TOWSON, Md. – Holding off a Drexel shot attempt in the final second, the Towson University men's basketball team defeated Drexel 55-54 to earn its eighth consecutive victory.
 
Towson (14-9, 9-1 CAA) and Drexel (12-11, 4-6 CAA) were locked into a one-point game with 3:10 left to play as the Tigers led by one with a crowd of 3,204 cheering them on.  Neither team scored again as Drexel missed a jumper with seconds left and could not get off a final attempt as Towson held for the win.
 
Towson remains alone in first place in the CAA with a 9-1 league record.  Towson has matched its best-ever conference start in DI, equaling its 9-1 start in the East Coast Conference during the 1990-91 season.
 
Key Stats:

• Towson committed just three turnovers all game and held Drexel without a three-point basket in the second half.
• Tyler Tejada earned 20 points tonight off 9-for-18 shooting, also leading Towson in rebounds with six.  Dylan Williamson racked up 18 points and five boards while Mekhi Lowery had four points, five rebounds and three assists.
• For Drexel, Kobe McGee finished with a double-double on 11 points and 12 rebounds.

How it Happened

• Drexel got off to a fast start, using a pair of made threes in a game-opening 10-2 run in the first couple of minutes.  The Dragons added on to that lead, starting out 8-for-8 to lead 21-9 with 14:19 left in the first half.
• The Towson defense started forcing stop after stop, holding Drexel without points for over five-and-a-half minutes.  Tyler Tejada hit four consecutive shots for Towson for nine points on a 16-0 Tigers run to send the home team ahead 25-21 with 8:56 to go in the first.
• The team exchanged baskets in the following minutes as each used the shot clock frequently.  Towson led by nine and took a 35-29 lead into the locker room.
• Drexel went back to attacking the paint in the second half, as did Towson.  Nendah Tarke knocked down a long three to make it 42-36 Towson five minutes into the second.
• The visitors hit the next four baskets, going up by four with a couple more to lead 50-46.  Towson countered with three straight makes by three different players to lead 53-50 with 4:14 to play.
• After an exchange of baskets, a Drexel layup with 3:10 left brought the score to 55-54 Towson.  The Tigers held off three missed shots and a free throw from Drexel as a final chance was deemed on the shooter's hand at the buzzer.  Towson won 55-54.

Inside the Numbers

• During the 1990-91 season, Towson started 10-1 in the East Coast Conference.
• Tyler Tejada has scored in double figures each of his last 12 games.  It is his fifth 20+ point game.
• Towson had its biggest home crowd of the season at 3,204.

Next Game

• Towson heads to Long Island for its next game, rematching against Stony Brook on Thursday, Feb. 6 at 6:31 p.m.