TOWSON, Md. -- As the Towson University men's basketball team prepared to face Delaware at SECU Arena last month there was a lot on the line. Going into the game the Tigers possessed an unexpected 0-4 Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) record and were tied for last in the CAA with the Blue Hens.
The four straight losses did not sit well with Towson.
"We were disappointed," senior forward and team co-captain
Arnaud William Adala Moto said. "Not because we were losing but because of the way we were losing. We lost our way so we had to address it. We talked about how to get our way back and start playing as a team and not worry about anything else. We focused on just playing Towson basketball. And that's what happened."
Since their team meeting the Tigers have been on fire, winning four straight and nine of their last 10 games to move into sole possession of third place in the CAA. With four games remaining beginning with Thursday's huge matchup against Elon, the Tigers are in prime position for a fantastic finish. Towson leads Elon and William & Mary by a game in the standings.
| When: |
Thursday, February 16, 2017 |
| Where |
SECU Arena -- Towson, Md. |
| Time: |
7 p.m. |
| Records: |
Towson (17-10, 9-5); Elon (16-11, 8-6) |
| Radio: |
CBS Radio |
| Series History: |
Towson leads 4-2 |
| Last Meeting: |
Elon defeated Towson, 72-61 Jan. 7 at Alumni Gym |
| Social Media Updates: |
@Towson_MBB |
Adala Moto's double-double against Delaware, along with his performance in the 74-67 win against Northeastern two days later where he put up a season-high 24 points, earned him CAA Player of the Week Honors.
The most impressive component of this huge turnaround is how every player on the team has stepped up their game. Everyone has contributed. Towson has had seven different leading scorers in the past 10 games with many of the Tigers taking turns reaching different milestones and posting career and season high numbers.
John Davis has produced three double-doubles during Towson's hot streak.
Zane Martin delivered a career-best 23 points against Hofstra.
Alex Thomas grabbed a career best 14 rebounds last Saturday against Drexel.
Deshaun Morman has led Towson in scoring in two of its last five games.
Brian Starr scored 18 points against Delaware.
Mike Morsell dropped 32 points off the bench in a win over Drexel.
Eddie Keith II scored a career best 16 points in the win over William & Mary.
Jordan McNeil,
Justin Gorham and
Dennis Tunstall have all made meaningful contributions for the Tigers during this stretch as well. Towson has also rallied from three double-digit deficits to win games and won a pair of overtime games, including a double overtime classic over Drexel.
"I think this is the closest team we've had since I've been here," Adala Moto said. "Everybody is pulling for each other. It doesn't matter if I'm having a night off and Mike is having a great night, or Johnny is having a great night. We play now for the W. That's all that matters now. Everybody brings something to the team I think. Everybody on this team has contributed somehow. On the court, off the court. Whether it be in terms of leadership or bringing guys together or scoring balls or playing defense. I think from top to bottom everybody has stepped up and we expect them to do that.
"It's just been fun. We have fun on the court and off the court. I think because we are so close off the court it shows on the court. We pull for each other, we get happy for each other. That's what it is now: A group of friends just hooping."
Today's Game
Towson begins its final homestand of the 2016-17 season with a game against Elon. Towson's final home game is Saturday against James Madison.
A Look At Elon
Elon came up with a key defense stop in the final moments to knock off first-place UNCW, 77-76, at Alumni Gym last Saturday. Five players scored in double figures for Elon, as Brian Dawkins led the way with 24 points on 9-of-15 shooting from the floor, including three makes from beyond the arc. Tyler Seibring finished with 14 points, while Damian Swoope pitched in 13 points in the winning effort. Dmitri Thompson and Luke Eddy each tallied 10 points for the Phoenix, which ended the game with a 47-percent clip shooting from the floor.
Last Meeting Against Elon
Morman scored 13 points and Davis added 11 points to lead the Towson during a 72-61 setback on Jan. 7. Martin and Morsell added nine points each for Towson, which led 19-6 eight minutes into the game. Elon made more free throws (19) than Towson attempted (13). Towson trailed by four points on four different occasions in the second half, but didn't get any closer. Towson won the rebounding battle, 40-37.
Last Time Out
Towson beat Drexel, 69-65, to extend its winning streak to four games last Saturday in Philadelphia. Davis led Towson with 14 points and 10 rebounds. Five other TU players scored at least eight points. Thomas finished with a career best 14 rebounds to go along with eight points and two steals in 21 entertaining minutes. Morman, Morsell and Martin, playing in his first collegiate game in his hometown, scored nine points each.
Skerry Success In Last Five Years
Everyone knows Towson went 1-31 in coach
Pat Skerry's first year. Since then, Towson has been consistently excellent. The Tigers have won 92 games (including two postseason contests), participated in two postseason tournaments and have the most CAA wins of any school.
CAA Wins Since 2012-13 Season
Since the start of the 2012-13 season, Towson has the most regular season Colonial Athletic Association victories. The Tigers are 51-30 over that span.
| School |
Wins |
| Towson |
51 |
| Northeastern |
49 |
| William & Mary |
49 |
| James Madison |
45 |
| UNCW |
45 |
| Delaware |
42 |
| Hofstra |
38 |
| Drexel |
32 |
| College of Charleston |
27 |
| Elon |
21 |
17 And Counting
This is the fourth time in the last five years, Towson has won at least 17 games. It's the 10th time since Towson has been a Division I program (first year was 1979-80) that it has won at least 17 games in a single season (1988-89, 1989-90, 1990-91, 1991-92, 1992-93, 1993-94, 1995-96, 2012-13, 2013-14, 2015-16 & 2016-17). The last four have been under
Pat Skerry. With one more win, Towson will have 18 wins for the eighth time as a Division I program.
Tough Finish
The combined record of Towson's final four opponents: Elon (16-11), James Madison (7-20), UNCW (22-5) and William & Mary (14-11) is a combined 59-47 (55.6 percent). The Tigers end the year with road games at UNCW and William & Mary. Both teams are a combined 23-1 at home this season.
Comeback Tigers
Towson has rallied from five double-digit deficits to win games. Three of those games (FDU, UMBC, William & Mary), the Tigers trailed by double digits at intermission. Even though Towson lost at Boston College, the Tigers erased a 13-point first half deficit to lead by three points with five minutes remaining.
Deficit Opponent Final
10 (43-33)* vs. FDU 90-87
15 (48-33)* at UMBC 73-72
16 (32-16) at Hofstra 86-80
17 (56-39)* vs. William & Mary 82-80
10 (39-29)* vs. Hofstra 69-65
* second half deficit
Sweeping Success
With Towson's 69-65 win at Drexel, 2016-17 marks just the second time in 31 seasons as members of the same conference (East Coast Conference 9, North Atlantic/America East 6, CAA 16) that the Tigers have swept the Dragons, Delaware and Hofstra in the same season. Both sweeps have come in the
Pat Skerry era as Towson accomplished it for the first time against the three longtime mates in 2012-13. Skerry's all-time record against this trio is 22-15. If you take away that horrific 1-31 season, Skerry is 22-8 in the last five years against this bunch.
Nationally Speaking
Towson is ranked in top 50 nationally in offensive rebounds per game (15th, 13.5), rebound margin (9th, 8.1), free throw attempts (5th, 698), free throws made (15th, 480), total rebounds (9th, 1,082), and rebounds per game (15th, 40.0).
Up Next
Towson plays its final home game of the season when it hosts James Madison on Saturday at 7 p.m. The game will be broadcast on Comcast Sportsnet.
