William & Mary handles Western Illinois 83-49

WILLIAMSBURG, Va. (AP) Marcus Thornton scored 19 points, including a trio of 3-pointers, to lead William & Mary to an 83-49 win over Western Illinois on Tuesday night.

William & Mary (4-1) took control with a 24-0 run that included 3-pointers from Thornton and Daniel Dixon to close out the first period and take a 48-15 advantage into the break. The Tribe, which shot 52.7 percent from the floor, then held Western Illinois (1-3) at bay over the final 20 minutes to secure the win.

Dixon and Terry Tarpey contributed 14 points apiece in the win, marking just the seventh time since 1960 the Tribe has opened the season with a 4-1 record. Omar Prewitt added 13 points.

Western Illinois kept pace after the break but couldn't trim the gap.

Garret Covington led the Leathernecks with 13 points and six rebounds.