ANNAPOLIS, Md. –– Towson (9-4) held the Navy (7-4) men's basketball team to multiple offensive season lows in a 69-52 victory by the Tigers over the Mids, Wednesday afternoon at Alumni Hall in Annapolis.

"I just thought it was a typical game for us after finals," said Navy head coach Ed DeChellis.  "Offensively, we were not very sharp or very crisp, we couldn't make shots or free throws.  We couldn't do a lot of things.  Credit them (Towson).  I think they have a very good team.  They have a great chance to win the Colonial (Athletic Association).  They have strength and size and guys who can shoot.  I think Towson is a very good team.  I don't think we played very well today at all, on either end of the floor.  The only thing we did well was offensive rebound.  We just didn't turn them into many points."

The Tigers quickly took a 7-0 lead less than three minutes into the game, but Navy tied the contest at 14-14 midway through the frame.  Towson responded by scoring the next nine points to regain the lead at 23-14.  The Mids whittled the margin back down to five points at 23-19 following a dunk by Richard Njoku (Sr., Washington, D.C.), but an immediate 7-0 spurt by the Tigers gave them a 30-19 lead with just under five minutes still to play before halftime.  

The teams went into the locker room at intermission with Towson in front, 40-25.  The Tigers shot 55.6 percent from the floor in the half, which included a 4-8 effort from three-point range.  Conversely, the Mids made 32.3 percent of their overall shots, were 2-9 from three-point range and converted three of seven free throw attempts, which led to Navy being held to a season for points in the first half (was 26).

Navy drew to within 11 points at 42-31 early in the second half, then again at 46-35 with 13:20 still to play.  In the latter instance, the Mids had three possessions to cut into the deficit even more, but missed a field goal attempt on each.  A three-point basket by the Tigers made the score 49-35 with 11 minutes remaining.  

Navy did make it a single-digit difference when Greg Summers (Sr., Ocoee, Fla.) made two free throws to pull the Mids to within nine points at 51-42, but a three-point basket by the Tigers on their next possession returned the gap to double figures where it remained through the rest of the afternoon.

Navy made more field goals in the second half than Towson, 11-9, but the Mids were 0-7 from three-point range after halftime and the Tigers were 5-10 from beyond the arc.  Navy also was just 5-14 from the foul line after halftime and Towson was 6-8 from the charity line.

Towson ended the game shooting 42.9 percent from the field and held Navy to a season-low 33.3-percent shooting (was 35.6%).  Those overall numbers included the Tigers going 9-18 from three-point range and the Mids making a season-low two three-point field goals on 16 attempts (season low was three).  The only game this year in which Navy did not score more than the 52 points it accrued today was when the Mids defeated Radford, 47-33.

"We couldn't make a shot," said DeChellis, after noting that Navy had three assists on its 21 made field goals in comparison to Towson totaling 18 assists on 24 field goals.  "Some of our stuff was off the drive, off the dribble.  We were just out of whack.  We practiced an hour yesterday (Tuesday), an hour Monday and an hour Sunday.  That's all we could do (because of exams).  There was no time to do much.  It is what it is and that's who we are and there is nothing wrong with it.  It is not an excuse; it is a reason.  Big difference.  We didn't get enough practice time this week and it showed."

Navy controlled the glass, 48-37, especially on the offensive end where the Mids held a 27-15 advantage.  However, those 27 offensive boards by Navy led to 24 points whereas Towson turned 15 offensive caroms into 15 second-chance points.

"I thought we played hard in the second half and made great effort plays," said DeChellis.  "I look at 27 offensive rebounds and that is (us) going to get the ball and being active on the glass.  That's a positive thing, but you have to make a shot every once in a while, too."

Njoku alone registered nine offensive rebounds, a total that ties him for fourth in school history (the record is 11), and Navy's 27 offensive boards is tied for fifth (the record is 37).

Jaylen Walker (Jr., Allen, Texas) was 6-9 from the floor in leading Navy with 13 points, Summers totaled 12 points and 10 rebounds and Njoku scored eight points to go along with 10 caroms.

"Jaylen was solid," said DeChellis.  "Richard played better in the second half.  He had more energy."

Navy now turns its attention to Patriot League play, which begins Jan. 1 at Holy Cross.