VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS

Stony Brook, N.Y.-- UMBC men's basketball led for a majority of the day on Sunday, getting 23 points from R.J. Eytle-Rock (London, England) and another double-double from league leader Brandon Horvath (West River, Md./Southern) in a big 71-65 win against Stony Brook. The Seawolves erased a 17 point deficit in the second half, but UMBC closed the game strong for the win. 

UMBC wins their second straight to move to 12-4, 8-3 AE and move into sole possession of first place with the win, while Stony Brook falls to 8-9, 6-5 AE. 

Eytle-Rock led the way with a game-high 23 points going 7-16 from the floor and 3-5 from three. Horvath added 16 points and a season-best 15 rebounds. Darnell Rogers (Baltimore, Md./Indian Land (SC)/New Mexico JC) added 14 points in the win. 

Juan Felix Rodriguez and Mouhamadou Geuye led the way for the Seawolves with 17 points each. 

Stony Brook got the upper hand early, jumping out a quick 6-2 lead. However, the Retrievers responded with back-to-back threes from L.J. Owens (Annapolis, Md./Severn School/William & Mary) and Brandon Horvath to tie it at 8-8 at the under 16 timeouts. That's when the Retriever offense would awaken. UMBC went on an 8-0 run to take their first lead that extended to a 12-2 run over a two-minute stretch. Horvath scored five points on the run. 

Another 7-0 spurt pushed the Retrievers to their largest lead of the first half at 32-17 as UMBC held the Seawolves scoreless over a four-minute stretch. Stony Brook answered with their own 7-0 run to cut it to single digits, but Darnell Rogers drilled a jumper to end the run. 

UMBC used a strong defensive effort late in the half to lead 39-28 at the break. R.J. Eytle-Rock led all scorers in the first half with 14 points with Horvath adding eight points and eight rebounds. UMBC shot 46 percent from deep and from the field, holding the Seawolves to 33 percent from the field. 

The Retrievers would continue their hot start in the second half with Owens drilling a three to give UMBC their largest lead of the game at 17 early. But the Seawolves would counter, going on a 7-0 run that extended to a 13-0 run cutting the deficit all the way to two with 12 minutes to go. 

UMBC would go 5:30 without a bucket before a big and one from Owens ended the drought. UMBC would hold off a late charge from Stony Brook, with Eytle-Rock hitting the decisive three from the wing with under a minute to go, leading UMBC to a 71-65 win on Sunday. 

The Retrievers shot 43 percent from the floor and 44 percent from deep, forcing 12 Stony Brook turnovers. 

UMBC and Stony Brook conclude the series tomorrow, Monday, Feb. 8 at 1 p.m. on ESPN +.