Tigers Fall Short in Thriller Against Preseason Favorite Aggies

By: D’Mari Dreher-Smith, Sports Editor

In a game filled with momentum swings, defensive intensity, and last-second drama, the Towson Tigers came up just short against North Carolina A&T, falling 61-59 in a nail-biting finish.

The game opened with both teams trading blows. Towson’s India Johnston and Anasia Staton sparked the offense early with a pair of three-pointers, and Johnston added two more baskets to keep the Tigers within striking distance at 11-10 halfway through the first quarter. However, the Aggies closed the quarter on an 8-4 run, taking a 19-14 lead into the break.

The second quarter was all about defense for Towson. The Tigers held N.C. A&T to just two field goals and kept them scoreless for the final 7:56 of the half. This defensive lockdown allowed Towson to outscore the Aggies 17-8 in the period and head into the locker room with a 31-27 lead.

N.C. A&T came out firing in the second half, quickly retaking the lead with an 8-2 run in the opening minutes. Towson found themselves down 41-38 late in the third, but the Tigers roared back with a 10-2 run. Johnston capped the quarter with a buzzer-beating three-pointer, giving Towson a 48-43 advantage heading into the final frame.

The fourth quarter was a battle to the end. The Aggies started strong, opening with an 8-0 run to reclaim the lead at 51-48. The Tigers responded with an 11-3 surge, fueled by clutch scoring and tight defense, to take a five-point lead with under two minutes remaining. But the Aggies wouldn’t go away quietly.

A critical three-pointer with 14 seconds left gave N.C. A&T a one-point lead, and an offensive foul on Towson forced the Tigers to foul. The Aggies extended their lead to two after splitting a pair of free throws, leaving Towson with one last chance. Unfortunately, the Tigers’ final shot from deep missed the mark, sealing the hard-fought victory for N.C. A&T.

Despite the loss, the Tigers focused on rebounds and improved their shooting from recent games. The Tigers’ return to TU Arena to take on the Northeastern Huskies on Ticket Holder Appreciation Night. Tip-off is slated Jan.17 at 6 p.m.

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