The Towson men’s basketball program has acquired its third Big East transfer to play in the upcoming 2012-2013 season.

Bilal Dixon, a 6-foot-9-inch, 245-pound transfer from Providence College, joins the Tigers after playing in 31 games for the Friars in 2011-2012.

He averaged 4.3 points, 4.1 rebounds and just over one block in an average of 15.7 minutes a game.

Dixon is a one-year transfer and will be eligible to play next season as a senior.

His expected role is to replace current senior Robert Nwankwo in the five spot. Nwankwo averaged a double-double on the season with 2.4 blocks a contest.

“He is a veteran that is excited about the chance to come in and have an immediate impact and be a leader for some of our younger guys in our program,” Towson Head Coach Pat Skerry said. “He wants to come in, and win, and play a lot and be counted on. That’s my expectations.”

Dixon started in just seven games last season after consistently being in the starting lineup in the 2009-2010 and 2010-2011 seasons.

He was named to the Big East All-Freshman team in 2010, where he scored 8.2 points a game and reeled in 6.8 boards a game.

Skerry was an assistant coach at Rhode Island when he began scouting Dixon, and coached him in 2010 when he was an assistant at Providence.

Skerry said that Dixon has shown the ability to have big games against big teams.

“In his freshman year, which was the last year that I was there, he was an all-rookie team guy. He had like 18 rebounds against Seton Hall and doubles-doubles against Syracuse, Georgetown, all post-season teams,” Skerry said. “That was the best year in the history of the Big East.”

In addition to Mike Burwell (South Florida) and Jerrelle Benimon (Georgetown), Skerry said he is excited to gain the experience and skill of three Big East transfers that will help lead the Tigers on the floor next season, after a season of in-experience and growth.

“They are all experienced and that helps us,” he said. “Mike and Jerrelle have had great sit-out years and they have really gotten better. We’re excited to get those guys on the floor.”

With the additions of four transfers (Burwell, Benimon, Rafriel Guthrie and Dixon), five freshmen (Barrington Alston, Frank Mason, Timajh Parker-Rivera, Jerome Hairston and Marquis Marshall), the Tigers will have 13 scholarships filled and have most likely completed the assembly of the 2012-2013 squad.

“I’m happy about the way the spring is going for all of our guys that are returning. They have all gotten remarkably better,” Skerry said.