Highland Heights, Ky. –Drew McDonald scored 21 points and Dantez Walton added 19 as host Northern Kentucky defeated UMBC, 78-60, at BB&T Arena.

Graduate student forward Joe Sherburne (Whitefish Bay, Wisc.) led the Retrievers with 18 points, hitting 8-of-10 field goal attempts. Sherburne moved into 14th place on UMBC's all-time scoring list, passing Jay Greene ('09), now with 1,197 points.

UMBC got off to a solid start on both ends of the court, taking leads of 9-0 and 13-2 after junior Arkel Lamar (Bridgeport, Conn.) hit a short-range jumper at the 14:17 mark. When Sherburne knocked down a jumper with 8:33 to play in the frame, the Retrievers led, 19-9.

But the Retrievers would only hit one more field goal and missed two free throws in the final 8:33 of the half. NKU scored 16 consecutive points to take a 25-19 lead, and, after a Sherburne field goal ended the 4:24 drought, the Norse tallied the final 14 points of the half to take a 39-21 advantage into the locker room.

Sophomore forward Brandon Horvath (West River, Md./Southern) scored 16 of his 17 points for the Retrievers in the second half, but UMBC could not slice into the deficit.

UMBC freshman guard R.J. Eytle-Rock (London, England) saw extensive time in the second half and contributed a season-high 6 points.

Last season's regular season Horizon League regular season champions are off to their best-ever start at 8-1. UMBC dropped its third straight and fell to 4-4 on the season.

UMBC returns to Baltimore and face local rival Coppin State on Monday, Dec. 3. Tip-off time on the Eagles' campus is set for 7:00 p.m.