WILMINGTON, N.C. – This is why they play the games. After being picked to finish seventh in the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) preseason poll, the Towson University men's basketball team exceeded expectations while treating its faithful fans to numerous highlights, memorable moments along with tough and gritty play this season.
 
Despite dropping its regular season finale, 74-68, on the road to UNCW at Trask Coliseum Saturday afternoon, the Tigers will enter next weekend's CAA Tournament as the No. 3 seed after finishing in a three-way tie for third place with James Madison and William & Mary.
 
Towson will open the CAA Tournament on Saturday, March 5 at 8:30 p.m. against Northeastern at Royal Farms Arena. Towson and Northeastern split the season series with each winning on the road. TU won at Northeastern, 79-72 on Jan. 23. Northeastern edged Towson 47-44 on Feb. 11 at SECU Arena. Northeastern is the reigning CAA Tournament champion.
 
John Davis led Towson (20-11 overall, 11-7 CAA) with 16 points and 11 rebounds for his third double-double of the season. Byron Hawkins added 15 points and Jordan McNeil finished with 12 points for the Tigers.
 
It would have been a perfect ending to Towson's second 20-win season in the last three years, but it wasn't meant to be as UNCW pulled away in the final 10 minutes to earn a season split of the series.
 
How It Happened

• Towson scored seven quick points on baskets from John Davis, William Adala Moto and Timajh Parker-Rivera to open a 7-3 lead with 17:48 remaining.
• Byron Hawkins completed an old-fashioned "and-one" play with an acrobatic basket that gave Towson its last lead of the first half, 22-21, with 8:34 remaining.
• After Parker-Rivera tied the game at 26 on a short layup with 4:12 remaining, UNCW scored 11 straight points to open a 37-26 bulge.
• Towson finished the first half by scoring the final seven points to trail, 37-33 at intermission.
• Jordan McNeil scored five of his nine first-half points in the final 75 seconds.
• Davis made a basket with 10:41 remaining to give Towson its largest lead of the second half, 52-49.
• UNCW's Dylan Sherwood tied the game 20 seconds later and Ingram made a pair of free throws to give UNCW the lead for good, 54-52, with 9:58 left.

 
Inside the Boxscore

• McNeil made his first four field goal attempts.
• This is the third time this season that McNeil has scored at least nine points. He scored a career-high 14 points against Gallaudet on Nov. 25.
• This is the second time in McNeil's career he's scored in double figures.
• Davis reached double figures for the 15th time this season.
• For Davis, it's the seventh time in Towson's last 11 games, he's reached double figures in scoring.
• Two of three Davis' double-doubles occurred on the road.
• Hawkins reached double figures for the 23rd this season.
• Hawkins finished the season by reaching double digits in eight of Towson's final nine games.
• Towson and UNCW were even in the first half in bench points (14) and points in the paint (18).
• Seven different Tigers hit the scoring column in the first half.
• Towson outrebounded its 27th opponent.
• The Tigers have outrebounded 17 consecutive opponents.
• Towson outscored UNCW, 38-36, in paint points and 19-11 in second chance points.
• Towson finished with a 7-6 road record.
• UNCW improved to 12-2 at home.

 
Up Next
The CAA quarterfinals on Saturday, March 5 at 8:30 p.m. against either Charleston or Northeastern. An official release will come later this evening from the conference.