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Jerrelle Benimon, Mike Burwell lead Towson to fifth straight win (VIDEO)

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In his first season as head coach at Towson, Pat Skerry won just one game with that victory ending the program’s 41-game losing streak. The Tigers would go on to finish the 2011-12 season with a 1-31 record, but due to the work Skerry did both within the program and on the recruiting trail many were of the opinion that better days lay ahead for Towson.

That proved to be the case in 2012-13 as Towson improved its win total by 17 games, and with the return of forward Jerrelle Benimon the Tigers were the preseason pick to win the CAA. On Sunday afternoon the Tigers won 72-57 at The College of Charleston, with Benimon and Mike Burwell leading the way. Benimon, preseason pick to win CAA Player of the Year, led the way with 21 points, 11 rebounds and three assists with Burwell adding 18 points, four rebounds and three assists.

Benimon and Burwell are both Big East transfers (Benimon from Georgetown, and Burwell played at USF when they were still a member), and along with holdover Marcus Damas have been key figures for Towson as the Tigers worked to make the transition from doormat to contender.

Just as important as the offensive production on Sunday was Towson’s performance defensively, as the Cougars shot just 33% with Nori Johnson (scoreless) and Anthony Stitt combining to score just six points on 2-for-15 shooting. Willis Hall (20 points) and Adjehi Baru (15 and nine rebounds) were productive for Doug Wojcik’s team but their teammates shot a combined 6-for-42 from the field.

With the win Towson moved to 3-0 in CAA play, keeping them tied in the loss column with 4-0 Delaware. While a five-game win streak may not seem like much, this is the first such streak for the Tigers since the 2000-01 season. And given where Towson was just under three years ago, the streak is another step forward for Pat Skerry’s program.

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