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mat1992

MBB 2022-23 Review

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Preseason expectations were high for the 2022-23 season and Towson didn't deliver their goal of winning their first CAA Tournament title. After winning their share of the first regular season title in 2021-22 with three senior all-conference players returning, the Tigers were picked first in the CAA and ended up going 21-12 and 12-6 in the CAA. So what happened during the regular season and why did they fall short again? Let's review the 2022-23 season from start to finish.

Towson opened up a tough non-conference stretch at home (tough because they played 10 of 13 on the road, not because it was graded difficult. Was 278th rated by KenPom) against Albany. After jumping out to a 10-point half lead, Towson struggled in the second half, taking just two three-pointers (making none). Sekou Sylla scored 19 points off the bench and grabbed nine rebounds. Nicolas Timberlake had one of the worst games of his life, shooting 1-of-10 from the field, but did go 6-of-7 from the line. He scored eight points, while Cam Holden had just eight and five assists on 1-of-7 shooting.

The Tigers would bounce back with an impressive 67-55 road win over UMass. Timberlake bounced back with 27 points on 10-of-14 shooting. Towson also outrebounded UMass 40-31 which was impressive considering they've had issues with Hofstra/Monmouth transfer Isaac Kante in the past (held to four rebounds).

They followed that with an 80-74 road win over Penn. Timberlake led the team again with 23 points, but the only significant thing about this game was that Jason Gibson scored 11 points and dished out three assists in 25 minutes. Gibson also dove on floor for a loose ball and grabbed his back. He may not have been hurt on that play, but that unfortunately may have been the final game of his career.

Gibson would be replaced in the lineup by Radhir HIcks, who went scoreless in his first game against UNC Greensboro on the road, but did play 24 minutes in an ugly 56-53 road win over the Spartans, Timberlake led the way with 26 points on 10-of-19 shooting but the Tigers shot just 3-of-16 from long range including 0-for-4 for Holden, who scored just 7 points on 3-of-11 shooting.

Towson would win their fifth straight as they were able to beat Coppin State at home 83-67. Charles Thompson led the way with 18 points and 10 rebounds, but also had five of the team's nine turnovers. That wasn't a problem in this game, but it would become an issue in non-conference play. Sylla had another solid game off the bench with 14 points and seven boards. However, Sylla at 6-5 (maybe) was able to take advantage of smaller frontcourts and struggled against bigger ones.

The five-game winning streak was snapped at the Hostilo Hopps Community Class in Savannah, Ga. after the Tigers were stunned by Fairfield 74-69. The Stags finished 13-18 overall and 9-11 in the MAAC, which is a bit of a surprise because they were big but slow. Yet they found a way to beat a very lethargic Towson team led by Holden, who had 18 points in his home stats, while Timberlake added 15, but had four turnovers. Towson had just five points from Nygal Russell and Hicks. Another player, who would see very limited time this season poured in eight rebounds in eight minutes. His name? Chase Paar.

Towson woke up and won the next two games over South Alabama (62-60 and Mercer (70-60). It wasn't really reviewing considering the games were played without about 300 fans in a very small gym. Guessing Towson will never return to that tournament.

The Tigers returned to the road on Dec. 2, facing Rod Strickland's LIU team. The Tigers basically slept-walked in the first half before slicing the lead to two. They wound up having a better second half and won 74-65. Holden had a strong game with 22 points and five assists, while Timberlake finished with 15 points (1-of-7 3pt). Hicks, who suffered a sprained ankle in Georgia, played just five minutes off the bench. Redshirt freshman Ryan Conway got the start and scored six points in 21 minutes. The point guard or lead guard position would become a concern with Hicks injured, Gibson out and Conway trying to get his feet wet. Holden would become the de facto point guard and things were about to get a bit out of control. 

Looking back at the Clemson loss (80-75), Towson played their best game or one of the best games of the season. Sure, the ACC Tigers did not make the NCAA Tournament but in P.J. Hall and Hunter Tyson, they faced their best frontcourt of the season. That was the difference as Hall (6-10, 240) and Hunter Tyson (6-8, 215) combined for 44 points and 19 rebounds. Timberlake led the way with 21 points and eight rebounds, while Holdedn added 18 points and five assists. Towson hung in this game and probably should have won because they turned the ball over just seven times. Conway had his best game with 14 points and hit 4-of-9 (all four three-pointers).

Things would get ugly as the Tigers as the Clemson loss began a five-game losing streak. They fell to Navy at home on Dec. 11, 71-69 in overtime. Timberlake had 17 points, but shot just 2-of-10 from three-point range. But the big problem was turnovers led by eight from Holden. Towson finished with 18 turnovers while Navy had 14, but they shot 47% from the field. Hicks missed the game once again (missed Clemson) and would miss their next game in Chicago against Northern Iowa.

Towson led the Panthers 33-31, but was outscored 52-33 in the second half as defense was non-existent and turnovers reared its ugly head again (18). Holden and Timberlake both had five turnovers apiece.

The Tigers finally finished the non-conference schedule with a trip to Rhode Island to face Bryant on Dec. 22. It was a pretty hideous performance against a decent team from the America East. Towson struggled with 18 turnovers and Timberlake and Holden combined for 9-of-29 shooting. Thompson showed up with 19 points and eight boards. Towson also shot just 4-of-18 from beyond the arc. 

