Towson University's men continued to test the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference waters last night and this time, experienced a narrow escape.
Senior guard Brian Allen came to the rescue in the closing minutes and sank a game-winning three-pointer with 10 seconds left to give the Tigers a 53-50 victory over Norfolk State at the Towson Center in the first-ever meeting of the two teams.
All of this season's victories for Towson (3-3) have come against MEAC opposition.
The Spartans were stubborn, leading 46-42 with five minutes remaining thanks to two consecutive baskets by senior center Thomas Aladi, who also grabbed a game-high 12 rebounds.
But the remainder of the game belonged to the Tigers guards, who accounted for the team's final 14 points, 11 of them by Allen. Dogged by foul trouble and barely a presence in the game until that point, Allen took over when it counted with Jamaal Gilchrist, the transfer from Texas A&M.;
"That was the key to the game. Our leadership in the backcourt came through," said Towson coach Michael Hunt.
The winning basket was set up when Gilchrist penetrated through the lane, spotted Allen in the left corner and passed him the ball in shooting position.
"Jamaal made a good penetration. The shot clock and the game clock were about the same, so I had to do something," said Allen, who added that the early foul trouble forced him to "control myself" when he re-entered after picking up a third personal early in the second half.
Norfolk had time for a tie attempt, but leading scorer Daryl Towe (17 points) was well covered and the shot went wide just before the buzzer.
Towson was fortunate to trail by only one at halftime after a sloppily played first period in which it committed 13 turnovers.
Tigers center Tony Dixon helped lower the Spartans' offensive efficiency with eight blocks, one shy of the school record held by Pat McKinley.
Towson shot 42 percent, a number that was too high for Norfolk's first-year coach Dwight Freeman. "We didn't attain our goal of holding them to 37 or 38. They got 12 or 14 points that were too easy," he said.
The Tigers are now idle until Friday when they visit Morgan State for a game previously snowed out.
NORFOLK STATE - Towe 6-10 4-6 17, Aladi 3-11 0-0 6, Byrd 0-2 0-0 0, Grier 1-6 0-0 3, Smith 3-13 1-2 7, Bunn 0-1 0-0 0, Whitfield 1-2 0-0 2, Hicks 2-8 1-2 5, Woods 1-4 0-0 2, Byrd 1-1 0-0 2, Ogunride 2-5 2-2 6. Totals 20-63 8-12 50. TOWSON- Dixon 2-3 0-0 4, Hamm 3-9 3-6 9, McCartney 0-1 0-0 0, Allen 4-10 1-1 11, Gilchrist 4-7 1-3 12, Petkunas 0-1 3-4 3, McSweeney 2-3 0-0 5, Goode 1-1 0-0 2, Warner 1-3 0-0 2, Dotson 1-3 0-0 3, Weatherspoon 1-4 0-0 2. Totals 19-45 8-14 53. Halftime - Norfolk, 26-25. 3-Point goals: Norfolk St. 2-16 (Towe 1-2, Grier, 1-3, Woods 0-1, Whitfield 0-1, Hicks 0-2, N. Byrd 0-2, Smith 0-5), Towson 7-18 (Gilchrist 3-5, Allen 2-6, McSweeney 1-2, Dotson 1-2, Petkunas 0-1, Weatherspoon 0-1, Hamm 0-1). Fouled out-None. Rebounds-Norfolk St. 34 (Aladi 12), Towson 41 (Hamm 8). Assists-Norfolk St. 9 (Byrd 2, Smith 2, Hicks, 2), Towson 15 (Gilchrist 5). Total fouls-Norfolk St. 15, Towson 15. A-700.