FEDORA

[PointGuard]

Game #17—Elon Phoenix (6-10, 1-4) might not have been expected to be much of a challenge, any road game presents problems. While we led most of the game, we also struggled the entire game. We somehow managed to gain a 34-30 halftime lead. We led the rest of the way, but not by much and eked out a 76-74 road win. [12-5, 4-2]

PF Kevin Holmes and PF/C Donyell Porter both scored 12, SG Copley Dwiggins and SG Dominick Collins each hit for 11, and C Donny Flint scored 8, grabbed 13 boards, and had 1 steal and 3 blocks.

The day after this game, Coach Aura was able to get back to Towson and work with our team in practice sessions. He made sure the guys knew it was time to dig deep and begin playing with passion.

[PointGuard]

Game #18—If we can beat the William & Mary Tribe (10-7, 5-1), we’ll move into a tie with them for 2nd place, a game behind Delaware. Even though he has to get back to help with his folks, Coach Aura was able to stay on so he lead the team for this game.

Our guys responded and we spurted to 10-0 and 13-1 leads. But the Tribe got back into the game and midway through the first half took a 27-25 lead. We fought back to take a 45-39 lead to the locker room. We simply refused to let William & Mary overtake us in the 2nd half and ground the Tribe down late in the half to come away with an 82-68 win. We knocked down 50% of our shots and held a 21-13 turnover advantage. [13-5, 5-2]

C Donny Flint had a big game with 21 points, 13 boards, 1 steal and 3 blocks. PF/C Donyell Porter scored 17, and PG Jon Spann hit for 9 points plus had 11 assists.

With Coach Aura departing again, that puts 1st Assistant Coach Haynes in charge again.

[PointGuard]

Game #19—Our trip to Philadelphia to take on the Drexel Dragons (7-11, 2-5) was successful. We pulled off a 76-71 victory by hitting 50% of our shots for the second straight game. The win catapulted us into a 3-way tie with Delaware and William & Marry for 1st place in the Colonial Athletic Association. [14-5, 6-2]

PF/C Donyell Porter poured in 26 points plus pulling down 5 rebounds. Drexel’s SF Aaron Dupay scored 21 points.

But the victory came ended up leaving a bitter taste in our mouths. C Donny Flint sustained an injury during the game that has been diagnosed as a torn ACL. Since he’s a senior that was his last collegiate game. This throws a huge monkey wrench in the works for our repeating as conference champs. We’re likely to take a big hit defensively and on the boards.

[PointGuard]

Game #20—Donyell Porter replaces Donny Flint as our starting center. We outshot the Northeastern Huskies (8-11, 5-3) 56% to 35% and took a 40-26 halftime lead. We continued to shoot extremely well in the 2nd half and continued to pull away, finishing with an 85-61 thrashing of the Huskies. The win kept us tied for 1st place in the CAA. [15-5, 7-2]

SG Copley Dwiggins came off the bench to score 15 points, while SG Dominick Collins and SF Mac McCaffery both scored 14 and C Donyell Porter had 9 points and 9 rebounds.

[PointGuard]

Donny Flint:

I’m totally bummed. To tear my ACL meant not only the end of my collegiate career, but also will keep me off the court for nearly a year. That means no chance to get drafted this year. I know it was a long-shot, but I’ve played pretty well all 3-1/2 seasons here at Towson. Averaged 12.7 ppg and 10.2 rpg plus 1.6 apg, 1.2 spg and 1.7 bpg. My bests for individual games were: 30 points, 19 rebounds, 5 assists, 7 steals, and 6 blocks. And while the CAA isn’t a strong conference, I was 1st Team All-Conference 3 years, Freshman of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, and Player of the Year. I figured I had on track to get another 1st Team All-Conference, and possibly repeat at Defensive Player of the Year and Player of the Year this season. It seems all that should have garnered some attention by pro scouts.

I also hit 41% of my 3’s so while my height doesn’t work to be a C in the pros, I figured I had a chance at PF. I imagine it would take some time in Development League, but I was willing to work hard to prove I could be an asset to a pro team. Hell, I’d even have been willing to play in Europe a year or two, figuring that would help me develop into NBA material. Now all of that is at best postponed, and possible lost all together depending on how well and how soon I mend and can rebuild my proficiency and endurance.

Now I’ll continue keeping together with the team, trying to encourage the guys. Since my future is in doubt, I know I better also focus on my studies.