The losing streak would continue at home against Charleston on Dec. 31 with a solid crowd of 2,472 with students off for the break. Towson came back from a 35-25 halftime deficit to send the game to overtime, but Thompson made just 1-of-2 at the line with two seconds left with the Tigers down one. Had he made both the Cougars would likely have to fire up a desperation heave to win the game. Instead, the Cougars won in overtime 76-74. Thompson had 12 points and 12 rebounds, but was outplayed by 6-10 Ante Brzovic, who had 22 points and 12 rebounds. Towson turned it over 19 times even though Hicks returned (had 3). Holden really struggled with 12 points, six assists and six turnovers. 

With Towson going into the CAA at 0-1 and losing five straight, without their starting point and turning it over at an alarming rate, what else could go wrong? A Cam Holden suspension that's what. Fortunately, it last just three games and Towson did manage to beat Drexel 64-58 at home on Jan. 5 to end that losing streak and beat up on Stony Brook 67-55 on the road. In that game, Hicks came off the bench and Conway started (9pts, 0 TOs). Sylla had another solid game with 14 points and 11 rebounds in place of Holden. Timberlake had one of his best all-around games with 20 points, six rebounds and six assists.

Holden would miss one more game and it came in Newark against Delaware. The Hens were missing star guard Jameer Nelson Jr., but didn't need him against a Tigers' team that shot just 32% from the field in the first half and 35% overall. Timberlake continued his streaky ways with 13 points on 4-of-11 shooting, but Thompson struggled with just eight points and eight boards on 3-of-10 shooting against Jyare Davis (16pts). Ebby Asamoah added 17 points and made 9-of-10 from the line. Freshman Christian May (11pts) was one of the few bright spots.

The Tigers did get Holden back against Monmouth on Jan. 14 and he came off the bench (7pts, 4 steals, 5 TOs). They didn't need him as Conway led the team with 17 points in a 68-48 win. 

On Jan. 16, Towson's defense really shined in a 68-47 home win over Hofstra on Jan. 16 in an early afternoon start on the MLK holiday. Timberlake (17pts) outdueled star guard Aaron Estrada, who shot just 5-of-17 (0-of-10 3pt) and was the only Pride player with double digits (10pts). Transfer Tyler Thomas was also held to five points on 2-of-11 shooting. 

That win over Hofstra and Monmouth was part of a six-game winning streak. Towson was able to beat NC A&T (79-67) on the road, struggled to beat Elon 66-62 on the road, took care of Northeastern by nine at home and then crushed William & Mary 92-73 at home on Jan. 28. Feeling confident, they took on Hofstra against on Feb. 2 in one of the best CAA games of the season. Hofstra got their revenge in a 76-72 win, but Timberlake was fantastic with 32 points on 7-of-11 from the three-point line. The problem? Nobody else scored over eight points. Holden continued to come off the bench, but played 34 minutes and had 11 rebounds and seven assists. But he shot just 3-of-11 and wound up with seven points. It also didn't help that Rusell was held to four points and Thompson had just two points in 17 minutes due to foul trouble. 

The Tigers went back to Hodlen in the starting lineup in an 86-72 win over Hampton at home. He had 22 points and 12 boards, while Timberlake led the way with 31 points in a back-to-back 30-point display. 

That feeling was short-lived as the Tigers fell in another overtime loss at Drexel 73-66. Holden brought it with 25 points and seven boards, but the Dragons were on Timberlake like glue and he wound up with just 14 points and turned the ball over five times. Russell and Conway combined for just six points as Hicks, who played 27 minutes, was about to go back to the starting lineup.

Hicks returned to the starting lineup on a Monday night against William & Mary on Feb. 13. If you think the Fairfield loss was bad, this was about 5x as bad considering the Tribe had several starters out. Holden had 22 points, but Timberlake went 1-for-9 from the field. May started and scored just two points in 18 minutes. Conway had 11 points off the bench but it was the Towson three-point defense that was a no-show. The Tribe went 10-of-19 from long range and that made up for the fact that they were outrebounded by 10. (After the game, Timberlake apologized to the team after the 3+ hour bus ride back).

You can't make up for a loss like that, but ultimately, Towson wasn't going to catch Hofstra or Charleston for first place. They absolutely dominated Delaware 95-72o on Feb. 16 before 3,010 at SECU in what was the best played home game of the season. Timberlake scored 29 points on 11-of-15 shooting to lead the way. Davis was held to 10 points on 5-of-13 shooting. 

Towson finished up their home schedule with an 87-75 win over NC A&T before 3,598. Timberlake had another big outing with 26 points and five assists, while Thompson added 15 points, 17 rebounds and five blocks. The only regular who struggled was Holden, who had six points on 3-of-12 shooting, but he did have five assists and just two turnovers.

The Tigers would go down to Charleston on Feb. 23 and fell 83-75. It was a game that should have been closer had the Tigers shot the ball better from the line (14-of-24). Timberlake had a career game with 34 points, but once again, he had little help (like the 2nd Hofstra game). Thompson was held to five points and fouled out in 26 minutes. They did a better job on Brzovic, who was held to 12 points, but the Cougars had six players in double figures and shot 29-of-35 (83%) from the line and that was the difference. Towson defended the three well, holding the Cougars to 4-of-16 from the line. But another issue crept up in this one and was too much fouling.

Towson finished with a 57-53 road win over UNCW and defense ruled the way. Holden had a strong game with 22 points, while Timberlake was held to 12 points on 1-of-6 shooting. But he got to the line 10 times and made all 10. UNCW shot just 21% in the second half and wound up shooting 39% for the game. 

The Tigers received the third seed and took on Delaware in the quarterfinals. Towson bashed the Blue Hens for the second straight game 86-60. Timberlake led four players in double figures with 19 points and nine boards. Thompson added 17 points and six boards.

