Last week, the William and Mary men’s basketball team announced its non conference schedule for the 2022-2023 season. In a relatively slow news period for Tribe Athletics, this was a big day for die hard Tribe fans. After a 5-27 season that all of us would like to forget, not to mention the massive team overhaul via the beloved transfer portal this offseason, this was refreshing news in the world of William and Mary basketball. So what do we need to know about the Tribe’s opponents? Let’s dig in. After all, the season is less than 100 days away.
The season kicks off on Monday November 7th as William and Mary plays host to the Navy Midshipmen in Kaplan Arena. Navy defeated William and Mary last December 75-56 in Annapolis. This looks to be a more favorable matchup for the Tribe in 2022 and we shall see if the Midshipmen can handle the Kaplan crowd.
The Tribe face off against not one, not two, but three ACC opponents this year, beginning with a matchup with the defending ACC champion Virginia Tech Hokies on November 13th. Later that month, the Tribe heads north for a matchup with Pittsburgh on November 25th. This will mark the return to Pittsburgh for transfer forward Noah Collier. The following week, NC State plays host to William and Mary in Raleigh, NC. These two teams were supposed to match up early in the 2020 season but the game was canceled due to COVID.
William and Mary plays host to four in-state foes in the non conference slate. Radford, Richmond, Norfolk State, and Randolph College will all make the trek to Williamsburg this winter to take on the Tribe. On the road, William and Mary will head to the nation’s capital to take on American on November 16th, and to Baltimore to play UMBC on December 18th. Rounding out the early season schedule, the Tribe will make the short trip down I-64 to take on the Old Dominion Monarchs in Chartway Arena.
If there is one downside to the non-conference slate, it is that William and Mary will play against two non-division 1 opponents this season. This is not uncommon, as Mary Baldwin came to Kaplan Arena last November. However, the three ACC opponents on the schedule more than make up for any lack of competition otherwise.
Overall, this schedule has everything Tribe fans could ask for. A fair balance of home and away games, excellent competition against the best basketball conference in the nation, and a plethora of in-state matchups that you won’t want to miss. So buy your season tickets and get ready for a great season of Tribe basketball.
The William and Mary Sports Blog 
