A three-star
recruit, Townes decided to start his college basketball career with the
Fairleigh Dickinson Knights, turning down offers from
Saint Peter's,
South Alabama,
Hartford, and
Charleston Southern. In his freshman season for the Knights, he averaged 9.1 points, 3.3 rebounds, 1.3 assists, and 1.6 steals per game. On December 29, 2015, against
Towson, he recorded 18 points, six rebounds, and five steals, all season-bests. He sat out in the
2016–17 season due to
National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) transfer rules. At the
2018 NCAA tournament, Townes helped Loyola, an 11-seed, make a
Cinderella run to the Final Four. In the team's Sweet 16 match-up with
Nevada, he made the game-clinching three-pointer with 6.3 seconds left in regulation. With his success in the tournament, he garnered national attention, being featured in the
New York Post and
Chicago Tribune. He was named
MVC Player of the Year. Townes averaged 15.3 points, 5.0 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.1 steals per game as Loyola won 20 games and earned a spot in the
National Invitation Tournament. ==Professional career==