Happy New Year, everyone! And what a strange year it is, indeed: 2021. I’ve not heard a peep about anyone’s New Year’s resolutions — thank God — sparing me a lot of awkward, dull, pretend listening about my family and friends’ fad new diets and exercise routines. Normally, what happens in January of the new year is that everyone signs up a gym membership en masse and promptly forgets about it the next week after having paid the signup fee. The first week of January is usually a windfall for gyms, personal trainers and yoga instructors across the country, but not this year, sadly for them.
While New Year’s resolutions may have gone out the window this year, along with so many other rituals, routines and traditions because of COVID-19, William and Mary women’s basketball is still with us, and conference play begins today, with the Tribe (3-2) taking on Hofstra (2-4) twice at home in a unique, pandemic double-header. It’ll be interesting to watch back-to-back games in Kaplan Arena as the women take on the Pride twice this weekend, and it’ll be a lot of basketball to keep track of as the William and Mary men’s team (2-3) challenges Hofstra (4-3) at the same time on its home turf in Long Island — twice! Four William and Mary basketball games in two days! Who would’ve thought we’d see so much Tribe action at once? In 2020-21, clearly, anything’s possible, for better or worse, so let’s dive into our women’s preview, shall we?
William and Mary Tribe vs. Hofstra Pride — Saturday, 2 p.m. // Sunday, 2 p.m.
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Tale of the Tape
According to HerHoopsStats, William and Mary’s offense ranks 300th out of 332 teams, putting up an average of only 53 points per game. In addition, the Tribe ranks 280th in field goal shooting, converting only 35.2 percent of its total shot attempts from the floor.
Hofstra, meanwhile, ranks 229th in offense, averaging 61.2 points per game. Plus, the Pride has shot a marginally better 36.7 percent from the floor, ranking 249th in field goal percentage.
Projected Starters
W&M: G Sydney Wagner (R Jr.), G Nyla Pollard (Sr.), G/F Bre Bellamy (So.), G/F Bailey Eichner (Sr.), C Gabby Rogers (Sr.)
Hof: G JaKayla Brown (Jr.), G Rosi Nicholson (Jr.), G Jahsyni Knight (Jr.), F Jaylen Hines (RJr.), F Jaala Henry (RJr.)
What to Watch For
For William and Mary (3-2), the biggest question going into conference play is whether the Tribe can develop any other consistent scorers than redshirt junior guard Sydney Wagner. Currently, Wagner is averaging 21.4 points per game, accounting for about 40 percent of the Tribe’s offensive production. No one else on the roster is averaging more than eight points per contest. For the Tribe to succeed in conference play — especially without junior guard Eva Hodgson — one or more of Wagner’s teammates will need to elevate her game and average closer to double-digits in scoring per game. Otherwise, I’m not sure how long, or whether, the Tribe can succeed with Wagner carrying the bulk of the team’s scoring load, especially going into long and fatiguing double-headers like the one we’re entering this weekend against Hofstra (2-4).
Wagner’s progress this season has been remarkable, and the way she’s filled Hodgson’s shoes as our lead scorer has been miraculous. After averaging just 8.3 points per game last season as a reserve, Wagner is currently ranked third in the Colonial Athletic Association and 23rd nationally in scoring. Now the Tribe’s top starter, Wagner has averaged 26.3 points over the last three games and has shot a remarkable 27-of-45 (60 percent) from the field, including 16-of-31 (52 percent) from three. Wagner set her career high with 23 points three games ago against Navy (Dec. 13). Three days later, she broke her newly set record with 27 points against George Mason (Dec. 16). And four days after that, she set another career high with a monstrous 29 points against Norfolk State (Dec. 20).
While Wagner has put up greater and greater numbers in scoring this season, senior guard Nyla Pollard — a defensive specialist — has been the Tribe’s second-leading scoring at 7.6 points per game. Senior center Gabby Rogers is third at 6.4 points per game, and sophomore guard/forward Bre Bellamy is fourth at 5.6 points per game. As head coach Ed Swanson recognizes moving into conference play, while none of Wagner’s teammates needs to double her output in scoring, an improvement of two or three more points per game for each player will go a long way in ensuring our team’s success this year.
On the bright side, while William and Mary’s offense has struggled to feature consistent scorers (other than Wagner), the Tribe’s defense has locked its opponents down harder than the Brits have shut down London. Currently, the Tribe is ranked second in the CAA in scoring defense, holding its opponents to just 56 points per game. So far, William and Mary has held its opponents to a measly 39 percent shooting from the field, including 21 percent from three.
For Hofstra, success this weekend will depend on whether the Pride can contain Wagner and can overcome William and Mary’s lockdown defense. Currently, Hofstra has three players who are averaging double-digits in scoring at the end of non-conference play: JaKayla Brown (13.2 PPG), Jaylen Hines (11.3 PPG) and Jahsyni Knight (11.0 PPG). They’ll need to be spectacular both days — Saturday and Sunday — for the Pride to have a shot at beating William and Mary.