TOWSON MEN’S BASKETBALL FACES CROSSTOWN RIVAL UMBC SATURDAY

Tigers Seeking Third Win in Four Games

BALTIMORE, Md. – The Towson men’s basketball team will play a local rival for the second straight game on Saturday as the Tigers make the short trip to the RAC Arena to take on UMBC at 7 p.m.

Towson (3-3) saw its two-game win streak snapped on Monday as the Tigers fell, 65-53, at Loyola.

Junior Jerrelle Benimon leads the Tigers with 14.7 points and 8.8 rebounds per game. He is one of five different Towson players that have led the team in scoring during a game this season.

Freshman Jerome Hairston led the Tigers with 13 points and a season-high six rebounds against the Greyhounds on Monday. The guard is fourth among Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) rookies in scoring at 9.2 points per game and he’s averaging 11.0 points per game in his last three outings.

UMBC (1-5) has dropped four straight contests, including an 83-65 home setback on Thursday night against Canisius. Senior guard Ryan Cook leads the Retrievers in scoring (16.5 ppg) and rebounding (8.0 rpg).

Towson holds a commanding 34-19 lead in the series, dating back to 1970. The Tigers have won four of their last five matchups with the Retrievers, but UMBC won at the Towson Center last year, 62-58.

Saturday’s game will mark the seventh straight contest Towson has played away from home as the Tigers begin the year on a 10-game road swing.

In its 46-year varsity basketball history, the Towson Tigers are UMBC’s most frequently-contested opponent and the two squads will meet for the 54th time on Saturday, Dec. 1 at the RAC Arena. Tipoff time is set for 7:00 p.m. (EST)  and the game will be streamed on www.umbcretrievers.tv.

RETRIEVER UPDATE:  Visiting Canisius scored the last nine points of the first half and opened the second half on a 9-1 run to break open a close game and proceed to defeat UMBC, 83-65 at the RAC Arena on Thursday. SR G Ryan Cook (16.6 ppg, 8.0 rpg) led UMBC with 16 points, while JR C Brett Roseboro posted a career-high 13 points in the setback. UMBC has dropped four straight and is -36 in rebounding in those losses.

TIGER UPDATE:  Towson competed in the 2012 Comfort Suites Invitational where they won three out of four games, including a victory over Radford (75-67).  JR F Jerrelle Benimon is the Tigers key threat on offense leading the team with an average of 14.7 points per game. Towson took on the Loyola Greyhounds on Nov. 26., and fell, 65-53. FR G Jerome Hairston led the Tigers with 13 points. Towson has yet to play a home game this season.
MORE IN-SEASON UPDATES

*The loss to Penn was UMBC’s fourth consecutive setback to start a season…The 48 first-half points scored by UMBC was the most in the first 20 minutes by the Retrieves since tallying 49 in a 91-54 win over Stevenson (Md.) on Nov. 15, 2008.

*UMBC snapped a three-game losing streak in home openers, when they defeate Eastern on Nov. 12.

*The Retrievers led the first two games at the half and have led  three of the first four games with 10:00 remaining in regulation.  They have led four of six  games at some point in the second half.

*Brian Neller hit his first four 3-point field goals at Penn, missed his next 13 attempts before hitting four of his final nine vs. Central Connecticut.

*UMBC starting post players of Chase Plummer and Brett Roseboro combined total of one free throw attempted through two games. Plummer attempted 180 (6.0 per game) in 2011-12, the third-highest single-season figure in school history.  He bounced back wtih an 8-of-11 effort at Loyola.

*Both Penn and Loyola hit 50.9 percent from the floor vs. the Retrievers.

*The Retrievers scored 70 points or more in each of the first four games of the season.  The last time they accomplished that feat was in the championship season of 2007-08.  The streak was snapped as UMBC tallied 46 points at Marquette.

*After enjoying healthy rebound margins vs. Penn and Eastern, UMBC was -17 at Loyola, although the Greyhounds were only +3 in second-chance points in the game. The Retrievers are -36 in total rebounds in the current four-game slide.

*UMBC hit ten 3-point field goals (10-of-22) vs. Central Conn. State, burying double figures from behind the arc for the first time since converting in double figures since Jan. 20, 2011 at Hartford. They made 12 in that game and the 10 vs. the Blue Devils halts a streak of 44 straight with single-digit treys.

