When: Saturday, November 16, 2024
Where: TU Arena | Towson, Md.
Time: Saturday - 8 p.m.
Promotions: 1,000 Black replica jerseys & dollar beers (pre-game & first half only)
Team Records: James Madison (2-1) vs Towson (1-2)
Broadcast: Monumental Sports Network, FloCollege, audio broadcast on TowsonTigers.com (Spiro Morekas & Jimmy Patsos)
Series: James Madison Leads 37-21                                                                                                                  
TOWSON, Md. – The Towson University men's basketball team returns home to face former CAA foe James Madison on Saturday night.                                                                   
 
Preseason Awards
Sophomore guard/forward Tyler Tejada was named to the All-CAA Preseason First Team while junior guard/forward Christian May was selected to the All-CAA Preseason Second Team. Redshirt sophomore guard Dylan Williamson was named All-CAA Honorable Mention.
 
Tejada was named CAA Rookie of the Year last year after averaging 10.1 ppg with 3.3 rpg. The sophomore guard shot 42 percent from the floor and 35 percent from three last season. He scored 30 points against Monmouth and hit the game-winning three pointer against UNCW.
 
May led the Tigers in scoring with 10.8 ppg while shooting 39 percent from the floor and 34 percent from three. He was tied for third on the team in the rebounds, averaging 4.1 per game.
 
Williamson ranked second on the team in scoring with 10.2 ppg. He shot 40 percent from the floor and 34 percent behind the arc while leading the Tigers in assists with 98.
 
Mr. Do It All
Graduate student guard Nendah Tarke did it all for the Tigers last season, averaging 9.8 points, the fourth highest total on the team. He averaged 5.1 rebounds to rank second on the Black & Gold. He also added 1.5 spg, which ranked sixth in the CAA last year. He also had 13 blocks which was third on the team. Tarke finished in double figures in 13 of his 24 games.
 
Home Court Advantage
Towson has had a major home court advantage over the last nine years at TU Arena. Since moving into the arena from the Towson Center in 2013, the Tigers have gone 105-43. Towson has had a winning record in home games in seven of the nine seasons.
 
The Tigers broke the school record for consecutive home wins at TU Arena against Stony Brook on January 11 when Towson won their 15th straight home game dating back to the 2022-23 season.
 
Receiving Votes
Towson was voted No. 17 in the latest CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top 25 Poll. The Tigers are one of two ranked CAA teams with College of Charleston coming at 19. Drexel and Hofstra are each receiving votes.
 
Tigers on TV
Towson will play 12 games on national and linear television this season with ten happening at TU Arena.
 
The Tigers will play four games on CBS Sports Network, which include Hofstra (Jan. 16), at Northeastern (Jan. 27), Drexel (Feb. 1) and at Monmouth (Feb. 8).
 
Towson will have eight games on Monumental Sports Network: James Madison (Nov. 16), UMBC (Dec. 7), Bryant (Dec. 22), Northeastern (Jan. 9), Stony Brook (Jan. 18), Delaware (Feb. 13), William & Mary (Feb. 27) and Hampton (Mar. 1).
 
Winning Ways
The Tigers have won 18 or more games in nine of the last 11 seasons, winning a share of the CAA Regular Season title in 2022. Towson was 20 or more games in its last three seasons for the first time in program history.
 
Skerry is the winningest head coach in Towson University Men's Basketball Division 1 history. He has the highest win percentage in Division 1 program history.
 
Defense!
The Tigers led the CAA in scoring defense, holding opponents to 63.6 ppg, while ranking second in the conference in rebounding, grabbing 39.3 per game. Towson held opponents to under 60 points, 12 times last season.
 
The Best in Maryland
In the last three years, the Tigers have a 67-37 (64.4%) record, the best in the DC-Maryland-Virginia area.
 
Starting off Strong
Towson has a tough start to its non-conference schedule this season. The Tigers play three teams in the first four games that made the NCAA Tournament last season. Towson starts off the season against Saint Mary's, currently ranked fifth in College Insider.com Mid-Major Preseason Poll. Towson hosts Penn State Wilkes-Barre in its home opener, before traveling down south to take on South Carolina. The Tigers return to TU Arena to welcome former CAA foe James Madison.
 
O Canada
The Tigers head to Canada to take part in the Western Slam in Lethbridge, Alberta. Towson tip-offs the tournament against Kent State then take on Kennesaw State before wrapping up the three-day tournament versus UC Irvine.
 
Atop the Chart
The CAA announced its annual Preseason Poll to start the season. The Tigers were picked to finish in first place after receiving ten first-place votes. The Tigers were picked ahead of defending CAA Champions Charleston, who were picked second and received three first-place votes.
 
Running It Back
The Tigers return four of their five starters from last year. Towson brings back 80% of the last year's scoring, including the top three scorers. The Tigers return 71% of the rebounds, including two of the top seven rebounders last year in the CAA. Towson returns reigning CAA Rookie of the Year Tyler Tejada and CAA All- Rookie guard Dylan Williamson who ranked second on the team in scoring last season (10.2) and led the Tigers in assists (2.9).
 
Fresh Faces
Towson welcomes six newcomers this season: Abdou Samb (IUPUI), Chike Ndefo, Caleb Embeya, Amir Shaheed, Mandela Tarke and Ryan Skerry.
 
Last Season Recap
The Tigers won 20 games last season for the ninth time in the last 11 seasons. Towson picked up non-conference wins against UMass, Nicholls State, UMBC and Morgan State. In CAA play, the Black & Gold defeated UNCW and Charleston while also picking up wins over Stony Brook and Delaware. Towson earned the five seed in the CAA Tournament and defeated Willliam & Mary then Towson defeated UNCW for the second time, before falling against Charleston in the semi-finals.
 
Scouting James Madison
The Dukes come into Towson with a 2-1 record on the season. James Madison opened the season with an 88-78 victory over Ohio. James Madison then fell to Norfolk State 83-69, but most recently defeated to Mary Baldwin 100-52. The Dukes have four players who average ten or more points per game led by Xavier Brown, who averages 17.7. Mark Freedman was named to the Preseason First Team All-Sun Belt while Brown was selected to the Preseason All-Sun Belt Third Team. The Dukes were picked to finish second in the Sun Belt preseason poll.
 
Next Up
The Tigers hit the road to take on Nicholls State on Wednesday, November 20th at 7:30 p.m. The game will be streamed on ESPN+.