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Towson, Jerrelle Benimon off to hot start in CAA play

Jerrelle Benimon, Nate Lubick

Towson forward Jerrelle Benimon, right, is fouled by Georgetown forward Nate Lubick (34) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Saturday, Dec. 8, 2012, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

AP

If you are a Georgetown fan, please, stop reading this now.

Just turn off your laptop and put away your iPhone. Trust me on this. Because after watching your Hoyas struggle to score 50 points for what seems like the 10th consecutive game in a 73-45 loss at home to Pitt, you probably don’t want to know that a former Hoya is well on his way to winning the CAA Player of the Year award.

That would be Jerrelle Benimon.

After going for 26 points, 12 boards, seven blocks, three assists and three steals in a double-overtime win over William & Mary last night, Benimon is now averaging 17.1 points, 11.7 boards and 2.3 blocks. He’s got 10 double-doubles on the season now.

But more importantly, he’s put Towson back on the map. The Tigers won just a single game last year. Seriously. One win. They were the worst team in Division I basketball. And while their rise this year has to do with Pat Skerry’s crop of transfers and incoming freshmen, it’s still as big of an improvement as you will find this season. The Tigers are now 3-0 in the CAA and sitting in first place in the conference. They’ve won four straight games, the first time that has happened for the program since 2000. They went into Corvallis and knocked off Oregon State.

Much of that improvement can be placed on the shoulders of Benimon.

You have to wonder.

How much would Benimon’s scoring ability have helped the Big East’s ugliest offensive this season?

You know what? For the sake of the good folks on the Hilltop, don’t answer that.

You can find Rob on twitter @RobDauster.