2-08-2024 4:49am

TU LOOKS FOR

Jeff Barto Editor

MEN’S BASKETBALL HOSTS DELAWARE ON MILITARY APPRECIATION NIGHT

The Game: Towson Tigers (14-9, 7-3 CAA) vs. Delaware Blue Hens (14-9, 6-4 CAA)
When: Thursday, February 8 – 7:00 p.m.
Where: TU Arena – Towson, Md.
Broadcast: Broadcast on MeTV Baltimore and FloHoops, audio broadcast on TowsonTigers.com (Spiro Morekas & Jimmy Patsos)
Series: Delaware leads 48-43

TOWSON, Md. – Towson men's basketball will look to bounce back after a tough 59-56 loss at Hofstra on Saturday night, when the Blue Hens come to TU Arena on Thursday on Military Appreciation Night. The Tigers battled back and forth with the Pride, even having a chance late to tie the game, but the tying shot was just off the mark. Nendah Tarke led the Tigers with 12 points with Tomiwa Sulaiman adding 10 points and eight rebounds.

The game will be part of Military Appreciation Night with the first 500 fans receiving a camo hat and the first 1,000 fans receiving an Ocean City T-shirt. There will also be half price concessions and a $5 meal deal pregame.

The game against the Pride will air on MeTV Baltimore and FloHoops with an audio broadcast on TowsonTigers.com with Spiro Morekas and Jimmy Patsos on the call.

This will be the 92nd all-time meeting and the second in just over a week and half where the Tigers won 67-56 in Newark. The Blue Hens hold a narrow lead in the all-time series, 48-43 but the Tigers have won three of the last four matchups against Delaware.

LEADER OF THE PACK:
The reigning Skip Prosser Man of the Year, Pat Skerry enters his 13th season on the sidelines leading the Tigers. Skerry and the Tigers are coming off another 20-win season that saw Towson reach the Coast Athletic Association (CAA) Semifinals, finishing third in the standings during the regular season.

The Massachusetts native has rebuilt the Tiger program, which has the highest Graduation Success Rate (GSR) in the CAA. Over the last ten seasons, Towson has won 18+ games seven times. He is currently second all-time in wins with 207 at Towson.

Skerry has used his platform as a head coach to start Autism Awareness in college basketball. What started as two guys with an idea has turned into a national event where hundreds of coaches wear the prominent blue puzzle piece pin. The effort put forth by Skerry was recognized as he was honored with the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Guardians of the Game Service Award.

CHARLES IN CHARGE:
The big man in the middle for the Tigers, Charles Thompson, is back for his fifth season at Towson and is looking to cap his prolific career by leading the Tigers to a CAA championship. Thompson is coming off another strong campaign that saw him earn CAA All-Defensive Team and All-CAA Second Team honors last season after averaging 12.2 ppg and 8.0 rpg shooting 56.5 percent from the floor.

Thompson ranks in the top 10 in program history in six different categories. He is the all-time leader in games played and is currently third in field goal percentage (.550), fourth in blocked shots (185), fourth in rebounds (904), fourth in minutes played (3,559), fourth in starts (106) and is 18th in scoring (1,233).

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 102-41. Towson has had a winning record in home games in seven of the nine seasons, including winning the 2022 CAA regular season title against Delaware at home.

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. The streak currently stands at 18 games with the last Towson loss at TU Arena was on December 31, 2022 in a 76-74 overtime loss against Charleston. The 18-game win streak is currently the second longest in the country behind Virginia.

NATIONAL EXPOSURE:
The Tigers will play eight total regular season games in front of a national television audience including four Coastal Athletic Association games in January and February. The Tigers will play Elon (February 12, 9 p.m.) and Charleston (February 24, 12 p.m.) on CBS Sports Network at TU Arena and will be on the road on CBS Sports Network against Delaware (January 27, 2 p.m.) and Hofstra (February 3, 6 p.m.).

In addition to the CBS Sports Network games, Towson will open the season on Pac 12 Network against Colorado and will have all three games at the Charleston Classic air on the ESPN family of networks.

The Tigers will also air on local linear television with seven home games on Monumental Sports Network (formerly NBC Sports Washington) as well as their game against UMBC on MASN. Towson also announced on December 14 that three games (Jan. 25 vs. Drexel, Feb. 8 vs. Delaware, Feb. 22 vs. Monmouth) will also air on MeTV, a digital subchannel of WBAL.

SCOUTING THE OPPONENT:
Delaware comes into the contest at 14-9, 6-4 CAA just a game behind the Tigers in the conference standings. The Blue Hens have won their last two games, including an 84-80 win against Monmouth on Saturday afternoon. Jyare Davis leads the team in scoring at 18.4 ppg and rebounding at 7.2 rpg. Gerald Drumgoole Jr. and Cavan Reilly are also in double figures at 12.9 and 10.0 ppg respectively with three other Blue Hens averaging more than 9.0 ppg.

UP NEXT:
Towson will remain home to take on Elon on Monday, Feb. 12. Tipoff against the Phoenix is slated for 9 p.m. and will air nationally on CBS Sports Network. The game will be a Pajama Jam and fans are encouraged to wear pajamas to the game. All students will get free pancakes and the first 750 fans will receive a free "nightcap" beanie. Tickets are available at TowsonTigers.com/Tickets.