Matthew Hazlett/ The Towerlight

January is a month the Tigers will want to forget.

Towson finished with a 2-5 record in the month, capping with a 76-61 loss to UNC-Wilmington on Sunday at the Towson Center.

Following what has been a pattern for most of the season, Towson (12-8, 3-6 Colonial Athletic Association)  was in the game throughout the first half.

The Tigers’ lead was given away with 4:12 before the half and was never regained.

Guard Abria Trice led UNC-Wilmington (13-7, 6-3 CAA) offensively with a game-high 20 points to go along with four rebounds. Trice also led the way in free-throw attempts and shots made, shooting 6-7 from the field and 7-8 from the line.

TU trailed by as many as 20 points in the latter stages of the game. They failed to stop the Seahawks’ superior guard play.

“Their guards were terrific,” Towson Head Coach Joe Mathews said. “They don’t have a weak spot at one, two or three. There’s no one that you can back off. They’ll shoot it, and all three can get to the hole. It’s pick your poison with them, and we weren’t able to stop it.”

The Tigers had three players in double figures. Forward Deree Fooks and guard Krystin Fields both scored 14 points, while guard Tanisha McTiller added 10 points.

Towson is continuing to search for ways to fill the void left by sophomore forward Nyree Williams, who is out for the season after breaking her hand Jan. 22 at Georgia State.

Junior Michelle Peebles started in Williams’ place against UNC-Wilmington and managed six points and four rebounds in just 12 minutes of playing time.

Williams’ absence has also forced Mathews to improvise in the low-post game.

“That’s just reflective of not having Nyree,” Mathews said. “You have to move people. Now Deree Fooks is playing almost permanently a post spot. Krystin Fields has now moved to a five spot, guarding bigger people. It’s not what she’s done all year. There’re things we have to get accustomed to quickly and figure out solutions for.”

The team’s leading scorer, Tanisha McTiller, struggled despite playing all 40 minutes. McTiller shot 3-12 from the field, with seven boards and five turnovers.

After starting the season 10-2 with the only losses coming to nationally-ranked Maryland and Connecticut, the new year’s struggles have rattled the team’s confidence.

Mathews said that is something his team can overcome.

“Confidence is built off of success,” Mathews said. “When you’re having [success] and you’re feeling really well about what you’re doing, it feels like nothing can go wrong. But when you’re struggling, it feels like nothing can go right. It’s just something we have to battle through. We have enough experienced players on this team to know how to weather that.”

Sunday’s loss marks the second in a row at the Towson Center after starting the season 7-0 on the home court.

The Tigers host Virginia Commonwealth at the Towson Center Thursday night.