UMBC

Baltimore, Md.-Senior forward Jerrell Dinkins continued his outstanding start, scoring a career high 22 points to lead the host UMBC Retrievers (4-4) to a 64-60 win over William & Mary (4-4) in a non-conference contest at the RAC Arena.

Dinkins, who had scored a total of 35 points in the past two seasons, now has 65 in the last four games. He hit nine of 11 shots from the floor, both his three-point attempts and added four assists and two steals in 37 minutes of action. The Bronx, N.Y., native came up big down the stretch, scoring back-to-back field goals in a 20-second span after the Tribe had trimmed the Retriever lead to 56-53 with 3:02 remaining. UMBC hit four of six free throws in the final 36 seconds to secure their third win in the last four games.

“Jerrell did a great job,” head coach Randy Monroe said. “On any given night, there’s someone who can step up and perform for us, whether it’s scoring, whether it’s dishing the ball out, whether it’s rebounding or defending, just playing a solid game. Our guys aren’t selfish. Jerrell Dinkins would be just as happy tonight if he scored 10 points. That’s the type of person he is.”

UMBC played nearly the entire game with seven players, as freshmen guards Jay Greene and Tom Young did not play, due a one-game suspension for a violation of team policy.

There were seven lead changes in the first half, but UMBC senior forward John Zito hit a three-pointer with four seconds remaining in the stanza to give the Retrievers a 33-30 advantage. The Tribe would take their lone lead in the second half at 36-35 on an Adam Payton jumper with at the 17:42 mark. But UMBC would go on a 12-2 run, led by five points by Dinkins, four by Zito, and capped by a three-point play by Mike Housman which gave the Retrievers a 47-38 lead with 12:27 to play. 

Zito tallied 20 points, marking the sixth time in seven games he has scored in double figures. Sophomore guard Brian Hodges added 12 points for the victors.

Tribe sophomore guard Nathan Mann, who entered the game averaging 4.7 ppg, led his team with 19 points, hitting five of eight from behind the arc.

UMBC was outrebounded, 39-26, their worst rebound differential of the season, but committed only nine turnovers. They have 35 assists and 19 turnovers in the last two victories.

The Retrievers head for the west coast for games at San Diego State and Long Beach State this week.