Towson Men’s Basketball Set to Face George Mason in Battle in Baltimore at CFG Bank Arena
BALTIMORE — Towson men’s basketball is heading back downtown for another marquee game in Baltimore.
The Tigers will participate in the 2026 Battle in Baltimore on Dec. 19 at CFG Bank Arena, where Towson will face George Mason in the opening game of a college basketball doubleheader. Maryland and South Carolina will meet in the second game.
The matchup gives Towson another opportunity to play on one of the biggest basketball stages in the state while adding a strong Atlantic 10 opponent to an already challenging 2026-27 non-conference schedule.
It will also mark the second straight season Towson has played in downtown Baltimore.
Last year, the Tigers opened the season at CFG Bank Arena against Loyola in the Hall of Fame Classic and earned a 67-59 victory.
Another Showcase Opportunity for Towson
Head coach Pat Skerry made it clear that Towson sees the Battle in Baltimore as more than just another non-conference game.
Skerry praised George Mason as a program capable of competing for an Atlantic 10 championship and called CFG Bank Arena a tremendous venue for college basketball.
That makes the Dec. 19 game an important opportunity for a Towson program that has established itself as one of the most consistent teams in the Coastal Athletic Association.
The Tigers reached the CAA Tournament semifinals for the fifth consecutive season in 2025-26. Towson returns Jaquan Womack, Chike Ndefo, Jon Barton, Brandon Holmes, Caleb Embeya and Ryan Skerry from that team.
That continuity could be valuable as Towson works through a demanding early-season schedule.
George Mason Will Provide a Strong Test
The Patriots should provide Towson with a legitimate measuring-stick game.
George Mason finished the 2025-26 season 23-10 overall and 11-7 in Atlantic 10 play, finishing fifth in the conference. The Patriots also ended their regular season with a victory over a ranked Saint Louis team that later advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
George Mason has won 70 games over the past three seasons under head coach Tony Skinn and has posted a top-100 NET ranking in each of those seasons.
Towson and George Mason also have plenty of history.
The programs were once CAA rivals and have met 44 times. George Mason owns a 33-11 advantage in the all-time series, but the schools have not played since the 2020-21 season. Their Dec. 19 matchup will be the first neutral-site meeting between the programs since the 2009 CAA Tournament in Richmond.
Towson Building a Strong Non-Conference Schedule
The Battle in Baltimore is only one piece of what has become an interesting non-conference schedule for Towson.
The Tigers will open the season with road games against Santa Clara on Nov. 2 and Big 12 opponent Utah on Nov. 5. Santa Clara reached the 2026 NCAA Tournament. Towson then opens its home schedule Nov. 9 against another 2026 NCAA Tournament participant in LIU.
Towson will also participate in the inaugural 410 Invitational, a new event featuring Baltimore-area Division I programs Towson, Loyola, UMBC and Morgan State.
The Tigers will host Loyola at SECU Arena on Nov. 12 before facing either UMBC or Morgan State two days later. Towson has gone 28-2 in its past 30 games against Baltimore-area Division I programs.
That means Towson will have multiple opportunities this season to establish itself as one of the premier college basketball programs in the Baltimore region.
Baltimore Basketball Gets Another Big Event
The Battle in Baltimore also represents another positive development for college basketball in the city.
CFG Bank Arena will host two games involving four recognizable regional programs.
Towson will face George Mason in the first matchup before Maryland plays South Carolina in the second.
For Towson, it gives the Tigers another opportunity to play in front of Baltimore-area fans without leaving the region while also competing in an NBA-sized arena.
The event comes only weeks after Towson participates in the 410 Invitational, giving Baltimore basketball fans multiple opportunities to watch local Division I programs compete against each other and against strong regional opponents.
MSB Take
This is exactly the type of game Towson should continue scheduling.
The Tigers have developed into one of the most consistent programs in the CAA, but games against strong programs outside the conference are where Towson can build a broader reputation.
George Mason is not an easy opponent.
The Patriots won 23 games last season, have been consistently competitive in the Atlantic 10 and have put together three straight strong seasons under Tony Skinn.
That is what makes this matchup valuable.
Towson has reached five straight CAA Tournament semifinals. The next step is turning that consistency into a conference championship and an NCAA Tournament appearance.
Playing teams such as George Mason, Santa Clara and Utah gives Towson opportunities to learn where it stands before conference play begins.
There is also something bigger happening here for Baltimore basketball.
Between the Battle in Baltimore and the new 410 Invitational, Towson is becoming increasingly visible in major basketball events around the city.
That matters.
Towson does not need to travel hundreds of miles to find high-level games and increased exposure. There are plenty of quality programs around Maryland, Washington and the Mid-Atlantic region.
Putting Towson in CFG Bank Arena alongside Maryland, South Carolina and George Mason puts the Tigers on a bigger stage and gives Baltimore basketball fans another reason to pay attention.
If Towson wants to take another step as a program, games like this are exactly where the Tigers should be.
Looking Ahead
Towson begins its 2026-27 season Nov. 2 at Santa Clara before traveling to Utah.
The Battle in Baltimore matchup against George Mason is scheduled for Dec. 19 at CFG Bank Arena.
After the non-conference schedule concludes, Towson begins CAA play Jan. 2 at Campbell before hosting defending conference champion Hofstra on Jan. 7.
