Annapolis, Md. – The UMBC men's basketball team (2-4) shot a season-low 31 percent from the floor and fell at Navy (3-3), 73-58.

The Retrievers struggled throughout the game against the Navy zone defense and could not overcome a season-high 22-point halftime deficit.

UMBC was led by senior forward Chase Plummer (Plainfield, N.J./St. Patrick), who scored 11 points. Leading scorer, freshman guard Rodney Elliott (Baltimore, Md./John Carroll) fouled out in 20 minutes of action, scoring eight points.

The Retrievers committed 26 fouls and Navy converted 27 free throw attempts.   

UMBC showed the ill effects of a tough overtime loss to Loyola on Wednesday, as they were dominated throughout the first half by the host Mids. Smith, who entered play averaging 8.2 points per game, scored 11 points in the first 7:18 as Navy raced to a 17-6 advantage. Back-to-back treys by UMBC senior guard Quentin Jones (Baltimore, Md./Mount St. Joseph) and Elliott would slice the deficit to 19-13, but the Mids would finish the stanza on a 24-8 surge and take a prohibitive 43-21 lead into the break.

Navy hit 12-of-22 shots from the floor and 16-of-20 from the stripe in the first half, while UMBC struggled to an 8-of-28 performance from the field. The Retrievers, who had outrebounded their last two opponents by a combined 39 caroms, were outboarded, 21-13, in the first 20 minutes.

The Retrievers battled throughout the second half, but could not trim the deficit below 14 points, which occurred in the final minute of play.

Navy's Smith led all scorers with 15 points.

The loss snapped a three-game winning streak that UMBC had over Navy, although the two teams had not met since January of 2006.

UMBC returns to action on Tuesday, Nov. 27 when they travel across town to take on Towson.