Towson is getting a shiny new arena for the start of the 2013-14 season, but the university isn't waiting for the Tiger Arena to be built to make a splash on the basketball court. The Tigers in the fall will unveil a new floor at the Towson Center that has watermark tiger stripes and a new Tigers logo at the scorer's table.
"Just like Oregon did last year at the Matthew Knight Arena with their new look, we feel that our new court is a plus for recruiting because kids like things that are unique and cutting edge in design," new Towson men's basketball coach Pat Skerry said in a statement released on the team's website. The former Pittsburgh assistant added, "when the guys first saw the court design on [our] website it got a great response, so we figured as long as we are getting the court repainted why not go with the new design now."
I doubt it will be a deal-breaker when it comes to recruiting kids to play for the Tigers, who are trying to become a CAA powerhouse under Skerry. But like the blue turf at Boise State and the ridiculous orange court at Oregon, the tiger-striped floor at Towson will be unique. It is already getting national attention.
According to the release, redoing the floor at the Towson Center will take 80 gallons of paint, 62 gallons of finish and 500 man hours to complete. They will move the floor over to the new arena for the start of the 2013-14 school year.