UMBC

Fairfield, CT--Sacred Heart University buried 11 of 25 three-point goals, several at critical times and went on to defeat UMBC, 68-57 in a Northeast Conference contest. The loss is UMBC's (6-18, 4-11) seventh in a row and drops the Retrievers into the basement of the NEC behind the Pioneers (6-19, 4-10).

UMBC had won all six previous meetings in league play vs. Sacred Heart.

Both teams struggled inside the arc in the first half, but excelled outside it as Kareem Washington hit all five of his three's en route to a 17-point first half. UMBC trailed, 14-4 to start the game, but Washington hit a three to cap a 13-2 run and give UMBC its only lead at 17-16 with 5:53 to play in the half. But reserve guard Chris Assel hit a three-pointer seconds later as SHU burned the UMBC zone repeatedly, hitting 5 of 10 from long range to take a 27-24 lead at intermission.

The Retrievers got close, but could never sustain enough offense, nor get a key stop in the second half to overcome the Pioneers. A steal and layup by Washington cut UMBC's deficit to 59-54 with over three minutes remaining, but James Samuels hit a trifecta on the next possession to restore SHU's margin.

Washington ended the night with 23 points, 5 rebounds and 5 steals in 40 minutes of action. The only other Retriever in double figures was John Zito, who scored 15 of his 17 points in the second half. Zito and Andrew Feeley had 9 rebounds each for UMBC, which outboarded their hosts, 38-28, but UMBC committed 21 turnovers, which SHU converted into 24 points.