Preview: Morgan State Bears at Towson Tigers

TOWSON, Md. (Interstat) — The Towson Tigers look to continue their momentum and climb above .500 when they host the struggling Morgan State Bears in a nonconference women’s basketball matchup Tuesday at SECU Arena.

The Tigers (6-5) enter on a two-game winning streak, most recently a 75-67 home victory over Lehigh on Dec. 20. Guard Thalia Shepard led the way in that contest, stuffing the stat sheet with 18 points, seven rebounds and seven assists. Shepard has been a consistent force, averaging 16.5 points over her last two games.

Conversely, the Bears (1-14) are mired in a 14-game losing skid following a 65-58 defeat at Loyola Maryland on Dec. 21. Morgan State has faced a daunting early schedule, including road losses to power-conference opponents LSU, Kentucky and Wake Forest by an average of 58 points.

A key matchup will feature Morgan State’s Kailyn Nash against Towson’s interior defense. Nash, coming off a 10-point, eight-rebound effort against Loyola Maryland, provides a presence inside for the Bears. She will need support from guard Jala Bannerman, who scored 22 points in the same game, to alleviate offensive pressure.

Towson’s attack is more diversified. Alongside Shepard, Zoli Khalil (17 points vs. Lehigh) and Semaya Turner (eight points, eight rebounds) offer additional scoring and rebounding options. The Tigers have shown resilience, winning an 87-86 overtime thriller at Maryland-Eastern Shore on Dec. 17.

Morgan State’s defense, allowing an average of 75.9 points per game, will be tested by a Towson offense averaging 73.5 points at home. The Bears have been held under 60 points in nine of their 15 games.

This contest concludes the nonconference slate for both teams. Towson opens Coastal Athletic Association play on Jan. 9 at Hofstra, while Morgan State begins Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference action on Jan. 3 at Maryland-Eastern Shore.

Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. EST Tuesday.