Towson University Athletics

Scoreboard

Men's Basketball 12.11.2011

Tigers Fall To UMBC, 62-58

TOWSON, Md. – Senior Robert Nwankwo and freshman Deon Jones each posted a double-double, but Towson couldn't overcome poor free throw shooting in a 62-58 loss to UMBC at the Towson Center Saturday night.

Retriever guard Ryan Cook scored a game-high 17 points and made 5-of-6 from the free throw line in the final 2:10 as UMBC (1-7) picked up its first win of the season. A pair of Tigers recorded a double-double in the same game for the first time since Isaiah Philmore and Braxton Dupree accomplished the feat against Western Michigan on Dec. 1, 2010.

Towson (0-9) held UMBC to 36.0 percent shooting and forced 19 Retriever turnovers, but the Tigers went 4-of-20 from beyond the arc and shot 8-of-25 from the free throw line.

In a game that featured eight ties and nine lead changes, the Tigers grabbed a 54-52 advantage with 2:32 remaining when Nwankwo blocked his fourth shot of the evening and Jones scooped up the loose ball near mid-court and scored on a breakaway layup.

Moments later, Cook was fouled on a driving layup and hit both shots from the charity stripe to tie the game at 54-54.

After Nwankwo missed a layup at the other end of the floor, Cook was fouled on the rebound. With 1:41 remaining, the junior hit 1-of-2 foul shots to give the Retrievers a 55-54 lead that they did not relinquish.

On the Tigers' next possession, senior Jake Wasco stole the ball and found Cook, who was fouled again with 1:07 left. Cook made two more free throws to increase the lead to 57-54. With 33 seconds left, sophomore Quentin Jones rebounded a missed shot and was fouled. When Jones nailed both free throws, UMBC owned a 59-54 advantage.

The Retrievers made 3-of-4 free throws in the final 20 seconds as they beat Towson for the first time since Dec. 4, 2004.

UMBC shot 20-for-26 from the free throw line.

Nwankwo led the Tigers with 14 points, 10 rebounds and four blocked shots while Jones scored 12 points and grabbed 10 rebounds for the first double-double of his career. Sophomore Marcus Damas tallied 13 points to go along with nine rebounds.

After three straight home games, Towson heads back on the road Wednesday, Dec. 14. The Tigers will make the short trip to Coppin State to take on the Eagles at 7:30 p.m.

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