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The Opponent: Delaware Blue Hens (13-9, 6-3 CAA) Coach: Monte Ross


The Skinny: The Hens are very young. Before the return to health of Kyle Anderson and Marvin King-Davis, they were playing a rotation of 5 freshmen and 4 sophomores. Their early season record, 0-10, reflected that inexperience.
Since the start of conference play, they are averaging about 69 ppg. They are shooting 43% from the floor. Their soft spot lies on the defensive end, where they give up 73 ppg, most in the league.


The Series: This is the 32nd meeting in the series between William and Mary and Delaware ... The Blue Hens lead the series, 23-8, after that 84-80 comeback victory in Newark three weeks ago, and have won eight straight in the series, since the Tribe swept the season series five years ago. One of those losses was the heartbreaker in the CAA Finals last season. The Hens are 12-3 versus the Tribe in the Bob Carpenter Center…9-4 in Kaplan Arena...2-1 in neutral gyms …Delaware’s 17-3 mark against William & Mary since joining the CAA is its best record against any conference team.

Last time out: Delaware suffered an 83-76 loss to JMU at home on Tuesday. The Blue Hens, who were held to 37% shooting, got 17 points from freshman forward Chivarsky Corbett, off the bench and 17 points from senior guard Kyle Anderson, in the loss.



The Players:

• 6’2” FR. G Kory Holden had 15 points and seven assists at NU. He’s averaging 13.0 ppg and 6.7 apg over his past six contests, but had only 5 against the Dukes.

• 6’3” Sr. G Kyle Anderson averaged 13.0 ppg last week. He’s tallied double figures in 16 of his 17 games, including seven in a row. He hit 2 treys on Wed. and is UD’s all-time 3-point leader (258).

• 6’7” Fr. F Chivarsky Corbett contributed 17 points and 5 rebounds off the bench vs. JMU. He’s averaging 12.4 ppg over his last 5 games.

• 6’7” Jr. F Marvin King-Davis contributed 9 points and 3 rebounds vs. JMU. He’s averaging 9.4 ppg and leads the Hens in rebounding at 5.1 rpg on the season.

• 6’9” So. F Maurice Jeffers scored a career-high 20 points on 9-of-14 FG shooting at NU and averaged 15.5 ppg and 6.0 rpg for the week. It was his fifth double-digit effort. He had a sup-par effort against JMU, scoring only 2 points and 2 boards in 26 minutes of play, but has played very well of late.

• 6’4” So. G Cazmon Hayes averaged 13.0 ppg last week on 10-of-13 FG shooting. He’s reached double figures in 8 of his last 10 games. He was held to 7 last time out vs. JMU.



Hen Scratches:


• Delaware pulled just six offensive rebounds and did not have a second-chance point the entire game vs. JMU.

• Holden and Corbett are the second and third leading freshmen scorers in the CAA this season.





Tribe Disa & Data:

• Marcus Thornton averaged 16.5 ppg last week. He had 17 points vs. Elon. It was his 30th straight game in double figures. He has 1,972 career points is now 14th on the CAA’s all-time list. He ranks 8th in CAA history with 290 career treys.

• Omar Prewitt scored a team-high 19 points vs Elon, after getting 22 points at CofC. He has three 20+-point effort in the last six games. He’s averaging 17.5 ppg over his past seven contests.

• Terry Tarpey posted his 7th double-double in CAA play with 16 points and 11 rebounds at CofC. He tops the CAA in rebounds (8.5 rpg), is 6th in assists (3.4 apg), 1st in steals (1.5 spg) and 1st in blocks. He has scored double figures in 9 of the past 11 games.

• Sean Sheldon collected his first career Double-Double with 11 points and 10 boards vs. Elon.


• W&M shot 50% at UNCW and has made at least 50% from the field in 8 of 13 CAA games.

• W&M failed to reach 70 points in the UNCW victory. It is the only time in CAA play this season.



The Broadcast: Countdown to Tipoff begins at 2:00 PM along the network and http://www.tribeathletics.com . Join Jay, Charlie and I for the radio coverage. Be sure to tune in for Tony's pregame thoughts.


Final Thoughts: This is Part Two of revenge Week. The key will, again, be the play of the Defense on slowing down Anderson and Holden from three and King-Davis inside. The Tribe offense should take care of itself against a fairly porous D. The players filling out the Dixon minutes should be feeling more comfortable. The game, as the rest of the season, will hinge on the defensive effort.



Go Tribe!!

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(02-12-2015 11:57 PM)billymac Wrote:  Final Thoughts: This is Part Two of revenge Week. The key will, again, be the play of the Defense on slowing down Anderson and Holden from three and King-Davis inside. The Tribe offense should take care of itself against a fairly porous D. The players filling out the Dixon minutes should be feeling more comfortable. The game, as the rest of the season, will hinge on the defensive effort.

Completely agreed. I also think this game is pivotal to our chances of winning the regular season and building more confidence for the tourney. A team we shouldn't have lost to at home that is probably playing better now than when we lost to them. We have to find a way to win and put us in a position where we can still take 1st if we stumble on the two game road trip.

