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Post-Game Press Conference:
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NORFOLK, VA-- The Towson Tigers (11-12/6-4) edged the Monarchs of Old Dominion, 68-66 Wednesday night in at the Ted Constant Convocation Center as forward Jerrelle Benimon scored 21 points and hauled down 17 rebounds.
Senior DeShawn Painter led ODU (2-18/0-8) with 20 points, while red-shirt sophomore Richard Ross added 13 points, 10 rebounds and five blocked shots. Dimitri Batten added 15 points off the bench. The victory ended Towson's 18-game losing streak to the Monarchs dating back to 2001-02.
The Tigers took a 40-26 halftime lead as Marcus Damas led with 11 points and Mike burwell added 10 for TU. Richard Ross led ODU with 11 points at halftime.
In the second half, ODU rallied, holding Towson scoreless for the first six minutes of the half. A DeShawn Painter basket cut Towson's lead to one, 42-41 with 13:05 left, then a layup by freshman Aaron Bacote put the Monarchs ahead, 43-42 at the 11:28 mark.
Towson then rallied went and up by as much as seven after a three-point play by Benimon for a 50-43 lead with 9:42 remaining, but a three-point play by freshman Keenan Palmore, two free throws by
Batten, but the lead to one, 52-51 with 6:54 left. Batten then put ODU back in the lead, 54-53 with a layup, then 54-52 after a free throw.
After two Benimon free throws tied the score at 54-54 DeShawn Painter put ODU up one last time at 55-54 with 5:42 left, but Benimon came right back with back-to-back baskets for a 58-55 lead.
The Monarchs would cut it to one at 58-57 on two Richard Ross free throws with 3:53 left and then again to two points with 30 seconds left after a trey by Painter.
The 10 rebounds by Richard Ross is a career high as was his five blocked shots which equal the five he swatted against Georgia State. The 6-7 Ross has blocked 14 shots in his last three games.
Freshman Keenan Palmore dished out a career high eight assists and came up with three of ODU's nine steals. Besides Ross's 10 boards, Painter hauled down nine rebounds as did Palmore which equals his career high set in the season opener against Holy Cross.
Benimon scored 14 points along with 11 rebounds for Towson in the second half. His game high 17 rebounds ties the Constant Center individual opponent record set by Jason Thompson of Rider, March 18, 2008 in the CBI Post Season tournament. The overall Constant Center Individual rebound record is 22 set last year by ODU's Chris Cooper against JMU on Feb. 2, 2012.
Besides Benimon's 21, and Damas's 15, Rafriel Guthrie came off the bench to score 14 and Mike Burwell added 10 points for Towson. The Tigers shot .393 (24-61) from the field, while ODU shot .391 (25-64). The Tigers also outrebounded ODU, 49-34. Bilal Dixon grabbed 10 boards for TU along with Benimon's 17.
The Monarchs, who have lost eight in a row hit the road for game two of six games in the next 12 days when they travel to Atlanta to play Georgia State Saturday at 2 p.m.