In the semfinals, Towson met the Cougars of Charleston for the third time. Unfortunately for the Tigers, the third time was not the charm. Holden ended his career with an outstanding game of 21 points, six rebounds and four assists. Timberlake added 17 points, but was just 3-of-12 from long range. Thompson fouled out in 25 minutes with six points and 10 rebounds, but went just 3-of-9 from the field and once again, struggled against the bigger Brzovic, who had 19 points. Once against, the Cougars dominated at the line, going 28-of-35. But it was Reyne Smith who was the difference for Charleston with 20 points and took over the game in the second half. A late comeback for Towson showed that they had heart, but once again, this team couldn't come up with a big basket late in the game when they needed one.

So while there were many positives in the 2022-23 season, this was ultimately a disappointing season considering all the expectations. Turnovers? Too much fouling? Not a player who could create his own shot? Trouble defending the three? Lack of height up front? All were issues at times this season. Did they miss Gibson? Of course on the offensive end and in terms of turnovers, but he wasn't a player who could create his own shot and he wouldn't have helped defending the three. That's where they missed Terry Nolan and Juwan Gray, two players who could guard multiple positions and were not undersized. Sylla played some small ball center this season and while Gray didn't necessarily have the strength, he could make centers guard him from three-point range. Gray could also guard at least four positions. Sylla could barely defend one (sorry, it had to be said).

When you look at the overall numbers, Towson shot 44.7% from the field and held their opponents to 42%. Even if the defense was not up to Towson standards, they ranked second to Hofstra in defensive field goal percentage. They ranked second to Hofstra in shooting percentage. Even though they had some bad games against the three-point shot, they ranked fifth in three-point defense (33.2%). They also finished in third place in three-point shooting (36.7%). They ranked second in defensive rebounding, offensive rebounding and in rebounding margin (+6.03). But the biggest problem was turnover margin (-0.48), where they finished 9th in the league. They did finish third in assist/turnover ratio (1.14). They also finished second in the CAA in assists (13.97). Free throw shooting (70.8%) wasn't great either, as they finished seventh in the league.

One thing Towson has improved at, but still has a ways to go is in attendance, where they averaged 2,252 at game at home in just 12 games last season. Delaware (2,133), Northeastern, Monmouth, Hampton, Drexel and Stony Brook finished behind them. Charleston (4,631), Hofstra (2,363), NC A&T (2,561), W&M (2,632) and UNCW (4,048) all finished ahead of them.

Another issue was the starting lineup at the end of the season. Timberlake had an exceptional season, averaging 17.7 points overall and 19.1 points per game in the CAA, while shooting 49.6% from beyond the league in conference play. Holden (14.5ppg, 42.3% FG, 62.7% FT, 25.7% 3pt), Thompson (12.2ppg, 56.5% FG, 63.1% FT), Russell (7.8ppg, 37.7% FG, 33.1% 3pt) and Hicks (2.6ppg, 35.3% FG, 21% 3pt) were not perimeter threats. Timberlake could have been a bit more consistent with Gibson or another shooter in the lineup. Of course, you can say that when your shot is not dropping, take it to the basket. That was not his game and wherever he moves on, he'll likely just be a shooter.

Conway (41% 3pt) and May (38.5% 3pt) will have to step up next season in bigger roles. Both can shoot it from deep and May can really defend. Both will need to attack the basket more and get to the line considering May shot 94.4% and Conway shot 89% from the line in small sample sizes. Thompson is expected to return and is going to do what he normally does: rebound, score some inside, and defend the paint. He also may have to score more than his 12.2 points per game next season, but that depends on who Towson picks up in the portal. They desperately need a power forward to replace Holden who is taller than 6-5 and a wing who can score to replace Timberlake. Jaiden Cole (6-4, 175) and Tyler Tejada (6-9, 220) will probably have to play minutes right away, but probably won't be asked to start or this could be a rebuilding season.

 

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Random musings...

--Gibson's loss was really big.  He wasn't going to be missed defensively or on the boards but him going down so early caused a big hole in the lineup that not-yet-ready players Hicks and Conway had to fill immediately.  That busted chemistry was a big contribution to that losing streak in December.  Once they got stabilized, the loss of Gibson hurt in that he was one player who always had to be accounted for on the perimeter because of his shooting prowess.  That's a big deal in a matchup scenario when you know that you can't send a double or help off a screen because leaving him would be so dangerous.  Conway had his moments of being able to hit from 3 but his consistency hasn't approached Gibson's.

--The fact this team should have beaten a 30-win team all three times it played it defines for me more about the group's resiliency than the season's result did.  I'm pessimistic by nature with all of my teams but I was convinced that if they had beaten CoC in the semis, they were gonna beat UNCW in the final.  But it was always something with these guys.

--That something would be basketball IQ.  That's not saying they aren't smart.  But when it came down to certain situations, they'd come up small because they'd foul a 3-point shooter or they'd settle for chucking from 3 when a simple drive would open up a better shot, or they'd get caught too aggressive on a hedge and foul 30+ feet from the basket, or even worse, they'd go belly-up at the free throw line.  Talent can only get you so far and coaching can only prepare you so much for the crucial situations.  This team lacked for that floor leader who we could turn to that wouldn't lose his head in the final 2 minutes of a tight game.  That's something I hope Conway can develop as he appears to the be the lead guard going forward.

