It is hard to believe that it is that time once again: Time for sports to overlap. Time for lacrosse to start too doggone early. Yep, this Saturday the Towson University men's lacrosse team opens up its 2019 season against the Blue Jays of Johns Hopkins. Game time is high noon at Johnny Unitas ® Stadium.

For head coach Shawn Nadelen and his returning players, it is probably been a long nine months since the Tigers lost to the University of Massachusetts in the CAA championship game. Had the Tigers beaten the Minutemen, they would have collected their fourth-consecutive CAA crown.

This coaching staff has come to expect nothing short of a CAA title every year. But we have a long way to go before Towson opens its CAA slate on March 30 against Hofstra. There are eight nonconference games before the game against the Pride. Many are calling Towson's nonconference schedule the toughest in the nation. For years now, the Tigers have played Ohio State, great nonconference match up. Not this year. Instead, the Tigers will play in a tournament in Charlotte, N.C. So you replace #16 with a top-five team and a side receiving votes in the preseason rankings.

Throw in the annual games with Hopkins and Loyola, and right there you have three games that matchup against anyone's. But wait, there's more. Towson will also host the University of Denver. Plus, the Tigers travel to Georgetown.

So that means the Tigers will play teams ranked second, fourth, seventh, eighth and 19^th and a tournament in March where they will face No. 5 Cornell. That's five in the top ten and six in the top 20. All before you get to conference play.

What about Feb. 9? The Tigers have never played a game on that date. They've played a couple on Feb. 8, but never the ninth. And to think, for some teams this is week two of the lacrosse season. Too early. Way too early.

Meanwhile, the Towson men's basketball team will begin a three game home stand on Saturday afternoon when they host the Dukes of James Madison. The Tigers will be looking to get revenge for a 74-65 loss in Harrisonburg in mid-January.

The Tigers are coming off a 1-1 week, beating UNCW with a couple of Brian Fobbs free throws in the final seconds for a 77-76 victory, followed by a heartbreaking 54-53 loss to the College of Charleston. Towson had its chances, but missed the front end of a couple of one-and-ones in the final 50 seconds.

This team is improving as the year continues and by the time we get to the conference tournament in March, the Tigers may be the team no one wants to face. Coach Skerry is starting to get some real quality minutes out of freshmen Allen Betrand, Jakigh Dottin and Solomon Uyaelunmo. Many coaches feel when you get to this point in the season, the freshmen are really starting to get their sea legs. The continued growth, makes this Towson team much different than the one we saw when the season began.

I'll be double dipping this Saturday, as Hunter Lochte and I will have all the action of the Tigers and Blue Jays starting at 11:45 a.m. on TowsonTigers.com. Then I'll run over to SECU Arena to bring you the Tigers and Madison ballgame on CBS Sports Radio 1300 and TowsonTigers.com starting at 3:45 p.m.
 
Until next week, GO TIGERS!!!