UNCASVILLE, Conn. – Zane Martin earned 27 points, his second straight game with over 25 points, but the Towson University men's basketball team fell to Mid-American Conference power Buffalo 74-65 on Friday at the Mohegan Sun Arena.
 
Riding scoring from Martin and Charles Thompson, Towson outscored Buffalo in the second half 40-33, but was not able to overcome a 16-point halftime deficit.
 
Records:

• Towson – 0-3
• Buffalo – 1-0

Key Stats:

• Zane Martin finished with 27 points, adding six assists and five rebounds.  Charles Thompson earned a career-high 17 points off 7-for-8 shooting, adding five boards.  On the glass, Victor Uyaelunmo had nine rebounds in just under 20 minutes of play.
• Of the 10 Tigers who played today, nine scored points and nine grabbed at least one rebound.
• For Buffalo, Jeenathan Williams finished with 28 points and 12 rebounds for a double double while Jayvon Graves tallied 20 points, six rebounds, five assists and five steals.

Postgame Quote:
Towson head coach Pat Skerry: "Give Buffalo credit, they manhandled us in the first half on the backboards.  Our effort was substantially better in the second half, but that last seven or eight minutes of the first half, they had enough separation.  We did a much better job rebounding in the second half, plus we only had two turnovers."
 
How it Happened:

• The game began as a defensive battle as the sides combined for one basket in the opening 2:30.  Each side primarily went for shots near the basket or at mid-range.  A Juwan Gray corner three on a second chance gave Towson the lead 7-6 in the first 4:50 of play.
• Buffalo took back the lead on a 7-0 run, which was stopped by a floater by Zane Martin.  Buffalo increased its lead with a couple of fast break buckets from Jayvon Graves to lead 19-11.
• Towson looked to the paint as Charles Thompson hit two straight baskets, capped by a pick and roll from Martin for the slam dunk.  An exchange of baskets as Thompson added another score pulled Towson within four at 21-17, six minutes left in the first.
• Despite some late points by Martin to go into double digit scoring, Buffalo ended the half on a 15-3 run to lead 41-25 at the break.
• Towson got on a fast start in the 2^nd half, started by a Martin three off a fast break.  Martin and Gibson added more to the run as the Tigers made it 9-0 and chipped down the deficit to seven, down 41-34 with 17:24 left.
• Martin kept leading the offense as Towson tried to get closer, but three baskets by Jeenathan Williams kept the Bulls ahead.  Back-and-forth the sides traded baskets as free throws from Victor Uyaelunmo brought the Tigers within 10 at 56-45, nine minutes to play.
• The Uyaelunmo brothers connected with a pass from Victor and a dunk from Solomon to again bring Towson within 11.  Buffalo used a couple of fast break dunks to lead 66-50 with 5:28 left.
• Towson made a final push with layups from Thompson and Martin, but could not bridge the final gap.  Martin's late three for his 27^th point made the final score 74-65 Buffalo.

Inside the Numbers:

• This was Towson's third game in as many days in the "Bubbleville" at the Mohegan Sun.
• Zane Martin scored 20+ points for the second straight game and the 25^th time in his collegiate career.  He combined for 52 points in the last two games.
• Charles Thompson earned his first double-digit scoring contest of his collegiate career.

Next Game:
Towson next takes on Maryland in College Park on Tuesday, Dec. 1^st at 7 p.m.  The game will be nationally televised on the Big Ten Network.
 
- TowsonTigers.com –