BALTIMORE – UMBC women's basketball used a three-pointer from red-shirt junior Meghan Roxas (Ridgewood, N.J./Ridgewood) with 11 seconds left in regulation to force overtime in the Retrievers' season-opener against Columbia, but UMBC was unable to get off the game-tying bucket as time expired in overtime, falling to the Lions, 70-68, on Friday afternoon at the RAC Arena.

The Retrievers were led by 16 points, seven rebounds, three assists and two steals from junior guard Taylor McCarley (Bowie, Md./Academy of Holy Cross), while Stixz Wilson (Baltimore, Md./Seton Keough) chipped in 10 points and three steals in her debut. Juniors Pandora Wilson (Gaithersburg, Md./Academy of Holy Cross) and Chukwuma Chiamaka (Lagos, Nigeria/Eastern Arizona College) combined for 25 points and 21 rebounds off the bench, which included a double-double for Chiamaka in her UMBC debut.  

Despite trailing, 30-24, at the break, the Retrievers posted a 22-point third quarter to take a 46-44 lead into the fourth. UMBC shot their best in the third, knocking down seven of 15 shots (46.7 percent) and chipping in five offensive boards in the period.

UMBC was unable to contain Columbia's junior forward Tori Oliver in the fourth, allowing the Virginia, native to knock down five of her six shots in the period, finishing the quarter with 13 of the team's 17 points, including a layup with 25 seconds to go to put the Lions up four, 60-56. Stixz Wilson showed her speed by answering with a quick layup to bring the Retrievers back within two and Camille Zimmerman gave UMBC the window it needed by hitting just one of her two free throws with 17 seconds remaining, allowing Roxas' trey to tie up the contest.

Stixz Wilson gave UMBC it's only lead of overtime following a steal and ensuing layup with 56 seconds remaining, but Oliver, who had four of her game-high 23 points in the overtime, responded with a layup to take back the lead for good for the Lions. UMBC had two chances at the go-ahead bucket, but a missed layup from McCarley and a missed jumper following the offensive rebound from Pandora Wilson led to a pair of free throws for Zimmerman and the three-point advantage for Columbia.

UMBC junior guard Emily Russo (Woodbine, Md./Glenelg) drew a foul following an offensive rebound with four seconds to go in overtime. Russo hit the first with less than a second to go and intentionally missed the second to give the Retrievers a chance at the put back, but Chiamaka was unable to get off the shot following her seventh offensive rebound of the afternoon before time expired.

Oliver added eight rebounds to her 23 points, while Zimmerman chipped in 15 points, eight rebounds and four blocks. Sophomore guard Alexa Giuliano took 14 of the team's 33 three-pointers, finishing the day with five treys and 17 points.

On the Horizon for the Retrievers

-UMBC jumps right back into action on Sunday, Nov. 15, when the Retrievers host Penn in a 5 p.m. matchup at the RAC Arena.