The Game: Towson Tigers (0-0) vs. UAlbany Great Danes (0-0)
Where: SECU Arena – Towson, Md.
When: Monday, Nov. 7 – 7 p.m.
Broadcast: FloHoops ($), Spiro Morekas & Chuck Lightening
Series: Towson leads 1-0
 
TOWSON, Md. – The Towson University men's basketball program begins the 2022-23 season at SECU Arena against UAlbany on Monday, Nov. 7 at 7 p.m.
 
Spiro Morekas and Chuck Lightening will have the call on FloHoops.

The Tigers are coming off a season that saw them lift the CAA Regular Season title en route to 25 wins and a berth in the NIT Tournament for the first time in program history.
 
Towson returns their top four scorers from a year ago in Nicolas Timberlake, Cam Holden, Charles Thompson, and Jason Gibson. All four accounted for 60 percent of the scoring last year. Timberlake, Holden, and Thompson all earned a spot on the All-CAA Preseason First Team with the Tigers being chosen as the preseason favorites in the league.
 
This will be just the second meeting all-time between the Tigers and the Great Danes. Last year, the Tigers took a 77-56 decision in Albany to open the season.
 
THE LEADER OF THE PACK:
Head coach Pat Skerry is back on the sidelines for the Tigers in 2022-23 for his 12^th season as the bench boss of the Tigers. Skerry led the Tigers to their first CAA Regular Season title in 2022, posting a 25-9, 15-3 CAA record. For his career, Skerry owns a 172-173 record at Towson and a 196-198 record for his career.
 
The Massachusetts native has rebuilt the Tiger program, who has the highest Graduation Success Rate (GSR) in the CAA. Over the last ten seasons, Towson has won 18+ games seven times.
 
Skerry has used his platform as a head coach and teamed up with Tom Herrion to start Autism Awareness in college basketball.  What started as two guys with an idea has turned into a national event where hundreds of coaches wear the prominent blue puzzle piece pin. The effort put forth by both Skerry and Herrion were recognized as the duo was honored with the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Guardians of the Game Service Award.
 
CAA PRESEASON FAVORITES:
Towson men's basketball was chosen as the preseason favorites on October 19. The Tigers were unanimously chosen after garnering 12 of the 13 first-place votes. Towson returns their top four scorers from a year ago that won the CAA Regular Season title.
 
Nicolas Timberlake, Cam Holden, and Charles Thompson were named to the CAA Preseason All-Conference First Team. Timberlake was the leading scorer a year ago, averaging 14.4 ppg and 4.4 rpg plus shooting just under 50 percent from the floor. For his efforts, he earned All-CAA First Team honors. Timberlake scored double digits in 27 of the 34 games in 2021-22.

Cam Holden averaged 13.5 ppg and a team best 7.9 rpg last season, earning him not only All-CAA First Team honors but also a spot on the NABC Division I All-District 10 Team. Holden had a stretch of eight straight games with double digit points including a season-best 25 points against Pitt in November.

Thompson was named the All-CAA Second Team and was also named to the NABC Division I All-District 10 Team last season after averaging 10.8 ppg and 6.7 rpg, having started every game for the Tigers. He finished the season with five double-doubles and 20 double figure scoring games.
 
Welcome to Towson:
Towson adds seven newcomers to the program for 2022-23. Three of the seven have previous college experience including Sekou Sylla, the reigning NCAA Division II Player of the Year. Sylla averaged 22.4 points and 10.4 rebounds per game at Nova Southeastern.
 
Ryan Conway and Nygal Russell come to Towson with Division I experience, spending last season at Seton Hall and Southeast Missouri State respectively. Conway spent last season as a redshirt after coming out of nearby Dulaney High School as a four-star prospect. Russell spent four seasons at SEMO helping the Redhawks to an OVC Semifinal for the first time in 17 seasons.
 
Dylan Williamson, Christian May, Cole Paar, and Malik Missouri will also make their collegiate debuts with the Tigers in 2022-23.
 
National Exposure:
The Tigers will appear on CBS Sports Network a total of three times during the 2022-23 season. Towson will have home games against Drexel on Thursday, Jan. 5 at 7 p.m. and Saturday, Jan. 14 at 3 p.m. against Monmouth, as well as a road contest at Charleston on Thursday, Feb. 23 at 7 p.m. on the network. The game against Monmouth was originally scheduled to air on NBC Sports Washington.

The games are part of a conference TV package with the CAA.

There is a possibility for another game for Towson to appear on the CBS Sports Network.  There is a wild card game on Saturday, Feb. 25 which will be decided as the top matchup possible towards the end of the regular season.  In addition, the 2023 Jersey Mike's CAA Championship semifinal and final rounds on March 6-7 will also be televised.
 
Coming Back with A Vengeance:
The Tigers will have ten returners from the 2021-22 squad that won the CAA Regular Season title. Over 60 percent of the scoring from a year ago will return, led by graduate Nicolas Timberlake who averaged 14.4 ppg. Cam Holden (13.5 ppg, 7.9 rpg), Charles Thompson (10.8 ppg, 6.7 rpg), and Jason Gibson (9.8 ppg) also return to make up the 60 percent.
 
Oh Captain, My Captain:
Nicolas Timberlake, Charles Thompson, Cam Holden, and Jason Gibson were named as team captains for the 2022-23 season.
 
The quartet returns as the top four scorers from a year ago that fueled a potent Tiger offense which had one of the biggest single-season turnarounds, going 25-9 after a 4-14 season the year prior. The 25 wins ties the most in a DI single season in program history.
 
Scouting the Opponent:
UAlbany comes into the 2022-23 season after finishing 13-18, 9-9 in the America East a year ago. The Great Danes lost in the quarterfinals to Hartford in the America East Tournament. UAlbany loses four of their top five scorers from a year ago. Justin Neely is the top returner for the Great Danes who averaged 6.4 ppg and 4.4 rpg in 2021-22.