--Speaking of coaching, I'm not going to get into the tug-of-war about job security that everyone likes to speculate about here.  But the biggest thing that disappoints me about this staff is player development in certain areas.  There's no doubt how much Timberlake and Gibson and to a degree Hicks and Conway have improved since they first came on campus.  If Sylla was the D2 player of the year, then either D2 was pretty weak in 2021-22 or he severely regressed when he stepped up in class.  To wit, why was Kelsay's D2 players so much better?  Nygal Russell held a lot of promise and he was good enough to start just about every game but I think we could have gotten a lot more out of him at the offensive end than we did.  We also have a big man in Charles Thompson who is very good on defense (when he's not committing silly fouls 30 feet from the bucket at both ends of the floor) and on the boards but could be so much better than that weak jump hook that has become his go-to in the post.  Someone needs to go the Izzo route with him and get the football pads out and just pound the crap out of him in the post and when he goes up for shots at the basket so he can get used to finishing with contact.  As big and wide as he is, the jump hook should be just one secondary portion of CT's arsenal.  If he is coming back for another year, he's a good keystone to build around but we can definitely get more out of him at the offensive end of the floor.  A team should always improve as the season progresses and I felt like we leveled off very quickly while other conference rivals peaked when they needed to.

--So where do we go next?  These last 2 years were our best chance to get to the Tournament since I started at Towson in 1994.  Not only have we not won a conference title in that time but we haven't even been to a conference championship game.  That's something roughly 17 other eligible D1 teams (depending on your criteria) can also say.  That's absurd, yes, but not unacceptable because most of us accept that March and the variances of a one-and-done situation can be a whole different animal.  However, what discourages me greatly is that other coaches have come into this conference and manipulated their rosters in a short amount of time to get their team to the summit.  Pat Kelsay did it in 2 years.  Martin Inglesby and Zach Spiker did it in 5.  Speedy may only need 3 to get Hofstra there.  This offseason is giant.  There can't be any more rebuilding but only building upon these last 2 semifinal runs and 46 wins in the last 2 seasons.  Find the right fits in the portal, add them to what we've recruited (the kid out of Chicago seems exciting...but I'll believe it when the lights come on in a college game) and what's returning, and then develop them as the season progresses so that we can be the team that is considered a favorite.  

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The problem with Sylla was that he was a 6-4 power forward who wasn’t very athletic. He could dominate scrawny D2 guys with his strength but could muster a few good games at this level. Is that coaching or recruiting?

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3 hours ago, Chris Datres said:

Random musings...

--Gibson's loss was really big.  He wasn't going to be missed defensively or on the boards but him going down so early caused a big hole in the lineup that not-yet-ready players Hicks and Conway had to fill immediately.  That busted chemistry was a big contribution to that losing streak in December.  Once they got stabilized, the loss of Gibson hurt in that he was one player who always had to be accounted for on the perimeter because of his shooting prowess.  That's a big deal in a matchup scenario when you know that you can't send a double or help off a screen because leaving him would be so dangerous.  Conway had his moments of being able to hit from 3 but his consistency hasn't approached Gibson's.

--The fact this team should have beaten a 30-win team all three times it played it defines for me more about the group's resiliency than the season's result did.  I'm pessimistic by nature with all of my teams but I was convinced that if they had beaten CoC in the semis, they were gonna beat UNCW in the final.  But it was always something with these guys.

--That something would be basketball IQ.  That's not saying they aren't smart.  But when it came down to certain situations, they'd come up small because they'd foul a 3-point shooter or they'd settle for chucking from 3 when a simple drive would open up a better shot, or they'd get caught too aggressive on a hedge and foul 30+ feet from the basket, or even worse, they'd go belly-up at the free throw line.  Talent can only get you so far and coaching can only prepare you so much for the crucial situations.  This team lacked for that floor leader who we could turn to that wouldn't lose his head in the final 2 minutes of a tight game.  That's something I hope Conway can develop as he appears to the be the lead guard going forward.

--Speaking of coaching, I'm not going to get into the tug-of-war about job security that everyone likes to speculate about here.  But the biggest thing that disappoints me about this staff is player development in certain areas.  There's no doubt how much Timberlake and Gibson and to a degree Hicks and Conway have improved since they first came on campus.  If Sylla was the D2 player of the year, then either D2 was pretty weak in 2021-22 or he severely regressed when he stepped up in class.  To wit, why was Kelsay's D2 players so much better?  Nygal Russell held a lot of promise and he was good enough to start just about every game but I think we could have gotten a lot more out of him at the offensive end than we did.  We also have a big man in Charles Thompson who is very good on defense (when he's not committing silly fouls 30 feet from the bucket at both ends of the floor) and on the boards but could be so much better than that weak jump hook that has become his go-to in the post.  Someone needs to go the Izzo route with him and get the football pads out and just pound the crap out of him in the post and when he goes up for shots at the basket so he can get used to finishing with contact.  As big and wide as he is, the jump hook should be just one secondary portion of CT's arsenal.  If he is coming back for another year, he's a good keystone to build around but we can definitely get more out of him at the offensive end of the floor.  A team should always improve as the season progresses and I felt like we leveled off very quickly while other conference rivals peaked when they needed to.

--So where do we go next?  These last 2 years were our best chance to get to the Tournament since I started at Towson in 1994.  Not only have we not won a conference title in that time but we haven't even been to a conference championship game.  That's something roughly 17 other eligible D1 teams (depending on your criteria) can also say.  That's absurd, yes, but not unacceptable because most of us accept that March and the variances of a one-and-done situation can be a whole different animal.  However, what discourages me greatly is that other coaches have come into this conference and manipulated their rosters in a short amount of time to get their team to the summit.  Pat Kelsay did it in 2 years.  Martin Inglesby and Zach Spiker did it in 5.  Speedy may only need 3 to get Hofstra there.  This offseason is giant.  There can't be any more rebuilding but only building upon these last 2 semifinal runs and 46 wins in the last 2 seasons.  Find the right fits in the portal, add them to what we've recruited (the kid out of Chicago seems exciting...but I'll believe it when the lights come on in a college game) and what's returning, and then develop them as the season progresses so that we can be the team that is considered a favorite.  

