Freshman Malik Garner
scored 10 points and added 8 rebounds in his home debut. |
BALTIMORE- UMBC senior guard Ryan
Cook (Laurel, Md./Pallotti) led a balanced effort with 14
points as the Retrievers got the home slate off to a good start
with a 70-52 victory over Eastern (Pa.) before 1,719 at the RAC
Arena.
The victory was the first for UMBC acting head coach Aki
Thomas. It came against his great friend Nate Stewart, who
shared the UMBC bench with Thomas from 2007-2011.
Junior center Brett
Roseboro (Quakertown, Pa./Quakertown) and freshman
forward Malik Garner (Philadelphia, Pa./Chestnut Hill
Academy) added 10 points apiece for UMBC, and Garner tied Cook for
team-high rebounding honors with eight.
Three Eagles scored nine points each- junior guard Ben Connor,
junior forward Jimmie Willis and freshman guard Malcolm Garrison.
Willis earned game-high rebounding honors with nine.
UMBC, which lost a narrow 80-75 decision at Penn on Friday,
evened its record at 1-1, while it was the first game of the season
for Eastern.
The Retrievers never trailed, although Eastern was within 10-9
seven minutes into the game. Sparked by a alley-oop thunderous dunk
by Roseboro, the hosts went on a 13-2 run and took control, 23-11,
with 7:35 to play in the stanza.
UMBC led, 34-22, at the break, but Eastern stayed within range
early in the second half, trailing just 41-31 at the 17:37 mark.
But the Retrievers turned Eastern over twice en route to a 9-0
surge and led, 50-31, with 14:49 to play.
UMBC's largest lead was at 23 points at 58-35 with 11:08
remaining.
Freshman guard Aaron
Morgan (Washington, Pa./Council Rock North) led the
Retrievers with 28 minutes played.
The Retrievers hit 14 of 28 shots in the first half, but tailed
off and finished at 43.9 percent (29-of-66) for the game. Eastern
converted 16-of-46 shots (34.8%), but hit nine more free throws
(17-9) than did the hosts.
UMBC faces cross-town rival Loyola (Md.) at Reitz Arena on
Wednesday. The tip-off time is 9:00 p.m. and the game will be
broadcast live by MASN.
