When                     Tuesday, Nov. 5 at 7 p.m.
Where                    WVU Coliseum | Morgantown, W.V.
Team Records       Towson (0-0) @ #16 West Virginia (0-0)
Stream                   ESPN+
Series                    West Virginia leads all-time series 5-0
 
TOWSON, Md. – The Towson University women's basketball team opens the 2024-25 campaign with a top-25 matchup against the 16^th-ranked West Virginia Mountaineers in Morgantown, W.V. on Tuesday, Nov. 5 at 7 p.m.
 
League Honors
Patricia Anumgba was named an All-CAA First Team selection after leading the Tigers with 14.4 points/game last season. The senior guard posted 3.2 rebounds/game, adding 2.2 assists. Anumgba is also the team's leading returner with 44 steals from a season ago. She was one of four unanimous first team selections in the preseason poll.
 
CAA Preseason Poll
In the 2024-25 Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) Women's Basketball Preseason Poll, Towson was selected to finish third with one first-place vote. N.C. A&T led the way with 11 first-place votes. Drexel finished second with two first-place votes. Charleston and William & Mary finished in a tie for fourth, while Delaware and Elon completed the top half of the table. Campbell, Stony Brook, Monmouth, UNCW, Hofstra, Northeastern and Hampton rounded out the group.
 
Fresh Faces
The Tigers welcome five newcomers to the team this season, highlighted by CAA transfer Deja Bristol from Northeastern, who averaging 10.4 points and 5.8 rebounds/game for the Huskies last season. Other transfers include junior guard Masyn Marchbanks from Samford and graduate guard Jordan Wakefield, who most recently played for George Mason in the 2021-22 season. Tiger freshmen include 6'2" forward Khady Leye from Louga, Senegal and guard Shariah Baynes.
 
Returning Percentages
Towson returns nine players from last year's 20-11 team, including 2023-24 All-CAA Second Team selection Patricia Anumgba. Other returners include junior guard India Johnston and forwards Kayla Morris and Anasia Staton. The Tigers return 63.2% of their scoring alongside 56.4% of their rebounding from a season ago.
 
Last Season's Recap
Towson finished the regular season 20-11 last season with an 11-7 mark in conference play, earning the sixth seed to the CAA Tournament in Washington, D.C. The Tigers defeated the 11-seed Northeastern Huskies before securing a spot in the CAA Tournament Semifinals with a win over 3-seed Charleston. In the semis vs. Drexel, the Black & Gold fell 68-69, finishing two points shy of securing a spot in the CAA Championship game for the second year in a row.
 
Scouting West Virginia
West Virginia enters the season ranked 16th in the AP Top 25 Women's College Basketball Poll. In the USA Today Coaches poll, the Mountaineers check-in at 15 to begin the season. Last season, the Mountaineers finished 25-8 overall and 12-6 in Big 12 conference play. WVU earned an NCAA Tournament appearance, where they made it to the round of 32 before being eliminated by Iowa 64-54. In the 2024-25 Big 12 Women's Basketball Preseason Poll, West Virginia finished fifth with one first-place vote. The Mountaineers boast one Preseason All-Big 12 selection in JJ Quinerly.
 
Welcoming Coaches
The Tigers welcome two new assistant coaches to the staff ahead of the 2024-25 season. Eric Atkins, who most recently served as an assistant coach for the Wisconsin Herd, the National Basketball Association (NBA) G-League affiliate for the Milwaukee Bucks, joined the staff in July. Atkins played college basketball for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, where he graduated in 2014. He is the first three-year captain in the history of Notre Dame men's basketball. Also joining the staff is Lorie Khalil, who joins with 19 years of Division III coaching experience, including 10 seasons with Penn State Lehigh Valley most recently. She joins the staff with a 252-155 overall coaching record in 19 years across three D-III institutions.
 
TU Fortress
The Tigers hold a 91-62 (.594) home record since TU Arena was built, including a 35-18 (.660) record against non-conference opponents. Towson holds a 56-43 (.566) against CAA foes. The Tigers finished with a 9-4 record at home and had an 8-1 home record in conference play last year.
 
Next Up
The Tigers will continue their five-game road trip to open the season against George Mason on Saturday, Nov. 9, at 3 p.m. The game will stream live on ESPN+.