[PointGuard]

Game #21—The lead shifted back and forth between us and James Madison Dukes (9-11, 3-6) throughout most of the 1st half, but we let them pull away late to gain a 44-38 halftime advantage. Our centers, Donyell Porter and Calvin Williams were each saddled with 3 fouls in the half. We kept within a few points throughout the 2nd half but could never gain the lead. With 2 minutes left we trailed 70-69. But the Dukes hit 4 3-pointers in the next 90 seconds and we fell to an 82-73 defeat. James Madison outshot us 52% to 39% and hit 10 of 17 three-pointers compared to our 4 for 15. The loss dropped us into a tie for 2nd place in the CAA. [15-6, 7-3]

SG Dominick Collins scored 18, C Donyell Porter hit for 14, and PF Kevin Holmes added 12. The Dukes’ SG Del Sowers poured in 20 points.

[PointGuard]

Game #22—It took us 5 minutes to get untracked, but we then pulled away from the Charleston Cougars (4-17, 1-9) to lead 40-27 at the half. We continued to stretch our lead throughout the entire 2nd half and came away with a 91-61 drubbing of the Cougars. We hit 54% of our shots. [16-6, 8-3]

SF Mac McCaffery and SG Dominick Porter both scored 13 points, PF Kevin Holmes had 10 points, 12 rebounds, and 3 steals, SG Copley Dwiggins scored 12, and SF Freddie Jackson hit for 10.

[PointGuard]

Game #23—We took on the Hofstra Pride (12-10, 7-4) on the road. And we picked up another road loss by the final score of 86-79. We led by 7 at the end of the first half but our defense was extremely porous in the 2nd half when we let the Pride score 54 points. [16-7, 8-4]

Our entire starting five scored in double figures: SF Mac MacCaffery-15, C Donyell Porter-13, PG Jon Spann-12, SG Dominick Collins-12, and PF Kevin Holmes-10. But Hofstra’s SG A.J. Wall and SF Travis Smith both scored 21 points.

[PointGuard]

Game #24—Coach Aura returned to lead the team in this game. We needed to win to stay a game behind William & Mary. A victory over the Delaware Fightin’ Blue Hens (15-8, 9-3) would move us back into a tie for 2nd place with Delaware. Our guys responded by scoring 56 points in the first half to give us a 14 point lead. In the locker room at the half, Coach Aura congratulated the team for their impressive offense. But then he challenged them to do an equal job on defense the remainder of the game. The team was able to tighten its defense in the 2nd half to cut Delaware into bits and achieve a 100-71 flogging of the Fightin’ Blue Hens. We totally out-played Delaware, hitting 52% of our shots, controlling the boards 38-27 and holding a 15-8 turnover advantage. [17-7, 9-4]

PF Kevin Holmes had a double-double with 20 points and 12 rebounds, C Donyell Porter scored 19, SF Mac MacCaffery dropped in 13 points, SG Dominick Collins hit for 12 points, and PG Jon Spann had 8 points and 12 assists.

[PointGuard]

Game #25—Needing a road win against the NC-Wilmington Seahawks (9-15, 5-8) since both William & Mary and Delaware won their games, we played well for 35 minutes. We took a 44-33 halftime lead and went ahead by as much as 21 points before letting the Seahawks close strongly to narrow the final margin to 74-67. Our primary advantage was that we out-shot NC-Wilmington 42% to 32%. We therefore remained in a tie with Delaware for 2nd place, each one game behind William & Mary. 1st Assistant Coach Haynes, back in charge of the team, said, “I was proud that our team was able to hold of the charge of the Seahawks late in the game. A win on the road is always tough to get, so they guys did a good job tonight.” [18-7, 10-4]

PG Jon Spann had 13 points, SG Dominick Collins and C Donyell Porter both scored 12 points, SG Copley Dwiggins hit for 11 points, and SF Mac MacCaffery added 10 points.

Game #26—The Elon Phoenix (10-15, 5-9) throttled us in the first half and put us in a 42-26 halftime hole. We turned the tables on the Phoenix in the 2nd half to pull even with them at the end of regulation time at 72-72. In the OT, our offense clicked as we opened a 10 point lead and settled for a 90-83 victory. The biggest difference in the game was that we made just 12 turnovers compared to 22 by Elon. TH win was big since both William & Mary and Delaware lost to move us into a tie for 1st place with William & Mary, a game ahead of Delaware. [19-7, 11-4]

C Donyell Porter lead our scoring with 17 points, followed by both PG Jon Spann and SG Dominick Collins who each had 15 points, and SF Mac MacCaffery with 13 points. Elon’s SF Charles Barnes hit for 22 points while C Del Garren had a double-double (11 points and 12 rebounds).