William and Mary head coach Tony Shaver told Tribe Athletics that Wofford College “could be the best team we’d face all year.” For a team that faces the likes of Florida, North Carolina and Richmond, those are high words of praise. The Tribe knew the Terriers — who entered the game ranked 65th in the country by Jeff Sagarin’s USA Today power rankings — would not be an easy opponent. Still, the the College earned the win over Wofford, 66-62.
The game started out well for the Tribe (5-1). Playing in front of over 2,600 fans, the College scored the first 14 points of the match. After runs from both sides, the Tribe owned a 24-7 lead midway through the first half. Wofford (5-2) was forced to play catch up the rest of the night.
The College nearly saw a 10 point halftime lead slip away, as the Terriers attempted to mount a comeback. Wofford sophomore guard Eric Garcia nailed a three-pointer with 43 seconds left, cutting the Tribe’s lead to 64-62. Free throws from senior guard Marcus Thornton and sophomore guard Omar Prewitt ensured the Terriers never got any closer as the College held on for the win.
A strong performance from Thornton led the way for the Tribe. Thornton put up 25 points and played for almost the entire game, staying on the court for 39 minutes. Thornton has scored double digits in all six of the Tribe’s games.
Junior guard Terry Tarpey also had a strong game. Tarpey had a well-rounded stat sheet, finishing the day with eight points, six rebounds, six assists and 4 blocks. Tarpey also scored the first bucket of the day, hitting a three point shot just seconds into the match.
Both teams entered the match riding win streaks. Wofford’s was halted at five games, while the Tribe extended its to five in a row.
The College next plays on the road, facing Richmond Dec. 3. The Tribe’s next game at Kaplan is not until Dec. 19, against Washington College. The next home game when school is in session is against Northeastern Jan. 24.
Flat Hat Sports Desk Player of the Game: senior guard Marcus Thornton 25 points (7 of 10 FG, 2 of 4 3-point), 39 minutes
