UMBC

Brittnie Hughes leads the America East's top assisting team against Boston U., on Saturday night.

Baltimore, Md. – UMBC opens America East Conference play at home against Boston University on Saturday night with a tip of 7:07 p.m.  UMBC will be putting its flawless 4-0 home record on the line in the Retrievers’ first home game since Dec. 10.  The Retrievers are 8-4 on the season.  Fans not in attendance can follow play-by-play announcer Troy Green bringing the action live on WLG-1370 AM or on www.umbcretrievers.com.  Fans can also follow the live stats link also available at www.umbcretrievers.com.  

RETRIEVER UPDATE:   UMBC is at 8-4 on the year after falling in its America East Conference opener to New Hampshire last Wednesday night by a final score of 68-61.  UMBC held an 11-point lead with 9:33 to play, but saw the Wildcats rally to tie the game at 56-56 with just over five minutes to play and over take the lead moments later.  New Hampshire finished 6-of-8 from the free throw line in the remaining minutes to seal the win.  UMBC was led by Matea Pender with 20 points, her second consecutive 20-point outing.  Pender has double figures in 11 of UMBC’s 12 games this season.  Sharri Rohde tallied 13 points while Amanda Robinson added 10 for the Retrievers.  On the season Pender leads the team in scoring at 15.5 ppg while Rohde leads the team on the boards at 5.2 rpg. 

TERRIER UPDATE: Boston U. will open conference play against UMBC and hold a 7-4 record heading into the game.  The Terriers have been idle since defeating Yale, 53-41, at the Virginia Cavalier Classic on Dec. 29.  Katie Meinhardt is the top point getter for the Terriers, averaging 12.8 ppg.  Rachael Vanderwal and Cheri Raffo are both averaging 10.5 ppg as three Terriers are in double figures for the year.  Teammate Kasey Devine leads in rebounds with 7.7 rpg     

Who’s Up Next:  UMBC goes back on the road for three conference games beginning with Vermont on Jan. 12 at 7 p.m.  UMBC’s next home game will be on Jan. 26 at 12 p.m.      

RETRIEVER GAMEDAY

Game Notes:  UMBC against Boston U. is the Retrievers 13th game of the season, second in the America East Conference and fifth on the road.   The game marks the sixth meeting between the two programs with Boston U. holding a 4-1 all-time advantage.  UMBC and Boston U. split games last season, with each program winning on its home court.  UMBC this season is 4-0 at home while the Terriers are 3-2 on the road.  Last year at UMBC, the Retrievers defeated the Terriers 59-51 with Brittnie Hughes scoring a season-high 16 points.  The game will feature UMBC’s offense, which has yet to shoot under 40.0 percent on the year against the Terriers’ defense, which leads the league in blocks and is just behind UMBC in field goal percentage defense.         

RETRIEVER QUICK SHOTS

- Senior Matea Pender has shown her ability to score all season long, recording double figures in 11 of the Retrievers’ 12 games this season.  Pender has recorded 20-plus points three times this season with a season-high 22 points against Lafayette and 20 points in the last two games.   Pender’s lowest output of the year was nine points against Longwood.  Pender for her career has 39 career double figure games and currently has a streak of six consecutive double figure games.   

- Kristin Drabyn over the last four games is shooting 66.7 percent from the field, making 16-of-24 shots, and is shooting 55.6 percent from outside the arc, going 10-for-18 from three-point range.  During that span, Drabyn is averaging 10.8 ppg with three double-digit performances. 

- UMBC, who went through a stretch of four games with no more than five team three-point baskets, has been finding the bottom of the twine the last six games, recording at least seven team treys per game.  UMBC hit a season high 10 three-point baskets against IPFW and is averaging 8.3 three-point baskets a game over the last six games.  UMBC on the season is averaging 6.7 treys per game, first in the America East Conference

- UMBC in the last released NCAA statistics as of games through Jan. 2, 2006, ranked sixth in the nation with 19.5 apg and 30th in field goal percentage defense, holding opponents to 35.8 percent from the field.   The NCAA Statistics are released every Tuesday afternoon. 

- UMBC has been very efficient from the field to date this season with the Retrievers shooting 45.0 percent.  UMBC has yet to shoot below 40.0 percent in a game this season, including shooting a season-high 54.5 percent against IPFW, making 30-of-55 attempts from the field.  UMBC shot a season low against Navy, finishing 26-for-65 at 40.0 percent from the field.     

- UMBC ranks first in six America East team categories, including leading the league in field goal percentage, field goal percentage defense, three-point field goals made and assists per game.  UMBC also ranks first in scoring margin and assist-to-turnover ratio while ranking second in three-point field goal percentage and scoring defense. 

