BALTIMORE, Md. - Coming off a 20-win season and another appearance in the league championship game, the William and Mary men's basketball team earned high marks in the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) preseason prognostication at its annual media day on Tuesday at The Center Club. W&M was picked second in the league's predicted order finish, the highest in program history. Senior guard Marcus Thornton became just the second Tribe player to be recognized as the league's preseason player of the year, and sophomore Omar Prewitt was named to the preseason All-CAA second team.

By vote of the league's coaches, sports information directors and media, the Tribe was second in the league standings behind Northeastern. Last season, W&M was picked fifth for just the second time since 1998 and capped the year with a third-place league finish thanks to a 10-6 CAA mark. In total, the Tribe won 20 games for the second time under head coach Tony Shaver and just the seventh time in school history. W&M also advanced to the league championship game for the third time in seven seasons, falling in heartbreaking fashion to Delaware. Hofstra was third in the preseason predicted order of finish followed by Drexel, James Madison, College of Charleston, Towson, Delaware, UNCW and Elon.  

Thornton joined Adams Hess (2004) as the only Tribe players to be named preseason CAA Player of the Year. The only returning First Team All-CAA player, Thornton headlined the all-league team, earning preseason first team honors for the second straight season. He is one of the top returning scorers in the country and the best in the CAA at 1,519 points, which are the most for a W&M player through the first three years of his Tribe career.

Last season, Thornton averaged 18.7 points per game for the Tribe and led the CAA in 3-pointers made (93) and 3-point percentage (40.3), while also ranking among the national leaders in both categories. He has hit 223 career 3-pointers, which is fourth among active NCAA Division I players, and is on pace to become W&M's all-time leader in both 3-pointers made and scoring. Thornton is a two-time NABC All-District First Team choice and a two-time team captain.

Prewitt earned preseason All-CAA second team honors after receiving the league's rookie of the year in 2014. He averaged 11.4 points and 4.6 rebounds per game a season ago, while ranking among the CAA leaders in free throw shooting (75.8 percent), 3-point shooting (37 percent), assists (2.0), steals (0.9) and defensive rebounding (3.7). On seven occasions in 2013-14, Prewitt was named the CAA Rookie of the Week.

Joining Thornton on the preseason All-CAA first team were Northeastern's Scott Eatherton, Hofstra's Juan'ya Green, Drexel's Damion Lee and JMU's Andre Nation. Prewitt was joined on the second team by Charleston's Adjehi Baru, Northeastern's Quincy Ford, Hofstra's Dion Nesmith and UNCW's Cedrick Williams.

Along with Thornton and Prewitt, the Tribe returns another starter in junior Terry Tarpey. He is among the top returning rebounders in the CAA at better than six per game last season. The Green and Gold also welcome back a pair of key contributors in junior forward Sean Sheldon and sophomore guard Daniel Dixon to go along with senior forward Tom Schalk.

The Tribe opens the 2014-15 campaign at 2014 Final Four participant and No. 7-ranked Florida on Friday, Nov. 14, at 6 p.m. The game will be televised nationally on the SEC Network. W&M's first home game will be on Tuesday, Nov. 18 against Howard. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. from Kaplan Arena, and the game will be streamed live for FREE in HD on TribeAthletics.com. For W&M season ticket information, visit the ticket office page at TribeAthletics.com or call 757-221-3340.