BALTIMORE – UMBC hit 19-of-31 second half field goal attempts and outlasted UAlbany, 92-83, in a high-scoring America East Conference affair at Chesapeake Arena.
The Retrievers snapped a mini two-game slide and improved to 10-6 overall and 1-1 in America East play. UAlbany (5-12, 0-2) dropped its third in a row.
Five Retrievers scored in double figures, led by senior guard
Jacob Boonyasith, who scored 14 of 21 points after halftime. Graduate student guard
Colton Lawrence added 18 points, while senior forward
Yaw Obeng-Mensah recorded his second double-double of the season with 10 points and 10 caroms.
"That was a good conference win," said Head Coach
Jim Ferry. "Give them (UAlbany) credit, they kept playing, but we kept playing. I was proud of our guys that we didn't flinch when the game got close.
UAlbany's Gerald Drumgoole, Jr. led all scorers with 26 points.
HOW IT HAPPENED
FIRST HALF –
· Lawrence started brightly, hitting 3-of-4 shots, including a trey to propel the Retrievers to an early 11-4 lead at the 15:52 mark.
· Both teams struggled from behind the arc, converting just 1-of-12 shots in the opening 9:19 of the contest.
· The Great Danes sliced the deficit to 21-18 before a Boonyasith driving layup halted the 5-0 run and restored a five-point lead at the 8:02 mark.
· UMBC pushed ahead, 27-18, but the Danes were the side that heated up from outside the arc and cut the lead to 31-30 with three minutes remaining.
· Boonyasith capped a 9-0 surge with the Retrievers' second trey of the half and UMBC settled for a 40-32 halftime advantage.
HOW IT HAPPENED
SECOND HALF –
· UMBC hit 6-of-10 to start the half and built the lead to 52-39 at the 16:04 mark.
· The Great Danes took advantage of second chance opportunities and hot perimeter shooting in a 20-9 run which sliced the Retriever lead to 63-59 with 11:43 remaining.
· UAlbany continued the scoring onslaught and crept to within 71-69 at the 8:07 mark.
· The Danes were within 75-74 before UMBC went on a mini 6-2 run, capped by a bucket by Fagan to give UMBC a six-point lead with 3:53 on the clock.
· Leading 81-78,
Matteo Picarelli restored the lead to six with his first trey of the game and Boonyasith extended the lead to 86-78 on a driving layup with 1:54 remaining.
NOTES
· UMBC converted 29-of-41 shots (70.7 percent) inside the arc.
· Boonyasith added a game-high seven assists (one shy of his career high) as the efficient Retrievers doled out 21 assists and committed only six turnovers.
· Graduate student forwards
Jarvis Doles and
Tra'Von Fagan added 11 points apiece for UMBC.
UMBC takes to the road for the first time in America East play when they face league newcomer Bryant in Smithfield, R.I. on Sunday, Jan. 8 at 1:00 p.m.
