BALTIMORE – UMBC women's basketball concludes a three-game road trip and looks to snap a two-game skid when it travels to Richmond, Va., on Wednesday, Dec. 5 to take on VCU. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. at the Verizon Wireless Arena.
SCOUTING THE RETRIEVERS (3-5): UMBC has dropped four of its last five games, including two on the road last week. The Retrievers fell 57-85 at American on Tuesday, before a 46-93 defeat at the hands of mid-major powerhouse Princeton on Sunday. The black and gold shot a combined 34.7 percent from the floor in the two games and turned the ball over 43 times, while its opponents shot 49.3 percent from the field - 40.0 percent from three-point range (22-for-55) - and surrendered the ball 30 times. Senior guards Brittany Crowell and Raven Harris averaged double-digits during the week with 12.0 and 10.5 point per game, respectively. Harris scored 11 points and dished out a season-best five assists in her return to Bender Arena - her first appearance against her former team since transferring to UMBC after her sophomore season. Crowell poured in a game-high 15 points against the Tigers, shooting 4-for-7 from beyond the arc in the second half, and finishing with a career-high five steals after appearing in all 40 minutes of action.
Chase, who failed to score double-digit points in back-to-back games for the first time this season, is leading the team with 13.0 points - on 41.8 percent shooting from the floor and a perfect 5-for-5 from beyond the arc - and 4.25 assists per game. Crowell is pulling down a team-best 6.0 rebounds and is adding 11.6 points per game. Harris ranks 18th in the nation in steals per game (3.75) and is adding 10.6 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.75 assists. White is contributing 11.4 points per game in her first season with the Retrievers.
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 RAMS (3-4): VCU has won three of its last four contests after a 1-1 week. The Rams fell to Cleveland State 57-68 on Wednesday and wrapped up its three-game road trip with a 86-57 victory against Florida A&M. VCU had three scorers in double-digits against the Vikings in junior forward Shekinah Henry, junior forward Robyn Parks and freshman guard Jessica Pellechio, but got just eight points from the remainder of the team. A season-high 10 different Rams scored in their victory against the Lady Rattlers, including three players off the bench. Parks led with a team-best 19 points, while Henry pulled down a career-high 14 boards.
Parks is nearly averaging a double-double on the year with 19.3 points per game and 9.0 rebounds. Pellechio is leading the nation in three-point field goals made per game (3.71) and is shooting .351 from beyond the arc this season. The rookie is chipping in 14.0 points per game and is second on the team in steals (15) and assists (15). Henry is shooting at a .575 clip from the floor and is averaging 8.0 rebounds and 7.0 points per contest.
ON THE HORIZON FOR THE RETRIEVERS: After closing out a three-game road trip the Retrievers return home on Friday, Dec. 7 to take on Hampton prior to breaking for final exams. After a 13-day hiatus, the Retrievers travel to UMES on Dec. 21 before breaking for the holidays. UMBC will conclude its non-conference schedule at the Hawk Classic where the Retrievers will battle Wagner (Dec. 28) and face either Fairfield or host St. Joseph's on Dec. 29.
