UMBC

Baltimore,Md.—Senior guard Ray Barbosa poured in 26 points, including the eventual go-ahead field goal as UMBC extended its winning streak to six straight with a 76-73 win over a torrid Boston University squad. The game was played in front of 3,492 fans, the third largest crowd in RAC Arena history.

UMBC improves to 18-7 overall and 10-2 in the conference, while the Terriers saw their five-game winning streak end, and they fall to 10-15, 7-6. The Retrievers’ 18 wins ties its third-most in the school’s 22-year Division I history.

The game featured 19 lead changes and neither team led by more than four points in the final 22 minutes of play. The visiting Terriers took their final lead on a Corey Lowe put-back at 67-65 with 3:39 remaining. But Barbosa hit a jumper, then after a Terrier turnover, hit a bank shot to give UMBC the lead for good at 69-67 with 2:46 to play. After another BU miscue, junior forward Darryl Proctor fed senior post Cavell Johnson for a thunderous dunk which put the hosts ahead, 71-67 with 2:10 to play.

Lowe, who did not play in UMBC’s 62-40 in Boston last month, hit a long three-pointer to bring his side back to within 71-70 at the 1:07 mark. After Proctor missed the front end of a one-and-one free throw chance, Boston’s Scott Brittain missed an open layup with 26 seconds remaining and fouled Barbosa on the rebound. Barbosa hit one of two attempts with 26 seconds to play, and then stole the ball from Brittain on the Terriers’ next possession.

He then sank two free throws with nine seconds left to put the Retrievers ahead, 74-70, but Lowe hit a contested three with 1.3 seconds to play. Boston fouled Johnson before the ball was inbounded, and he hit a pair of free throws. A long inbounds pass by Brittain was picked off by Proctor at the buzzer.

Barbosa hit seven of 13 shots from the floor and 11 of 13 from the charity stripe. Johnson hit eight of 11 shots and amassed 19 points, while junior guard Jay Greene hit four of five from behind the arc in a 14-point, 40-minute effort.

The Retrievers hit 25 of 46 shots (54.3%) and seven of 14 from behind the arc, while the Terriers were 26 of 53 (48.1%) and 12 of 23 from long range.

UMBC enjoyed its largest lead at 19-10 with 11 minutes remaining in the first half, but a 12-2 Terrier run wiped it out. The Retrievers led, 38-35 at halftime and improved to 12-1 when ahead at intermission.

The Retrievers now enjoy a two-game in the loss column over Hartford (9-4), but must play three of the final four games on the road, including a contest at Albany on Wednesday.

Notes: UMBC’s six-game win is its longest since a similar streak in the 2001-02 season… senior guard Brian Hodges did not dress for the fourth straight game… UMBC had less than ten turnovers for the tenth time in the last 11 games.