TOWSON, Md. – The Towson University men's basketball team returned to SECU Arena and powered its way to a 72-63 victory over LIU on Thursday night.
 
Towson (5-3) used 44 points in the paint and a 39-29 rebounding edge, coming back from an early 10-point deficit vs. LIU (1-6) to take the victory, leading by as many as 12 early in the second half.  Towson led by at least two possessions in the entire second half.
 
Key Stats:

• Cam Holden finished with a game-best 21 points, including scoring 19 in the second half, off 7-for-10 shooting, adding six rebounds and three steals.  Charles Thompson earned a season-high 13 points off 6-for-9 from the field, grabbing five rebounds.  Towson's leading rebounder was Nicolas Timberlake with 11, a new career-high, adding nine points.
• As a team, Towson held LIU to 37.9% shooting, the fourth time this season where Towson has held its opponent to 38% from the field or worse.  In addition, Towson's bench netted 15 points and held LIU's reserves to one point.
• For the Sharks, Hofstra transfer Isaac Kante led the team with 17 points, adding six boards.  Alex Rivera nearly had a double-double on nine points, 11 rebounds and three assists.

How It Happened:

• LIU got off to a fast start, making five of its first seven shots including a pair from long range off attempts from Eral Penn and Ty Flowers, for an early 12-2 advantage through the first media timeout.
• Out of the media, Rahdir Hicks set up Terry Nolan Jr. on the top-of-the-arc three to stop the LIU run.  Towson continued to hold on defense and push the other way, adding baskets from Chase Paar and Hicks to complete a 7-0 run and pull Towson to within three.
• Tre Wood got a fast break layup to get LIU's lead back to five.  Towson continued to attack and find space in the paint, leading to close range and kick-out points.  Including a thunderous Nicolas Timberlake dunk and a fast break three from Antonio Rizzuto, the Tigers scored 11 straight points to go up by eight at 22-14 with 8:28 to play in the first.
• Continuing to mainly go into the paint, LIU slowly chipped away, getting to within one after a second-chance layup by Isaac Cante.  Towson held and got points of its own in the paint from Charles Thompson and Cam Holden to return the advantage to five.  A final exchange of baskets to end the half kept Towson in the lead 34-30.
• Towson looked to Holden to begin the second half, forcing the issue in the paint.  Holden scored Towson's first eight points of the period as Towson got a nine-point lead at 42-33 with 17:45 to play.  Later, a layup and one by Timberlake got Towson up by 12.
• The Sharks started to run faster offensive possessions, leading to a 10-2 LIU burst to pull within four.  Towson's defense started to force turnovers and held LIU off the scoreboard for four-and-a-half minutes.  In that time, a couple of made baskets down low rebuilt Towson's lead to 10 at 55-45 with 9:32 left.
• As LIU tried to get back, Holden's three-point shooting heated up, hitting one from up-top-the-arc and another from the corner.  At the final media, Towson had a 62-51 advantage.
• LIU started to chip away late primarily with free throws after getting fouled on field goal attempts, getting to within two possessions with 2:37 left.  Thompson got a big rebound on missed Towson shot and put it back while fouled on the next possession.  Following another LIU shot, Holden repeated Thompson's action with a layup while fouled.  Towson led by at least three possessions the rest of the way, holding off a barrage of final shots by LIU in the final seconds, to win 72-63.

Inside the Numbers

• Towson earns back-to-back victories for the first time this season.
• The Tigers are 2-0 against New York-based teams this year, including a 77-56 victory at UAlbany on Nov. 9.
• Cam Holden has scored in double figures in all eight games this year, notching his third 20+ point contest tonight.
• Terry Nolan Jr. notched five assists tonight, his fifth contest this year where he has had at least five assists.

Next Game:

• Towson heads to Ohio next week for two games, beginning with a contest at Kent State on Monday, Dec. 6 at 7 p.m.

- TowsonTigers.com –