Raleigh, N.C. – Aleah Nelson led her team to victory on Friday night with a big 87-70 win over Florida during the first day of the WNIT Preseason Classic.  

Nelson scored a career-high 39 points to set a new building record at NC State's Reynolds Coliseum. The record was previously held by Wolfpack-great Andrea Stinson, who set it 30 years ago against North Carolina (2/12/91). The junior point guard also added eight rebounds, eight assists and two steals.  

Three other Tigers also joined Nelson in double-figures in Tarriyonna Gary (16), Allie Kubek (11) and Anissa Rivera (11). Rivera's 11-point, 13-rebound performance secured her second consecutive double-double and the 17th of her career.  

The Tigers led the Gators for 39:53 of the contest, to secure their 12th all-time win over a power five opponent and first in 12 years. The team also defeated Purdue in the Women's National Invitational Tournament in 1969, Wake Forrest in 2005 and the University of Maryland most recently in 2009. The victory also marks head coach Diane Richardson's first win over a power five program.  

Records:  

• Towson – 2-0 (0-0 CAA) 

• Florida – 1-1 (0-0 SEC) 

How it Happened:  

• The Tigers got off to a hot start, scoring eight points to begin the game. Gary and Nelson each added 3-pointers in the run. Both went on to hit one more apiece to extend the Tiger's lead to 14-3 just 3:30 into the first quarter. The team would go onto score 13 uninterrupted points for their biggest run of the game.  
• 5:14 into action, Towson held Florida to just five points.  
• Nelson would end the first period going 5-for-5 from beyond the arc for 17 points to give her team the 37-20 edge.  
• The junior point guard picked up right where she left off in the second, getting two field goals early to put the Tigers up 44-28.  
• Through the middle of the second, Towson held Florida to zero of seven from the field, holding them scoreless over a 4:00 period. The Tigers took their biggest lead of the game in the ninth minute of the second, going up by 20 points.  
• The defense forced four turnovers and earned one steal in the period.  
• Nelson ended the first half with 21 points and six assists. Gary also added 16 points. The two standouts helped the Tigers to retain the lead for the entire first two quarters. The Tigers went into the locker room up 17 points, 55-38.  
• Florida rallied in the third, scoring 20 points to Towson's 16. Nelson stayed consistent with 11 points.  
• Less than three minutes into the fourth, Rivera cracked double-digits with a layup followed by a 3-pointer from Evans to put the Tigers up 14.  
• With under a minute to go, Nelson found Allie Kubek at the top of the key for a 3-pointer so solidify the win. Kubek ended the day with 11 points, going a perfect 3-for-3 from the field.  

Inside the Numbers:  

• Nelson's 11 field goals and 11 free throws mark new career highs while her six 3-pointers ties her career best. The Baltimore native accounted for half of the team's 16 assists to lead her squad for the second consecutive game.  
• Gary's six field goals and four from deep gives her new career-bests in both categories.  
• The black & gold had their best quarter from three-point range in the first, shooting 87.5 percent. The team ended the day shooting 63.2 percent from beyond the arc.  
• Once again, Towson proved they are the fastest team in the country, scoring 31 points on fast breaks. They also forced 19 turnovers to collect 22 points.  
• The team amassed 12 total steals. Gary and Ryann Evans each grabbed three takeaways each. Florida had only four steals throughout the contest. 
• The Tigers scored a game-high 37 points in the first and held the Gators to a game-low 12 points in the fourth.  
• Jamey Napoleon had a breakout game after transferring from Central Connecticut State in the offseason. The junior forward played 22 minutes, grabbed eight boards, and earned two helpers.  

Next Game:  

Towson will continue the Preseason WNIT Classic hosted by N.C. State against Wofford on Sunday, Nov. 11 at 4:30 p.m. The Tigers will go onto face the Wolfpack on Monday, Nov. 15 with a 7 p.m. start. The three contests will all take place at James T. Valvano Arena at William Neal Reynolds Coliseum.