UMBC

BALTIMORE—Senior wing Matt Spadafora (Richboro, Pa.) scored a season-high 16 points and added a career-best nine rebounds, but UMBC could not overcome a nine-point halftime deficit and fell, 79-67, to visiting Rider.

Spadafora was UMBC's America East Player of the Game. Ryan Thompson scored 21 points and grabbed seven rebounds to lead Rider.

UMBC took a 12-10 lead, but Rider went on a 14-0 run to take the lead they would not relinquish. Retriever freshman forward Adrian Satchell (Windsor, Conn.) scored eight of UMBC’s first 12 points, but committed three first half fouls and played only eight minutes. The Retrievers would respond with an 8-0 surge, and cut the deficit to 24-20 on a 3-point field goal by freshman wing Brian Neller (Red Bank, N.J.) with 6:20 remaining. But Thompson hit a shot just before the first half horn and the Broncs took a 42-33 lead into intermission.

Both teams shot well in the second half, each hitting 12 of 22 shots from the floor. UMBC got to within seven points on two occasions early in the second half, but could get no closer. The Retrievers finally closed the deficit to 72-65 on a layup by Jake Wasco (Philadelphia, Pa.) with 2:21 remaining, and Spadafora corralled a defensive rebound on the next Rider possession. But his three-point try to cut the lead to four points was off the mark with 1:38 left and UMBC could not cut into the deficit in the closing moments.

Both teams hit 50 percent from the floor, with the visitors hitting 27 of 54 shots and the hosts converting on 25 of 50. Rider shot 86.4 percent from the free throw line (19-for-22) and outrebounded UMBC, 31-24.

UMBC played for the second consecutive game without junior center Robbie Jackson (Aberdeen, Md.), who dressed, but did not see action after suffering a sprained ankle last Saturday at Toledo. Sophomore wing Chauncey Gilliam (Columbia, Md.), who suffered an ankle sprain on Tuesday at Penn State, played 17 minutes off the bench, but scored only three points.

Sophomore guard Chris De La Rosa (Washington Heights, N.Y.) scored 11 points and added five assists for UMBC, while Satchell scored 10 points in 17 minutes of work. Both freshman guard Nick Groce (8 points) and Wasco (6 points) each posted career highs in scoring.

The Retrievers return to action next Saturday, when they travel to play American University.