On paper, this one looks easy, a very good Tribe offense vs. a very weak Hen defense, Tribe win streak at home, revenge motive, and a high turn out, high energy crowd expected.

But these are the Hens, they have owned us. It is on National TV, where we tend not to shine.

Hunker down guys and let's have a bar-b-que chicken dinner Saturday afternoon.

I would argue that our remaining schedule is still as tough as most of the teams that we are fending off. Home games against Delaware (They own us), a physical Towson squad, and a Drexel team that is healthy and playing the best ball of anybody not located in Williamsburg at the moment, and road games at two places that we have historically struggled in the past, Northeastern and Hofstra. Regardless, our mission is quite simple. Win out at home and we clinch the second seed, regardless of what we do on the road. Win out at home and have the UNCW/Northeastern winner tomorrow stub their toe just once and we clinch first, regardless of what we do on the road.

Tomorrow worries me, just because it is Delaware.

What happened to all the promises of slaughter the hens, and offensive pictures of massacres? Now that the game is just over 24 hours away did we get scared? This is revenge week playing at home in front of what looks to be a very full Kaplan Arena. Many people in the crowd for these Saturday games they promote are people that can be turned into Tribe fans with a great performance that shows there is something worth watching. I think the team rises to the challenge and has a big game.

Beat Delaware and Towson and maybe the Drexel game won't matter if we're up by two games on everyone by then

One game at a time, and let's have a huge crowd at every home game going out.

(02-13-2015 10:08 AM)Tribe32 Wrote:  Beat Delaware and Towson and maybe the Drexel game won't matter if we're up by two games on everyone by then

One game at a time, and let's have a huge crowd at every home game going out.

And let's stop and thoroughly enjoy victory each time we taste it. Its important for even us supporters to enjoy and fully appreciate the process.

(02-13-2015 09:58 AM)hktribefan Wrote:  What happened to all the promises of slaughter the hens, and offensive pictures of massacres?

OK. You've inspired me. Let's cook those Hens!!

Will this do?

http://www.backyardchickens.com/t/109583...en-graphic

(02-13-2015 10:30 AM)nj alum Wrote:  Will this do?

http://www.backyardchickens.com/t/109583...en-graphic

I am equally intrigued & disturbed by that link.

(02-13-2015 08:40 AM)LeadBolt Wrote:  On paper, this one looks easy, a very good Tribe offense vs. a very weak Hen defense, Tribe win streak at home, revenge motive, and a high turn out, high energy crowd expected.

But these are the Hens, they have owned us. It is on National TV, where we tend not to shine.

Hunker down guys and let's have a bar-b-que chicken dinner Saturday afternoon.

We are 5-1 in conference games on TV this year only losing the ASN game to Elon while winning CSN games vs CoC, Towson, and JMU, the ASN game against UNCW, and the NBCSN game against Northeastern.

Still have another NBCSN game versus Hofstra and CSN game versus Drexel before the regular season ends. Not bad having 9 of 18 conference games on TV this year.

Likely double digit favorite at home with a huge crowd on I LOVE Tribe Hoops Day on national TV against the hated Hens. What's not to like?

I couldn't care less about UNCW and NU until we play them. We need to take care of business and avoid limping across the finish line as the regular season champs because the Hawks and whatever NU's mascot is dropped a couple. We are #1. We are a game up on the 2, 3, and 4 seeds because we beat them. Let's kick the everloving **** out of our remaining opponents--as we should--and head to Baltimore to claim what belongs to us.

Any questions?

AAAHHHHHHHHH <My war face>

(02-13-2015 10:22 AM)mrjoolius Wrote:  

(02-13-2015 09:58 AM)hktribefan Wrote:  What happened to all the promises of slaughter the hens, and offensive pictures of massacres?

OK. You've inspired me. Let's cook those Hens!!

And now I'll be going to get friend chicken for lunch. I encourage others to do the same.

(02-13-2015 10:55 AM)Tribal Wrote:  I couldn't care less about UNCW and NU until we play them. We need to take care of business and avoid limping across the finish line as the regular season champs because the Hawks and whatever NU's mascot is dropped a couple. We are #1. We are a game up on the 2, 3, and 4 seeds because we beat them. Let's kick the everloving **** out of our remaining opponents--as we should--and head to Baltimore to claim what belongs to us.

Any questions?

Do we take prisoners? Do we show quarter?

or dimes...?? I only have a dime...well, actually 11 cents, but I definitely WILL show no quarter..or dime to any Blue Hen!

Delaware would be my least favorite opponent in the conference, were it not for JMU...

There are only 389 tickets left on tribeathletics.com.......do they hold tickets to sell on game day or something? Or are there REALLY only 389 tickets left for the game tomorrow?!

Well, then queue up and make them open up those guarded seats. (I'm sure my buddy, Spence, would be happy to do so.)

With apologies to the Great Soap Salesman, "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down those chains..."