UMBC

Jerrell Dinkins led five Retrievers in double figures, including scoring a career-high 24 points.

Baltimore, Md. – The UMBC men’s basketball team defeated Vermont, 86-73, in America East basketball action on Saturday afternoon at UMBC RAC Arena.  The Retrievers move to 9-14 on the year and 5-7 in the America East Conference while Vermont falls to 10-12 on the season and 6-6 in league play.  Both teams combined for nine players in double-figures. 

UMBC never trailed into the contest shooting 64.5 percent in the first half on 20-of-31 from the field to take an 18-point lead at the break at 48-30.  The Retrievers opened the game on a 17-7 run as Jay Greene capped the run with a three-point basket at the 13:37 margin.

UMBC would go up by as much as 13 points before Vermont cut the lead back down under double figures at 36-27 with 4:56 left in the first half.  The Retrievers responded with a 12-3 run to end the first stanza and take an 18-point lead into the break at 48-30. 

UMBC continued its hot shooting to start the second period as the Retrievers went 7-for-13 to open the half from the floor, stretching its lead to 24 at 65-41 with 11:51 remaining in the half.

Chris Holm, who scored a career-high 24 points along with Mike Trimboli led a Vermont 16-4 run to cut the Retriever lead to 12 points at 69-57 with 6:21 on the clock.  Holm and Trimboli tallied 11 of the 16 points during the Catamount run. 

The Catamounts, however, were stopped in their tracks as the Retriever defense never let Vermont inside the double-digit barrier for the 86-73 win.

Jerell Dinkins led UMBC with 24 points for a career high as the Retriever senior forward went 10-for-16 from the field.  He added eight rebounds as well.  John Zito and Brian Hodges each scored 16 points while Greene and Chris Pugh both had 13 points.  UMBC as a team shot 55.2 percent from the field, going 32-for-58. 

The Catamounts were led by Holm’s 24 points while Martin Klimes scored 12 points and Trimboli and Josh Duell finished with 11 points.  Vermont shot 43.9 percent going 25-for-57 from the field.            

UMBC returns to action at Hartford on Wednesday, February 15 at 7 p.m.