CHARLESTON, S.C. – Deywilk Tavarez's scoring prowess led the Charleston Cougars to victory over the Towson Tigers with a final score of 77-69 on Saturday afternoon. Tavarez contributed significantly to this triumph, scoring 20 points and grabbing seven rebounds, helping his team improve to 12-3 overall and 2-0 in the Coastal Athletic Association.
AJ Smith also shined for Charleston, matching Tavarez's 20 points with shooting numbers of 6 for 8 from the field, which included 2 for 3 from beyond the arc, and hitting all 6 of his free throw attempts. Ante Brzovic added depth to the scoring, finishing the game with 16 points, highlighted by going 8 for 8 from the free-throw line.
For Towson, Tyler Tejada led his team with 22 points, attempting to mount a comeback, but the Cougars maintained their lead throughout the contest. Tomiwa Sulaiman provided support with 15 points, and Mekhi Lowery chipped in 10 points and six rebounds. The game began to slip away from Towson, as Charleston took control early, leading by nine points at halftime, where the score stood at 39-30.
The Cougars extended their lead to 13 points midway through the second half, thanks to a 9-2 run, pushing the score to 59-46 with just over ten minutes left to play. Both teams are set to return to action on Thursday; Charleston is scheduled to visit Hofstra, and Towson will host Northeastern.
Meanwhile, Southern University's Jordan Johnson was another standout player on Saturday, leading the Jaguars to a 67-58 victory over Texas Southern. Johnson's shooting was particularly impressive, hitting 6 out of 12 shots from the floor, including five three-pointers. He ended the game with 20 points. Derrick Tezeno's contribution of 11 points helped secure the win for Southern, who now holds a record of 6-8 and is 1-0 within the Southwestern Athletic Conference.
Texas Southern's challenge was led by Zaire Hayes, who scored 19 points, and Duane Posey, who contributed 11, but their efforts fell short. The Jaguars took control of the match and maintained their lead through the second half, marking their significant start to the conference play.
Another notable game took place in Kansas City, where the Kangaroos defeated Oral Roberts decisively with a score of 90-67. Jamar Brown's double-double performance of 16 points and 11 rebounds played a pivotal role for Kansas City, who now sits at 10-7 with a 2-0 mark in the Summit League. Fellow teammates Jayson Petty, Davontae Hall, and Babacar Diallo each supported with 14 points.
On the losing side, the Golden Eagles struggled, with Jackson Skipper leading their efforts with 14 points. Despite some contributions, Oral Roberts was unable to keep pace with the Kangaroos, who stretched their winning streak to six games.
Over in Beaumont, Texas, Alexis Marmolejos's late-game heroics propelled Lamar to edge past Houston Christian with a close 63-61 victory. Marmolejos led all scorers with 21 points and was instrumental down the stretch with his three-point play tying the game at 61 with just over a minute remaining. His defensive play was equally commendable, as he recorded four steals to aid his team alongside Andrew Holifield's 11 points. Houston Christian's Bryson Dawkins also had 20 points, but it wasn't enough to clinch the victory.
Lastly, Omaha managed to outlast North Dakota State with an 85-80 finish, primarily due to Lance Waddles's 24 points and five rebounds. Marquel Sutton complemented Waddles's scoring, finishing with 16 points and 12 rebounds, contributing significantly to Omaha's performance. Despite the efforts of North Dakota State's Masen Miller and Jacksen Moni, scoring 20 and 23 points respectively, the Bison couldn’t overcome the Mavericks.
With these exciting results from the college basketball circuit, the upcoming weeks promise even more thrilling matchups as teams continue to compete for dominance within their respective conferences.