Men's Basketball Welcomes NEC Preseason Favorite Sacred Heart On Friday Morning

UMBC notched their first win of the season as they defeated Penn State-York, 84-65, at the Peake on Tuesday evening. Graduate student forward Khydarius Smith led five UMBC players in double-figures with 15 points. Smith converted 7-of-10 field goals and threw down three dunks in 15 minutes off the bench. Reserve freshman guard Franck Emmou put forth a stellar all-around performance as he recorded career highs with 13 points, five rebounds, and four assists in 15 minutes. Junior guard Marcus Banks Jr. (13 points), freshman guard Ace Valentine (12 points) and junior guard Bryce Johnson (10 points) also produced double-figures.
UMBC is enjoying their best stretch in program history as the Retrievers have gone a combined 136-88 (.614) over the past seven seasons. UMBC enjoyed three straight 20+ win seasons from 2016-17 to 2018-19. Their 25 victories in 2017-18 was a program high.
UMBC had won seven straight home openers before falling to Marist last Saturday.
Friday is the third game of a four-game home stretch before the Retrievers make the trip down to Maryland on Tuesday, Nov. 21.
Sophomore guard Dion Brown was named the America East Player of the Week this past Monday after averaging 25.5 points and 5.5 rebounds against Louisville and Marist.
Johnson is averaging 12.7 ppg. while Smith is netting 12.3 points and 4.0 rpg.
UMBC will host over 500 elementary school students at Friday's game.

A GLANCE AT THE PIONEERS

Sacred Heart was picked to win the Northeast Conference by the league's head coaches.
Nico Galette and Joey Reilly were named to the Preseason All-NEC Team. Galette led the Pioneers in scoring and was fifth in the conference, averaging 15.4 ppg. in 2022-23. He also finished seventh in the NEC in rebounding (6.7 rpg.) and paced the team in blocks (32) and steals (53). Reilly was second on the team in scoring with 11.7 ppg., hitting a 40.3 percent clip from deep.
SHU addd a trio of transfers in Anquan Hill, Kyle McGee, and Division III Player of the Year Alex Sobel.
Junior Tanner Thomas scored a game-high 21 points and Sobel recorded a double-double in the Pioneers' 84-77 victory at Holy Cross on Tuesday evening.
Sacred Heart will take on Loyola (MD) at the Peake tomorrow morning at 11:00 a.m.

SERIES HISTORY

UMBC and Sacred Heart have not met since Feb. 20, 2003, when they were both members of the Northeast Conference. The Pioneers won that contest by a score of 68-57 on their home floor.
The Retrievers have won four of their five meetings with the Pioneers.
UMBC is 2-0 against Sacred Heart in Baltimore.

UP NEXT