Baltimore, Md.-- UMBC men's basketball erased a double-digit deficit in the second half to take the lead late, but Saint Francis held on for a 63-60 win on Saturday. Sophomore L.J. Owens (Annapolis, Md./Severn School/William & Mary) netted 17 points and had a chance at the buzzer to tie it, but his attempt rimmed out. Both teams exchanged turns with the lead over the final five minutes.

UMBC falls to 5-5 on the year while the Red Flash improve to 5-4.

Owens led the Retrievers with 17 points, nine coming in the second half. Senior K.J. Jackson (Missouri City, Texas) was the only other Retriever in double figures with 11 points, all coming in the second half. Jackson added five assists in the loss.

Isaiah Blackmon led Saint Francis with 21 points. Keith Braxton and Tyler Stewart chipped in 17 and 11 for the Red Flash.

Saint Francis came into the second half with a ten-point lead and increased that scoring the first four points of the half. UMBC would respond cutting the deficit to just two thanks to a 6-0 run.

Both sides would struggle in the middle portion of the half, going scoreless for a four-minute stretch. Brandon Horvath (West River, Md./Southern) ended the drought with a lay-in that sparked a UMBC run.

That run would be capped with Owens drilled a three from the wing to give UMBC their first lead since the first minute of the game with eight to go. 

Both teams exchanged turns with the lead over the final three minutes of play. However, with the game tied after an Owens layup, SFU rattled off four straight at 60-56 with 52 seconds left. UMBC cut it to one with 16 seconds left, but the Red Flash would take a three-point lead with 10 seconds left.

UMBC had the final possession with a chance to tie it, but the three from Owens rattled out, giving Saint Francis a 63-60 win.

The Retrievers shot 38 percent from the floor after shooting near 50 percent in the second half. UMBC outrebounded the Red Flash 35-32 and assisted on 15 of their 20 made shots.

The Red Flash took the lead early in the half, scoring six straight points after UMBC started the game with a free throw. From there, Saint Francis used an 8-0 run to take a double-digit lead forcing a UMBC timeout.

That run would extend to 13-2 before Keondre Kennedy (Atlanta, Ga.) hit a three to end the spurt. That ignited the Retriever offense who went on an 8-2 run to cut the deficit to seven. On the run, Brandon Horvath hit a tough layup in the paint with Kennedy and L.J. Owens drilling three's.

UMBC would outscore the Red Flash 11-5 over an 11-minute stretch to pull within two, but a late 8-0 run from Saint Francis gave them a 34-24 lead at the break.

Owens led the Retrievers with eight points in the first half with Horvath adding seven.

The Retrievers return to action on Tuesday when they head up I-695 to take on local-rival Towson. Tip-off with the Tigers is set for 7 p.m.