, Md. – UMBC will be looking to break a two-game losing streak and capture its first win in the America East Conference on Thursday night at Vermont. Head Coach Phil Stern will be coaching his 100th game at the helm of UMBC as game time is set for 7 p.m. Fans can follow the action online by going to Vermont's radio broadcast at http://www.SportsJuice.com or by following live stats link in the schedule section.
RETRIEVER UPDATE: UMBC for the first time this season lost consecutive games as they fell to Boston University, 75-57, last Saturday night. UMBC shot below 40.0 percent from the field for the first time all season and sent the Terriers to the foul line 33 times. The Retrievers' biggest bright spot in the game was Matea Pender, who scored a season-high 24 points on 10-of-20 shooting from the field. Pender hit four three-point baskets en route to her third consecutive 20-plus point night. Pender has seven straight double-figure games and double digits in 12-of-13 games on the season. Pender leads three Retrievers in double digits, averaging 16.2 ppg. Brittnie Hughes is averaging 11.3 ppg and Amanda Robinson 10.2 ppg. Sharri Rohde leads the team at 5.2 rpg.
CATAMOUNT UPDATE: Vermont is looking to break a two-game losing streak, both conference games. The Catamounts, who are 8-4 on the season and 0-2 in America East play, led in each of their last two games at halftime, but were unable to hold their leads as they fell to Hartford, 62-56, and Binghamton, 67-57. Alexis Castro last week averaged 16.2 ppg and on the year and is averaging 15.2 ppg to lead UVM. Brittney Cross ranks second on the team at 11.1 ppg. Castro leads the team on the boards at 6.8 rpg.
Who's Up Next: UMBC is in the midst of three-straight conference games on the road, taking on defending champion Hartford on Saturday at 2 p.m.
RETRIEVER GAMEDAY
Game Notes: Game Notes: UMBC against Vermont is the Retrievers 14th game of the season, third in the America East Conference and eighth on the road. The game marks the fifth all-time meeting between the two programs with Vermont holding a 3-1 all-time advantage. UMBC defeated Vermont to win its first America East Conference game in 2004 but has lost the last three games to the Catamounts, including the being swept in the season series last year. Sharri Rohde has been the most productive Retriever against Vermont, averaging 9.0 ppg in four games while Brittnie Hughes last year dropped a season-high 15 points on the Catamounts. The game will feature UMBC's three-point shooting that averages 6.77 treys per game against Vermont's three-point defense that is holding opponents to 29.7 percent from outside the arc.
RETRIEVER QUICK SHOTS
- Senior Matea Pender has shown her ability to score all season long, recording double figures in 12 of the Retrievers' 13 games this season. Pender has recorded 20-plus points four times this season and in the last three games. Pender scored a season-high 24 points in UMBC's last outing. Pender's lowest output of the year was nine points against Longwood. Pender for her career has 40 career double figure games and currently has a streak of seven consecutive double figure games. Over the last three games Pender is averaging 21.3 ppg and 7.0 rpg.
- Senior Matea Pender, who last year led the nation in three-point field goal percentage for the majority of the year and finished the year third in the country at 48.3 percent, has climbed into the nations standing to a 15th ranking as of game through Jan. 9, 2006. Pender currently is averaging 47.9 percent from outside the arc, making 34-of-71 three-point field goals. Of Pender's total field goals, 45.3 percent come from outside the arc.
- UMBC, who went through a stretch of four games with no more than five team three-point baskets, has been finding the bottom of the twine the last seven games, recording at least seven team treys per game. UMBC hit a season high 10 three-point baskets against IPFW and on the season is averaging 6.77 treys per game, first in the America East Conference.
- UMBC in the last released NCAA statistics as of games through Jan. 9, 2006, ranked fifth in the nation with 18.9 apg and 31st in three-point field goals made at 6.8 per game. The NCAA Statistics are released every Tuesday afternoon.
- Head coach Phil Stern will be coaching in in 100th game at UMBC on Thursday night against Vermont.
- UMBC against Vermont is the first of three straight road conference games and is the middle of four out of five road games to start league play and part of an eight of nine road game stretch. UMBC between Dec. 10 and Jan. 25 will have played eight games away from home, compared to one home game.
News and Notes...
Lending a helping hand...UMBC leads the America East Conference for the second consecutive season in assists per game and ranks fifth in the NCAA Statistics through games Jan. 9, 2006. The Retrievers to date have recorded 18.9 apg. UMBC has six games with 20-plus assists this season, including 26 against Fairleigh Dickinson as the Retrievers came one assist away from their single-season mark of 27, set in 1985 against Shippensburg. Brittnie Hughes dished out a career-high 10 assists against Lafayette and is averaging 5.08 apg through 13 games this season. The junior point guard led UMBC with 99 assists on the year last season and ranked among the conference leaders in the category.
Pender Reaches All-Time Top-20 Scoring Chart...Senior Matea Pender joined UMBC's all-time top-20 chart for points scored after recording 13 points against IPFW. Pender currently has 828 career points, 17th all-time. The last time UMBC had an active member on the top-20 scoring list was during the 2002-03 season. Pender is currently on pace to reach 1,000 career points and become the 15th Retriever to ever break the 1,000 point plateau.