* Ryan Cook and Chase Plummer both recorded double-doubles vs. CCSU, marking the first time a pair of UMBC players stuffed the stat sheet in that manner since Justin Fry and Laurence Joliceour did so vs. VMI on Nov. 14, 2010.

* Central Connecticut had the outright lead over UMBC in approximately five minutes over the final 25 minutes of play.

* UMBC did manage to hold Marquette to a season-low 28 first-half points on Nov. 26 in Milwaukee.

*  UMBC is just 6-of-41 (14.6%) from behind the arc in the last two games.

* UMBC is in the midst of a stretch where they are playing five times in an eight-day span.

* UMBC’s reserves are shooting a combined 53.8 percent (49-of-91) from the floor through six games.
WHO’S UP NEXT:  UMBC continues its five-game in eight-day stretch on Tues., Dec. 4 when they travel to Fairfax, Va. to take on George Mason. Tip-off is 7:00 p.m. and the game will be televised by MASN-TV.

TOWSON MEN’S BASKETBALL LOOKING FOR THIRD STRAIGHT WIN MONDAY AT LOYOLA

Tigers and Greyhounds Meet for 71st Time

BALTIMORE, Md. - The Towson University men’s basketball team will be looking for its third straight win on Monday as the Tigers (3-2) travel to Loyola (Md.) University (5-1) to take on the Greyhounds in Reitz Arena at 7:30 p.m.

The game will mark the 71st all-time meeting between Towson and Loyola. It is the Tigers’ longest standing rivalry with any opponent. The Tigers have won four of the last six meetings between the programs.

The Tigers are off to a 3-2 start, their best mark after five games since the beginning of the 2008-09 season when they also started 3-2. Towson has not been 4-2 since the start of the 1999-2000 season.

Towson posted a 3-1 record at the 2012 Comfort Suites Invitational, recording wins over Radford, Kennesaw State and Cincinnati Christian. The Tigers lost in overtime to host school Eastern Kentucky. Junior Jerrelle Benimon, graduate student Bilal Dixon and junior Marcus Damas were each named to all-invitational teams at the conclusion of the tournament.

Led by Benimon, the current Colonial Athletic Association Co-Player of the week, Towson has scored at least 69 points in each of its last four games. The Tigers failed to score more than 69 points in any
game last season.

Monday’s game will mark the sixth game of Towson’s 10-game road swing to start the regular season. The Tigers will travel to UMBC, Vermont, Georgetown and Temple before playing their home opener on December 15.

Loyola, which qualified for the 2012 NCAA Tournament, is coming off a dramatic overtime win at Rhode Island. The Greyhounds lone loss this season came at the University of Washington, an 85-63 at the Basketball Hall of Fame Tip-Off Tournament in Seattle.

Dylon Cormier leads the Greyhounds in scoring at 16.8 points per game. Erik Etherly paces Loyola on the boards, averaging 8.0 rebounds per contest. Tyler Hubbard is the current MAAC Rookie of the Week.

CAA Men’s Basketball Weekly Report – Nov. 19

TOWSON MEN’S BASKETBALL ROLLS PAST CINCINNATI CHRISTIAN, 79-40, FOR SECOND STRAIGHT WIN

Junior Mike Burwell Leads Four Tigers in Double Figures with 18 Points

RICHMOND, Ky. – The Towson men’s basketball team posted its second straight wire-to-wire win with a dominate 79-40 win over Cincinnati Christian University in the final game of the 2012 Comfort Suites Invitational on Monday afternoon. The Tigers, who defeated Radford on Friday and Kennesaw State on Sunday, posted a 3-1 mark during the tournament.

With the win, Towson improves its overall record to 3-2, its best mark after five games since the start of the 2008-09 season when the Tigers also started 3-2.

The 39-point margin of victory Monday was Towson’s largest since a 122-58 win over Buffalo on March 7, 1992.

Junior Mike Burwell led four Tigers in double figures with 18 points. The guard scored in double figures for the second consecutive game, netting three three-point field goals in each contest.

Graduate student Bilal Dixon registered his second double-double of the season with 10 points on 5-for-6 shooting and a game-high 11 rebounds. The forward/center added six blocked shots to his stat line in just 22 minutes of action.