Good stuff as always. 
With Hicks, May & Conway we gotta a nice core to build with but of course we need so much more.  Love to see some of our freshman contribute early and often next season… big if!

Ultimately we need a lot of luck with transfers that come in.  You can scout etc but you don’t always know what you have until mid season.  I saw USF land a big from Georgia Tech this season and he was an absolute mess defensively so he went from starting to bench very quickly.  
 

 

 

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19 hours ago, mat1992 said:

Preseason expectations were high for the 2022-23 season and Towson didn't deliver their goal of winning their first CAA Tournament title. After winning their share of the first regular season title in 2021-22 with three senior all-conference players returning, the Tigers were picked first in the CAA and ended up going 21-12 and 12-6 in the CAA. So what happened during the regular season and why did they fall short again? Let's review the 2022-23 season from start to finish.

Towson opened up a tough non-conference stretch at home (tough because they played 10 of 13 on the road, not because it was graded difficult. Was 278th rated by KenPom) against Albany. After jumping out to a 10-point half lead, Towson struggled in the second half, taking just two three-pointers (making none). Sekou Sylla scored 19 points off the bench and grabbed nine rebounds. Nicolas Timberlake had one of the worst games of his life, shooting 1-of-10 from the field, but did go 6-of-7 from the line. He scored eight points, while Cam Holden had just eight and five assists on 1-of-7 shooting.

The Tigers would bounce back with an impressive 67-55 road win over UMass. Timberlake bounced back with 27 points on 10-of-14 shooting. Towson also outrebounded UMass 40-31 which was impressive considering they've had issues with Hofstra/Monmouth transfer Isaac Kante in the past (held to four rebounds).

They followed that with an 80-74 road win over Penn. Timberlake led the team again with 23 points, but the only significant thing about this game was that Jason Gibson scored 11 points and dished out three assists in 25 minutes. Gibson also dove on floor for a loose ball and grabbed his back. He may not have been hurt on that play, but that unfortunately may have been the final game of his career.

Gibson would be replaced in the lineup by Radhir HIcks, who went scoreless in his first game against UNC Greensboro on the road, but did play 24 minutes in an ugly 56-53 road win over the Spartans, Timberlake led the way with 26 points on 10-of-19 shooting but the Tigers shot just 3-of-16 from long range including 0-for-4 for Holden, who scored just 7 points on 3-of-11 shooting.

Towson would win their fifth straight as they were able to beat Coppin State at home 83-67. Charles Thompson led the way with 18 points and 10 rebounds, but also had five of the team's nine turnovers. That wasn't a problem in this game, but it would become an issue in non-conference play. Sylla had another solid game off the bench with 14 points and seven boards. However, Sylla at 6-5 (maybe) was able to take advantage of smaller frontcourts and struggled against bigger ones.

The five-game winning streak was snapped at the Hostilo Hopps Community Class in Savannah, Ga. after the Tigers were stunned by Fairfield 74-69. The Stags finished 13-18 overall and 9-11 in the MAAC, which is a bit of a surprise because they were big but slow. Yet they found a way to beat a very lethargic Towson team led by Holden, who had 18 points in his home stats, while Timberlake added 15, but had four turnovers. Towson had just five points from Nygal Russell and Hicks. Another player, who would see very limited time this season poured in eight rebounds in eight minutes. His name? Chase Paar.

Towson woke up and won the next two games over South Alabama (62-60 and Mercer (70-60). It wasn't really reviewing considering the games were played without about 300 fans in a very small gym. Guessing Towson will never return to that tournament.

The Tigers returned to the road on Dec. 2, facing Rod Strickland's LIU team. The Tigers basically slept-walked in the first half before slicing the lead to two. They wound up having a better second half and won 74-65. Holden had a strong game with 22 points and five assists, while Timberlake finished with 15 points (1-of-7 3pt). Hicks, who suffered a sprained ankle in Georgia, played just five minutes off the bench. Redshirt freshman Ryan Conway got the start and scored six points in 21 minutes. The point guard or lead guard position would become a concern with Hicks injured, Gibson out and Conway trying to get his feet wet. Holden would become the de facto point guard and things were about to get a bit out of control. 

Looking back at the Clemson loss (80-75), Towson played their best game or one of the best games of the season. Sure, the ACC Tigers did not make the NCAA Tournament but in P.J. Hall and Hunter Tyson, they faced their best frontcourt of the season. That was the difference as Hall (6-10, 240) and Hunter Tyson (6-8, 215) combined for 44 points and 19 rebounds. Timberlake led the way with 21 points and eight rebounds, while Holdedn added 18 points and five assists. Towson hung in this game and probably should have won because they turned the ball over just seven times. Conway had his best game with 14 points and hit 4-of-9 (all four three-pointers).

Things would get ugly as the Tigers as the Clemson loss began a five-game losing streak. They fell to Navy at home on Dec. 11, 71-69 in overtime. Timberlake had 17 points, but shot just 2-of-10 from three-point range. But the big problem was turnovers led by eight from Holden. Towson finished with 18 turnovers while Navy had 14, but they shot 47% from the field. Hicks missed the game once again (missed Clemson) and would miss their next game in Chicago against Northern Iowa.

Towson led the Panthers 33-31, but was outscored 52-33 in the second half as defense was non-existent and turnovers reared its ugly head again (18). Holden and Timberlake both had five turnovers apiece.

