Williamson leads MBB over JMU 67-63

[mat1992]

https://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=550195

Dylan Williamson led all scorers with 22 points to lead Towson over JMU on Saturday night at TU Arena before a little over 3,000 people. The Tigers were playing without Tyler Tejada, who suffered an ankle injury in practice this week, but could return as early as next week.

Williamson, who turned 21 today, hit a three-pointer with 17 seconds left to give Towson a 65-60 lead. But Xavier Brown hit a tough three with six seconds left to cut the lead to two. Williamson was able nail both free throws to ice the game with three seconds left. 

Williamson was the only player to score in double figures, but received help from Messiah Jones (8pts, 5reb), Tomiwa Sulaiman (9pts, 4 rebs, 2 blocks, 2 steals) and Radhir Hicks (9pts, 2 steals). 

Towson shot 43.6% from the field and 9-of-21 from beyond the arc. They also made 10-of-13 from the line. They turned the ball over just eight times with nine assists and nine steals. 

Tripleheader win for Towson with football, volleyball and men's basketball winning today.

More later.

[TuTigers2012]

Interesting game  Pulled that one out late and not having some players. I don’t know how they pulled that out with May MIA again and tarke being his usual erratic self. 
 

Good crowd and nice to get the first win.  The role players stepped up.  Sulaiman, jones and hicks with some clutch shots and plays.  
ALWAYS good to beat Jmu, especially in my household 

[mat1992]

 

[TSU88]

Random thoughts: I’ve been a season ticket holder since SECU opened, and tonight was the best crowd atmosphere I can remember; Dylan Williamson was a bad man tonight. He may be the best player on the team; the unsung hero for me tonight was Hicks. Without his play in the 2nd half, we don’t win; the W was even more impressive given we played without Tejada; workman like efforts from guys like Jones, Suliman, Embeya and Lowery tonight.

Ok, so it’s not all sunshine and lollipops: Tarke’s shot selection is atrocious; I’m concerned about May’s shooting. I fervently hope I’m wrong, but I’m having nagging thoughts that his ceiling is 10ppg. I don’t even want to think what his floor is; I didn’t think it was possible, but Samb may be of less utility than Chase Paar. I thought it was very telling that after he picked up 2 fouls in the first 90 seconds of the game that he didn’t see the floor the rest of the game. 

On to bayou country in Thibedeaux “Looziana” Wednesday 
 

 

[mat1992]

Ok, let's talk about the game.

The Good:

Skerry's coaching. I thought he let the starting unit play on and didn't have any quick subs except for an obvious one with Samb picking up two quick fouls. THis was a better start than all three games and I think sticking with the starters for 4-5 minutes is key to get more of a flow. He also had them more locked in defensively in the second half. 

Williamson was fantastic. He wasn't against SC and was in the second half against Saint Mary's, but other than the two late turnovers, he had one of the best games of his career. Shot of 8 of 12 from the field, grabbed five boards, had two assists and two steals. That JMU backcourt was no joke but Dylan held his own. Oh yeah, a humongous three with 17 seconds left and two free throws later to clinch it. Happy 21st birthday!

Sulaiman and Hicks were outstanding. Tomiwa with 2 blocks and two steals and then wagged his finger like Mutombo when he blocked a potential ally-oop. He was really good on both ends. Radhir might have played his best all-around game. That also probably should mean more minutes.

Messiah Jones also gave it all he had going up against another huge center. He's not going to dazzle offensively, but if he can give you 21 minutes, 9 pts and 5 rebounds most nights, you'll take it.

Three-point shooting (9-of-21).

Kind of liked Lowery and Sulaiman posting up. Lowery is a great passer and I love seeing him pass from the post. He has to score some for people to take him seriously but the extra weight should make him a better player on the block. 

Crowd and atmosphere was phenomenal tonight with a little over 3,000 people

Bad

Rebounding -5. Nobody had more than five rebounds. This is a work-in progress. We're not going to be dominant on the glass, but the loss of Charles Thompson shouldn't mean we get outrebounded every night.

Tarke and May were a combined 3 of 18 from the field. CMay has to shoot better overall and took just two threes. He also looked very timid at times. Tarke's shot selection continues to be wacky. You're up five with all the momentum in the world and you take a quick three? Why? Then he throws up a difficult circus shots looking for the foul on the next possession. . Dylan took 12 shots and Tarke took 11. Nope. He needs to drive and dish because trying to shoot over a 6-11, 265-pounder is usually not going to work out. With Tejada out, it's shocking that Towson could win a game with those two players playing so poorly on the offensive end.

Ugly

Tejada's ankle injury in practice wasn't ugly, fortunately, but in the long term, we desperately need him. But it might not be his team. It might be DWill's. There's no reason why both players can co-exist and also run some two man with each.

No. 12 probably shouldn't play unless everyone else fouls out. 

[Chris Datres]

There's a very fine line between a win and a loss some nights and Dylan Williamson showed that to us tonight.  2nd to last possession, they're slow getting into whatever offense they wanted to run with the shot clock running out, he loses the ball and JMU gets a basket to cut it to 2.  Then we play clockball again, which we should, but run a nothing set and Dylan is forced to chuck it and it happens to go in.  9 1/2 times out of 10, that doesn't go our way and we're facepalming after another terrible loss.  It went our way tonight.  Then Dylan has the icing on the cake -- pun intended -- with the two free throws to close it out.  This was a pretty gritty win against a team that looked very similar to us in how they played at both ends of the floor.  This game also showed that Hicks is all the way back from his concussion issues from last year and a contribution like that is going to go a long way for the rest of the offense.  If we can transition to a situation where Williamson is more of the alpha shooter while Hicks runs the point, I think the offense gets more efficient.  But...we really need May and Tejada to find their games and have Sulaiman and Messiah do their best to contribute on the inside.  We need to put one of those electric fence collars on Tarke whenever he thinks about shooting from the outside.  Drive all you want and distribute and set up others but goodness, no more of the outside stuff.  Twice in that game, he hoisted up 3's immediately after coming down the floor and they led to run-out buckets at the other end.  You're supposed to be a senior.  Think like one.  

One other thing that struck me was how big this win could and should be for future attendance the rest of the semester.  That place looked hyped and a win like that in a good atmosphere is the best advertisement for getting people to come out to the next one and build that atmosphere even more.

[TuTigers2012]

24 minutes ago, mat1992 said:

No. 12 probably shouldn't play unless everyone else fouls out. 

Agreed.  He is ROUGH. Was hoping he could set screens and defend, but might be looking at nothing at all going forward 

[mat1992]

Some highlights 
https://x.com/towson_mbb/status/1857999316188578051?s=46&t=nScacl1TWT-KyOwj5stBaw

[mat1992]

More

 

[TTiger2024]

Everyone (well, the 5 negative-nellys) OK ?  “Skerryball”??….., good morning 2012!!!!!

 

that was a BIG BOY WIN without a major piece !!!  Hope the HATERS (5’ish?- the ******are always the loudest/whiniest) can have some joy (doubtful) in such a WIN !   Gonna be a VERY good year ; buckle-up!     
 

DWill > DWade !  LFGOOOoooo