Saturday, February 15, 2025

W&M Men’s Basketball Wins 10th Straight at Kaplan Arena, Running Past Charleston, 90-75

(Tribe Athletics)

WILLIAMSBURG — Behind a raucous crowd, William & Mary won its 10th straight at home, rolling to a 90-75 win over defending CAA Champion Charleston at Kaplan Arena on Monday night before a national TV audience on CBS Sports Network.

The Tribe (14-9, 8-2 CAA) used a 13-1 run in the latter stages of the first half to take the lead and then shot 52.9% in the second half to hold off the Cougars.

Junior guard Kyle Pulliam scored a season-high 18 points to lead a balanced Tribe attack. He was 6-of-9 from the floor, including a pair of 3-pointers, and 4-of-4 at the free throw line. Freshman Isaiah Mbeng tallied 12 points and dished out four assists, while seniors Gabe Dorsey and Noah Collier scored 11 and 10 points, respectively.

The Green and Gold received contributions up and down the lineup. Senior Matteus Case scored seven points on a couple of 3-pointers and dished out six assists compared to zero turnovers; graduate student Malachi Ndur scored nine points, hitting a pair of 3-pointers and dished out three assists; senior Caleb Dorsey added nine points and five rebounds; and junior Chase Lowe returned after a five-game absence to post a six-point, nine-rebound, five assist stat line.

More impressively nine of 11 players that saw action dished out at least one assist as the Tribe finished with 27 on its 33 made field goals. The 27 assists rank 11th on the program’s single game list and came compared to just five turnovers.

Charleston (17-6, 7-3 CAA) hit its first four shots and six of first eight. Derrin Boyd connected on back-to-back 3-pointers to extend the Cougars’ lead to 17-8 just over five minutes into the game.

Collier scored 10 of W&M’s first 13 points and drew the home team with 17-13 on a wing 3-pointer, his second of the game, at the 13:04 mark. Unfortunately, the Tribe forward sustained an injury on the ensuing trip down the court and did not return.

The Cougars lead was again nine, 26-17, at 8:54 mark after Ante Brzovic scored five in a row including a 3-point play.

W&M took its first lead of the contest thanks to a 13-1 run. Ndur started the run with a triple, before Pulliam scored back-to-back buckets in the paint. The Dorsey brothers connected on back-to-back 3-pointers to put the Tribe in front for the first time. Caleb’s from the left corner tie it up, and Gabe’s from the top of the key, off a Caleb offensive rebound and pass, put the Tribe in front 35-32 at the 3:50 mark.

After starting 1-of-7 from 3-point range, the Tribe hit eight of its final 15 in the opening half, including each of its final four field goals, to take a 41-39 lead into the locker room.

Boyd twice tied the game for the visitors at 43 just 2:17 into the second half on a lay-up and again at 48 on a 3-pointer at the 15:25 mark.

W&M never trailed in the final 23:50 and stretched its advantage to nine thanks to an 8-0 run. Gabe Dorsey scored on a cutting lay-up and was fouled, before completing the 3-point play, and Lowe followed with a driving layup. Mbeng capped the spurt with a left wing 3-pointer to give W&M a 60-51 advantage with 11:59 remaining.

Another 8-0 run pushed the Tribe’s lead to double digits just four minutes later. Graduate student Keller Boothby and Pulliam knocked down back-to-back 3-pointers, and Mbeng scored on an up-and-under lay-up to push the margin to 70-58 with just under eight minutes remaining.

The Cougars drew within eight, 76-68, with 4:40 remaining on a Justas Stonkus 3-pointer, but the Tribe responded by hitting seven of its final nine shots, including six made field goals at the rim to secure the victory.

W&M finished the night shooting 50% (33-of-66), including 14-of-37 (37.8%) from 3-point range. The Tribe was also 10-of-13 (76.9%) at the free throw line and outscored Charleston 34-28 in the paint, 15-12 in second chance points, and 16-2 on points off turnovers. The Green and Gold scored 48 of its 90 points off the bench.

Boyd led Charleston with 21 points on 8-of-14 shooting to go with five assists, while Brzovic added 20 points and eight rebounds. Lazar Djokovic led CofC with 11 rebounds, and C.J. Fulton dished out six assists.

As a team, Charleston shot 44.8% (26-of-38) from the field, including 9-of-25 (36%) from 3. The Cougars hit just 14-of-21 (66.7%) at the free throw line and held a 36-33 advantage on the glass.

Up Next
The Tribe hits the road for two games this week. W&M heads to Drexel on Thursday, Feb. 6, at 7 p.m., before traveling to Delaware on Saturday, Feb. 8, at 2 p.m. Both games will be broadcast on FloCollege. Fans can listen to the action over the Tribe Sports Network with Jay Colley on the call. The Tide 92.3 FM in Williamsburg is the flagship station of the Tribe Sports Network.

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