| Wm. & Mary (0-0) |
Coach: Tony Shaver
(N. Carolina '76)
5th season, 38-77
Career: 386-198
Not Ranked |
| Expected Starters/ 2006-07 Statistics |
| Name |
Ht. |
Pts. |
| Nathan Mann |
6-2 |
9.1 |
| David Schneider |
6-1 |
8.1 |
| Alex Smith |
6-5 |
5.5 |
| L. Kisielius |
6-8 |
11.3 |
| Peter Stein |
6-9 |
5.7 |
| Team Stats: |
| Points/Game: |
63.5 |
| Points Allowed: |
64.2 |
| FG Shooting: |
43.6 |
| FG Defense |
43.2 |
| 3FG Shooting: |
32.1 |
| FT Shooting: |
69.3 |
| Rebounds/Game |
32.1 |
| Assists/Game |
12.7 |
| Turnovers/Game |
14.1 |
| Last 5 Games (0-0) |
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| Quick Facts |
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Game 1: vs. The College of William & Mary
November 10th, 12:00 EST, Verizon Center
Tickets Available? Yes
TV: None
GU Radio: WTEM-980
WM Radio: WSRF-92.3
About The Tribe:
Location: Williamsburg, VA
Enrollment: 5,500
Conference: Colonial
Record vs. Georgetown: 4-5
Last Five Games:
1950-51: WM 75, at GU 64
1968-69: at WM 90, GU 84 (OT)
1969-70: at GU 87, WM 82
1970-71: GU 88, at WM 71
1971-72: at GU 85, WM 78
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| Game Notes |
--William & Mary, the second oldest university in the nation (1693), has never appeared in an NCAA tournament and has received only one NIT berth (1983).
--With a considerable pre-sale of tickets, Georgetown is aiming for an attendance record for a home opener. The previous record for a home opener is 9,226 versus Morgan State on Nov. 30, 1982.(The 1993-94 opener with Maryland was considered a neutral site game.)
--Three of the first five U.S. presidents were students at W&M: Washington, Jefferson, and Monroe. (The University of Virginia was not founded until 1825.)
--Georgetown begins its 11th season at Verizon Center this year. By contrast, the Hoyas played at Capital Centre/US Air Arena for 16 seasons from 1981 through 1997.
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| Preview |
Year four of the remarkable John Thompson III era opens Saturday, where the biggest opponent right now might be the high expectations of a Final Four team with four returning starters and arguably the nation's #1 center in Roy Hibbert. Expectations don't win games, however, and the Hoyas must return to the here and now and get to work. Unlike his predecessors, Thompson III has been more adept at matching up good non-conference tests for his team at the right time, and so it is with a William & Mary team that might surprise a few people this year...as long as it's not Georgetown.
The W&M basketball experience is more than a few miles from that in Washington. Last season's 15-15 record was only the fifth 15 win season in 102 years of Tribe basketball. With four returning starters, W&M is working towards its second post season bid ever and embarks on a challenging non-conference slate to do it. Both teams could be something to watch in a few months.
The Tribe's guard play should be solid. Guards Nathan Mann and David Schneider missed only five starts between them last season, accounting for nearly half the three pointers launched last season. Mann played only nine minutes in the W&M exhibition game this week and must do a good job of distributing the ball against Georgetown's defenses. As a whole, W&M's guards need to shoot better, as neither shot above 39 percent last season.
Small forward Alex Smith is expected to get the start Saturday. Smith started in only four games last season but shot a respectable 53 percent coming off the bench. Smith, who played in the Pan American Games this summer for Panama, led the Tribe with 15 points in its pre-season win, and will be a point of emphasis in the W&M game plan. Power forward Laimis Kisielius averaged 11.3 points last season and 40 percent from three point range, two statistics that W&M will need plenty of to stay in contention in
this game. Inside, center Peter Stein figures to have his hands full with Roy Hibbert, and needs to stay on the court more than his 21.1 minute per game average in 2006-07. If Stein falters, expect 6-9 Chris Darnell or 6-10 Steven Hess to see time as well.
W&M faces some challenges in this game: the Tribe does not shoot well, has trouble rebounding, and may be a step slow for the Georgetown defensive sets. What they do bring to the table is an efficient team, a team that does not make many mistakes, and one with a promising bench that should see action in this game. Georgetown fans should watch for 6-7 Kyle Carrabine (3.5 ppg) and 6-9 newcomer Marcus Kitts.
Georgetown looks to bring its rotation into form in anticipation of its meeting next weekend with Michigan. Wallace and Sapp should continue their strong backcourt play, with fans eager to see what role senior Tyler Crawford and freshman Austin Freeman will play in these early games. On the front line, all eyes will be on Dajuan Summers as the next Jeff Green, but take a look as well at Vernon Macklin. The 6-9 sophomore could see extended minutes and should be able to use the non-conference slate to improve his game experience. If teams box-in on Hibbert and get him in foul trouble, Macklin will be called upon in a big way this season.
Keys to the game?
1. Outside Shooting. William & Mary hit on 60 percent of its threes in its pre-season game--look for an early volley from outside..
2. 20 and 10. Two good numbers to start Roy Hibbert's senior season.
3. Rebounds. No W&M player averaged more than four rebounds a game last season. Georgetown's size in the middle should give it a decided edge in the category.
It was 364 days ago when a 10 point win over Hartford set the wheels moving on a exciting centennial season for Hoya Hoops. No one knows what 2007-08 will bring, but the pieces are about in place for another memorable run. There will be stumbles and a few groans along the way, but if John Thompson III has preached anything these last 104 games, it is patience. Give the Hoyas some time to grow, and the sky's the limit. Let the game(s) begin! |
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| Georgetown (0-0) |
Coach: John Thompson III
(Princeton '88)
3rd season, 72-32
Career: 140-72
AP: #5 |
| Expected Starters/ 2006-07 Statistics |
| Name |
Ht. |
Pts. |
| Jonathan Wallace |
6-1 |
11.4 |
| Jessie Sapp |
6-2 |
9.1 |
| Patrick Ewing Jr. |
6-7 |
4.1 |
| Dajuan Summers |
6-8 |
9.2 |
| Roy Hibbert |
7-2 |
12.9 |
| Team Stats: |
| Points/Game: |
69.1 |
| Points Allowed |
58.0 |
| FG Shooting: |
50.5 |
| FG Defense: |
38.3 |
| 3FG Shooting: |
37.0 |
| FT Shooting: |
71.1 |
| Rebounds/Game |
33.8 |
| Assists/Game |
14.7 |
| Turnovers/Game |
13.4 |
| Last 5 Games (0-0) |
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