BOSTON – It’s fair to say that this season hasn’t exactly gone the way Pat Kennedy drew it up. All coaches have high hopes for their team before the season began, and the seventh-year Towson mentor was no different. Even so, you could sense that it was warranted. You could tell he knew what was wrong with the teams he’s had in recent years at Towson – inconsistent lineups, inconsistent effort and defensive issues – and he had a sense that things would be different this time around.
Well, things have been a little different – but not at all for the better. After Wednesday night’s 82-78 loss at Northeastern, the Tigers are winless in 2011 and 0-14 in CAA play. They are 4-19 overall and have not won consecutive games all season long. Their scoring margin in CAA play is a little under 12 points per game, with half of their defeats being by double digits. They have been agonizingly close a few times, losing two one-possession games.
Kennedy was not available for comment after Wednesday’s game, and one can hardly blame him. The Tigers looked like they had a chance in this one, leading by six at halftime and shooting 52 percent from the field in the first half, including 5-9 from three-point range. They kept that up for some of the second half, but once the Huskies got some momentum and a couple of defensive stops, they were able to take over the game before holding the Tigers off late.
One major issue is that the team that took the court at Northeastern on Wednesday night bears little resemblance to the one the Tigers figured to have back in October. Robert Nwankwo, who was arguably the best defensive player in the conference last season, is academically ineligible for the season and redshirting as a result. Maryland transfer Braxton Dupree watched the game in street clothes due to turf toe, which took away one potential advantage they might have as the Huskies haven’t developed a big inside presence. But most stinging of all was the transfer of Troy Franklin in December, as he was their starting point guard and made the team go.
Kennedy knew this team needed to improve at the defensive end, and that hasn’t happened. He knew that the formula for success didn’t include being last in the CAA in field goal percentage defense, as happened last season. They also had the worst rebounding margin in the conference, and while they aren’t there now, they aren’t far from the bottom in that category, either.
If there was a positive observed on Wednesday night, it’s that the team is playing freely. Husky head coach Bill Coen sensed it as well, and it’s understandable. At this point, no one expects the Tigers to do anything except the players and coaches in the locker room, so there isn’t that weight on their shoulders. That helps, but thus far it hasn’t enabled the Tigers to get over the hump for a CAA win.
The Tigers have just one road game remaining, a trip to Delaware in two weeks. With three CAA games at home as well as a Bracketbusters date with Loyola (Md.), they have chances to avoid going winless in conference play and try to gain some traction before the CAA Tournament. But barring a miracle run in the CAA Tournament, it’s safe to say that this season won’t end up quite as Kennedy expected in just about any respect.
