Box score

BALTIMORE – UMBC sophomore forward Ashley Lambert (Fredericksburg, Va./Riverbend) tallied a team-high 11 points and seven rebounds, but it was not enough as the Retrievers scored a season-low 36 points and fell to defending Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference champion Hampton,81-36, Friday night at the RAC Arena.

UMBC (3-7, 0-0 AE) drops its fourth straight contest, while Hampton (7-3, 2-0 MEAC) won its third consecutive contest.

UMBC turned the ball over 13 times in the opening half and allowed Hampton to grab 17 offensive rebounds, helping the Lady Pirates to a 33-15 lead at the break. The Retrievers shot 25 percent (6-for-24) in the first stanza, while the Lady Pirates connected on 12-of-38 shots.

With the game tied 4-4, the Lady Pirates attacked the offensive glass and jumped out to a 14-4 advantage, behind a 10-0 run over a 2:28 span. Sophomore guard Bria White(Silver Spring, Md./Bethesda-Chevy Chase/Longwood) scored five straight points for the Retrievers, but Hampton responded with another run, scoring 12 of the next 14 points to take a 26-11 lead. UMBC would score two more times in the half and entered the break with an 18-point deficit.   

The black and gold looked revived early in the second half, keeping Hampton off the offensive boards and breaking the Lady Pirates defensive pressure, but the Retrievers failed to connect on offensive opportunities, allowing Hampton to build upon its lead.

The Lady Pirates, who connected on just one three-point field goal in the first half (1-of-12), drained four treys in the second half and shot 52.8 percent from the floor to help extend their lead.

UMBC turned the ball over 26 times, to a Hampton defense that is forcing 22.8 turnovers per game, leading to 30 points. The Lady Pirates also held a 26-10 advantage in second chance points.

Junior forward Alyssa Bennett notched a double-double, finishing with a game-high 20 points and 12 rebounds. Classmate Nicole Hamilton added 18 points and dished out nine assists.

The Retrievers take a two week hiatus for finals and return to action on Friday, Dec. 21, when they take on UMES. Tip-off is scheduled for 2 p.m. at the Hytche Athletic Center.

Dawg Notes:
-Hampton takes a 3-0 advantage in the all-time series against the Retrievers.
-UMBC dropped four straight for the first time since December of the 2009-10 season when it fell to Delaware, Coppin State, Loyola and West Virginia. 
-Freshman center Keri Kleist made her first start of the season.
-Sophomore forward Ashley Lambert scored 11 points, her second double-digit scoring game of her career.