UPPER MARLBORO, Md. – Senior guard Tanisha McTiller scored 27 of her 36 points in the second half but a valiant comeback effort fell short for the Towson University women's basketball team in Friday's Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) Quarterfinals. No. 3 College of Charleston defeated the sixth-seeded Tigers 70-64.

“I love the fight my young women had in them in the second half,” said Towson Head Coach Niki Reid Geckeler. “The game of basketball is storms, ups and downs and can you weather them. At the end of 40 minutes, we just couldn't weather that storm but I loved their fight.”

The Tigers (13-17) opened the game on an 8-4 run as redshirt junior forward LaTorri Hines-Allen hit a lay-up with 17 minutes to go. A 13-0 run by the Cougars (17-13) gave College of Charleston a 17-8 lead with 10:22 left in the half. The two teams traded baskets before Erin Hall's second three-pointer of the half gave the Cougars a 25-15 lead at 7:02. The two teams continued to battle as a jumper from Breannah Davis-Bloom with 48 seconds left in the half put the Cougars up 36-23. That was Charleston's largest lead of the game. Junior guard Markell Smith hit a lay-up with 22 seconds left which made it a 36-25 game at the half.

College of Charleston shot 43.8% from the field in the first 20 minutes while Towson shot 27.8%. The Cougars held a 27-20 ledge in the rebounding battle.

The Tigers opened the second half on a 5-2 run which made it a 38-30 game and forced the Cougars to call timeout with 17:39 to play. Back-to-back buckets from Afreyea Tolbert pushed the Charleston lead to 42-30 with 15:26 remaining on the clock. An 8-0 run by the Tigers pulled Towson to within four, 44-40 with 12:02 left in the game. McTiller had six of the Tigers' points during that stretch. Charleston pushed its lead to six, 46-40 with 10:51 to go in the game. Five straight points from McTiller pulled the Tigers to within one, 46-45 with 9:40 to play.

A 15-4 run by the Cougars pushed the College of Charleston advantage to 61-49 with 4:57 to play in the game. A 10-1 run got the Tigers to within three, 62-59 with 1:30 to go in the game. McTiller had all 10 of the Tiger points during that stretch. Alyssa Frye made four straight from the foul line to give College of Charleston a 66-59 advantage. A three-pointer from sophomore guard Dominique Johnson and a jumper from junior guard Ciara Webb pulled the Tigers to within two, 66-64 with 23 seconds left in the game. College of Charleston went 4-for-6 from the foul line in the final 23 seconds to seal the 70-64 victory.

Towson shot 40% from the field in the second half and 33.8% for the game. College of Charleston shot 27.5% in the second stanza and 34.7% for the game. The Cougars finished the game with a 56-47 advantage in the rebounding battle.

McTiller tied her career-high with 36 points in her final game as a Tiger. She added 10 rebounds for her seventh “double-double” of the year. She had four assists and two steals before fouling out with 10 seconds to play. Johnson contributed 13 points, six rebounds and six assists. Hines-Allen led the Tigers on the boards with 12 and had six points.

Tolbert led College of Charleston with 19 points and eight rebounds while Frye had 15 points.

The Tigers lose McTiller and redshirt senior forward Nyree Williams to graduation but will return three starters next season.