The Sports Network

DATE & TIME: Wednesday, January 30, 7 p.m. (et)

FACTS & STATS: Site: Bob Carpenter Center (5,000) -- Newark, Delaware. Television: None. Home Record: W&M 5-3, Delaware 4-3. Away Record: W&M 3-8, Delaware 4-6. Neutral Record: W&M 0-0, Delaware 1-2. Conference Record: W&M 2-6, Delaware 4-3. Series Record: Delaware leads, 18-8.

GAME NOTES: Back in the friendly confines of the Bob Carpenter Center in the First State, the Delaware Blue Hens set up shop against the William & Mary Tribe in Colonial Athletic Association action on Wednesday night.

The Blue Hens were just in action two nights ago up the road in Philadelphia where they captured a 66-64 win over the Drexel Dragons. The victory snapped a three-game slide and moved the team to 4-3 in conference play, which is good for fourth place in the league standings right now.

As for the Tribe, they are buried near the bottom of the CAA with only two wins in eight opportunities, ahead of only winless Old Dominion for last place in the standings. The team had been winless for the month of January heading into last weekend, but the squad showed signs of life with a 63-56 triumph over Towson at home, snapping what had become an eight-game slide.

Delaware leads the all-time series between these two teams by a count of 18-8, taking a 75-64 win in the most recent encounter last season.

Against the Tigers last Saturday, the Tribe held the visitors to just 39.7 percent shooting from the floor and 6-of-26 beyond the arc, which was clutch because the hosts converted only 12-of-24 at the free-throw line. Marcus Thornton accounted for 16 points, Kyle Gaillard and Tim Rusthoven 14 points apiece and Branden Britt 12 off the bench, as W&M survived a mere 5-of-23 showing beyond the arc by posting a 43-31 edge on the glass. Thornton leads a trio of double-digit scorers at the moment for the Tribe with his 17.9 ppg, having knocked down 52 3-pointers, which is almost three times as many as any one of his teammates. Rusthoven, who cleared 10 rebounds against Towson, checks in with 7.4 rpg and 14.9 ppg for a squad that is producing 68.2 ppg at the moment.

Except for Jarvis Threatt who scored nine points, to go along with eight rebounds, five assists and three steals, every starter for the Blue Hens scored in double figures in the close call against Drexel over the weekend. Kyle Anderson led the way with 15 points, Devon Saddler added 13 and seven assists, followed by Jamelle Hagins and Josh Brinkley with 11 and 10 points, respectively. Carl Baptiste gave the team a spark off the bench with eight points and a game-high 13 rebounds. One of the top scorers in the conference this season, Saddler is responsible for 19.2 ppg, followed by Threatt (12.5 ppg) as the two have combined to shoot 176-of-222 at the free-throw line thus far. Hagins is averaging a double-double with 12.1 ppg and 10.9 rpg, one of only a handful of guys in all of college basketball to play so well in the paint.

Delaware is far from a dominating team, but hopefully the squad gained some confidence from its recent road win and can expand upon that on Wednesday night in its own building.

Sports Network Predicted Outcome: Delaware 69, William & Mary 61