Towson is back on the road Wednesday night when the Tigers square off with last year's CAA champ, VCU, in the Siegel Center where the Rams are 9-1 this season.

THE MATCHUP: It doesn't get any easier for the Tigers as they face Virginia Commonwealth in the Siegel Center where the Rams are 9-1 this season. This is the 17th meeting between the two schools with VCU in command, 15-1. It's been a mismatch for most of this series, or until just recently. The Rams are averaging 79.1 ppg against the Tigers who are scoring at a 62.6 rate in the series. In 2004 VCU thumped the Tigers 101-76. The Rams welcomed Towson into the CAA on Dec. 5, 2001 by handing the Tigers a 91-68 loss in their very first league contest. VCU rattled off 10 straight wins before the Tigers slapped the Rams with their only loss in the first 13 meetings, winning 59-57 in the Towson Center four years ago. Since their win the Tigers have been able to make it more difficult for VCU to claim its victory, cutting in half the Rams' average winning margin.  The Rams won last year's contest 78-71 behind Eric Maynor's 27 points. Maynor is now plying his trade with the NBA's Oklahoma Thunder.

UPDATING TOWSON: George Mason grabbed the early lead and held it for all but 24 seconds of the contest in handing the Tigers an 80-71 loss in the Towson Center.  Cam Long scored a team high 21 points, including a pair of decisive 3-point baskets in the final 3:33, as the Patriots took advantage of an under-manned Towson squad. With two starters (guard Brian Morris, forward Robert Nwankwo) on the bench with injuries, the Tigers dressed 8 able-bodies players. The final score matched the Patriots' largest lead. Although GMU led for most of the game, the Patriots' lead was never comfortable. With 3:57 remaining, Calvin Lee capped off a 9-0 run by the Tigers when he hit an eight-foot turnaround jumper to give Towson a 66-65 lead, its first, and only, of  the game. Moments later, Long nailed a 3-point basket to give GMU a 68-66 advantage with 3:33 left. GMU never looked back. Jarrel Smith led the Tigers with a game high 23 points. Lee added 15 points and a career high 13 rebounds for a second "double double" of his career. RaShawn Polk had 14 points and a career high 7 rebounds.

CATCHING UP WITH VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH: The Rams dropped their third straight meeting to Northeastern with a 74-62 loss at Matthews Arena. It was the second time this season the Huskies had ended a 4-game winning streak for VCU. Larry Sanders registered his fifth double-double of the year with 22 points and 10 rebounds but it wasn't enough. He was the only Ram in double-figures. The Rams are 9-1 at home with their only loss a 62-57 setback to Northeastern on Jan. 4th. Among their wins in the Siegel Center this year is an 82-69 victory over Oklahoma. The Sooners are coached by former VCU skipper Jeff Capel. The Rams are under first year head coach Shaka Smart. Sanders is the leading scorer (15.9) in an offense that is the highest scoring in the CAA, averaging 75.4 points per game. The Rams are also the hottest team in the league at the free throw line at .724. Joey Rodriguez, who leads the CAA in assists (5.7) and assist to turnover ratio (2.5), is the second leading scorer with an 11.2 clip. Bradford Burgess is also in double figures with a 10.4 average.