BALTIMORE – UMBC women's basketball looks to build off a 70-59 victory against Stony Brook when it continues its three-game homestand on Saturday against Boston University. Tip-off is set for 2 p.m. inside the RAC Arena and can be seen live on UMBCRetrievers.tv.
SCOUTING THE RETRIEVERS (6-13, 2-4 AE): UMBC snapped a three-game skid in front of a record crowd at the RAC Arena on Wednesday against Stony Brook. The Retrievers welcomed 2,905 to campus for the eighth annual Midday Madness, which was televised on ESPN3 for the second-straight season. The black and gold shot a season-best 48.1 percent from the floor and had four players finish in double-digit points for the first time this season en route to the 70-59 victory. Senior guard Brittany Crowell matched a career-high with 25 points - her team-best third 20-point effort of the season - and added eight rebounds in the winning effort. Classmate Raven Harris chipped in a little bit of everything, finishing with 17 points, seven assists, five rebounds and four steals.
Crowell and Harris are the only two players on the UMBC roster to start all 19 games this season. Crowell ranks second in the America East in points per game during conference play (15.8), and leads the Retrievers with 12.2 points per game on the season. Sophomore guard Bria White is adding 10.8 points, while Harris is contributing on all facets, averaging 10.2 points, 4.6 rebounds, 3.6 steals and 3.3 assists on the year.
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 TERRIERS (16-4, 6-1 AE): Boston ranks ninth in the latest Mid-Major Top-25, but the Terriers snapped a 13-game winning streak when they fell for the first time in conference play to Albany on Wednesday, 57-50. Senior guard Chantell Alford picked up her first double-double of the season, finishing with a game-high 17 points and 11 rebounds. Junior guard Danielle Callahan chipped in 11 points off the bench in the loss.
The Terriers have three players averaging in double-digit points, piloted by Alford, the reigning America East Player of the Week, who leads the conference in scoring with 17.1 points per game on the season. Junior forward Rashidat Agboola is adding 11.2 points and a conference-best 9.1 rebounds, while senior guard Mo Moran is chipping in 10.5 points and a league-best 6.1 assists.
ON THE HORIZON FOR THE RETRIEVERS: UMBC concludes a three-game homestand on Wednesday, Jan. 30 when it takes on Binghamton. The Retrievers start the second half of their conference schedule with a trip to Maine on Feb. 2 and a stop at Albany - the site of the America East Tournament - on Feb. 6.
