TOWSON, Md. — The Towson University women's basketball team (11-2, 2-0) will welcome James Madison (6-7, 2-0) to SECU Arena on Sunday, Jan. 16 for a 2 p.m. Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) showdown.  

After dropping its most recent contest to Princeton, 68-54, Towson will look to rebound with a CAA win to stay perfect in conference play.  

The Dukes own the 46-7 all-time advantage over the Tigers. However, the black & gold have won their last two home games including the two teams' most recent meeting on Feb. 10, 2021, 83-74.  

COVID-19 Attendance Policy 

Effective immediately for Towson University home contests: 

• Contests will be open at 50% capacity.  Flexible seating is recommended for games; contact the Towson ticket office at 410-704-3330 for more information.  

• Masks will be required for all attendees regardless of vaccination status.  Masks must be worn at all times inside Towson University buildings and cover the nose and mouth.  

• Concessions will not be available at Towson games; outside food or drink may not be brought into Towson athletic venues. 

Towson University continues to monitor the ongoing situation along with university, county and state officials.  These new procedures are enacted in cooperation with the Towson University medical advisory committee and the University System of Maryland. 

Last Time Out   

Towson fell in its final nonconference contest of the season to Princeton, 68-54, on Wednesday night.   

Allie Kubek scored a team-high 19 points in the outing, hitting 3-of-4 from beyond the arc. In addition, the sophomore added eight rebounds. Aleah Nelson also reached double figures with 13 points while contributing a team-best three assists.   

Rayne Tucker paced the Tigers off the boards, securing 11 rebounds to tie her season-high. She also grabbed three steals. Anissa Rivera too had a solid night, registering eight points and seven rebounds. 

In The CAA 

Two games into league play, Towson sits atop the CAA standings with a 2-0 mark, along with three other teams (Drexel, James Madison and Northeastern). Delaware (1-0) is also undefeated in the conference.  

With a 9-2 nonconference record, the Tigers own the best winning percentage in the league (.846).  

D-FENSE!  

The black & gold have held eight opponents to under 35.5 percent shooting in a game this season. Towson kept Frostburg State (32.8 percent, 19-of-58), Florida (35.2 percent, 25-of-71), Wofford (30.2 percent, 19-of-63), Millersville (19.1 percent, 9-of-47), Howard (25.4 percent, 18-of-71), Delaware State (32.7 percent, 18-of-55), East Carolina (25.3 percent, 19-of-75) and UMass Lowell (29.3 percent, 17-of-58) all below the mark.  

The team has also held its opponents to less than 10 points in a quarter seven times this season. 

The Tigers have kept pressure on the ball, registering six double-digit steal games, led by a season-high 18 takeaway performance against Millersville. Nelson leads the squad with 21 total steals through 12 games.  

Towson has generated 276 total points this season off turnovers, for 21.2 points per game.  

First Half Team   

When leading at halftime, the Tigers own an 11-0 record. The team has led by 20+ points at the half three times this season, against Millersville (24) Howard (23) and William & Mary (24). In all three games, Towson scored over 40 points through the first two quarters. 

Making Some Noise   

Towson jumped up to No. 15 in the latest CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top 25 Poll, released Jan. 11. The team was previously ranked No. 18.  

BYU (12-1) overtook the top spot from Missouri State (10-2) after sitting in second for several weeks. FGCU (13-1), California Baptist (11-2) and Gonzaga (10-4) complete the top-5.    

The Tigers are the highest ranked Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) team in the poll, as Drexel (10-2) re-entered the standings at No. 19. James Madison (6-7) is also still receiving votes.  

The black & gold are the highest ranked CAA team in the NCAA NET rankings, sitting at 73.  

Coming Home  

Five of 14 student-athletes on Towson's roster represent their home state of Maryland. Aleah Nelson is the loan Baltimore native while Allie Kubek (Elkton), Ryann Evans (Columbia), Rayne Tucker (New Carrollton) and Anissa Rivera (Capitol Heights) are also from close by. 

In The Rankings   

With the nonconference campaign completed, Towson continues to be well represented in the NCAA rankings, sitting top-30 in seven categories and first in nine CAA stats.  

The Tigers are still among the best rebounding teams in the country, ranking 10th in rebounds per game (45.0) and 12th in offensive boards per game (16.1). The team also currently sits 18th in both scoring margin (18.6) and field goal percentage defense (34.5). The black & gold lead the CAA in all four categories mentioned.  

Scouting The Dukes  

James Madison has been on a hot streak as of late, winning their past three games. Prior to that though, the Dukes had dropped five consecutive contests. Other than Towson, who defeated Florida (Nov. 12) 87-70, JMU is the only other team in the conference to pick up a win over a power five opponent as they defeated Virgnia (Nov. 9), 84-69. The Dukes also faced one nationally ranked opponent in then-No. 4 Maryland, but fell, 81-45.  

Kiki Jefferson leads the team with 17.9 points per game. Jaylin Carodine paces the team off the boards, averaging 9.4 rebounds. Madison Green also plays a key role for JMU, as she has collected a team-best 20 assists and 18 steals.  

Next Up 

The Tigers will hit the road to play a rescheduled game at Drexel on Jan. 18 (7 p.m.). Towson will then travel to the Carolinas for a pair of road contests against Charleston (Jan. 21, 7 p.m.) and UNCW (Jan. 23, 1 p.m.).  

Tigers in the Community  

For the 7th consecutive year, the department exceeded 10,000 hours of community service to the Greater Baltimore region, finishing with 11,162 hours of community service in the 2018-19 academic season. Towson ranked #1 nationally for community service and won the 2018 National Championship for Community Service through the Helper Helper NCAA Team Works Competition. Towson had a 97% participation rate, attended 118 community service opportunities and volunteered with 19 organizations. The Tigers won the 2018 Volunteer of the Year Award from Susan G. Komen of Maryland.