BALTIMORE – The host UMBC Retrievers nearly recovered from a 17-point first half deficit but fell to the Marist Red Foxes, 65-59, in their home opener at the Chesapeake Employers Insurance Arena on Saturday afternoon.
Sophomore guard
Dion Brown scored a game-high 23 points, including 19 in the second half, while junior guard
Marcus Banks Jr. (team-high nine rebounds) was also in double-figures with 14 points.
The Retrievers, who fell to 0-2, trailed 36-22 at halftime after making just 9-of-31 attempts from the floor for a 29 percent rate.
Banks gave UMBC their first and last lead of the contest, 5-2, after splashing a triple at the 17:04 mark of the opening half. The visitors, however, went on a 14-2 burst to claim a 16-7 edge with 12:17 remaining in the opening half.
The hosts answered with six straight points on three layups to close within 16-13 midway through the stanza, but Marist went on another 14-2 run to establish a 30-15 advantage with 6:12 left. The Red Foxes took their largest lead of the game, 34-17, after junior forward Jackson Price completed a fast break layup with 4:49 left.
UMBC outscored the Red Foxes by an 8-4 margin to open the second half as Brown's jumper in the paint made it 40-30 at the 14:02 mark.
The Retrievers still trailed 48-37 with 9:22 left but trimmed the deficit to just three, 51-48, after
Bryce Johnson converted one of two free throws at the 5:07 mark. Brown scored six points during the 11-3 spurt.
Brown and graduate student forward
Khydarius Smith scored consecutive field goals to bring UMBC within 56-55 with 2:57 left but Allen II converted two straight times in the paint to give the Red Foxes a 60-55 lead with just under two minutes left.
UMBC did not go away as Banks made two straight follow-up baskets to trim the deficit to just 60-59 at the 1:07 mark.
Allen then calmly made a pair of free throws and Brown missed a layup on the other end with thirty-three ticks left. UMBC still had an opportunity after Smith gathered the offensive rebound, but Brown made a bad pass on the inbounds play which resulted in Collins making one of two free throws for a 53-59 lead with just 17 seconds left.
Brown and freshman guard
Ace Valentine missed on field goal attempts in the closing seconds and Marist put the game away with a dunk.
The Retrievers, who had won seven straight season home openers, finished 25-of-69 (36.2 percent) overall from the floor and were just 3-for-20 (15 percent) from behind the arc.
Sophomore center Max Allen II paced four Red Fox players in double figures with 12 points and sophomore forward Jaden Daughtry recorded 11 points and a team-high eight caroms.
Marist (2-0) shot 45 percent (27-of-60) overall and were 6-for-19 (31.6 percent) from deep.
UMBC will host Penn State York on Tuesday evening at 6:00 p.m.
