Following back-to-back losses earlier this month, Towson University basketball coach Pat Kennedy and his staff sat down and watched hours upon hours ofgame tape. The Tigers (13-13, 7-8 Colonial Athletic Conference) were coming off two straight games in which they failed to score more than 56 points, and Kennedy was looking to make a change.
“We can?t play this slow,” Kennedy said.
So Kennedy asked his players to push the tempo ? both offensively and defensively ? and continue to control the basketball. Towson responded with its best performance of the season, a 92-65 win over Georgia State on Saturday.
“If we can stay at this level, that?s the big key,” Kennedy said.
The Tigers are hoping to continue that newfound success tonight at home in a Valentine?s Day showdown with conference rival James Madison (7-18, 4-11). The Dukes enter the game having lost two in a row and 10 of their last 13.
The key for Towson?s continued success is in its guard play. Senior Gary Neal scored 37 points Saturday, but the Tigers need sustained effort from C.C. Williams. The junior point guard set a program record Saturday with 14 assists despite playing just 25 minutes.
“To have a point guard like C.C. that can get in the lane and make my job easier … I?ll get two or three or four open shots per half just because of his ability to penetrate and break down the defense,” Neal said. “He?s been tremendous, and he?s going to continue to get better.”
Kennedy has moved sophomore Rocky Coleman to the backup point guard position to maintain an up-tempo pace throughout the game.
“We?re getting even more settled in, to not just that first unit, but the rotation off the bench,” Kennedy said.
The Tigers? ultimate goal remains to finish the season strong before entering the CAA tournament. After James Madison, Towson visits non-conference Bucknell (16-8) in an ESPN BracketBuster game Saturday and travels to Old Dominion (19-7, 12-3 CAA) on Feb. 21 before closing out the regular season at home with Drexel (19-6, 11-4 CAA) on Feb. 24.
“If we can build confidence with everybody up to that tournament,” Kennedy said, “we?ll be good to go.”
TIGERS TONIGHT
» Who: James Madison (7-18) at Towson (13-13)
» When: Tonight, 7
» Where: Towson Center
» Radio: 1090 AM
