Box Score Box Score

BALTIMORE – The UMBC men's basketball team advanced in the Under Armour 410 Invitational by defeating the Morgan State Bears, 85-70, at the Chesapeake Employers Insurance Arena on Thursday evening. The Retrievers were led by a dynamic backcourt duo: redshirt senior Devin Ceaser and freshman Aidan Able, who combined for an impressive 41 points. Ceaser showcased his experience and clutch scoring, while the sharpshooting Able provided a spark from beyond the arc, helping UMBC seize control of the contest.
 
UMBC (2-2), set to travel to Towson on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. for the championship game, turned a slim 42-39 halftime advantage into a commanding lead with a relentless 22-6 run to start the second half. Their aggressive defense and up-tempo offense left Morgan State struggling to keep up during this decisive stretch.
 
Ceaser contributed a well-rounded performance, shooting 7-of-15 from the field, knocking down three of eight three-point attempts, and converting four of five free throws. Able, meanwhile, was electric from long range, sinking six of twelve three-point shots, the most by a UMBC freshman since Joe Sherburne's memorable outing against Duquesne in 2015.
 
Junior forward JP Ndong and freshman center Steven Huan contributed off the bench, each tallying 10 points. Their energy and efficient play gave the Retrievers an added boost, marking UMBC's third consecutive victory over Morgan State.
 
UMBC's stifling defense forced 20 turnovers, and the team converted those opportunities into 29 points. The Retrievers also dominated inside, outscoring Morgan State 36-24 in the paint.
 
Morgan State (3-1) made a brief push early in the second half, narrowing the gap to 42-41 after a layup by Keith Richard with 19:05 to play. However, Ceaser responded with back-to-back three-pointers, stretching UMBC's lead to 50-43 with 17:17 remaining and shifting momentum firmly back to the Retrievers.
 
Leading 50-45 with 17:00 left, the Retrievers erupted for a 14-0 scoring run, stretching their lead to 64-45 by the 13:09 mark. Ceaser jump-started the surge with a fast-break layup following a steal, and Huan capped it off with a thunderous alley-oop dunk, courtesy of a perfectly timed assist from sophomore guard Carlos Varela. The energetic sequence brought the crowd to its feet and effectively put the game out of reach for the Bears.
 
The Bears threatened to close the gap after Khali Horton's two free throws trimmed the deficit to 76-64 with 4:52 remaining. Yet, Able quickly silenced any hopes of a rally by draining his sixth three-pointer of the night on UMBC's ensuing possession, sealing the win for the Retrievers.
 
In the first half, UMBC jumped out to an 11-8 lead with 13:46 on the clock and steadily built momentum, extending their advantage to 27-14 after a 16-6 run fueled by six points from Huan.
 
Morgan State answered with a 14-3 run of their own, cutting UMBC's lead to just 30-28 with 4:23 left before halftime. The teams traded baskets down the stretch, and the Retrievers entered the break holding a narrow 42-39 advantage.