May scores 27 to lead MBB over UMass 81-71

[mat1992 2,236]

https://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=487954

https://towsontigers.com/news/2023/12/6/mens-basketball-may-williamson-net-career-highs-towson-topples-massachusetts-81-71-on-wednesday.aspx

It's corny to say Towson is only as good as their best player. Their best player is Charles Thompson, but their most important player is Christian May. Tonight, May came into this game shooting 28% from the floor and 23% from beyond the arc. Last season, he was a role player off the bench and shot 38% from long range. This season, with Nicolas Timberlake in Kansas, Cam Holden in England and Marcus Watson rehabbing his knee, all eyes were on May putting up big numbers as a starter.

May has been pressing as much as any player in the first eight games, but in the ninth at home, May broke out with a career-high 27 points against Umass in an 81-71 win. May shot 8 of 11 from the field, 8 of 10 from the line and 3-of-5 from beyond the arc with seven boards. His previous career high was 14 points. Redshirt freshman Dylan Williamson also had a career-high 17 points with three assists on 6 of 12 shooting. Senior Charles Thompson added 11 points and 10 boards. 

 

[etiger 77]

Good team win tonight. If we can get Coleman going and Tark, we will be a tough out!

[mat1992 2,236]

UMass was 138 in KenPom so not a bad win for us and the CAA. W&M beating ODU (Vermont lost by 2 to NE) doesn't hurt.

Ok, let's talk positives

*We had a big win at home against a decent A-10 team that we handled on the road last season with some quality players.

*We dominated the glass for the most part, 39-27 rebounds

*6 for 16 from the three-point line. That's about the amount we should take every night 15 to 20. Unless of course, nothing is going down. Then drive and post.

*Had just 11 turnovers (Dylan with 5)

*Had six blocks and CT with 3.

*This is the way they envisioned Williamson and May playing. Not the 27 and 17 points respectively. But with both attacking the rim, especially Dylan. Christian taking more mid-range shots and not settling for the long ball. He's too big and athletic just to be that 3-point shooter type.

*Poise. UMass kept coming back and you had to wonder, when were they going to take the lead. They never did. Towson got punched and kept punching back whether it was a Sulaiaman three or a Williamson drive or CT jumper. They found away.

Negatives

*27 of 34 from the line (67.6%) was actually better than our putrid 63% average on the season. 

*11 turnovers is not bad, but Dylan with five is because he's seeing pressure and has no help. When Lowery is out, he's one guard against the world.

*Fouls. Lowery fouled out and I thought he was the second-best player in the first half. Officiating was bad on both ends at the beginning of the second half.

*Mesiah Jones has to play better if he's going to start. I've said it many times. He's slow when he has to guard smaller players on the perimeter. I still like Sulaiaman as the starter.

[TSU88 1,073]

Now that was fun. Just one question, who were those guys?😆

My takeaway is we actually have guys (Williamson, May, Lowery) who can play uptempo. In fact, they might be better playing that style. So, memo to Skerry: instead of that dreary, slow tempo, walk the ball up style, let em run when the opportunities present themselves. I bet the players enjoy that style more in any event.

Williamson totally broke down the UMass D on occasions. May was Timberlake-esque tonight. In fact, he actually looked better driving to the rim than Timberlake did. Just one game, but encouraging nonetheless. I really like Lowery’s game; he’s a Swiss Army knife who can slash to the basket. And I know he only went 1-3 from the field, but I was encouraged to see Cole drain a 3. Intriguing to think what might be if Tarke ever gets to play. If we could only bottle tonight’s performance. On a side note, I got a real kick out of watching the UMass coach on the sidelines. He’s a madman 😆

Edited December 7, 2023 by TSU88

[tualum 108]

Tigers win like I predicted. On to the next one!

[TuTigers2012 1,071]

26 minutes ago, etiger said:

Good team win tonight. If we can get Coleman going and Tark, we will be a tough out!

Get Coleman going where?  What school?

 

In all seriousness this was a good win. Ugly (refs doing) but that helped us in second half.  Because we weren’t stopping anyone.  Would like the older guys to step up and be more consistent because May and Williamson aren’t going to have games like this all the time. But neither it Tejada. There’s  tape on him now so coaches are adjusting. 
Think we are going to be decent at home and struggle mightily away 

[mat1992 2,236]

Now with Tarke making his debut either against UMBC or Bryant, let's talk rotation. With Hicks (another week or so?) and without

My projections though I assume Jones will start over Sulaiman. The player who is more productive and is in less foul trouble will play in more minutes.

PG Williamson/TarkeLowery

SG Tarke/May/Lowery

SF May/Tejada/Lowery

PF Sulaiman/Jones (basically same player though Sulamain has been better lately)

C Thompson/Paar/MJones (should be backup center against smaller teams)

With Hicks

PG/SG Williamson 

SG/PG Tarke

SF May

PF Sulaiman

C Thompson

Bench: M. Jones, Tejada, Hicks, Paar, Lowery

Cole and Coleman are two left out.

Other lineup options:

Tarke, May, Tejada, Sulaiman, Thompson

Tarke, Williamson, May, Jones, Thompson

Hicks, Wiliamson, May, Tejada, Thompson

Hicks, Tarke, Tejada, Sulaiman, Thompson

Hicks, Tarke, May, Lowery, Thompson  (press lineup)

Big lineup

Tarke (6-4 210), May (6-5, 210), Tejada (6-8, 220), Sulaiaman/Jones (6-6, 235), Thompson (6-7, 250)

Bigger lineup

Tarke, May, Tejada, Paar (6-10, 255), Thompson

Tarke's stats last year, 12.5ppg, 2.7 TO, 5.0 rebounds, 1.7 steals, 54% FT, 32.7% 3pt, 42.6% FG, 2.1 assists

https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/player/_/id/4704077/nendah-tarke

 

Career stats

12.2 points, 6.0 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 2.2 steals, 42.5% FG, 30% 3pt, 59.2% FT, 74 starts

Helps defense, rebounding, passing, ballhandling, scoring, and getting to the rim. Does help FT shooting, 3-point shooting.

Bottom line? Guys are going to lose minutes, especially the young players. The purpose is winning, but you can still develop the younger players by playing them significant minutes off the bench.

[Bay Area Tiger 347]

Huge home win and so glad I watched.  
D-Will, Mr May & CT carried us late. 
Get Tarke & Hicks back in the mix!

Why can’t we win this season?

Hit up all the players and coaches on social media this week!!!  👏🏀🐯

Towson!!!!   

Edited December 7, 2023 by Bay Area Tiger

[mat1992 2,236]

 

[Blounge 521]

Christmas came early for us Towson fans! Biggest win in the Skerry era at home? Tarke finally getting approved! The team finally showing they can score and play with a faster pace and break a full court press. The refs must have been on the payroll betting the over. Very strange officiating on the same night FloSports made this game free for all the gamblers to view! Suspicious! Fire that officiating crew! 

christian May had a day! We forgot he sucks on the road and is better at home. Good to see his confidence is back! 

dylan is a spark plug, positive or negative. He can create off the dribble, but can also turn it over trying to get too fancy with it. He’s passionate, he’s progressing positively.

Charlie is the heart and soul of this team(not news to anyone)