TOWSON, Md. – Towson University men's basketball is officially back.
 
There were the wonderful sights of Eddie Keith II throwing down a vicious one-handed dunk, Justin Gorham crashing into the black scorers' table while hustling for a loose ball, Jordan McNeil swishing 3-pointers and Mike Morsell finishing strong around the basket along with the sweet sounds of squeaking sneakers and roaring fans.
 
Towson's 93-86 victory over Bucknell in a special exhibition at SECU Arena Saturday afternoon will ultimately be forgotten once the season heats up. However, for one special afternoon, the Tigers and Bison used their talent along with the platform of basketball to raise money for hurricane relief.
 
All of the proceeds from the generous donations collected during Saturday's game were given to The Salvation Army of Central Maryland. Fans were encouraged to donate upon arriving at the arena.
 
"Our administration and staff did a great job of helping organize this game and make it a reality," Towson head coach Pat Skerry said. "We're appreciative of that as well as Bucknell for agreeing to come here today. This was a good test for us because that's a good club especially up front. I think our depth and the pace of the game got to them in the second half."
 
The sights from the recent hurricanes that impacted Texas, Florida, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands have been horrific leaving areas with massive flooding, crippled communications, decimated buildings and hundreds of thousands without basic necessities that many often take for granted.
 
"It means a lot to be able to help others by doing something that we love to do," Morsell said. "I was in shock at seeing some of the images on twitter and the news. It was like 'wow.' I was happy to be part of a great event like this that allowed us to be able to play for something that's bigger than basketball and make a difference."
 
For the Tigers and Bison, this was a welcomed relief to play a game that doesn't count in the standings or hurt either team's RPI. Both squads got a chance to take a break from the monotony of preparing for their seasons to test their mettle against each other while using the lessons from the game to get better. Towson and Bucknell, which lost in the NCAA Tournament last season to West Virginia, have high expectations.  
 
"It was a good experience to be part of a game like this," Gorham said. "It's also humbling because when you see all of the devastation from the recent hurricanes, it makes you realize how blessed we are. It was good to play to a good team, raise money and help others in need."
 
Inside The Numbers

• Gorham posted a double-double of 21 points and 10 points.
• Morsell added 21 points and was 8-for-9 from the free-throw line.
• Keith II and Alex Thomas scored 12 points each for Towson.
• Jordan McNeil scored all eight of his points during a two-minute burst of the second half.
• Towson shot 62.2 percent and outscored Bucknell, 58-47, in the second half.
• Bucknell got 22 points and nine rebounds from Nana Foulland.
• Zach Thomas (14 points) and Nate Sestina (12) also reached double digits for the Bison.
• The Tigers made all three of their 3-pointers in the second half.
• Towson scored 50 points in the paint.
• The Tigers tallied 20 of their 24 bench points after intermission.
• Tigers opened the 2nd half on a 21-7 run in the first eight minutes to reverse a four-point halftime deficit.

 
Up Next
Picked second in the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) preseason poll, Towson opens its 2017-18 season at Old Dominion on Friday, Nov. 10 at 7 p.m. Meanwhile, Bucknell, which was selected as the Patriot League favorite, plays its first game on the same night on the road at Monmouth.