UMBC (2-1) vs. Wagner (0-3) | Sunday, Nov. 16, 12:00 p.m. | The Peake | Tickets | | Live Stream | Live Stats | International Broadcast | Game Program | Game Notes | Promotion - Clear Bag Giveaway (First 250 fans)

RETRIEVER TIP-OFF    

• The Retrievers are beginning their 58th season as well as their 40th season of D1 hoops in Baltimore.
• UMBC has a record of 674-952 (.414) all-time.
• The Retrievers are 477-679 (.412) at the DI level
• UMBC was selected to finish seventh in the America East Preseason Poll.
• Graduate student Josh Odunowo was named to the America East Preseason All-Conference Team after averaging 11.5 points and 5.1 rebounds per game last season.
• The Retrievers have nine new faces in 2025-26.
• DJ Armstrong's game-ending trey against Morgan State was the first time UMBC hit a game-winner in the final five seconds since Craig Beaudion II. (11/20/22 vs. Central Conn.) 

LAST TIME OUT - DJ CALLS GAME

• UMBC graduate student guard DJ Armstrong Jr. hit a step back trey with one second remaining to lift UMBC men's basketball to a thrilling 81-79 road victory against the Morgan State Bears at Hill Field House on Tuesday night.
• Armstrong finished with 17 points and was 4-for-6 from downtown. Junior forward Daylon Dickerson recorded his first career "double-double" with 18 points and 10 rebounds.  Junior guard Ace Valentine added 12 points and a season-high seven assists. Freshman forward Riley Jacobs and senior guard Devin Ceaser (3-for-6 3pt-range) contributed nine points apiece. UMBC was trailing 77-71 with just 1:28 left on the clock, despite having led by as many as 15 points during the first half. However, the Retrievers maintained their composure and executed crucial plays in the final moments.
• Valentine calmly sank two free throws, narrowing the deficit to 77-73 with 1:06 remaining. Junior guard Jah'Likai King then made a key steal with 38 seconds left, which allowed Valentine to hit a long-range three-pointer from the left wing, bringing the Retrievers within 77-76 with just 24 seconds on the clock.
• After a timeout called by UMBC, graduate student Paul Greene stole the inbounds pass under Morgan's basket and scored a layup, giving the Retrievers a 78-77 lead with 17 seconds remaining.
• The Bears called a timeout and managed to have Walter Peggs Jr. score on a second-chance layup with just seven seconds left, putting them ahead by one point. Without any timeouts remaining, UMBC got the ball to Armstrong Jr., who skillfully crossed up his defender and hit a step-back three-pointer from the right wing with only one second left, giving the Retrievers the lead.
• Morgan State was unable to get off a last chance shot as the buzzer sounded.
• UMBC started strong, hitting 10 of their first 11 field goal attempts and quickly taking a 26-11 lead with 10:41 left in the first half. They maintained a 15-point advantage at 40-25 after a three-pointer by Valentine with 4:40 remaining before halftime, ultimately finishing the half with a 45-34 lead.
• In the second half, UMBC held a 52-41 lead with 17:01 to go, but the Bears responded with a 16-2 run, taking a 57-54 lead at the 13:34 mark. The game continued to see-saw back and forth until the exciting conclusion.

 ABOUT THE SEAHAWKS

• Dwan McMillan is serving as Interim head coach after Seahawks' head coach Donald Copeland was suspended this past fall.
• The Seahawks dropped a 63-61 decision at Fordham this past Tuesday night. Trailing at the break, Fordham opened the second half on a 13-2 run and held on for the win. Eddie Placer paced the Seahawks with 20 points on 7-of-12 shooting, including 6-of-9 from beyond the arc.
• Sunday's game with UMBC is the first of the three trips to the DMV this season. Wagner will face Georgetown on Sat, Nov. 22 and will visit Maryland on Tue. Dec. 2

SERIES HISTORY (WAGNER)

• UMBC leads, 6-3,  against their former NEC rivals.
• The two squads have not met since the Retrievers left the NEC for the America East.
• The Seahawks defeated UMBC by a 76-65 count in their last meeting in 2002-2003.
• UMBC is 3-1 all-time in Baltimore against Wagner.

 A PROGRAM ON THR RISE

• UMBC is enjoying their best stretch in program history as the Retrievers have gone a combined 164-153 (.517) over the past ten seasons. They are 83-78 (516) in AE Play.
• UMBC enjoyed three straight 20+ win seasons from 2016-17 to 2018-19. Their 25 victories in 2017-18 was a program-high.
• UMBC became the first #16 seed to knock off a #1 seed when the Retrievers shocked Virginia, 74-54, in the 2018 NCAA Tournament.
• Chesapeake Employers Insurance Arena (formerly the UMBC Event Center) officially opened on Feb. 3, 2018, as the UMBC men's basketball team hosted the Vermont Catamounts before a capacity crowd of 4,753. Both the men's and women's basketball teams played their February and March games in the new facility, which included three post-season victories.
• The on-campus facility can accommodate nearly 6,000 patrons for commencements, concerts, featured speakers, and other events. It includes spectator facilities, such as concessions, catering, hospitality, restrooms, security and guest services.

 COACH FERRY

• Jim Ferry is in his 26th season as a collegiate head coach and his fifth at UMBC.
• Ferry own a 62-69 record in Baltimore,
• Ferry led the Retrievers to consecutive 18-14 records as well as an appearance in the America East Finals in 2021-22.
• Prior to his arrival in Baltimore, Ferry served in 2020-21 as the interim head coach at Penn State. He led the Nittany Lions to an 11-14 overall mark and a
• 7-12 Big Ten record that included wins over NCAA Tournament
• teams No. 14 Wisconsin, No. 15 Virginia Tech , Rutgers, and Maryland (twice).
• Ferry spent 10 seasons as head coach at LIU Brooklyn, guiding the program to unprecedented levels of success. He led the Blackbirds to the Northeast Conference regular-season titles and tournament championships in 2011 and 2012, including their first NCAA Championship appearance in 14 years.

 
AMERICA EAST PRESEASON POLL     
Rank   Team (First-Place Votes)  Points
1          Vermont (7), 63       
T-2       Maine (1), 47
T-2       UAlbany, 47       
4          UMass Lowell (1), 39                   
5.         Binghamton, 37
6.         Bryant, 35       
7          UMBC, 31
8.         NJIT,13       
9          New Hampshire,12       
 
MILESTONE WATCH   
1000 career points, Jah'Likai King (975)
200 career assists, Jah'Likai King (182)
500 career rebounds, Jah'Likai King (421)
800 career points, Josh Odunowo (766)
500 career rebounds, Josh Odunowo (404)
100 career blocks, Josh Odunowo (71)
500 career points, Cougar Downing (487)
500 career points, Ace Valentine, (487)
200 career assists, Ace Valentine (202)
500 career rebounds, Paul Greene (457)
500 career points , Paul Greene (483)