WILMINGTON, N.C. – Soaked in sweat and surrounded all evening by yellow-shirted defenders, Arnaud William Adala Moto did everything possible to keep the Towson University men's basketball six-game winning streak alive.
 
He rebounded, made 3-pointers, sank foul shots and pirouetted through defenders for tough baskets around the rim. Unfortunately, his career best 33-point performance wasn't enough as Towson dropped a tough 83-78 decision to UNCW in an intense Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) contest at Trask Coliseum Thursday night before 4,812 fans.
 
While the loss was disappointing, Towson received some good news as Elon and William & Mary both lost meaning that the Tigers are cemented as the No. 3 seed in next weekend's CAA Tournament at the North Charleston Coliseum and will open on Saturday, March 4 at 8:30 p.m. against an opponent to be determined.
 
It's the second straight year Towson will be the No. 3 seed in the CAA Tournament. After beginning the year with four consecutive conference losses, this isn't bad at all. In true Towson fashion, the Tigers battled, fought, and hustled to make UNCW earn the victory.
 
The Seahawks got a team-high 26 points from sophomore guard C.J. Bryce.
 
Records
Towson           19-11 overall, 11-6 CAA
UNCW            25-5, 14-3
 
How It Happened

• Adala Moto's scoring effort tied for the 12th best single-game total in Towson history.
• It's the most points a Towson player has scored in a road game since Gary Neal's 33 point performance at Loyola on Jan. 15, 2007.
• The 33 points are a high scored by a Towson player this season.
• Adala Moto was special, packing 22 of his points into the second half.
• Overall, Adala Moto was 9-for-12 from the field and 14-of-19 from the foul line.
• Adala Moto also made his only 3-pointer of the game, a basket that brought Towson to within, 63-57, with 5:43 remaining.
• From the 9:21 mark of the second half until the 1:56 mark, Adala Moto scored 15 consecutive Towson points to keep the Tigers within striking distance.
• Towson, which trailed 59-49 with 10:05 remaining, could only get as close as five points.
• The Tigers closed to within five points on 10 occasions in the final 10 minutes, but couldn't get any closer.
• UNCW started the second half with a 19-6 run to reverse a 35-31 halftime deficit.
• The Seahawks scored 52 points after intermission.
• UNCW ended Towson's winning streak by making 12 consecutive foul shots over the final 3 minutes, 44 seconds.
• The Seahawks also made six 3-pointers after intermission.
• Towson was 14-for-23 in the second half from the foul line.
• Mike Morsell, who finished with 12 points, gave the Tigers their last lead of the game, 37-36, with 18:53 remaining.

• Adala Moto scored 11 points in the first half to help Towson take a 35-31 halftime lead.
• Brian Starr knocked down a 3-pointer from the corner off of a wonderful pass from Zane Martin to give Towson a 31-27 lead with 2:39 left.
• Justin Gorham capped an early 7-0 Towson run with a breakaway dunk that gave the Tigers a 13-10 lead at the first media timeout.
• Martin and Deshaun Morman finished with seven points each for the Tigers.

 
Inside the Numbers

• Despite the setback, Towson has won 11 of its last 13 games.
• After making its first three 3-pointers of the game, UNCW ended the first half with nine straight missed shots from beyond the arc.
• Towson was whistled for three offensive fouls in the first half.
• This was the 19th time this season and 42nd time in his career that Adala Moto has reached double figures in scoring.
• This was Adala Moto's first career game with at least 30 points.
• Morsell hit for double figures for the 20th time this season and the 53rd time in his career.
• Morsell upped his career point total to 1,059 to pass Roger Dickens and move into 22nd all-time on the Towson all-time scoring list.
• UNCW won the battle of the benches, 20-17.
• Towson scored 42 points in the paint.
• It was the eighth time this year it finished with at least 40 points in the paint.
• Towson shot 52 percent (26-of-50) for the game, the sixth time this season it has shot at least 50 percent for an entire game.
• The Tigers have shot 50 percent or better in two consecutive games.
• Towson shot 50 percent (13-for-26) from the field in the second half, the 10th time this season it has made at least half of its shots in the second half.
• Adala Moto and Morman led Towson with six rebounds each.
• UNCW turned 15 Towson turnovers into 16 points.
• Also reaching double figures for UNCW were Denzel Ingram (14 points) and Devontae Cacok (11 points, 10 rebounds).

 
Up Next
Towson concludes the regular season Saturday at William & Mary. The game begins at 2 p.m. and will be televised on Comcast Sportsnet. Towson rallied from a 17-point second-half deficit to beat William & Mary, 82-80, at SECU Arena on Feb. 4.