UMBC

Stony Brook, N.Y.—Sophomore guard Mitchell Beauford scored a game-high 24 points as host Stony Brook (4-15, 2-7) snapped a five-game losing streak with a 75-65 win over UMBC (7-12, 3-5) at the SBU Sports Complex.

The Retrievers have dropped four of their last five games and sagged to 1-9 on the road this season.

Beauford, who did not play against UMBC on December 10 for academic reasons, hit 10 of 19 shots from the floor. He led five Seawolves in double figures, as Stony Brook scored its season high in points.

The game was tied at 34-all at intermission and UMBC took its only lead of the second half at 39-38 on a three-pointer by junior guard Chris Pugh with 17:24 remaining. But Stony Brook would go on an 11-2 run to surge ahead, 49-41, just three minutes later.

UMBC hung around, but could dig far into the Seawolf lead, as the hosts hit 16 of 31 second half shots and committed only ten turnovers in the contest. SBU also hit 16 of 21 free throw attempts (76.2%), nearly 20 percent higher than their season average. Stony Brook outscored UMBC, 22-4 in the paint in the second half, despite playing without Mike Popoko, their premier inside player.

The Retrievers came within five points twice in the final six minutes, but would get no closer. A three-pointer by Stony Brook’s Tre Cunningham with 3:06 remaining restored the SBU lead to nine points at 68-59 and sealed UMBC’s 18^th loss in 21 America East Conference road games.

Pugh led UMBC with 16 points, hitting six of 10 from the floor. Guards Brian Hodges (14 points) and Jay Greene (11 points) also posted double figures, and freshman backcourt player Tom Young posted a season high and team high ten rebounds. But the UMBC starting frontcourt of Jerrell Dinkins, John Zito and Mike Housman were only a combined five of ten from the floor, seven of 14 from the stripe and combined for only 11 rebounds, while committing eight of the team’s 15 turnovers.