Ante Brzovic Records Second Double Double of Season
By: Jeff Walker, Sports Writer
With a 13-1 record and just one spot out of the AP Top 25, the College of Charleston men’s basketball team took their 12 game winning streak on the road Saturday to take on pre-season number one Towson. For the Colonial Athletic Association it was the equivalent of a title fight. Despite their 8-5 record overall the Tigers proved a worthy opponent, erasing a 10 point deficit at the half to tie the contest at 69 all as time expired. Charleston held their own in OT, escaping Towson with a 76-74 win, extending their win streak to 13 games. Ante Brzovic posted his second double-double of the season with a career-high and game best 22 points, to go along with 12 rebounds. Ryan Larson added four from long range with Pat Robinson III coming off the bench for two 3-pointers, as each ended with 12 points. Reyne Smith dropped three of CofC’s 13 treys, finishing with 10 points. With the win the Cougars improve to 14-1 overall and 2-0 in the CAA. Charleston jumped out in front right away, putting together 11 unanswered before a layup by Cameron Holden put the Tigers on the scoreboard with 16:16 still left in the opening period. CofC were on fire from long range. When Larson hit his first from beyond the arc the Cougars enjoyed a 16 point (29-13) advantage with just over seven minutes before the break. CofC would finish the first half connecting on seven 3-pointers total, taking a comfortable 35-25 lead at intermission. Charleston would maintain a two and three possession lead for most of the second half, going back up by 10 (56-46) on a missile by Robinson III with 9:10 remaining in the contest. A couple of free throws by Brovic kept CofC up by nine under the five minute mark. But a 14-5 run by the home team as time expired would extend the game for another five minutes. Smith connected on his final 3-pointer to open the extra period, before Holden added a free throw followed by a jumper to tie the game at 72. CofC’s Jaylon Scott and Towson’s Nicolas Timberlake made it 74 apiece, before Robinson III closed out the victory with two from the foul line for Charleston with 13 seconds on the clock. Nygal Russell’s jumper missed the mark as the Tigers fell on their home court. Towson had a balanced scoring attack with five players finishing with double figures. Timberlake lead the Tigers with 14 points including a couple of treys. Charles Thompson, as well as Russell and Holden each had 12 points. Thompson tied Brzovic with a game best 12 rebounds. Christian May came in off the bench to pump in 10 points for Towson. With the loss Towson open CAA play with their first loss, and fall to 8-6 overall. Maintaining a double digit lead for a good part of the first half and several times in the second, it was a season high 24 turnovers by Charleston that allowed Towson to slowly creep back into the contest. As they’ve done for most of the season the Cougars won the battle on the glass, and finished with a 13 to 7 advantage from beyond the arc. Charleston will travel to Greensboro, North Carolina, to take on league newcomer North Carolina A&T on Wednesday, January 4. The game will Charleston’s first appearance of the season on CBS Sports Network. Action is set for 5:00 p.m.
