TOWSON, Md. — Never has a Towson University men's basketball team come out of the gates like this.
"It’s unbelievable," said guard Jason Gibson." We’ve got a great group of guys here. We’re really glad that we’re having a good start to the season."
"Clearly our skill level is, across the board, higher than it’s been," said head coach Pat Skerry.
For the first time in its Division I history (since 1979-80) Towson is off to a 13-5 start.
"The intent of these guys is the best we’ve had. They want to be good. They want to please each other. There is a level of accountability," added Skerry.
Guard/forward Cam Holden leads the team with 14.5 points per game. He has played the last month with a fractured jaw.
"My teammates give me the ball in the spot that I need it," he said. "They believe in me more than anything."
Skerry’s team is riding a four-game winning streak. They are 4-1 in the Colonial Athletic Association. Those four wins are the most in the conference.
A big part of their success this season has come via their long distance accuracy. The Tigers are averaging 8.2 three-pointers per game. Twice this season they have hit a program-record 16 threes in a game. Gibson, a Severna Park native, knocked down a school-record eight in both contests.
"Luckily my teammates and coaches give me a lot of confidence," he said. "They tell me they want me to shoot the ball. So, that’s what I try and do and sometimes I don’t even realize how many threes I’m shooting."
The Tigers look to make it rain from deep once again on Thursday night when Charleston (9-6, 1-2) comes to SECU Arena.
Chef Skerry knows it’s just the next step in the recipe for a dish that’s far from ready to plate.
"This seems to be, right now, we’ve got good ingredients in the sauce and we’ve got to keep stirring it and keeping it warm," said the head coach. "There’s a lot of basketball left to be played."
Follow Shawn Stepner on Twitter @StepnerWMAR and Facebook