Junior Marcus Damas (12) and sophomore Kris Walden (10) also scored in double digits, while junior Jerrelle Benimon posted nine points and grabbed seven rebounds in 21 minutes.

For the third straight game Towson got off to a hot start and after a Jerome Hairston jumper four minutes in, the Tigers led 7-0.

Leading 16-11 midway through the opening period, Towson tallied 13 of the next 17 points and the Tigers would lead by 20 at halftime.

Towson scored the first seven points of the second half to go up 46-19 and the Tigers would lead by as many as 42 in the second half. Towson held Cincinnati Christian to just five second half field goals in a dominating defensive effort.

The Tigers shot 56.6 percent from the field and won the rebounding battle for the fourth straight game, 46-22. Towson held the Eagles to just 16.7 percent shooting in the second half and 24.1 percent for the game.

All 13 Tigers played in the game, with 12 of them scoring

Towson will return to action on Monday, Nov. 26 at local rival Loyola. Tip time from Reitz Arena in Baltimore is set for 7:30 p.m.

TOWSON, Md. – The Towson men’s basketball team will conclude its exhibition schedule tonight against Goldey-Beacom College inside the Towson Center at 7 p.m.

The Tigers, who cruised past Bloomsburg University in its exhibition opener on November 1, opened their regular season this past Friday with a loss at the College of Charleston.

Junior Jerrelle Benimon led all scorers against the Cougars with 23 points in his Towson debut. Graduate student Bilal Dixon was also impressive in his first game as a Tiger, posting a double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds.

Goldey-Beacom, a Division II program that plays in the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference, is located in Wilmington, Del. The Lightning are 0-2 on the season with losses to Southern Connecticut State and Adelphi. Sophomore guard Marcus Porter leads the team with 17.0 points per game.

Admission to tonight’s game is free. There will be no video of the exhibition contest, but audio of the game will be made available through the Towson Sports Network.

Towson Men’s Basketball Opens 2012-13 Season at College of Charleston

Tigers Travel to Southern Conference Power Friday

CHARLESTON, S.C. - Under the guidance of second-year head coach Pat Skerry, the Towson University men’s basketball team is set to begin the 2012-13 season at the College of Charleston on Friday, Nov. 9 at 7:30 p.m.

The game is being played at TD Arena in Charleston, S.C.

Although Towson returns just three scholarship players from last year’s team, the new-look Tigers welcome a trio of BIG EAST transfers, a highly-regarded junior college transfer and a nationally recognized freshman class.

Towson will be looking to build on an impressive performance in its exhibition opener against Bloomsburg University on November 1.

All five Tiger starters scored in double figures, led by junior guard Mike Burwell’s 16 points. Classmate Jerrelle Benimon also filled the stat sheet with 12 points, seven assists and five rebounds, guiding Towson to an 87-65 win.

The offensive explosion was a welcome sight as the Tigers averaged just 47.0 points in a pair of exhibition games last season.

The Cougars present a challenge to the Tigers, who will be seeking their first regular season opening victory in four years.

Charleston, which won 19 games last season, was picked to finish second in the south division of the Southern Conference this year. The Cougars’ first year head coach Doug Wojcik spent the last seven seasons as the head coach at Tulsa.

The College of Charleston is led by senior guard Andrew Lawrence, who averaged 13.0 points and 5.5 assists per game last season. Lawrence, a member of the Great Britain National Team in the 2012 London Olympics, and junior forward Trent Wiedeman were both named to the 2012 Preseason All-Southern Conference Team.

The Cougars were victorious in their only exhibition game, topping USC Aiken, 68-52, on November 3.

The trip to Charleston will be a familiar one for Skerry, who served as an assistant coach for two seasons at the school under current Marshall head coach Tom Herrion.

The game at Charleston will be the first of 10 straight road games Towson will play to begin the 2012-13 season.

Towson Cruises Past Bloomsburg in Exhibition Opener, 87-65

Entire Starting Five Tallies Double Figures in Scoring for the Tigers

TOWSON, Md. – The Towson University men’s basketball team saw all five starters score in double figures as the Tigers rolled past Bloomsburg University, 87-65, in the exhibition opener for both squads at the Towson Center on Thursday evening.

