnson, now starting, leads the Cougars in scoring in CAA contests at 12.2 ppg.
? #24 6?6? R-Freshman Canyon Berry, scores 9.4 ppg off the bench. Like his famous Dad (Rick), he also shots free throws underhanded.
Tribe Talk:
? Junior Marcus Thornton scored a team-high 26 points at Drexel, including the game winning buzzer-beater and also dished out 3 assists, with only 1 turnover. Thornton leads the CAA in scoring (19.1 ppg) and in treys made (3.1 pg) per game. He is shooting 76% from the FT line (6th).
? Senior Tim Rusthoven had 15 points, 5 boards and 4 assists in the Drexel victory. He is 11th in the CAA in scoring at 13.1 ppg, 14th in rebounding at 5.6 per game and is 2nd in the league in shooting percentage at 57%.
? Freshman Omar Prewitt scored 10 points at Drexel and pulled down a team-high 9 boards, while adding 2 assists. He?s averaging 12.6 ppg, good for 14th in the CAA. He is 75% from the line, to date.
The Tribe is the best shooting team in the CAA at 47% and the best 3 point shooting team at 39%. W&M leads the CAA in 3 pointers made per game (8.7) and assists (14.0). They are second in scoring at 72.9 ppg.
Final Thoughts: This will be a good test against one of the teams picked high in the Pre-Season (3rd) Poll, who may still be trying to find themselves. The Cougars have been up and down shooting recently, and are somewhat inconsistent from three. They have a strong inside game with Hall and Baru and hit the boards hard. The Tribe will need to show that it can handle prosperity and play defense like they did in the second half in Philly. It will be the CAA?s best shooting team (W&M 47%) against the league?s second best defenders (CofC allowing 42%). Hopefully, the Tribe Riflemen, Thornton, Prewitt, Boatner, Gaillard and Britt will all be ?on? from long range. Tim will again need some help on the boards against their inside bangers.
Brand new opponent...coming off a great last second win...need a huge crowd...
