Montego Bay, Jamaica-- UMBC men's basketball dropped the first game of the Jersey Mike's Jamaica Classic, 62-45 to Eastern Michigan on Friday afternoon. The Eagles used a big second-half push to pull away from the Retrievers. Senior guard K.J. Jackson (Missouri City, Texas) led the way with seven points.

The Retrievers fall to 4-2 on the year while the Eagles remain unbeaten at 5-0.

Jackson finished the day with seven points with Spasojevic and Kennedy each adding six. The Retrievers shot 40 percent from the field, but committed 26 turnovers that led to 25 points for the Eagles.

Noah Morgan Yeikson Montero each had double figures for the Eagles with 11 and 10 respectively. 

UMBC came out of the gates with four quick points from Dimitrije Spasojevic (Vrsac, Serbia) to take an early lead. Eastern Michigan responded with an 8-0 run of their own to take an 11-4 lead.

That run would end with a Keondre Kennedy (Atlanta, Ga.) driving layup to cut the deficit to just seven. That lead would shrink to just three after K.J. Jackson nailed a deep three with the shot clock winding down. However, the Eagles would have an answer with a 6-0 run to regain control of the lead as UMBC would go into the break down 26-22. 

Spasojevic led the way with six points in the opening 20 minutes, going a perfect 3-3 from the floor. Jackson and Jack Schwietz (Frisco, Texas) each added five points. UMBC had 13 turnovers that led to 11 Eastern Michigan points. 

UMBC would start the half with a three from Arkel Lamar (Bridgeport, Conn.), but once again the Eagles would have the answer. This time they would hold UMBC scoreless over a four-minute stretch, leading by as many as 18. That run would end with Darnell Rogers (Baltimore, Md./Indian Land (SC)/New Mexico JC) hitting a spinning layup to end the drought. 

The Retrievers would find their rhythm midway through, hitting five straight field goals, but the deficit would be too much to overcome, as the Eagles defeated the Retrievers 62-45 on Friday afternoon. 

UMBC will conclude the Jersey Mike's Jamaica Classic on Sunday, Nov. 24 when they take on Nicholls State. Tip-off is set for 9 p.m. on CBS Sports Network.