When: Saturday, December 14, 2024
Where: LeBron James Arena | Akron, Ohio
Time: Saturday- 6:00 p.m.
Team Records: Towson (4-6) vs. Duquesne (2-8)
Broadcast: The game will not be broadcasted on TV, audio broadcast on TowsonTigers.com (Spiro Morekas)
Series: First Meeting                                                                                                                      
TOWSON, Md. – The Towson University men's basketball team heads to Akron, Ohio to take on Duquesne in the Morgan & Morgan Classic on Saturday night.
 
Starting off Strong
Dylan Williamson has been off to a strong start to the 2024-25 season. He ranks second on the team in points per game, averaging 15.3. He is shooting 44.4% from the floor and 45.8% from behind the arc, the highest in the CAA. The redshirt sophomore guard tied a career-high in points with 26, making a career-best nine field goals against Nicholls State. Williamson has finished in double figures in seven of the nine games this season.                                                         
 
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.
 
Tarke has continued where he left off last season, averaging 10.8 points per game while grabbing 5.7 rebounds per game which ranks second on the team. He leads the Tigers in steals per game with 1.4.
 
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 106-44. 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.
 
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.
 
Towson has continued where they left off last season, holding opponents to only 66.0 points per game. The Tigers rank 59th in the nation and fourth in the CAA. Towson has held six of its ten opponents to under 66 points.
 
The Best in Maryland
In the last three years, the Tigers have a 70-41 (63.1%) record, the best in the DC-Maryland-Virginia area. Skerry is 26-2 (92.9%) against UMBC, Morgan State, Loyola (MD) and Coppin State since 2013.
 
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.
 
In the Ranks
The Tigers are top 50 in the nation in multiple categories this season. Towson ranks 30th in the nation in turnovers per game, having only 9.9 turnovers per game, which leads the CAA. The Tigers are 41st in the nation in offensive rebounds per game, grabbing 13.6. Mekhi Lowery, Messiah Jones and Caleb Embeya each average over two offensive rebounds per game.
 
Scouting Duquesne
The Dukes have a 2-8 record coming into Saturday's matchup. Duquesne is led by Tre Dinkins III who averages 11.4 ppg. The Dukes opened the season with a loss to Lipscomb then fell to Princeton in the Jersey Jam. Duquesne then lost to DePaul and Milwaukee. The Dukes then took part in the Cayman Islands Classic, where they went 1-2. The Dukes defeated Old Dominion, but fell to South Dakota State and Hampton. Duquesne was edged by Saint Peter's, then the Dukes defeated Delaware. On Wednesday, Duquesne lost to Maine.
 
Next Up
The Tigers take on Robert Morris on Tuesday night in Moon Township, Pa. at 7 p.m. The game will be streamed on ESPN+.