The Tigers finally finished the non-conference schedule with a trip to Rhode Island to face Bryant on Dec. 22. It was a pretty hideous performance against a decent team from the America East. Towson struggled with 18 turnovers and Timberlake and Holden combined for 9-of-29 shooting. Thompson showed up with 19 points and eight boards. Towson also shot just 4-of-18 from beyond the arc. 

The losing streak would continue at home against Charleston on Dec. 31 with a solid crowd of 2,472 with students off for the break. Towson came back from a 35-25 halftime deficit to send the game to overtime, but Thompson made just 1-of-2 at the line with two seconds left with the Tigers down one. Had he made both the Cougars would likely have to fire up a desperation heave to win the game. Instead, the Cougars won in overtime 76-74. Thompson had 12 points and 12 rebounds, but was outplayed by 6-10 Ante Brzovic, who had 22 points and 12 rebounds. Towson turned it over 19 times even though Hicks returned (had 3). Holden really struggled with 12 points, six assists and six turnovers. 

With Towson going into the CAA at 0-1 and losing five straight, without their starting point and turning it over at an alarming rate, what else could go wrong? A Cam Holden suspension that's what. Fortunately, it last just three games and Towson did manage to beat Drexel 64-58 at home on Jan. 5 to end that losing streak and beat up on Stony Brook 67-55 on the road. In that game, Hicks came off the bench and Conway started (9pts, 0 TOs). Sylla had another solid game with 14 points and 11 rebounds in place of Holden. Timberlake had one of his best all-around games with 20 points, six rebounds and six assists.

Holden would miss one more game and it came in Newark against Delaware. The Hens were missing star guard Jameer Nelson Jr., but didn't need him against a Tigers' team that shot just 32% from the field in the first half and 35% overall. Timberlake continued his streaky ways with 13 points on 4-of-11 shooting, but Thompson struggled with just eight points and eight boards on 3-of-10 shooting against Jyare Davis (16pts). Ebby Asamoah added 17 points and made 9-of-10 from the line. Freshman Christian May (11pts) was one of the few bright spots.

The Tigers did get Holden back against Monmouth on Jan. 14 and he came off the bench (7pts, 4 steals, 5 TOs). They didn't need him as Conway led the team with 17 points in a 68-48 win. 

On Jan. 16, Towson's defense really shined in a 68-47 home win over Hofstra on Jan. 16 in an early afternoon start on the MLK holiday. Timberlake (17pts) outdueled star guard Aaron Estrada, who shot just 5-of-17 (0-of-10 3pt) and was the only Pride player with double digits (10pts). Transfer Tyler Thomas was also held to five points on 2-of-11 shooting. 

That win over Hofstra and Monmouth was part of a six-game winning streak. Towson was able to beat NC A&T (79-67) on the road, struggled to beat Elon 66-62 on the road, took care of Northeastern by nine at home and then crushed William & Mary 92-73 at home on Jan. 28. Feeling confident, they took on Hofstra against on Feb. 2 in one of the best CAA games of the season. Hofstra got their revenge in a 76-72 win, but Timberlake was fantastic with 32 points on 7-of-11 from the three-point line. The problem? Nobody else scored over eight points. Holden continued to come off the bench, but played 34 minutes and had 11 rebounds and seven assists. But he shot just 3-of-11 and wound up with seven points. It also didn't help that Rusell was held to four points and Thompson had just two points in 17 minutes due to foul trouble. 

The Tigers went back to Hodlen in the starting lineup in an 86-72 win over Hampton at home. He had 22 points and 12 boards, while Timberlake led the way with 31 points in a back-to-back 30-point display. 

That feeling was short-lived as the Tigers fell in another overtime loss at Drexel 73-66. Holden brought it with 25 points and seven boards, but the Dragons were on Timberlake like glue and he wound up with just 14 points and turned the ball over five times. Russell and Conway combined for just six points as Hicks, who played 27 minutes, was about to go back to the starting lineup.

Hicks returned to the starting lineup on a Monday night against William & Mary on Feb. 13. If you think the Fairfield loss was bad, this was about 5x as bad considering the Tribe had several starters out. Holden had 22 points, but Timberlake went 1-for-9 from the field. May started and scored just two points in 18 minutes. Conway had 11 points off the bench but it was the Towson three-point defense that was a no-show. The Tribe went 10-of-19 from long range and that made up for the fact that they were outrebounded by 10. (After the game, Timberlake apologized to the team after the 3+ hour bus ride back).

You can't make up for a loss like that, but ultimately, Towson wasn't going to catch Hofstra or Charleston for first place. They absolutely dominated Delaware 95-72o on Feb. 16 before 3,010 at SECU in what was the best played home game of the season. Timberlake scored 29 points on 11-of-15 shooting to lead the way. Davis was held to 10 points on 5-of-13 shooting. 

Towson finished up their home schedule with an 87-75 win over NC A&T before 3,598. Timberlake had another big outing with 26 points and five assists, while Thompson added 15 points, 17 rebounds and five blocks. The only regular who struggled was Holden, who had six points on 3-of-12 shooting, but he did have five assists and just two turnovers.

The Tigers would go down to Charleston on Feb. 23 and fell 83-75. It was a game that should have been closer had the Tigers shot the ball better from the line (14-of-24). Timberlake had a career game with 34 points, but once again, he had little help (like the 2nd Hofstra game). Thompson was held to five points and fouled out in 26 minutes. They did a better job on Brzovic, who was held to 12 points, but the Cougars had six players in double figures and shot 29-of-35 (83%) from the line and that was the difference. Towson defended the three well, holding the Cougars to 4-of-16 from the line. But another issue crept up in this one and was too much fouling.

