UMBC

Printer Friendly  Email This Page
News Release

MEN'S BASKETBALL NEARLY DIGS OUT OF BIG EARLY DEFICIT, BUT FALLS TO MAINE IN AMERICA EAST OPENER, 62-51

12/9/2004

 The UMBC men’s basketball team (2-4, 0-1 America East) gave visiting Maine (4-2, 1-0) a battle, but in the end could not overcome a 15-point first half deficit and fell to the Black Bears, 62-51 in the conference’s second contest of the season.

Maine hit 9 of their first 13 shots from the floor to open a 23-11 lead and grew the margin to 30-15 with 4:55 remaining in the first half. But the Retrievers would rally, and outscored Maine, 14-4, before a pair of Joe Campbell free throws with no time remaining in the half gave the visitors a 36-29 halftime lead.

UMBC would increase the defensive pressure in the second half, and hold Maine to 8 of 28 from the floor in the final 20 minutes. Senior guard Rob Gogerty keyed the rally, scoring all 11 of his points in the second half on 5 of 6 shooting. But it was his feed to Andrew Feeley with 9:05 remaining that trimmed the Bear advantage to 45-44.

The Retrievers had a couple of possessions to tie or take the lead, but hit just one field goal on their next nine trips down the floor and Maine rebuilt the lead to 56-47 with 2:45 to play. Back-to-back buckets by Gogerty and Michael Knight gave UMBC hope, down 56-51 with 1:18 remaining, but the Retrievers turned the ball over on their final three possessions and lost their seventh straight league game, dating back to last year.

“They played their hearts out, gave 110% and that’s all we can ask of them,” said Head Coach Randy Monroe of his squad. “ I still believe we will become a better basketball team as our season moves along. I was extremely happy with the effort, but you are never satisfied. That’s what you teach your young men, they can’t be satisfied.”

Junior forward Cory McJimson led UMBC with 14 points, while Gogerty added 11 points and 6 assists. Senior center Andrew Feeley nearly posted a “double-double” with 9 points and 11 rebounds and he added 3 blocked shots. UMBC held Maine to 34.5% shooting for the game, but the Retrievers missed 11 of 13 shots from behind the arc.

Campbell, Kevin Reed, and Jermaine Jackson shared game honors for Maine with 12 points each.