Box Score BALTIMORE—UMBC guards Travis
King (New Haven, Conn./New Hyde Leadership/George
Washington) and Chris De La
Rosa (Washington Heights, N.Y./All Hallows/Siena) combined
for 38 points, but an anemic first-half offensive performance
spelled defeat for the Retrievers, as visiting American defeated
UMBC, 66-53, at the RAC Arena.
The 66 points allowed by UMBC was a season low and 18 points
below the team's defensive scoring average.
King led all scorers with 20 points, scoring 17 in the second
half. De La Rosa added 18 points and five assists in 38 minutes of
action.
American was led by Georgia transfer Troy Brewer, who scored 18
points, hitting 4 of 8 shots from behind the arc.
But UMBC had a dreadful stretch in the final 14 minutes of the
first half and dug a 19-point deficit at intermission. The
Retrievers could not take full advantage of a cold-shooting Eagles'
start, as the visitors misfired on 11 of their first 12 shots from
the floor. UMBC did build a 10-3 lead six minutes into the game,
but converted on just two field goals in the final 14 minutes of
the half and committed nine of ten first half turnovers in that
stretch. American would outscore UMBC, 32-6, and take a commanding
35-16 lead into halftime.
American extended the lead to as many as 23 points at 50-27 with
10:49 remaining, but UMBC dug in defensively and was sparked by the
starting backcourt duo of King and De La Rosa. When King stole the
ball from American's Vlad Moldoveanu and drove downcourt for a
layup and foul, UMBC had whittled the deficit to 56-47 with 1:28 to
play. But King missed the ensuing free throw and Eagle
post Stephen Lumpkins converted a three-point play inside 15
seconds later to snuff out the hopes of a Retriever rally.
After being outscored, 18-3 on second chance points by Towson on
Saturday, UMBC was oupointed, 10-3, in the same category against
the Eagles. American had a 38-27 rebounding edge and only three
Retrievers managed a single offensive rebound apiece.
UMBC travels to Morgan State for a 4:00 p.m. tilt on Saturday,
Dec. 18.
