ESTERO, Fla. – Deshaun Morman and Zane Martin converted baskets after being fouled. With each player sporting sweat-soaked scowls that could peel onions, they flexed their muscles while yelling with enough force to be heard back home.
 
Focused and fired-up, the Towson University men's basketball team dismissed the inconvenience of an early 10-point deficit to defeat Penn 79-71 in a semifinal contest of the Gulf Coast Showcase at Germain Arena Tuesday night.
 
In advancing to Wednesday's tournament championship game against Georgia Southern, the Tigers showcased all of the hallmarks that have defined the Pat Skerry era: Toughness, defense, resiliency, and character.
 
It was also a special night for Skerry as he won his 100th career game as Towson's head coach. After becoming the third Towson coach in program history to reach triple digit victories, the locker room floor looked like Niagara Falls as Skerry was showered with lots of water.
 
Records
Towson           4-1
Penn              3-3
 
Quotable
Mike Morsell on what turned the game around for Towson.
"We had to lock in on defense, Penn was a really good offensive team. We weren't worried when we fell behind early because we knew everything was fixable if we focused on doing our job, which is what happened."
 
On what it means to be part of Skerry's 100th career win.
"I am happy for coach. He's a perfectionist and that's what I love about him. He's a great coach and he always stays on me because he wants the best for me. It's a great win for the program as well. It's come a long way and it's going to keep going up from here."
 
How It Happened

• Morsell led four Tigers in double figures with 18 points.
• Martin scored 11 of his 13 points in the second half.
• Starr scored all 10 of his points after intermission.
• Eddie Keith II overcame early foul trouble to finish with 12 points and three assists.
• Penn hit the Tigers with a couple of overhand rights by making a trio of 3-pointers in the first seven minutes to sprint to a 19-9 lead.
• Gorham's dunk and Morman's old-fashioned 3-point play highlighted a massive Towson 23-4 first half surge that produced a landslide of momentum.
• Gorham also swatted a shot halfway across Alligator Alley during the run in which the Tigers were focused defensively.
• Morsell was in the middle of the madness as he scored seven points.
• Morsell struck the final blow of the surge by sinking a deep 3-pointer from another area code.
• Morsell gave Towson the lead for good, 24-23, with a pair of free throws with 5:25 remaining.
• After Penn closed to 56-54 following an Antonio Woods jumper with 9:31 remaining, the Tigers used a quick 12-3 run to open their largest lead of the contest, 68-57.
• Towson was 4-of-5 from 3-point distance and 16-of-27 from the foul line in the second half.
• Penn entered the game averaging 9.8 made 3-pointers per game.
• The Tigers suffocating defense held Penn to 1-for-8 shooting from beyond the arc in the second half.
• Towson made seven 3-pointers, one more than Penn.
• Penn was led by Ryan Betley's 25 points. The Quakers meet UMKC in the consolation contest tomorrow at 5 p.m.

 
Inside the Numbers

• Morsell reached double figures for the 56th time in his career.
• Morsell raised his career total to 1,137 points.
• Morsell becomes the fourth different Tiger to lead the team in scoring this season.
• Towson has made at least seven 3-pointers in four straight games.
• Starr had five assists, the second time in three games, he's had at least five dimes.
• Penn opened the game by making 10 of its first 20 shots.
• Towson's defense limited the Quakers to 18-of-38 the rest of the game, including 3-of-10 in the final four minutes.
• The Tigers were 11-of-20 shooting in the second half.
• This was Towson's first victory this season when trailing by double digits.
• This was the Tigers first win over Penn in program history.
• Keith II has scored in double figures in consecutive games and 12 times in his career.
• Starr has reached double figures scoring seven times.
• Penn won the rebounding battle, 37-33.
• The Tigers have led at halftime in every game.

 
A Look At Georgia Southern
The Eagles are members of the Sun Belt Conference. They defeated Wake Forest, 85-83, on the road. Tookie Brown leads GS with a 19.0 point per game average. Ike Smith averages 18.0 points and Mike Hughes scores at an 11.6 point per game clip. Montae Glenn is the Eagles' leading rebounder (9.6). They have won their two games in this tournament by a combined four points after their 78-75 win over UMKC in the other semifinal. This will be the first meeting in program history between Towson and Georgia Southern.
 
Next Home Game
Towson returns home to face St. Mary's College on Monday, Nov. 27 at 6 p.m.