Towson finished with a 57-53 road win over UNCW and defense ruled the way. Holden had a strong game with 22 points, while Timberlake was held to 12 points on 1-of-6 shooting. But he got to the line 10 times and made all 10. UNCW shot just 21% in the second half and wound up shooting 39% for the game. 

The Tigers received the third seed and took on Delaware in the quarterfinals. Towson bashed the Blue Hens for the second straight game 86-60. Timberlake led four players in double figures with 19 points and nine boards. Thompson added 17 points and six boards.

In the semfinals, Towson met the Cougars of Charleston for the third time. Unfortunately for the Tigers, the third time was not the charm. Holden ended his career with an outstanding game of 21 points, six rebounds and four assists. Timberlake added 17 points, but was just 3-of-12 from long range. Thompson fouled out in 25 minutes with six points and 10 rebounds, but went just 3-of-9 from the field and once again, struggled against the bigger Brzovic, who had 19 points. Once against, the Cougars dominated at the line, going 28-of-35. But it was Reyne Smith who was the difference for Charleston with 20 points and took over the game in the second half. A late comeback for Towson showed that they had heart, but once again, this team couldn't come up with a big basket late in the game when they needed one.

So while there were many positives in the 2022-23 season, this was ultimately a disappointing season considering all the expectations. Turnovers? Too much fouling? Not a player who could create his own shot? Trouble defending the three? Lack of height up front? All were issues at times this season. Did they miss Gibson? Of course on the offensive end and in terms of turnovers, but he wasn't a player who could create his own shot and he wouldn't have helped defending the three. That's where they missed Terry Nolan and Juwan Gray, two players who could guard multiple positions and were not undersized. Sylla played some small ball center this season and while Gray didn't necessarily have the strength, he could make centers guard him from three-point range. Gray could also guard at least four positions. Sylla could barely defend one (sorry, it had to be said).

When you look at the overall numbers, Towson shot 44.7% from the field and held their opponents to 42%. Even if the defense was not up to Towson standards, they ranked second to Hofstra in defensive field goal percentage. They ranked second to Hofstra in shooting percentage. Even though they had some bad games against the three-point shot, they ranked fifth in three-point defense (33.2%). They also finished in third place in three-point shooting (36.7%). They ranked second in defensive rebounding, offensive rebounding and in rebounding margin (+6.03). But the biggest problem was turnover margin (-0.48), where they finished 9th in the league. They did finish third in assist/turnover ratio (1.14). They also finished second in the CAA in assists (13.97). Free throw shooting (70.8%) wasn't great either, as they finished seventh in the league.

One thing Towson has improved at, but still has a ways to go is in attendance, where they averaged 2,252 at game at home in just 12 games last season. Delaware (2,133), Northeastern, Monmouth, Hampton, Drexel and Stony Brook finished behind them. Charleston (4,631), Hofstra (2,363), NC A&T (2,561), W&M (2,632) and UNCW (4,048) all finished ahead of them.

Another issue was the starting lineup at the end of the season. Timberlake had an exceptional season, averaging 17.7 points overall and 19.1 points per game in the CAA, while shooting 49.6% from beyond the league in conference play. Holden (14.5ppg, 42.3% FG, 62.7% FT, 25.7% 3pt), Thompson (12.2ppg, 56.5% FG, 63.1% FT), Russell (7.8ppg, 37.7% FG, 33.1% 3pt) and Hicks (2.6ppg, 35.3% FG, 21% 3pt) were not perimeter threats. Timberlake could have been a bit more consistent with Gibson or another shooter in the lineup. Of course, you can say that when your shot is not dropping, take it to the basket. That was not his game and wherever he moves on, he'll likely just be a shooter.

Conway (41% 3pt) and May (38.5% 3pt) will have to step up next season in bigger roles. Both can shoot it from deep and May can really defend. Both will need to attack the basket more and get to the line considering May shot 94.4% and Conway shot 89% from the line in small sample sizes. Thompson is expected to return and is going to do what he normally does: rebound, score some inside, and defend the paint. He also may have to score more than his 12.2 points per game next season, but that depends on who Towson picks up in the portal. They desperately need a power forward to replace Holden who is taller than 6-5 and a wing who can score to replace Timberlake. Jaiden Cole (6-4, 175) and Tyler Tejada (6-9, 220) will probably have to play minutes right away, but probably won't be asked to start or this could be a rebuilding season.

 

Good synopsis of the games. 
In short, this season was a failure. End.

13 minutes ago, Bay Area Tiger said:

Good stuff as always. 
With Hicks, May & Conway we gotta a nice core to build with but of course we need so much more.  Love to see some of our freshman contribute early and often next season… big if!

Ultimately we need a lot of luck with transfers that come in.  You can scout etc but you don’t always know what you have until mid season.  I saw USF land a big from Georgia Tech this season and he was an absolute mess defensively so he went from starting to bench very quickly.  
 

 

 

If that’s the core, is it a rotten apple core??   A few nice role players but not sure if they move the needle especially next year.

freshman contribute? HAHHAHA

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3 minutes ago, TuTigers2012 said:

Good synopsis of the games. 
In short, this season was a failure. End.

If that’s the core, is it a rotten apple core??   A few nice role players but not sure if they move the needle especially next year.

freshman contribute? HAHHAHA

I think May may (see what I did there) have potential to be a legit starter. His shooting percentage numbers in his freshman year were better than Timberlake’s. Disclaimer, NT avg’d more ppg as a freshman, but he played more minutes than May. NT played fewer games his freshman year, due to getting injured and ultimately red shirted. 

