TOWSON, Md. – Mike Morsell was so hot that if he stood outside in the bone-chilling cold, he would've melted snow. While fans were shivering entering SECU Arena, Morsell warmed the place by delivering a photoshoot-fresh 34-point performance that was one for the Towson University men's basketball record book.
 
Morsell's career-high scoring spectacle mesmerized fans, energized teammates, hypnotized William & Mary's defense and helped Towson claim a critical, 99-82, victory in a Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) game Saturday afternoon. Towson (18-9 overall, 9-5 CAA) swept the season series from William & Mary (17-8, 9-5). The Tribe entered the contest with the conference's highest team RPI at 52.
 
By the time Morsell finished his relentless assault on the net, he had a SECU Arena scoring record. In becoming the first Towson player to score 30 points since Jerrelle Benimon got 32 against Temple in 2013, Morsell's dynamic and lethal 11-for-17 shooting effort was breathtakingly special.
 
Only one person on Earth was able to extinguish Morsell's flame and that was assistant coach Bruce Shingler, who doused the 6 foot, 5 inch sophomore guard with two bottles of water in the locker room following head coach Pat Skerry's postgame message to his team.
 
Quotable
Mike Morsell on his performance
"To be able to have an opportunity to make a mark on Towson basketball is really cool. Obviously, this doesn't happen without my teammates. We were so focused on winning the game that I didn't have a chance to understand what was happening. I am more excited for the win though because we really needed it. To have an effort like this is special because there's been a lot of great players to come through here."
 
How It Happened

• In becoming the 33rd player in Towson basketball history to score at least 30 points in a game, Morsell was in the zone early, often and late.
• Morsell was the 16th player in program history to score at least 34 points in a single game.
• His 34 points was the second most by a CAA player this season behind Delaware's Kory Holden, who dropped 35 at Boston College in December.
• Morsell, who scored in double figures for the 20th time this season, was an equal opportunity point producer, scoring 15 in the first half and 19 in the second half.
• Morsell took control at the end of the first half by scoring Towson's final eight points after William & Mary pulled to within, 38-34, with 2:12 remaining in the first half.
• Among some of Morsell's highlights during TU's 8-3 run to finish the first half was consecutive 3-pointers, including a step-back shot falling out of bounds as the shot clock expired.
• Towson really took control after the Tribe closed to within 58-55 with 13:18 remaining in the game.
• The Tigers held William & Mary to one basket over the next 10 minutes as it slowly expanded its advantage.
• Byron Hawkins, who returned to the lineup after missing two games, scored 18 points.
• Hawkins started Towson's game-altering 14-2 surge with his third 3-pointer of the contest with 13:01 remaining.
• During the run, Morsell assisted on Jordan McNeil's layup and had a steal.
• Morsell's old-fashioned 3-point play with 8:11 remaining gave Towson a 72-57 lead.
• Morsell finished his beautiful scoring display by sinking a 3-pointer with 41 seconds left that gave Towson its largest lead of the contest, 99-79.
• Towson made 55.6 percent of its shots (35-for-63).
• The Tigers placed four players in double figures.
• Towson made 12 3-pointers, its second-highest total of the season.
• The Tigers opened the game by sinking four of its first six 3-point shot attempts.
• Towson had 18 assists on its 35 baskets.
• Towson led by double figures for the final 10:37.
• The Tigers overcame foul trouble to William Adala Moto and John Davis.
• Adala Moto scored 14 points in 13 efficient minutes.
• Eddie Keith II provided his usual sticky-fingered defense and added 10 points.
• Towson won the battle of the benches, 19-10.

 
Inside the Boxscore

• Towson improved to 8-1 following losses.
• Tigers raised their record to 17-0 when leading at halftime.
• Towson has won all eight of its games when scoring 80 or more points.
• Towson swept William & Mary in a season series for the second time in three years.
• This is the third time in the last four years Towson has won at least 18 games.
• Towson has won 18 games for the eighth time since becoming a Division I program in 1979-80.
• This is the third time since joining the CAA in the 2001-02 season that Towson has won nine conference games.
• Adala-Moto has scored in double figures 21 times this season.
• This is the third time this season Towson has made double-digit 3-pointers.
• Parker-Rivera grabbed a game-high 11 rebounds.
• It was the third time this season and seventh time in his career that Parker-Rivera has grabbed at least 10 rebounds.
• Playing in his school record 126th game, Parker-Rivera upped his career rebounding total to 642.
• Towson's 3-point barrage was the third time this season it has made double digits from beyond the arc.
• Hawkins dished a season-high six assists.
• McNeil scored seven points on 3-of-4 shooting in 10 critical minutes.
• Davis' career-best four assists complemented his seven points.
• In its last two Saturday home games, Towson has averaged 100 points.
• Towson has won four straight Saturday CAA games.
• The Tigers have also won their last three televised games. They are 4-1 when playing on TV this season.
• Towson won the rebounding battle for the 23rd time this season and 13th consecutive game.
• Parker-Rivera, Morsell and Walter Foster each blocked two shots.
• William & Mary placed four players in double figures led by Omar Prewitt's 20 points, his fourth consecutive 20-point game.
• Prewitt opened the game with a 3-pointer eight seconds into the contest that yielded William & Mary's largest lead of the game.
• The Tribe were 16-of-18 from the free-throw line in the first half.

 
Up Next
Towson visits Hofstra on Thursday, Feb. 18 at 7 p.m.