Pender Becomes Fifth Retriever To Reach 100 Treys For Her Career...Senior Matea Pender recorded five treys against Drexel to become the fifth player in UMBC history to reach 100 career three-point baskets. Pender needs 11 treys to reach fourth on UMBC's all-time three-point baskets made chart.
Rohde's Start Streak...Junior Sharri Rohde extended her streak to 69 consecutive starts and has not missed a start in her entire collegiate career, starting all 28 games as a freshman and sophomore and every one this year.
Rohde Moving Up Assists and Blocks All-Time Charts...Junior Sharri Rohde, who is UMBC's active leader in assists, blocks and steals, is moving up the Retrievers all-time charts in the assist and blocks category. Rohde currently has 197 career assists, 11th all-time and 53 career blocks, ranking 11th all-time.
Hughes Joins All-Time Assists Chart...Junior Brittnie Hughes recorded three assists against Boston U. to joing UMBC's all-time top-15 for career assists. The Retriever point guard currently has 167 career assists, ranking tied for 15th all-time.
Indiana Trio Make Most Of Trip To Hoosier State...UMBC's Indiana girls put on a show in front of some family and friends against IPFW and Butler. The Indiana trio combined for 31 points against IPFW. Kristin Drabyn scored a career-high 14 points, all in the second half. Sharri Rohde tallied 10 points while Heather Luttrell dropped seven points in the game. The trio shot a combined 63.1 percent from the field, making 12-of-19 shots. Against Butler, Rohde tallied a career-high 11 rebounds while Drabyn finished with her second double-digit performance, scoring 10 points.
Hughes Earns America East Conference Co-Player of the Week (12-4-05)...Brittnie Hughes was named America East Conference Co-Player of the Week for the week ending Dec. 4, 2005. Hughes led UMBC to back-to-back wins as the junior point guard averaged 18.0 ppg and 6.5 apg in two contests. Hughes opened the week at American, scoring a career-high 19 points with nine assists and a 9-of-9 performance at the free throw line.
Hughes Named To Second All-Tournament Team...When it comes to tournaments, UMBC junior point guard Brittnie Hughes has stepped up to the challenge, earning a spot on both all-tournament teams this season. Hughes won a spot on the Retriever Tip-Off Tournament team after leading the Retrievers to the title. At South Florida, Hughes averaged 15.5 ppg and 4.25 apg to lead the Retrievers to a 1-1 mark. Last year Hughes was named to the 2004 Retriever Tip-Off Tournament team.
Block Party...Amanda Robinson's six blocks against Morgan State tied Eunice French for the most blocks recorded in a single game by a Retriever. Robinson had three blocks in the first five minutes against Morgan State. UMBC as a team blocked nine shots against Morgan State, Robinson's six, Nicole Dixon recording two and Mackenzie Butler one.
Pender Named MVP Of Retriever Tip-Off Tournament....Senior Matea Pender was named Retriever Tip-Off Tournament Most Valuable Player after averaging 14.5 ppg in the two games. Pender shot .500 from outside the arc, making 5-for-10 while shooting 47.6 percent from the field on 10-of-21. Pender added 10 rebounds, four assists and two steals in the two-day event.
Hitting the Airwaves...UMBC will hit the airwaves with six games broadcasted live on WLG-1370 AM, all home games and some away games via www.umbcretrievers.com and a televised game against Vermont on Feb. 12 at RAC Arena. All WLG broadcast games will also run live via the website for fans outside the broadcasting network. UMBC will also broadcast live stats via the web for all home games at RAC Arena.
UMBC Captures Tip-Off Tournament Title...UMBC for the first time in the three-year history of the Retriever Tip-Off Tournament captured the title, defeating Morgan State, 72-50, in the opening round to advance the championship game against Fairleigh Dickinson. UMBC went on to beat FDU, 76-58, to win the title as Matea Pender earned tournament most valuable player honors and Brittnie Hughes made the all-tournament team.
Retrievers Picked Ninth In Preseason Conference Poll...The UMBC women's basketball team was picked to finish ninth in the America East Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll. Hartford was the league's pick to win the conference after taking the league tournament title last year. Boston U. and Maine were selected to tie for second.
America East Tournament Returns To Hartford...For the third consecutive season the America East Conference Championships will return to Chase Arena at the Reich Family Pavilion on the campus of the University of Hartford. Hartford has hosted the conference tournament the past two seasons, including winning the league tournament last season.
UMBC Adds Two Non-Conference Games In 2005-06...With Northeastern having moved to the Colonial Athletic Conference, UMBC will play two less conference games and added two non-conference games to the 2005-06 schedule. UMBC will play 16 conference games, eight home and eight away, and face 11 non-conference opponents, leading up to the America East Tournament.
International Students...UMBC has developed a reputation for having international students on its roster, including two in 2005-06. UMBC has graduated two international students the last two years and will graduate senior Matea Pender at the conclusion of the upcoming season.
UMBC Inks Two for 2006-07...UMBC head women's basketball coach Phil Stern announced the signings of two student-athletes to National Letters of Intent to attend UMBC for the 2006-07 academic year. Carlee Cassidy (Syracuse, N.Y./Westhill) and Leanne Crockett (Manchester, Conn./Manchester) are both slated to become freshman at UMBC in the fall of 2006.
