TOWSON, Md. – Towson's Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) men's basketball matinee against Hofstra offers a classic conflict.
 
Towson leads the CAA in scoring defense (65.1 points per game). The Tigers have held eight opponents below 70 points, including two of their last three. Hofstra leads the CAA in scoring offense (75.6). The Pride have scored 70 or more points 10 times this season.
 
Something has to give.

 

When:	Monday, December 30, 2019
Where	SECU Arena -- Towson, Md.
Time:	2 p.m.
Records:	Towson (6-7, 0-1); Hofstra (10-4, 1-0)
Television/Internet:	FloSports.com (Brent Harris & John Davis)
Radio:	CBS Sports Radio 1300AM with Spiro Morekas
Series History:	Hofstra, 44-25
Streak/Last Meeting:	Last meeting: Hofstra, 89-82, 2OT, 2-21-19/ Hofstra W4
Social Media Updates:	@Towson_MBB

 
Promotions

• Tickets are $5 and you can enter the code "Holidays" at checkout if you purchase online.
• It's also camp day as kids who attended the Pat Skerry Basketball Camp are invited to the game.
• Free giveaways, in-game activities and more.

 
Starting Five

• Hofstra is the eighth 2019 postseason opponent in 14 games Towson will face this season: Kent State (CIT), Florida (NCAA), Xavier (NIT), Buffalo (NCAA), Vermont (NCAA), Liberty (NCAA) and Northeastern (NCAA). The Pride competed in the NIT last season, falling at North Carolina State.
• Dennis Tunstall has 93 career blocked shots. He needs five to most past Greg McClinton and into ninth place all-time.
• Brian Fobbs averaged 24.5 points per contest against Hofstra last season.
• In the double overtime loss at Hofstra last season, Nakye Sanders (16 points, 11 rebounds) and Tunstall (11, 10) had double-doubles.
• This game features five of the top nine free-throw shooters in the CAA: Hofstra's Desure Buie (91.5, second), Eli Pemberton (82.8, eighth) and Tareq Coburn (82.4, ninth) along with Towson's duo of Betrand (87.1, third) and Fobbs (84.1, sixth).

 
Towson Update

• The Tigers lost to Northeastern, 61-45, on Saturday despite 16 points from Betrand.
• Betrand scored 10 points in the second half, the fifth time this season he scored in double figures.
• Towson leads the CAA in field goal percentage defense (.409).
• Fobbs (16.0 points per game) and Betrand (12.1) are the Tigers leading scorers.
• Betrand is averaging 17 points over Towson's last two games. He has scored in double figures nine times this season.
• Sanders (6.7 rebounds per game) and Tunstall (6.1) are Towson's top rebounders.
• Tunstall is fourth in the CAA in blocked shots (1.1).
• Towson scored 22 points in the paint against Northeastern.
• The Tigers last win over Hofstra was a 69-65 decision on Feb. 9, 2017.

 
A Look At Hofstra

• Pemberton had a game-high 25 points to lead a spirited Pride comeback from a 13-point second half deficit to help Hofstra beat James Madison 82-76 Saturday.
• Hofstra shot 70.8% (17-24) from the field in the second half against JMU.
• Buie was stellar in the second half, scoring all of his 15 points in the final 20 minutes, while junior Jalen Ray posted 14 of his 18 points after intermission.
• Buie now has 923 points to move within 77 of 1,000 for his career.
• Pemberton now has 1,630 points to move within 47 of 10th place all-time at Hofstra in scoring.
• The win over JMU was the 390th in the head coaching career for Joe Mihalich. There are currently 49 active NCAA Division I coaches with 400 wins.
• Pemberton is sixth in the CAA in scoring (17.6) and Buie is eighth (16.5).
• In addition, Buie leads the conference in steals and is second in free-throw percentage and assists.
• Ray made a game-winning 3-pointer at the buzzer to stun Towson, 76-73, ending the Tigers 13-game winning streak at SECU Arena on Jan. 11, 2018.
• One of Hofstra's wins this season was a road triumph at UCLA of the Pac-12.
• Hofstra is the CAA preseason favorite. The Pride also won the CAA regular season title last season and lost in the CAA Tournament championship game.

 
Sound Smart With Your Friends

• Fobbs has scored in double figures 38 times in his career.
• Betrand has made eight consecutive free throws.
• Jakigh Dottin has a 2.6 assist to turnover ratio.
• Tunstall has at least six rebounds in a game six times this season.
• Towson has four buzzer beaters this season (two by Dottin to beat the halftime buzzer against Xavier and UMBC, and one each from Timberlake and Gray to finish games).
• The Tigers first three CAA opponents this season: Northeastern, Hofstra and College of Charleston combined to win 74 games last season.

 
Up Next

• Towson hits the road for its first two away contests of the conference season beginning with a trip to the College of Charleston on Thursday, Jan. 2, 2020 at 7 p.m.

 
Next Home Game

• Towson hosts Drexel on Thursday, Jan. 9, 2020 at 6 p.m.
• That contest will be televised on CBS Sports Network.
• It's one of three Towson CBS Sports Network telecasts during the conference season.
• The game is Faculty and Staff Appreciation Day.