UMBC

Baltimore—UMBC celebrated its 2008 championship before its season opener, then kicked off the 2008-09 season with a 91-54 win over Stevenson (Md.) University before 3,114 fans at the sultry RAC Arena.

It was the Retrievers’ sixth straight home opening victory and Head Coach Randy Monroe is 4-1 in his five lid-lifters.

Seniors Darryl Proctor (District Heights, Md.) and Jay Greene (Whitehall, Pa.) helped unveil the America East championship banner before the game and dominated play during their stints against the Mustangs. Proctor totaled 20 points and added nine rebounds and four steals in 34 minutes, while Greene, the America East Player of the Game for UMBC, added 17 points and nine assists. The 2009 Bob Cousy (Collegiate Point Guard of the Year) preseason nominee became the second player in school history to surpass 500 career assists (505) and needs just three more to become the school’s all-time leader.

Freshman Chauncey Gilliam (Columbia, Md.) made a spectacular debut, hitting all eight shots from the floor in a 17-point, six-carom effort in 26 minutes.

UMBC’s other two starters, juniors Justin Fry (New Bloomfield, Pa.) and Matt Spadafora (Richboro, Pa.) also posted double figures, amassing 10 and 11 points respectively.

Stevenson, a member of the NCAA Division III, were led by guards Greg Woody and Chase Lancaster, who tallied 12 points each.

The Retrievers never trailed, converting its first six field goal attempts and jumping out to a 19-5 lead five minutes into the game. The scrappy Mustangs went to a four-guard attack and a Woody layup with 9:50 remaining brought the visitors to within 25-18. But a Spadafora jumper on the next possession started a 9-1 UMBC run and the hosts rebuilt the lead to 49-31 at intermission.

UMBC pulled its starters midway through the second half as they built the advantage to 72-42 at the midpoint of the half. The Retrievers hit 57.4 percent from the floor (39 of 68) and outrebounded the Mustangs, 40-27.

The Retrievers travel across town to face MEAC favorite Morgan State on Monday.

Notes: The Retrievers eclipsed the 90-point plateau for the first time since a 95-82 win over Navy on Jan. 3, 2006…Proctor has scored in double figures in nine straight games, in 32 of 34 games in a UMBC uniform and in 77 games in his 93-game career…the crowd of 3,114 is the tenth-largest in RAC Anena history.