TOWSON, Md. – After enjoying a triumphant return home, the Towson University men's basketball team will look to remain in its euphoric state. Towson welcomes its nemesis, the College of Charleston, to frigid Maryland, in another important Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) grudge match between the conference's top two stingiest defenses.
 
In an odd scheduling quirk, the two CAA preseason favorites, the Tigers and Cougars conclude their season series with their second meeting in eight days. The Tigers enter the game having defeated two-time CAA tournament champion UNCW, 89-71, on Friday night. It was the sixth time this season, the Tigers finished with at least 80 points.
 

When:	Sunday, January 7, 2018
Where	SECU Arena -- Towson, Md.
Time:	2 p.m.
Records:	Towson (10-1, 1-2 CAA); Charleston (11-4, 2-1)
Television:	None
Radio:	CBS Sports Radio 1300 AM with Spiro Morakes
Series History:	Charleston leads, 7-6
Social Media Updates:	@Towson_MBB

 






Game Promotion
It's Youth Group Day. All kids wearing a jersey or t-shirt from their Youth Group receive a FREE ticket! Also selected TU players will be signing postgame autographs following the game.
 
SECU Success
Towson is 51-16 all-time at SECU Arena. Over the last three years, the Tigers are 28-6. The Tigers have won 13 straight home games. This season, four of Towson's five home victories have been by double digits.
 
The Matchup
Charleston has won five of the last six meetings against Towson including two straight. This game features two of the top scorers in the CAA in Towson's Zane Martin and CofC's Joe Chealey. They are both averaging 18.3 points per game, which is tied for sixth in the conference. The Tigers have won three of the five all-time meetings in Towson. Towson has won both overtime games in the series. Both have been at Towson in 2014 (68-61) and last season (83-77).
 
Last Time Out For Towson
Towson ended a four-game losing streak as six players reached double figures. Mike Morsell made four 3-pointers and scored 24 points to help Towson beat UNCW 89-71 on Friday night. The Tigers made 12 of 22 3-pointers -- with three from Brian Starr and two apiece by Zane Martin and Jordan McNeil. Starr and Martin added 12 points apiece for Towson. Eddie Keith II scored 11, Justin Gorham had 10 points and 10 rebounds and McNeil chipped in 10 points. Towson was up 63-52 before breaking the game open with an 8-0 run for a 19-point lead. The Tigers led by 15 points the rest of the way.  
 
A Look At Charleston
Charleston had its four-game winning streak snapped when it lost 87-82 to Drexel in overtime. Joe Chealey had 22 points and Jarrell Brantley added 20 along with 10 rebounds for the Cougars. Marquise Pointer scored 14 points and Cameron Johnson added 10 for CofC, which fell to 3-3 on the road. Through three CAA games, Chealey (24.0 ppg.) and Brantley (23.3) have combined for 57.1 percent of CofC's total points in conference play. Grant Riller is averaging 12.7 points and Pointer scores at a 10.7 point per game clip.
 
Last Meeting Against Charleston
These teams just met eight days ago. Charleston broke free from a two-point halftime lead to claim a 73-62 victory on Dec. 30, 2017. Brantley, who missed the first 10 games, scored 24 points on 7-of-12 from the field and 4-of-6 from beyond the arc in his first start in the last three games back. Joe Chealey added 21 points and Grant Riller 16 for the Cougars. Senior forward Eddie Keith II led Towson with a career best 20 points on 8-of-13 shooting. He also had a team-high seven rebounds, three assists and two blocked shots. Zane Martin scored 14 points. After shooting 53.6 percent in the first half, the Tigers made 34.6 percent of their shots in the second half (9-of-26).
 
Sure Shots
Tigers made 61.8 percent of their shots in their 95-72 win over Loyola. It was the first time Towson shot at least 60 percent in a game since Jan. 8, 2007 when it shot 62.5 percent against Delaware in a 75-68 victory. The Tigers have shot 50 percent or better five times this season including Friday's victory, UNCW when it shot 54 percent (34-for-63).
 
Balanced Tigers
Towson has nine players averaging double digit minutes. In the win over UNCW, nine Tigers played at least 17 minutes. In addition, Towson has had seven different players hit for double digits in a game this season: Zane Martin, Mike Morsell, Brian Starr, Justin Gorham, Deshaun Morman, Jordan McNeil and Eddie Keith II. Four players have scored at least 20 points on four different occasions: Eddie Keith II, Zane Martin, Mike Morsell, and Brian Starr.
 
Marvelous Martin
Martin has scored in double figures in 14 games this season. Martin is among the CAA Leaders with nine games of 20 or more points. Kurk Lee had 25 such games during the 1989-90 season for Towson.
 
2018 CAA Tournament
The 2018 CAA Tournament will be held from Saturday, March 3 through Tuesday, March 6 at the North Charleston Coliseum in North Charleston, S.C. For more information on the new bag and entry policy, please CLICK HERE.
 
Up Next
Towson concludes its three-game homestand against Hofstra on Thursday, Jan. 11 at 7 p.m. The Tigers are in the midst of a stretch where they are playing six of their next eight games at home. It will be Educator's Appreciation Night. Local educators, along with guests, can receive four (4) complimentary tickets, and additional tickets can be purchased at a discounted $5 price. To redeem, please call 1-855-TU-TIGER (1-855-888-4437) or email 4tigertix@towson.edu.