Newark, N.J.-- UMBC men's basketball returned from a two-week layoff and came up just short in a 69-65 loss to NJIT on Sunday afternoon. The Retrievers held a nine-point lead at the break, but NJIT held the Retrievers scoreless over the last 4:21 to take the win. Junior R.J. Eytle-Rock (London, England) led all scorers with 16 points. 

UMBC falls to 10-4, 6-3 AE while the Highlanders improve to 6-7, 5-6 AE on the year.

Eytle-Rock led all scorers with 16 points with six rebounds and four assists. Brandon Horvath (West River, Md./Southern) and Darnell Rogers (Baltimore, Md./Indian Land (SC)/New Mexico JC) each added 11 points with Horvath grabbing a game-high 11 boards. 

Zach Cooks led the Highlanders with 15 points and four steals. San Antonio Brinson and Dylan O'Hearn added 12 and 13 points respectively. 

The Highlanders shot 50 percent from the floor, holding UMBC to just 40 percent, but 12 triples kept UMBC in the game late. 

UMBC struggled to start the second half after leading by nine. Brandon Horvath found his rhythm hitting a three to help keep UMBC in the lead. NJIT would continue to chip away at the deficit, cutting the Retriever lead to just three at the under 12 timeout, and clawed to take a lead just minutes later. 

That lead would be short-lived as Rogers drilled a step-back three to give UMBC the lead right back. Both teams would trade turns with the lead late but it was threes from L.J. Owens (Annapolis, Md./Severn/William & Mary) and Rogers that put UMBC in front by four. 

That would be the last points UMBC scored as NJIT ended the game on an 8-0 run over the last 4:21 to pull in front and hold on for a 69-65 win on Sunday. 

UMBC did outrebound NJIT 37-32, but the Highlanders scored 42 of their 69 points in the paint. 

The game got out to a frantic pace early with both teams coming out shooting well from the floor. UMBC would take an early lead and start to distance themselves thanks to an L.J. Owens steal and slam on the other end to put UMBC up four. That sparked a 9-1 run over a 3:20 span to put the Retrievers up eight. 

However, both teams would struggle from the floor during the middle portion of the half with both teams cooling off after hot shooting starts. R.J. Eytle-Rock would spark the Retriever offense with a pair of three's that gave them a 10 points lead, their largest of the half. After the Highlanders cut the lead to just four, UMBC ended the half on a 5-0 run to go up 39-30 at the break. 

UMBC and NJIT conclude their series tomorrow, Monday, Feb. 1 at 2 p.m. on ESPN +.