UMBC

The UMBC men’s basketball team (0-4)heads to Harrisonburg, Va. in search of its first win of the season when they take on the James Madison Dukes (2-2)at the JMU Convocation Center on Saturday, Nov. 28 at 7:00 p.m. The Dukes’ home opener will be broadcast live by Fox 1370 Sports Radio (www.fox1370.com) with Paul Mittermeier on the call.RETRIEVER UPDATE: Transfers Robbie Jackson (17 pts., 11 reb.) and Chris De La Rosa (12 pts., 11 ast.) both posted double-doubles, but UMBC came up short, 77-66, vs. visiting Coppin State on Wednesday. UMBC cut a 19-point second half deficit to 66-58 with 1:50 remaining, but the Eagles hit their last 12 free throw attempts to hold on for the victory.DUKES’ UPDATE: James Madison has won two straight and is coming off a 79-66 win over North Carolina Central on Tuesday in Florida (FIU).Guards Darren White (20 pts. vs. N.C. Central)and Julius Wells (23 pts. at FIU)lead JMUwith 14.0 ppg and 13.0 ppg respectively. The Dukes opened with losses at Ohio State (72-44) and vs. Murray State (71-43).UP NEXT: The JMU game is the beginning of a stretch of eight road games in nine overall for UMBC. The Retrievers play another CAA team on the road, travelling across the beltway to face Towson on Wed., Dec. 2.WHISTLES GALORE:UMBC committed 28 fouls and Morgan went to the line 37 times in the opening on Nov. 15. It was the most fouls that the Retrievers have committed since being whistled for 28 vs. Boston University on Jan. 14, 2004, six seasons ago. The 28 free throws hit by the Bears was the most since La Salle hit 29 on Nov. 20, 2005.The Retriever front court of junior Robbie Jackson, sophomore Jake Wasco and freshman Adrian Satchell committed 37 fouls in the first three games and the trio played a combined 31 minutes at GW on Nov. 21.NEWBIES:UMBC newcomers have played 498 of 800 minutes (62.3 percent)in four games to date. Through four games, the newcomers have accounted for 59.6 percent (143 of 240 points) of the UMBC offense.WINDEXED:UMBC has allowed 49 offensive rebounds in its first three games and were outscored, 48-18, in second-chance opportunities in that span. They cleaned that up a bit vs. Coppin State, only allowing nine offensive caroms, and eight second-chance points.DEFENSIVE STRUGGLES:UMBC has allowed 171 points in its last two games. The last time a Retriever team permitted more points in back-to-back games was back in the 2002-03 season when they allowed 179 in losses at Maryland and the College of Charleston.BALL DISTRIBUTION:Sophomore guard Chris De La Rosa has 29 of UMBC’s 46 assists through four games (63 percent). Classmate Chauncey Gilliam is second on the team with six helpers.CHARITY:UMBC’s opponents have already converted on 34 more free throws than the Retrievers, or 8.5 per game. The differential is 55-27, or -28 for UMBC in the second halves of games.GLASS HALF FULL:UMBC’s last 0-4 start to a season occurred in the 1998-99 campaign. The Retrievers went on to a 19-9 record and a Northeast Conference regular season title. That season was marked by a school Division I record 11-game winning streak.