TOWSON, Md. – Another impressive 30 point performance from senior guard Raven Bankston gave the Towson University women's basketball team a 68-63 victory over Cornell University on Saturday.
 
With Lil Wayne performing Saturday night in SECU Arena, the 3-0 Tigers hosted the Big Red at the Towson Center, the first official basketball competition in the Arena since March 3, 2013. The win, which gave Towson its best start since the 2012-13 season, avenged a loss at Cornell last season.
 
THE BASICS                          
Towson 68, Wagner 63
Towson Center Arena, Towson, Maryland
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• Cornell took an early 7-4 lead over Towson with 7:08 remaining in the first quarter. Taylor DePalma capitalized on a foul by redshirt junior forward Jordyn Smith for a three-point play. DePalma swiped the ball on a turnover by sophomore guard Sianni Martin that led to a layup by Megan LeDuc.
• Towson used a 6-0 run to jump out to a 10-7 lead over the Big Red with 5:47 left in the first. Martin had five points during that span for the Tigers.
• After the first 10 minutes, the Tigers held a 20-16 lead. Raven Bankston had five points during the final 2:47 of the first quarter, including a basket with seven seconds remaining to give Towson the edge.
• The second quarter was evenly matched as both teams scored 16 points. Raven Bankston had five points and Smith added four for the Tigers over the 10 minutes.
• At the half, Towson held a 36-32 lead. The Tigers shot 49.0% from the field while holding the Big Red to a 37.3%.  
• Cornell capitalized on its trips to the charity stripe to take a 44-43 lead with 3:32 remaining in the third quarter. The Big Red was a perfect 6-6 from the foul line as LeDuc scored four of Cornell's free throws. The lead was Cornell's first since 3:14 remaining in the first quarter, ending a nearly 20 minute scoring advantage by Towson.
• A pair of free throws and a basket by Raven Bankston over the final 38 seconds in the third quarter regained Towson its lead, 49-46.
• The Tigers opened the fourth quarter on a 12-5 run to take its largest lead of the game, a 10 point advantage with 3:46 remaining. Six of the Tigers' points during that span came off Cornell turnovers.
• Cornell looked to threaten, closing the game within one point with 1:49 left. That would prove to be the closest the Big Red came as Raven Bankston secured the Tigers' win, scoring six points over the final 1:35 of play to make the final score 68-63.

 
BEYOND THE BOXSCORE

• Towson improved to 3-0 to start the season for the first time since 2012-13. It is the seventh time in program history that the Tigers have started the season 3-0.
• Three Tigers finished in double figures, paced by Raven Bakston's game-high 30 points. Martin added 11 points while Raine Bankston put up 10.
• Raven Bankston and Martin have scored in double-digits in all three of the Tigers' games this season. The double-digit performance by Raine Bankston was her first since scoring 15 points at Delaware on Jan. 17, 2016.
• It was Raven Bankston' third 30+ performance as a Tiger. She added a season-high seven rebounds, three steals and two assists.
• Martin posted 11 points, while matching her season-high with two swipes and adding four assists and three rebounds.
• Raine Bankston contributed a season-high 10 points and three steals. She also added three rebounds and two assists.
• Smith scored a season-high nine points while adding a season-high seven rebounds for the Tigers.
• The Tigers shot 49.0% from the field while holding Cornell to 37.3%.

 
The Tigers will be back in action when they travel to local rival UMBC on Tuesday, Nov. 22 at 7 p.m.