WILMINGTON, N.C. - UNC Wilmington shot 51% from the floor en route to a 61-47 win over the Tigers on Sunday afternoon in Colonial Athletic Association play. Tanisha McTiller led the Tigers (6-8, 0-3 CAA) with 11 points off the bench.
The Tigers and Seahawks battled early on both ends of the floor as UNCW grabbed an early 4-2 lead behind a bucket from Brittany Blackwell. The Tigers answered with three straight buckets including a lay-up by Krystal Parnell and led 8-4 with 15:52 to play. Blackwell and Martha White combined to score the next 11 points which gave UNC Wilmington a 15-8 advantage with 11:59 to go in the stanza. A White jumper at 7:24 put the home team up 22-14. The hot shooting of the Seahawks continued as they scored eight of the ten points recorded in the final five minutes and took a 33-18 lead at the break.
White contributed 15 first-half points for UNC Wilmington as the home team shot 50% from the floor and 50% from the foul line. Towson got eight first-half points from Deree Fooks but shot just 33.3% from the floor.
The Seahawks scored eight of the first 13 points in the second half to extend their advantage to 41-23 with 13:05 to play. Kristen Hanzer had four points during that stretch for the Tigers. Towson responded with seven unanswered points to cut its deficit to 41-30 with 8:44 to play. Hanzer had four of the next six points for UNC Wilmington and led 47-30 with 6:28 remaining on the clock. Blackwell hit a pair of free throws at 4:48 to give UNC Wilmington a 19-point advantage, 53-34 with 4:48 to play. That was the Seahawks' largest lead of the contest. The UNC Wilmington lead would fluctuate between 14-18 points over the final four minutes. UNC Wilmington claimed the 61-47 victory.
McTiller finished with 11 points, five rebounds and three steals to lead the Tigers. Fooks finished with 10 points and three steals while Sheree Ledbetter led the team on the boards with eight.
White finished with a game-high 19 points while Hanzer recorded the "double-double" with 18 points and 11 boards. Blackwell also chipped in 12 points while Alisha Andrews had five points and 11 assists.
Towson returns to action on Thursday, January 13 when it begins a three game home stand. The Tigers will host VCU at 7 p.m. in the Towson Center.
-- TOWSONTIGERS.COM --
