BALTIMORE – The UMBC women's basketball team looks to build momentum off a 78-40 win against Eastern on Sunday when it travels for the first time since the season-opener on Nov. 9. The Retrievers make the trip to Washington, D.C. to take on American on Tuesday, Nov. 27. Tip is set for 7 p.m. at Bender Arena.
SCOUTING THE RETRIEVERS: UMBC snapped a two-game skid with a 78-40 victory on Sunday afternoon against Eastern. The Retrievers, who were shooting .321 from the floor in the two previous games, shot 40.7 percent from the field and produced three players with double-digit points. Sophomore guard Bria White notched a team-best 16 points off the bench, while senior guardBrittany Crowell was one rebound shy of her second-career double-double, chipping in 12 points and pulling down nine rebounds. Sophomore guard Lauren Chase and senior guard Raven Harris sprinkled the stat sheet. Chase finished with 13 points, six rebounds, five steals and four assists, while Harris added eight points, eight rebounds, five steals and four assists.
UMBC has used three different starting lineups in six games this season. The Retrievers have four players averaging in double-figure points, led by the reigning America East Rookie of the Year Lauren Chase's 15.2 points per game. Bria White followed up her first 20-point effort with a game-high 16 points against Eastern. Crowell is chipping in 11.5 points and pulling down a team-best 7.2 rebounds per game. Harris is adding 10.7 points, 5.0 rebounds and a conference-best 4.0 steals per game.
Head coach Phil Stern is in his 11th season at the helm of the Retrievers' program, after leading the black and gold to their second America East Championship game appearance last season. Following the graduation of 59.5 percent of the conference's highest scoring offense in 2011-12, UMBC (34 votes) was tabbed to finish sixth in the league behind Albany (61), Boston University (56), Hartford (54), New Hampshire (37) and Vermont (37).
SCOUTING THE EAGLES: After four straight road games, American welcomes an opponent to the Bender Arena for the first time this season. The Eagles dropped three in a row before picking up their first victory of the season in a 69-68 victory at Elon on Saturday. Sophomore forward Arron Zimmerman drew a foul on the game-tying basket with 13.8 seconds left in regulation and sunk the go-ahead free throw to give American the victory against the Phoenix. Sophomore guard Jen Dumiak poured in a game-high 17 points, while junior guard Alexis Dobbs added 16 points on four three-pointers and dished out six assists.
The Eagles are averaging 59.0 points per game and are getting outscored by 13.2 points. Dumiak has led American in scoring in three of the first four games, including a pair of 20-point contests to start the season. She is the only Eagle averaging in double-digit points, scoring a team-best 16.8 points per game. Dobbs, who is playing a team-high 33.2 minutes a game, is averaging a team-best 4.5 assists per contest, to go with 8.5 points and 2.8 rebounds. Senior center Stephanie Anya is leading American on the glass, picking up 4.3 boards per game.
ON THE HORIZON FOR THE RETRIEVERS: After five straight home games, the Retrievers hit the road for three straight games starting with American on Nov. 27. The Retrievers follow with meetings against Princeton (Dec. 2) and VCU (Dec. 5). UMBC returns home on Dec. 7 to take on Hampton before taking a break for finals. The Retrievers travel to UMES on the 21st before breaking for the holidays.
