When: Thursday, January 16, 2025
Where: TU Arena | Towson, Md.
Time: Thursday- 7:00 p.m.
Team Records: Hofstra (10-7, 2-2 CAA) vs. Towson (8-9, 3-1 CAA)
Broadcast: CBS Sports Network, audio broadcast on TowsonTigers.com (Spiro Morekas)
Series: Hofstra leads Towson 48-30
TOWSON, Md. – The Towson University men's basketball team returns home for a three-game homestand, starting with the Hofstra Pride on Thursday night at 7 p.m. on CBS Sports Network.
 
Hot Start in the CAA
The Tigers are off to a hot start in CAA play sitting tied for second place in the conference with a 3-1 record. Towson ranks fourth in conference play in scoring, averaging 76.8 points per game. The Tigers rank third in conference play in field goal percentage with a 44.2% mark while ranking fourth in three field goal percentage with a 37.9% mark. Towson ranks second in rebounds per game, grabbing 42 per game during conference play.
 
Sweeping the Weekly Awards
Redshirt senior guard Nendah Tarke was named CAA Player of the Week while freshman forward Caleb Embeya was named CAA Rookie of the Week. The last time Towson won both awards was January 29th, 2024 when Christian May won player of the week and Dylan Williamson won rookie of the week.
 
Tarke averaged a team-best 22.0 points per game while shooting 14-of-25 (56.0%) from the field and 6-of-10 (60.0%) from three. He also averaged 5.5 rebounds last week as the Tigers went 2-0. He started the week by tying a team-high 17 points and grabbing seven rebounds in Towson's win against Northeastern. The redshirt senior guard then followed up with 27 points, tying a career-high, with 24 coming in the second half and overtime against Drexel. He went 9-of-14 (64.3%) from the floor and knocked down a season-high four triple, going 66.7% from behind the arc in Towson's overtime victory against the Dragons.
 
Embeya averaged 11.0 points per game, five rebounds and 2.5 blocks off the bench. He went 9-of-10 (90%) from the floor. He started the week by scoring nine points, five rebounds and two blocks while shooting 80% from the floor in Towson's victory over Northeastern. The freshman forward then followed up with a career-high 13 points on 5-of-5 shooting while grabbing five rebounds and adding three blocks in Towson's overtime victory against Drexel.
 
In the Ranks
The Tigers are top 50 in the nation in multiple categories this season. Towson ranks 20th in the nation in turnovers per game, having only 9.8 turnovers per game, which ranks second in the CAA. The Tigers are 34th in the nation in offensive rebounds per game, grabbing 13.4. Caleb Embeya averages 2.2 rebounds per game while Mekhi Lowery and Tomiwa Sulaiman average 1.9. Messiah Jones grabs 1.8 rebounds per game.
 
Star Sophomores
Dylan Williamson and Tyler Tejada have been off to a strong start in their sophomore season. Williamson ranks second on the team in points per game, averaging 12.8. The redshirt sophomore guard tied a career-high in points with 26, making a career-best five field goals against Nicholls State. He then scored 26 points against Drexel, knocking down a career-best ten field goals. Williamson has finished in double figures in 11 of the 17 games this season.
 
Tejada leads the Tigers in points per game, averaging 16.9. He has finished in double figures in ten of his 11 games. The sophomore guard tied a career-high with 30 points earlier this season against Robert Morris. He made a career-high 12 field goals and went 3-of-3 from behind the arc.
 
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 10.6 points per game, which ranks third on the team. Tarke grabs 4.7 rebounds per game which ranks third on the team. He leads the Tigers in steals per game with 1.2. 
 
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 108-44. 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 18th 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 67.7 points per game. The Tigers rank 82nd in the nation and fourth in the CAA. Towson has held nine of its 17 opponents to under 66 points.
 
The Best in Maryland
In the last three years, the Tigers have a 74-41 (62.7%) 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.
 
Scouting Hofstra
The Pride bring in a 10-7 record with a 2-2 record in CAA play. Hofstra leads the CAA in scoring defense allowing opponents 64.4 points per game, which ranks 28th in the nation. The Pride have the eighth best field goal percentage defense, holding opponents to 37.2% from the floor, which leads the CAA. Jean Aranguren leads Hofstra in scoring, averaging 14.6 while grabbing 6.1 rebounds per game. The Pride opened the season by winning its first four games this season, defeating SUNY Old Westbury, Iona, Seton Hall and UMass. The Pride then fell to Florida State and Houston. Hofstra competed in the Baha Mar Hoops: Nassau Championship, going 2-1. The Pride defeated Rice and Arkansas State while losing to Tarleton State. Hofstra then played defeated St. Joseph's Long Island and Norfolk State in its next two games. The Pride then closed out non-conference play with loss to Temple and Quinnipiac. Hofstra fell to William & Mary in its CAA opener, then defeated Northeastern. The Pride lost to Charleston, but most recently defeated UNCW 66-63 last Saturday.
 
Next Up
The Tigers welcome Stony Brook to TU Arena on Saturday, January 18th at 2:00 p.m. The game will be televised on Monumental Sports Network and streamed on FloCollege.