The Towson University men?s basketball team jumped from five wins in 2004-05 to 12 wins last season. With the Tigers returning the bulk of their roster from the previous year, coach Pat Kennedy has the school talking about something that, two years ago, would have been laughable.
The Tigers were picked to finish seventh at Wednesday?s Colonial Athletic Association basketball media day at the ESPN Zone in Washington, D.C. But Kennedy has helped turn around four programs, and after taking each job, all four teams made the postseason in the third year.
“This team is excited right now about where they?re at,” Kennedy said. “It?s an optimistic vision for us [to make the postseason]. It depends on how we come together defensively and how we rebound.”
Towson returns four starters, including the nation?s leading returning scorer, senior Gary Neal. Kennedy said that Neal, despite his 26.1 points per game as a junior, was not in playing shape last year. Neal, a Calvert Hall graduate and native of Aberdeen, dropped 22 pounds this year while attracting NBA scouts, and Kennedy said he has added a new attitude to Towson.
Kennedy said the Tigers will be an up-tempo team this season, pressing for much of the game. That?s something he hadn?t been able to do with his previous two Towson teams.
The Tigers will employ a three-guard lineup, likely starting Neal with CAA all-rookie selection Tim Crossin and junior college transfer C.C. Williams.
Sometimes Towson will even go with four guards to get Velmar Coleman and true freshman Rodney Spruill more time.
“We?ve got a veteran group back there with Gary, Velmar and Timmy,” Kennedy said. “C.C. is quick as a cat and he plays great defense, which is what we needed.”
While the backcourt is a strength, the question mark will be replacing Lawrence Hamm and his 15.6 points and 9.1 rebounds.
The Tigers return a more fit Dennard Abraham, who averaged 12 points and 6.3 rebounds per game last year. They will also start Winstonn Tubbs, who was a starter during his sophomore year, but mostly a reserve player last year.
“Winstonn Tubbs has really come alive,” Kennedy said. “He?s used Lawrence as a role model, and he?s our best athlete and is playing extremely well.”
Tommy Breaux, a junior college transfer who averaged 13.4 rebounds per contest last year, will also compete for a starting role. He is expected to be a shot-blocking presence.
The CAA has become one of the prominent mid-major conferences in America, but it appears wide open this season.
George Mason lost three starters from a team that made a run to the NCAA Final Four last year. Preseason favorite Hofstra returns most of its roster. Old Dominion advanced to the 2006 NIT semifinals and returns three starters, but not standout Alex Loughton. Drexel, a dangerous team, underachieved last season and still has three-point specialist Dominick Mejia. Virginia Commonwealth and UNC-Wilmington both have new coaches.
