Loyola Maryland vs Towson prediction: Towson hunts second chances and free throws against undersized Loyola Maryland
Both Baltimore-area teams are rebuilt and winless, but Towson's size and trips to the line give it the clearest path to extra points on its home floor.
- Towson leans on offensive rebounds and free throws; Loyola has to win with assisted threes from a roster that returns under a third of its minutes.
- Towson's offensive glass against Loyola's smaller lineup, which grabbed 69.7% of Georgetown's misses in the opener.
- No line is posted yet. In openers Towson closed +13.5 at Santa Clara and failed to cover; Loyola closed +26.5 at Georgetown and covered.
Where the extra possessions are
Towson lost its opener at Santa Clara, but it rebounded 40.0% of its own misses. That offensive rebound rate ranks 77th among teams with a game played. It also fits the program: last season's Tigers ranked 24th nationally on the offensive glass.
Loyola's defensive rebounding at Georgetown landed in the middle of the pack, at 69.7% of opponents' misses. Size is the worry. Weighted by minutes, Towson's lineup averages 78.4 inches, while Loyola's averages 76.9.
The free-throw line widens the gap. Towson's free throw rate (free throw attempts per field goal attempt) was 44.4% in its opener, 84th nationally. Loyola's was 3.2%, dead last among teams that have played. If the Greyhounds again settle for jumpers and never draw contact, Towson gets the cheap points.
Loyola's three-point lifeline
Loyola took 44.4% of its shots from three at Georgetown. Last season's team ranked 32nd in three-point attempt rate, so the volume is a habit, not an accident. Inside the arc the Greyhounds made just 40.0% of their twos in the opener.
That shapes the matchup. Santa Clara launched 53.2% of its shots from deep against Towson and made 42.4% of them. Skerry's defense held opponents to 30.8% from three last season, 35th nationally, so the opener may be noise from a mostly new roster.
Loyola moved the ball well even while losing. It assisted on 70.8% of made baskets at Georgetown, 35th nationally, with Carter Berg-McLean handing out seven assists.
Two rebuilt rosters
Neither team looks like last season's version. Towson returns 25.7% of last season's minutes after Tyler Tejada left for Cincinnati and Dylan Williamson for Rhode Island. Pat Skerry, in his 15th season, brought in five transfers.
The headliner is Villanova transfer Zion Stanford, a preseason All-CAA second-team pick. He scored 15 in his debut but shot 28.6% from the field. Jaquan Womack matched his 15 points and added 12 rebounds.
Loyola returns 31.9% of its minutes under third-year coach Josh Loeffler. Braeden Speed is now at Florida Atlantic and Emmett Adair at George Mason. Junior college transfer Leo Ricketts led the opener with 10 points. Last season's team numbers are a weak guide for both sides.
Setting and the market
This is the opening round of the inaugural 410 Invitational, with Towson hosting. Both teams come in on 10 days of rest, and the winner plays for the title on Nov. 14.
Towson beat Loyola 67-56 in last season's opener. Preseason previews project Towson fourth in the CAA and Loyola ninth in the Patriot League.
Tempo is worth watching for the total once it posts. Towson played at 73.5 possessions per 40 minutes against Santa Clara, far faster than last season's 315th-ranked pace. Towson's opener went over its closing total, and Loyola's went under.
Key players
- Zion Stanford (Towson): Scored 15 in his debut on a 28% usage rate but shot 28.6% from the field.
- Jaquan Womack (Towson): Posted 15 points and 12 rebounds at Santa Clara, a big jump from his 4.1 rebounds per game last season.
- Ben Roseborough (Towson): Went 0 for 6 from three in the opener after shooting 41.1% from deep last season at San José State.
- Leo Ricketts (Loyola Maryland): Led Loyola with 10 points on a 71.4% effective field goal percentage at Georgetown.
- Sebastien Emenalo (Loyola Maryland): Carried a team-high 31.2% usage rate in the opener but made 1 of 7 threes.
- Carter Berg-McLean (Loyola Maryland): Handed out 7 assists in 28 minutes despite scoring just 2 points.
Numbers that matter
| Towson offensive rebound rate | 40.0% | Ranked 77th after the opener, and last season's Towson team ranked 24th on the offensive glass. |
|---|---|---|
| Loyola free throw rate | 3.2% | Last among Division I teams that have played, so Loyola is relying almost entirely on field goals. |
| Towson free throw rate | 44.4% | Ranked 84th, giving Towson a steady source of points against a Loyola team that rarely gets to the line. |
| Loyola 3-point attempt rate | 44.4% | Loyola's offense runs through threes, and Towson allowed 53.2% of Santa Clara's shots from deep. |
| Towson returning minutes | 25.7% | So little of last season's elite-ranked Towson defense is back that those numbers are a weak guide. |
Loyola Maryland vs Towson: quick answers
When is Loyola Maryland vs Towson?
Thursday, November 12, 2026 at 7:00 PM ET.