TOWSON — The Towson University men’s basketball program has waited an entire year for this weekend.
Heck, they’ve waited over 30 years for this weekend.
"All the seniors, we always talk about it all the time," said graduate guard Nicolas Timberlake. "It would be great to go out on top for your last year and bring something back to Towson that hasn’t been here in a long time."
A long time like 32 years, which was the last time the Tigers won a conference tournament title and the last time they qualified for the NCAA Tournament. Their chance to go dancing arrives yet again this weekend with the Colonial Athletic Association Tourney. They are the No. 3 seed and have a bye into Sunday’s quarterfinal.
"Everyone wants to make March Madness," said Timberlake. "That’s the goal every single year."
Three victories separate the Tigers from doing just that - cutting down the nets.
"I know with some of these guys there is probably a little extra fuel in the tank," said head coach Pat Skerry.
That’s because they want a better result than in last year’s CAA Tournament. After they won the program’s first regular season conference title since 1994, they lost in the semifinals. Their tourney hopes were dashed.
"The fact that we came up short last year is just fuel to the fire and makes us want to win the tournament even more," said Timberlake.
"There is not a day that hasn’t gone by where I haven’t thought about it," said senior Charles Thompson. "We’re here. We have to do this now or never. It’s a finishing type mindset."
One of the big differences this year will be a healthy Thompson. In last year’s tournament the forward, named to the CAA All-Defensive team, was injured in Towson’s first game and was limited in the semifinal loss. Now he is 100 percent.
"100 percent healthy. I’m ready to go this time," he said.
"He is our most valuable guy. Our efficiency numbers and our plus-minus numbers are markedly higher when he is on the floor, higher than anyone else we have," added Skerry.
Thompson and the Tigers’ quarterfinal contest is set for Sunday night at 8:30 p.m. inside D.C.’s Sports and Entertainment Arena. They’ll face the winner of Saturday's Delaware vs. Northeastern game.
Follow Shawn Stepner on Twitter @StepnerWMAR and Facebook