Junior Mike Burwell led all scorers with 16 points, including 4-for-6 shooting from beyond the arc. Classmate Jerrelle Benimon filled the stat sheet with 12 points on 6-for-9 shooting, a game-high seven assists and five rebounds.

“We did some things offensively tonight which were not surprising because we have the ability to score,” said Towson head coach Pat Skerry. “Our defense has miles to go. We’re nowhere near where we need to be. I love our guys though and the work and effort that they’ve put in. I think our upside can be pretty good.”

Towson shot 63.0 percent from the field in the first half and 55.9 percent for the game. The Tigers won the rebounding battle 37-27 and dished out 17 assists to just 12 turnovers.

Also in double figures for the Tigers were freshman Jerome Hairston (15), graduate student Bilal Dixon (12) and junior Marcus Damas (10). Dixon did not miss any of the four shots he attempted and also pulled down a game-high seven rebounds.

Sophomore Kris Walden tallied seven points and swiped a game-high tying two steals, while junior Rafriel Guthrie posted five points and six rebounds in 19 minutes of action.

Towson, which never trailed after the 16:20 mark of the opening half, dominated in the paint, 46-22, and led 23-12 in points off turnover.

Lorenzo Christmas led three Huskies in double figures with 16 points to go along with four rebounds.

The Tigers will open up regular season play next at the College of Charleston on November 9. The Cougars won 19 games last season and were picked to finish second in the south division of the Southern Conference.

TOWSON MEN’S BASKETBALL SET TO OPEN 2012-13 SEASON WITH HOME EXHIBITION THURSDAY

The Tigers Will Face Bloomsburg University at 7 p.m. Inside the Towson Center Arena – Admission is Free
TOWSON, Md. - The Towson men’s basketball team is set to open its 2012-13 season on Thursday as the Tigers host Bloomsburg University in an exhibition game inside the Towson Center Arena.

This will be the first of two exhibition games for the Tigers, who also host Goldey-Beacom College on November 12.

Tip off for both exhibitions is set for 7 p.m. and admission is free.

2012-13 SEASON OUTLOOK

Head coach Pat Skerry enters his second season at the helm of the Tiger men’s basketball program with a great deal of optimism surrounding the future of his team. Skerry used his first year at Towson to establish a new culture around the program. While the record on the basketball court last year didn’t show it, the Tigers were significantly better both defensively and in rebounding – two elements that Skerry emphasizes the most with his team.

The majority of the 2012-13 Towson roster is made up of newcomers that will provide a significant upgrade in talent. The Tigers return only three lettermen, but two were starters and led the 2011-12 team in numerous categories.

Junior forward Marcus Damas ranked among the top 20 in the Colonial Athletic Association in scoring (12.5 ppg) and rebounding (5.3 rpg) a year ago, while sophomore guard Kris Walden contributed 6.6 points per game and led the squad in assists (3.2 apg) and steals (1.3 spg).

Three Division I transfers are expected to have an immediate impact in the frontcourt. Jerrelle Benimon, a 6-8 junior from Georgetown, will provide scoring and rebounding at power forward. Mike Burwell, a 6-5 junior from the University of South Florida, is a strong shooter from the wing with a wealth of experience. At center is 6-9 Bilal Dixon, who made 68 starts over three seasons at Providence College. Freshmen Jerome Hairston, Barrington Alston and Timajh Parker-Rivera and junior Rafriel Guthrie will also see significant action.

Backcourt

Depth was a major issue in the Tiger backcourt a year ago. Well, that won’t be the case this season. Towson returns a pair of starters in Walden and Damas, while Burwell becomes eligible after his sit-out season. Hairston and Guthrie will also see significant action in the backcourt.

“We have five perimeter guys for three spots and that will bring about some competition in practice,” said Skerry. “It’s my opinion that guys get better when they get pushed and that certainly will be the case with our guards this year.”

Burwell is the most experienced of the group as he saw action in 50 games while at South Florida. Walden and Damas ranked first and second in minutes per game last year for the Tigers, so they also know what their head coach expects.

“Mike is probably our most versatile guy,” said Skerry. “He had a good offseason for us and we’re expecting real big things. We need Mike to be a guy that can do it all. He has to make shots, take care of the ball, rebound better, defend consistently and also be a leader.”

Damas is Towson’s leading returner in scoring, rebounding and blocked shots. After an offseason in which he’s improved his body and conditioning, the coaching staff is expecting a breakout year from the junior.

