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Baltimore, Md.-- After 260 days, UMBC men's basketball returns to action, kicking off the 2020-21 season at Georgetown on Wednesday afternoon. The Retrievers return eight players from last year's team that made their third straight appearance in the America East Semifinals and finished the year at 16-17, 8-8 AE. The shortened 2020-21 season will feature just six non-conference contests, with America East games being played on back-to-back days against the same opponent on weekends.
Georgetown Game Info:
What: UMBC Retrievers (0-0) at Georgetown Hoyas (0-0)
Where: McDonough Arena - Washington, D.C.
When: Wednesday, Nov. 25 - 4 p.m.
How to Watch: Live stream on FS1 and FoxSportsGo, live stats at GUHoyas.com
Social Media: @UMBC_MBB, @UMBCAthletics, #RetrieverNation, #AEHoops
Scouting the Retrievers:
-UMBC comes into their 35th season of Division I hoops after a 16-17, 8-8 AE season in 2019-20. The Retrievers earned the four seed in the America East Tournament and reached the semifinals for the third straight season. UMBC will have to replace K.J. Jackson who led the team in scoring and assists, but eight returners and seven strong newcomers have the Retrievers poised to make a run toward another America East title.
-Senior guard Darnell Rogers (Baltimore, Md./Indian Land (SC)/New Mexico JC) returns after a season-ending leg injury derailed his strong start last year. The 5-2 guard averaged 14.0 ppg in just seven games shooting over 40 percent from the field and three. Classmates Daniel Akin (London, England) and Brandon Horvath (West River, Md./Southern) return for their fourth seasons as the last two holdovers from the 2018 championship team. Akin averaged 5.6 ppg and 5.0 rpg playing in all but one game last year. Horvath had a breakout season with 11.0 ppg and a team-best 6.7 rpg.
-Juniors L.J. Owens (Annapolis, Md./Severn School/William & Mary) and R.J. Eytle-Rock (London, England) along with senior Dimitrije Spasojevic (Vrsac, Serbia) will help bolster the Retriever lineup, all of who averaged over 8.0 ppg with Eytle-Rock dropping 11.2 per game.
Scouting the Hoyas:
-Georgetown heads into the new season with a new look lineup after going 15-17, 5-13 BIG EAST last year, losing to St. John's in the first round of the Big East Tournament. They will be without star Mac McClung who transferred this offseason to Texas Tech. Head coach Patrick Ewing enters his fourth season at the helm of his alma mater with a record of 49-46.
-The Hoyas were picked to finish last in the Big East preseason poll and will rely on seniors Jahvon Blair and Jamorko Pickett who averaged double digits last year. Blair chipped in 10.8 ppg with Pickett averaging 10.2. Georgetown loses their top four scorers including McClung and Omer Yurtseven who were both over 15.0 ppg.
All-Time Series:
-This will be the fourth meeting all-time between the Hoyas and Retrievers with Georgetown leading the series 3-0 including an 81-55 win last year in D.C. Last year's contest was the first between the schools since they played in the First Round of the NCAA Tournament in 2008.
Leader of the Pack:
-Head coach Ryan Odom is back for his fifth season at the helm of the Retrievers. Odom led the Dawgs to their third-straight America East Semifinal appearance, finishing fourth in the league at 8-8. He will be looking for his fourth 20-win season in five years and is the fourth winningest coach in program history. He is just four games behind Randy Monroe for third.
Welcome to Charm City:
-This year, seven newcomers will don the black and gold joining eight returning players from a team that saw two Retrievers leave due to graduation.
-Szymon Wojcik (Wroclaw, Poland/Warsaw Adult Secondary School/NW Florida State College) and Rico Quinton (Dyersburg, Tenn./Dyer County/Columbia State CC) come to Baltimore from junior colleges. Wojcik spent a year at Missouri State before playing at Northwest Florida State College last season. Quinton reunites with former teammate Dimitrije Spasojevic (Vrsac, Serbia), who were teammates at East Carolina two seasons ago.
-The Retrievers also add Jacob Boonyasith (Grand Rapids, Mich./Jenison/American) who spent the past two seasons playing against the Retrievers at American University. Boonyasith averaged 5.9 ppg and shot 37 percent from three for the Eagles in 53 career games.
-First-year players Thomas Reid (Toronto, Ontario/Oak Hill Academy (Va.), Brendan Davis (Annapolis, Md./Broadneck), and Matteo Picarelli (Milan, Italy/Inter-Community School of Zurich) will join the team, as well as Sam Grace (Baltimore, Md./Boys' Latin), the younger brother of former Retriever Ben Grace. Grace spent last season on Towson University's football team.
#AEHoops Newcomers:
-This year, the America East will add a new school into the mix with NJIT joining the league from the ASUN. The Retrievers will head to Newark, N.J. to take on the Highlanders in the penultimate conference weekend in February.
Facts and Figures:
-Six of the top seven players in terms of minutes played from a year ago are back as well as seven of the top eight scorers return for 2020-21.
-The Retrievers were a big second-half team last year, outscoring opponents +70 in the second half compared to -9 in the first half. UMBC held teams to just 66.9 ppg forcing 13.3 turnovers per game.
Up Next:
-The Retrievers will remain on the road to open the season, heading to Saint Francis University on Saturday, Nov. 28. Tip-off with the Red Flash is set for 3 p.m. on NEC Front Row.
