News and Notes
- James Madison leads the all-time series with W&M at
45-37, but the Green and Gold has won 13 of the last 19 meetings. The teams
split contests last season with each winning on its home court.
- Junior forward
Tim Rusthoven registered a double-double in
four of the last six games, averaging 18 points and 9.5 rebounds per game over
the stretch.
- As of Feb. 4, the Tribe ranks second in the CAA in field
goal percentage (.449), assists (13.9) and assist-to-turnover ratio (1.1), while
ranking third in scoring (67.8). The College leads the league and ranks 12th
nationally in defensive 3-point percentage (.286).
- Senior guard
Matt Rum is two assists shy of becoming the
22nd player in school history with 200 career assists and two 3-pointers from
being the 17th Tribe players with 100 triples made.
- Over the last three games, W&M is allowing just 60.3
points per game, while holding foes to 40.1 percent shooting from the floor.
Scouting James
Madison
James Madison enters the game with W&M at 13-11 overall
and 7-4 in CAA play. The Dukes were on a four-game winning streak, including
three at home, before suffering a 74-63 loss to George Mason on Feb. 2.
The Dukes rank third in the CAA in scoring defense at 64
points per game, but have been even better in CAA play. In league games only,
JMU leads the conference in scoring defense (56.7 points per game) and field
goal percentage defense (37.6 percent). Overall, the Dukes are first in the CAA
in steals per game (7.8), while ranking second in blocked shots per contest
(4.7) and turnover margin (+1.75). In league games only, JMU is second in
rebounds at nearly 37 per game and third in rebounding margin at +1.5. The
Dukes average 64.4 points per game, while shooting 41.4 percent from the field
and 32.6 percent from 3-point range.
Senior Rayshawn Goins leads JMU in scoring at 13.8 points
per game, which ranks 14th in the CAA. He is sixth in the league at 7.9
rebounds per game, while shooting 44 percent from the floor, which ranks 10th
in the CAA. Senior Devon Moore is the catalyst of the Duke offense, averaging
10.7 points per game, while ranking second in the CAA in assists, 4.1 per game,
and assist-to-turnover ratio, 1.7. Moore scored a career-high 25 points in
JMU's loss to Mason. Freshman Andrew Nation is one of the top rookies in the
CAA, ranking third among league freshmen in scoring at 9.1 points per game,
which is also 27th in the CAA. He is also a standout defender, ranking eighth
in the CAA in both steals (1.5) and blocked shots (1.3) per game. Senior A.J.
Davis averages 8.5 points per game, which ranks 30th in the CAA, while hitting
1.3 3-pointers per game.
The Dukes lead the all-time series with the Tribe at 45-37,
including a 21-13 advantage in Harrisonburg. W&M has won three of the last
four contests between the two schools, including a 68-61 win over JMU in
Williamsburg last season. James Madison claimed a 57-49 win over the Tribe in
the teams meeting in Harrisonburg in 2012.
Chairman of the
Boards
Junior forward
Tim Rusthoven has been a force on the glass
for the Green and Gold this season. He currently leads the Tribe and ranks
seventh in the CAA in rebounding at 7.7 per game. He has led the Tribe in
rebounding on 14 occasions this season, including a career-high 16 against
Hofstra on Feb. 2. The 16 rebounds were the most for a Tribe player since David
Cully hauled in 26 during a Tribe victory over VMI on Jan. 17, 1996 and the
fifth most for a W&M player since 1973. At his currently rate, Rusthoven's
7.7 rebounds per game would be the highest rebounding average for a Tribe
player since David Cully pulled down 9.8 rebounds per game in 1996 and the
eighth-best average since 1973. Rusthoven ranks sixth in the CAA in defensive rebounding
(5.0) and seventh in offensive rebounding (2.7). In CAA games only, he is
averaging 8.8 rebounds per game, which ranks third in the league.
Rum Close to Joining
Select Group
Senior guard
Matt Rum is close to a pair of career
milestones that would put him among a select group of Tribe players. The
Baltimore, Md., native is just two assists short of 200 for his career and two
made 3-pointers away from 100. He would become just the 10th player in W&M
history with 200 assists and 100 made 3-pointers in his career. The list of
Tribe players with 200 assist and 100 3-pointers in a career includes David
Schneider (2007-10), Randy Bracy (1996-99), Nick D'Antoni (2002-05), David Cox
(1992-95), Nathan Mann (2005-08), Laimis Kisielius (2005-08), Jim Moran
(1998-01), Greg Burzell (1986-89) and Matt Verkey (1993-96). Overall, Rum will
become the 22nd player with 200 career assists and the 17th with 100 career
3-pointers.
Thornton Scoring in
Bunches
In each of the Tribe's first 21 games of the 2012-13 season,
sophomore guard
Marcus Thornton has scored in double digits, including eight
20-plus point performances. Overall, Thornton has scored in double digits in
each of the Tribe's last 23 games dating back to last season. He currently
leads the team and ranks fourth in the CAA in scoring at 18 points per game, a
number that also ranks 49th nationally (as of Feb. 3). Thornton's scoring
average is the 17th-best single-season mark in W&M history and the best
since Adam Hess averaged 20.3 points per game in 2004. His eight 20-point games
this season rank fourth in the CAA. Thornton also ranks among the top 15 in the
league in six other statistical categories. He leads the league in 3-pointers
made per game (2.8), ranks second in minutes played (36.2), third in 3-point
field goal percentage (40.6 percent), seventh in free throw percentage (80.7
percent), 10th in assists per game (2.9) and 14th in field goal percentage
(42.8 percent).
Cutting Down on Turnovers
The Tribe has done a better job of protecting the basketball
over the last seven games. Over the stretch, the Green and Gold is turning the
ball over just 9.9 times per game and registered 10 or fewer turnovers on five
occasions. Conversely, the Tribe averaged 14.1 turnovers per game and had just
one game of 10 or fewer turnovers in the first 14 contests of the 2012-13
campaign. The Tribe has been even better over the last three contests turning
the ball over just 8.3 times per game with an assist-to-turnover ratio of 1.7
(43/26).
