TOWSON, Md. – The Towson University women's basketball team faced the CAA-leading College of Charleston Cougars on Friday night at SECU Arena.
 
Towson (14-12, 7-7 CAA) started the game on a torrid pace as they took a 29-20 lead over Charleston (21-4, 13-1 CAA) after the first. The Tigers pushed their lead to 12 at the halftime break, led by Thalia Shepard with 17 in the first half. The Cougars scored 55 combined points in the third and fourth quarters, while holding Towson to 33, and went on to win 88-78.
 
Key Stats

• Charleston outscored Towson 56-16 in the paint.
• The Cougars won the rebounding battle 50-32 and scored 13 second chance points off 17 offensive boards.
• Charleston held shooting advantages from the floor and free throw line.

 
How it Happened

• Towson hit a lot of early shots, starting the game with a 14-6 lead after the opening 3:21. Masyn Marchbanks led the team with six points in the run.
• Semaya Turner's layup with 1:48 remaining in the first quarter put the Tigers up 29-14, their largest lead of the early going.
• The Cougars closed the quarter with a 6-0 run, cutting the deficit to nine after one.
• Thalia Shepard followed her seven-point opening quarter with 10 points in the second as Towson went into the half with a 45-33 lead.
• Charleston started the second half on a 15-5 run in the opening 4:36 of game time, cutting the Towson lead to 50-48.
• Shepard and Tilda Sjökvist scored the Tigers' next five points, extending the lead back to seven.
• The Cougars followed with seven unanswered and tied the game at 55 apiece.
• Charleston closed the quarter on a 9-5 run, claiming a four-point lead with one to play.
• The Cougars posted a 12-3 run to start the quarter, pushing their lead to 76-63.
• India Johnston's made free throws with 54 seconds remaining cut the Tigers' deficit to six.
• After a trap attempt, the Tigers were forced to foul, sending Taryn Barbot to the line, who hit the first.
• The Cougars went 6-6 in their final three trips to the line to secure the 88-78 victory.

 
Next Game
The Tigers host Stony Brook at SECU Arena on Sunday at 1 p.m. for the team's National Girls & Women in Sports Day game.