TOWSON, Md. – The adjustment from starter to sixth man supreme hasn't been difficult for Towson University junior guard Tobias Howard, Jr.
 
"I've done it before," said Howard during Towson's postgame press conference after last Saturday's 92-77 victory over Drexel at SECU Arena. "It's not that much different for me because I am just focused on winning and whatever I can do to make that possible then that's my focus. I come out and play hard and give energy to just do whatever the team needs me to do so we can win."
 
In eight games since transitioning to his role, Howard has been an energetic force for the Tigers averaging 12.5 points per game on 46.6 percent shooting. He scored a career best 26 points in the win over Drexel last Saturday. Howard was an efficient 7-of-11 shooting from the field. He also sank four 3-pointers and was 8-for-10 from the foul line.
 
Howard has been scoring and Towson has been winning.
 
The Tigers are 5-3 overall in their last eight games. Only the College of Charleston (7-1), Northeastern (6-2) and Hofstra (6-2) have been better during that stretch. The Tigers could easily be 7-1 as they lost a double overtime contest to Delaware and a one-point game at the College of Charleston in which they led by four points with 45 seconds remaining.
 
Towson's sixth-men have had plenty of success under Skerry with John Davis twice earning All-Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) and Rafriel Guthrie notching All-CAA recognition. Howard is poised to join that duo if he continues his strong play.
 
With the Tigers in the middle of a six-game losing streak and trailing Delaware on the road by 15 points at intermission, they could've packed in the season. Instead, sparked by Howard, who scored all 10 of his points in the second half and dished the assist that led to Alex Thomas' game-winning, Towson has flourished.
 
Howard joined the Tigers this season after a solid career at Chipola College where he was an All-Panhandle Conference First Team selection after helping Chipola win 22 games and advance to the NJCAA Region VIII championship game. Howard also played a year at Western Kentucky.
 
Howard has scored in double figures six times since coming off the bench. He had 15 against Delaware last week. His 11 points helped Towson win for the first time at UNCW since 2013. In Towson's last eight games, Howard has a 1.3 assist-to-turnover ratio and has made 17 3-pointers. He averaged 20.5 points in the Tigers two games last week against Delaware and Drexel.
 
"Everytime Drexel had a sniff of a comeback, T.J. made a big shot after big shot," Towson head coach Pat Skerry said. "I am really pleased with his growth over the last few weeks. He's a starter but for a team struggling to score, he's come off the bench and given us a boost. We're starting to play better basketball. Overall, this group has worked really hard and they're connected."
 
NOTES: Towson begins its final regular season when it visits Hofstra Thursday at 7 p.m. and Northeastern Saturday at 12:30 p.m. The Tigers are currently tied for fifth place with William & Mary with four games remaining. William & Mary holds the tiebreaker because it defeated Towson earlier this season. The Tigers end the regular season with home games against William & Mary (Thursday, Feb. 28) and Elon (Saturday, March 2).