Towsova State University
Tiger Tracks
Published exclusively for Tiger Club members
by the News and Publications Services
VICTORY STREAK REACHES SIX STRAIGHT
January 10, 1977
The Tiger varsity basketball squad picked up in 'll where it left off in '76,
defeating St. Thomas Aquinas and the University of Baltimore after capturing the West
Chester Tournament over the holidays. We are now 8-1 on the season, the best start
ever for a Tiger team. In the holiday tourney, Towson opened by whipping Philadelphia
College of Pharmacy, 91-72, then came back the next night to cop the championship with
a 78-68 win over host West Chester. Brian Matthews, Roger Dickens, and Bobby Washington
were named to the all -tournament team along with a pair of West Chester Rams. Matthews
and Dickens each hit for 20 points in the finale, and Washington had a superb effort in
the opener.
Against St. Thomas Aquinas last Tuesday night the Tigers waited until the second
half to get their act together. The Spartans managed to stay within ten points before
halftime, down 48-38 at the intermission. But we exploded in the opening minutes of
the second stanza with a 14-2 bulge and coasted home the rest of the way. Senior Pat
McKinley had his best effort of the season, scoring 31 points and hauling down 13 rebounds.
Matthews chipped in with 18 points and 14 caroms, and Washington and Charles Lawler both
came off the bench to hit for 10 points apiece. Senior guard Rod Norris got his name in
the Towson record books as he handed out 13 assists to break Chuckie Blue and Ed Weibel's
totals of 12 in '68. Eleven players made the scoring column in the rout as coach Vince
Angotti substituted freely once the game was in hand. Best performances from the "subs"
were from Washington, Lawler, and Art Coleman. Michael Dukes also showed promise. The
Spartans had entered the game with a 13-2 record, having defeated UMBC the night before
by three points. By 9:30 last Tuesday night, St. Thomas Aquinas had a truer impression
of what basketball can be like here in the free state!
Saturday night was a typical Towson-BU shootout. Perhaps there is no other team on
its schedule that Towson would rather beat than BU, and the reverse is probably true as
well. The Tigers and Bees followed their usual script in these battles, with the visitors
in the black & gold jumping to a 15-point lead only to see the so-called Super Bees come
roaring back. It happened that way in the Mason-Dixon final last year, in the Metro Classic
semi-finals in December, and again last Saturday night. Baltimore U. actually led 62-61
with 2:40 remaining but Dickens and Savia Sharp put the Tigers in front to stay. Dickens,
the smooth transfer from CCB who led all scorers with 19 points, hit two from the floor
and Sharp hit a pair from the free throw line to give us the margin we needed. The win
raised our Mason-Dixon mark to 2-0, and marked the first time the Tigers have ever beaten
BU twice in the same season. Saturday's game has to be our most important win of the year
so far, since coach Angotti feels that the Bees are the best team Towson will face all
season.
Randolph-Macon is coming in Tuesday night to dispute that claim, and at this point
they may have the credentials to do it. The Yellow Jackets also have an 8-1 mark, having
just captured their own Yellow Jacket Classic by beating UMBC 90-72 in the championship
game. They are led by 6-6 senior Joe Allen who is averaging 17.7 points per game, and
the Yellow Jackets returned four starters and 10 lettermen, losing only one starter.
Other names to look for are Kevin Wood, Lew Welge, Danny Connor, and Mark Bosher. Thurs¬
day night we host arch-rival Loyola College. The Greyhounds face George Mason Tuesday
night and are coming off an 88-71 defeat at the hands of the University of Baltimore.
--over--