I don’t see Hicks as anything more than a role player, unless he significantly improves his offensive game. I don’t see Conway as anything more than a one-dimensional guy (3 point shooter) unless he improves his offensive game, in terms of hitting midrange shots and/or creating/driving to the basket.  Williamson could be an X-factor, but right now he’s an unknown quantity. (Still don’t understand why he was redshirted last season). 

While it’s true that in the past freshmen have not been significant contributors in the Skerry era (no freshman has ever averaged more than 9ppg, and that was Jerome Hairston, a million years ago), next season might be an exception. First of all, we have, at least on paper, a good incoming class. Second, it’s possible 1 or more of them could play more minutes than what we usually see out of Skerry freshmen, by necessity. Then again, it might be wash, rinse, repeat. History shows that freshmen under Skerry make their biggest leap in production in their sophomore season (I’m thinking Morsell, ZM & Betrand, as examples).

One thing is clear. Skerry MUST hit 1 or more home runs in the portal. If he does, all bets are off in terms of writing off next season, before it even starts. If he strikes out, or just does “meh” in the portal, then next season could be fugly.

Memo to 2012: everything you say about the team sucking raw eggs next season might turn out to be true, but you needn’t be do F’ing gleeful about it 

 



 

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21 minutes ago, TSU88 said:

I think May may (see what I did there) have potential to be a legit starter. His shooting percentage numbers in his freshman year were better than Timberlake’s. Disclaimer, NT avg’d more ppg as a freshman, but he played more minutes than May. NT played fewer games his freshman year, due to getting injured and ultimately red shirted. 

I don’t see Hicks as anything more than a role player, unless he significantly improves his offensive game. I don’t see Conway as anything more than a one-dimensional guy (3 point shooter) unless he improves his offensive game, in terms of hitting midrange shots and/or creating/driving to the basket.  Williamson could be an X-factor, but right now he’s an unknown quantity. (Still don’t understand why he was redshirted last season). 

While it’s true that in the past freshmen have not been significant contributors in the Skerry era (no freshman has ever averaged more than 9ppg, and that was Jerome Hairston, a million years ago), next season might be an exception. First of all, we have, at least on paper, a good incoming class. Second, it’s possible 1 or more of them could play more minutes than what we usually see out of Skerry freshmen, by necessity. Then again, it might be wash, rinse, repeat. History shows that freshmen under Skerry make their biggest leap in production in their sophomore season (I’m thinking Morsell, ZM & Betrand, as examples).

One thing is clear. Skerry MUST hit 1 or more home runs in the portal. If he does, all bets are off in terms of writing off next season, before it even starts. If he strikes out, or just does “meh” in the portal, then next season could be fugly.

Memo to 2012: everything you say about the team sucking raw eggs next season might turn out to be true, but you needn’t be do F’ing gleeful about it 

 



 

 Not saying they are going to suck eggs. Let’s see what they get in the portal but without 3 impact players there, this team as assembled looks bad.

Gleeful?! Come on. Realist, sure. I bleed black and gold and firsthand got my head bashed in by this program.  Under skerry it’s better (obviously) but it’s the same old same old

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13 minutes ago, TuTigers2012 said:

 Not saying they are going to suck eggs. Let’s see what they get in the portal but without 3 impact players there, this team as assembled looks bad.

Gleeful?! Come on. Realist, sure. I bleed black and gold and firsthand got my head bashed in by this program.  Under skerry it’s better (obviously) but it’s the same old same old

Ok, fair enough. I guess sometimes the line between glee and realism can get blurry in the eyes of the beholder. We certainly agree on the import of who Skerry brings in via the portal. I’m sure I’m not the only one who’s anxious to see who we bring in 

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7 hours ago, mat1992 said:

The problem with Sylla was that he was a 6-4 power forward who wasn’t very athletic. He could dominate scrawny D2 guys with his strength but could muster a few good games at this level. Is that coaching or recruiting?

I think it's both.  That's part of being able to recognize talent when going through the portal.  A guy is D2 POY for a good reason and you create a splash by bringing him in but once you have him in the stable, how does his skill set translate to this level?  There's a lot to take into account.  He gets in here and has the big first game vs Albany but then sorta melts into the landscape.  That then goes to player development.  He wasn't a finished product when he got here (maybe he was at the D2 level) so now he has to be developed into a D1 talent.  Some nights he belonged but a lot of nights he looked lost.

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22 minutes ago, Chris Datres said:

I think it's both.  That's part of being able to recognize talent when going through the portal.  A guy is D2 POY for a good reason and you create a splash by bringing him in but once you have him in the stable, how does his skill set translate to this level?  There's a lot to take into account.  He gets in here and has the big first game vs Albany but then sorta melts into the landscape.  That then goes to player development.  He wasn't a finished product when he got here (maybe he was at the D2 level) so now he has to be developed into a D1 talent.  Some nights he belonged but a lot of nights he looked lost.

I saw it the first day Chris over the summer. He was a low post player and an undersized power forward. He could replace Cam for about 10 minutes a game, but they couldn’t play together because the spacing was horrible with CT since neither was much of an outside shooter. They tried him as a backup center late in the season and again, there were mixed results. To make matters worse, he was a liability on defense. You could hide that against Albany and Stony Brook, but not most teams.

After watching many highlights last summer in Sylla, I thought maybe it could work. Maybe his length could make up for his lack of height and athleticism. I was wrong. which is why I kept bringing up a Juwan Gray- type, who would have been a better fit than Sylla to replace and play along side Cam.

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