2005 Stats
| Straight up | 8-20 overall, 3-15 conference, 10th Colonial
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| Against the spread | 9-13 (3-7 home, 5-6 away)
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| Over/Under | 10-12 (5-5 home, 5-6 away)
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| Offensive Rank | 263rd
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| Defensive Rank | 193rd
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2005 Season Summary
The William & Mary Tribe would try and set a new and winning tone for their basketball program by starting off the season with what they hoped would be an easy schedule in which they could pad their win total and confidence heading into Colonial Athletic Association play. In fact, the Tribe’s first five games would be unlined.
The season began with a pair of home games, starting with an 89-55 win over Maine and then a 55-67 loss to Holy Cross. The Tribe then got back on the winning track with three consecutive wins starting with a 70-60 decision at Hampton, followed by a 93-79 home win over Campbell and then an 88-75 win at Longwood to start off the season at 4-1 before heading into their first two lined games.
The Tribe’s first posting on the college basketball gambling boards was as a 5-point dog against NC Wilmington which was a 66-75 loss as 5-point dogs. This was followed by a 45-76 loss at Towson as 4.5-point chalks.
Alarms meant increased value
William & Mary took their next game off from the board and suffered a 60-64 loss at MD Baltimore for their third consecutive straight up loss, which set off alarms. Those alarms meant increased value for William & Mary, however, as they would be getting a better deal on the board as a result of the college basketball gambling public wanting nothing to do with them.
The cash started coming in with an 83-73 win over NC Greensboro as a 4-point chalk. This was followed by a 64-74 loss at Virginia tech as 17-point dogs and then a 50-52 loss at Richmond as 7.5-point dogs for their third straight cover.
The increased value would not continue, however, as William & Mary would now not be getting the benefit of the doubt from the oddsmakers.
Problems began
William & Mary’s problems began with 46-57 loss to Drexel as 3.5-point home dogs. A brief bargain followed as the Tribe covered a 56-63 loss at NC Wilmington as 14-point dogs.
The Tribe would next lose two games both straight up and against the spread, first at home against George Mason 46-65 as 9-point home dogs and then at Georgia State 70-79 as 3-point dogs. The bleeding would stop temporarily with a 60-69 loss/cover at Virginia Commonwealth as 13.5-point dogs.
The wheels began to come off
William & Mary went back into the tank, however, with a 56-65 loss at home to Old Dominion as 8.5-point dogs as the wheels began to come off. This was followed by a 58-81 loss at George Mason as 16.5-point dogs..
The Tribe gave themselves and gamblers a brief respite with two wins and covers in their next three games starting with an 86-68 win over James Madison as 12-point home chalks. That was followed by a 69-84 loss at Northeastern as 11.5-point dogs and then a 90-73 win at home over Georgia State as 5-point chalks.
Gushing red ink
William & Mary couldn’t sustain momentum however as they lost at Old Dominion 60-81 as 13-point dogs as they began gushing red ink.
In their next game at James Madison the Tribe actually won 72-70 but failed to cover as 2.5-point chalks. That was followed by a 52-57 loss in overtime to Delaware as 3.5-point home chalks. Next was a 57-82 blowout home loss to Hofstra as 6-point dogs.
After a 56-61 loss cover at Drexel as 12-point dogs, the Tribe lost their regular season finale to Virginia Commonwealth 59-77 as 4.5-point dogs to end the season with ten losses against the spread in their last 14 games.
In the CAA tourney the Tribe was an 11-point dog against Virginia Commonwealth and they got a 59-62 loss/cover.