“He will obviously play a lot and he’s improved a lot,” said Skerry. “His strength and shot have both gotten better. He can score the ball for us, but we need him to be a consistent defender and a junkyard dog type of guy too.”

Walden, who played nearly every minute last season at the point guard position, will now split time between the two guard spots. The sophomore led all CAA freshmen in minutes played and assists per game during his rookie season.

“We didn’t give Kris a lot of help last year, but he proved he can play at this level and he can become a good shooter,” said Skerry. “We’re happy because he’s also improved over the summer. Kris’ main focus will be limiting turnovers and defending.”

Hairston and Guthrie provide a pair of fresh faces in the Tiger backcourt. Hairston comes to Towson rated as the No. 114 overall prospect in the country according to Rivals.com. His playmaking abilities should allow him to see playing time early and often. Guthrie is a physical wing player who fits the Skerry mold of a player that can defend and has a motor that never stops. Guthrie comes to Towson from a winning program at the College of Southern Idaho and his versatility could allow him to see significant minutes for the Tigers this season.

“Jerome is very gifted with good size, athleticism and he’s a superb passer,” said Skerry. “He’s great in the open court and we sorely need that. He is starting to learn how to run a team at this level.

“Rafriel will give us toughness and experience,” Skerry continued. He’s a lockdown defender that can rebound from the small forward spot and give us even more versatility.”

Frontcourt

Size and athleticism won’t be a problem for the Tigers in the frontcourt as Benimon and Dixon lead the way.

Dixon played in 94 games and started 68 for Providence College from 2009-to-2012 before coming to Towson for his final season. Now, in the best shape of his career, Dixon is ready to hold down the center position for the Tigers.

Benimon is described by Skerry as “a guy that can do everything well”. After two seasons at Georgetown, Benimon has improved his game vastly and will be counted on as one of the go-to guys on the team.

“We’re certainly much deeper than we were a year ago in the frontcourt,” said Skerry. “Those guys can score, rebound and give us a measure of physicality. They both have big, athletic bodies. And perhaps most importantly, they give us experience.”

Skerry is also excited about the additions of freshmen Barrington Alston and Timajh Parker-Rivera. Both have been enrolled at Towson and practicing since the summer and have improved vastly through skill work.

“They have a chance to be excellent players here,” said Skerry. “Both are wired the right way. They have motors that never stop and they’re athletic, tough and play really hard.”

Red-shirt sophomore Jamel Flash will also be in the mix to compete for playing time in the frontcourt as he’s improved immensely since the end last season.

“He’s pretty much a different person from last year,” said Skerry. “He’s maybe my favorite guy because he’s worked that hard to improve. We feel that he can really help us this year because he’s worked his tail off to become stronger. He could really surprise some people.”

Schedule

A year after playing the toughest non-conference schedule in the Colonial Athletic Association, the Tigers will once again challenge themselves throughout the year by playing some of the top teams in the region and country.

During the non-conference portion of their 2012-13 schedule, the Tigers will play 13 games, including four contests against teams that qualified for the 2012 NCAA Tournament. Towson will face teams from 12 different conferences during this year’s slate of non-league games, including teams from the BIG EAST, Pac-12 and Atlantic-10.

“Our non-conference schedule will once again challenge us from beginning to end,” said Skerry. “We face a number of really good teams from a number of quality conferences. I think the caliber of teams we’ll go up against will prepare our guys for the rigors of CAA play.”

Some of the marquee games on the schedule include contests at Georgetown, Temple and Oregon State. The Tigers will also play in the 2012 Comfort Suites Invitational, a tournament that will match them up against Radford, Eastern Kentucky and Kennesaw State.

Towson will continue to renew local rivalries with games against Loyola, UMBC and Coppin State on the schedule.

The CAA slate of games for the Tigers will once again be extremely challenging as the league has become one of the top basketball conferences in the country. The Tigers will host George Mason, Delaware and defending regular season champion Drexel, while going on the road to take on Old Dominion, Delaware and many more conference heavyweights.

This 2012-13 slate of home games will be the final ones played in the Towson Center as the state-of-the-art Tiger Arena is set to open in the spring of 2013. Towson will host Hofstra on March 2 and that will mark the final game played in the Towson Center.