TOWSON, Md. – With the Towson University men's basketball team in the middle of the Colonial Athletic Association's (CAA) championship chase as the conference race hits the backstretch, everybody needs to come out for what promises to be a fun, tense and memorable final weeks of the regular season.
 
As it prepares to play four of its next five games at home beginning with Thursday night's visit from reigning CAA Tournament champion Northeastern University, lots of action will be going down at SECU Arena. Tip-time is 7 p.m.  Fans should come out to support a gritty, talented and focused team that's fun to watch, relentlessly rebounds and defends with passion.
 
Towson won't be upset with anybody willing to screenshot the congested standings. At 8-4 in the CAA, the nation's ninth best conference according to recent RPI rankings, the Tigers are tied for third place with Hofstra and James Madison. They are a game behind second place William & Mary and two games behind league leader UNCW, winners of nine straight since its last setback to Towson on Jan. 7.
 
The top of the CAA standings read like Towson's remaining schedule. The Tigers play all those teams giving them an opportunity to impact their finish in the rugged conference.
 
However, for those games to have the meaning the Tigers want, they have to solve Northeastern for a second time this season.
 
"Northeastern is good enough to win the league," Towson head men's basketball coach Pat Skerry said. "We've got to take away the three-point shot and hang a big number on the glass. It's going to be a hard game. I just want to see us play with more consistency and focus against very good teams at home."
 

When	Thursday, February 11, 2016
Where	Towson, Maryland (SECU Arena)
Time	7 p.m.
Team Records	Northeastern (12-13 overall, 4-8 CAA); Towson (17-8, 8-4)
National Radio	HSRN Radio (Gary Laing & James Hellman)
Radio	TowsonTigers.com
Series	Northeastern leads, 18-11
Last Meeting	Towson 79, Northeastern 72 (January 23, 2016)

 
Tonight's Game
This will be the 32nd meeting between Northeastern and Towson. Northeastern leads the all-time series, 18-11. The Huskies have defeated the Tigers five consecutive times in Towson. The Tigers' last home victory against Northeastern was 77-71 on Jan. 2, 2008. Under Pat Skerry, Towson is 2-6 against Northeastern. Each of the last two games at Towson between these two teams have been decided by three points.
 
Promotion: "Throwback Thursday"
The first 1,000 fans will receive sweatbands. In addition, free food vouchers will be distributed to the first 250 students.
 
Last Meeting Against Northeastern
Towson won the first matchup 79-72 in Boston on Jan. 23 in a game the Huskies played without Quincy Ford. Towson was led by John Davis with 20 points and 11 rebounds. Mike Morsell and Byron Hawkins added 15 points each for the Tigers. The Tigers used a 16-0 second-half run as a springboard to victory. Northeastern got a career-high 32 points from David Walker. Towson shot 56.5 percent in the second half (13-for-23). Towson and Northeastern combined to commit 52 fouls, shoot 69 free throws and score 107 second half points.
 
Morsell Sparkles
In the four games since Towson and Northeastern played, sophomore Mike Morsell leads Towson with a 17.0 point per game average. He is shooting 20-for-44 from the field. Morsell has reached double figures in five straight games. He scored 15 points and grabbed eight rebounds in Saturday's win at Elon.
 
For Starters
Josh Ivory made his first start of the season against Elon and played a season-high 23 minutes.
 
Awesome Adala-Moto
William Adala-Moto finished with 27 points against Elon, the fourth time this season, he has scored at least 20 points. His career best was a 28-point outing against La Salle in the Tigers' season-opener. In an overtime win against Delaware, Adala-Moto recorded his sixth double-double of the season (19 points, 13 rebounds). His free-throw stroke appears to be returning as well. After missing 12 foul shots in consecutive games against Charleston and Northeastern, Adala-Moto has sank 23-of-32 from the foul line in Towson's last four games. He leads Towson in scoring (14.6 ppg.) and rebounding (8.2).
 
Leaders of the CAA
Towson leads the CAA in rebounding margin (+7.3), offensive rebounds (14.2), blocked shots (4.8) and offensive rebounding percentage (.381). The Tigers are second in rebounding (39.8), scoring defense (66.2) and field goal percentage defense (40.5).
 
Scouting Northeastern
The Huskies have dropped six consecutive games and eight of their last nine outings. Four different Huskies scored in double figures, but it wasn't enough as UNCW raced by the Northeastern men's basketball team 90-73 last Saturday. The Huskies lost all three games of their homestand. T.J. Williams finished with 12 points and three assists. The Huskies were led by Zach Stahl, who had 17 points on the night via 7-of-8 shooting and 3-of-3 shooting from the free throw line. In his return to the court, Ford finished with 15 points going 5-of-11 from the field. Walker has made at least one 3-pointer in every game this season. Walker is averaging 18.2 points per game and 4.2 steals per contest. Ford is back after missing five games. Northeastern handed Miami (Fl.) one of its losses this season.
 
Up Next
Towson returns home to host William & Mary in a game to be televised live by Comcast Sportsnet beginning at 4 p.m.