News and Notes...

Retrievers Still Road Bound...Despite wrapping up five consecutive road games culminating in a 2-3 record, UMBC is still bound for the road, playing its next three games away from home following its game against Boston U.  That stretch will place UMBC away from the confines of RAC Arena for a stretch of eight out of nine games, including four of five to start league play. 

Home Sweet Home...UMBC is enjoying the home court this season as the Retrievers put their flawless 4-0 record at RAC Arena on the line against Boston U.  UMBC’s 4-0 home start is the Retrievers best mark at home since going 10-0 at home during the 1993-94 season.

Lending a helping hand...UMBC leads the America East Conference for the second consecutive season in assists per game and ranks sixth in the NCAA Statistics through games Jan. 2, 2006.  The Retrievers to date have recorded 19.3 apg.  UMBC has six games with 20-plus assists this season, including 26 against Fairleigh Dickinson as the Retrievers came one assist away from their single-season mark of 27, set in 1985 against Shippensburg.  Brittnie Hughes dished out a career-high 10 assists against Lafayette and is averaging 5.2 apg through 11 games this season.  The junior point guard led UMBC with 99 assists on the year last season and ranked among the conference leaders in the category.

Rohde’s Start Streak...Junior Sharri Rohde extended her streak to 68 consecutive starts and has not missed a start in her entire collegiate career, starting all 28 games as a freshman and sophomore and every one this year.

Pender Reaches All-Time Top-20 Scoring Chart...Senior Matea Pender joined UMBC’s all-time top-20 chart for points scored after recording 13 points against IPFW.  Pender currently has 804 career points, 17th all-time.  The last time UMBC had an active member on the top-20 scoring list was during the 2002-03 season.  Pender is currently on pace to reach 1,000 career points and become the 15th Retriever to ever break the 1,000 point plateau. 

Pender Becomes Fifth Retriever To Reach 100 Treys For Her Career...Senior Matea Pender recorded five treys against Drexel to become the fifth player in UMBC history to reach 100 career three-point baskets.  Pender needs 15 treys to reach fourth on UMBC’s all-time three-point baskets made chart. 

Rohde Moving Up Assists and Blocks All-Time Charts...Junior Sharri Rohde, who is UMBC’s active leader in assists, blocks and steals, is moving up the Retrievers all-time charts in the assist and blocks category.  Rohde currently has 194 career assists, 11th all-time and 51 career blocks, ranking 11th all-time.  With 164 career assists, junior Brittnie Hughes is closing in on an all-time top-10 ranking.

Indiana Trio Make Most Of Trip To Hoosier State...UMBC’s Indiana girls put on a show in front of some family and friends against IPFW and Butler.  The Indiana trio combined for 31 points against IPFW.  Kristin Drabyn scored a career-high 14 points, all in the second half.  Sharri Rohde tallied 10 points while Heather Luttrell dropped seven points in the game.  The trio shot a combined 63.1 percent from the field, making 12-of-19 shots.  Against Butler, Rohde tallied a career-high 11 rebounds while Drabyn finished with her second double-digit performance, scoring 10 points. 

Hughes Earns America East Conference Co-Player of the Week (12-4-05)...Brittnie Hughes was named America East Conference Co-Player of the Week for the week ending Dec. 4, 2005.  Hughes led UMBC to back-to-back wins as the junior point guard averaged 18.0 ppg and 6.5 apg in two contests. Hughes opened the week at American, scoring a career-high 19 points with nine assists and a 9-of-9 performance at the free throw line.

Hughes Named To Second All-Tournament Team...When it comes to tournaments, UMBC junior point guard Brittnie Hughes has stepped up to the challenge, earning a spot on both all-tournament teams this season.  Hughes won a spot on the Retriever Tip-Off Tournament team after leading the Retrievers to the title.  At South Florida, Hughes averaged 15.5 ppg and 4.25 apg to lead the Retrievers to a 1-1 mark.  Last year Hughes was named to the 2004 Retriever Tip-Off Tournament team.   

Block Party...Amanda Robinson’s six blocks against Morgan State tied Eunice French for the most blocks recorded in a single game by a Retriever.  Robinson had three blocks in the first five minutes against Morgan State.  UMBC as a team blocked nine shots against Morgan State, Robinson’s six, Nicole Dixon recording two and Mackenzie Butler one. 

Pender Named MVP Of Retriever Tip-Off Tournament....Senior Matea Pender was named Retriever Tip-Off Tournament Most Valuable Player after averaging 14.5 ppg in the two games.  Pender shot .500 from outside the arc, making 5-for-10 while shooting 47.6 percent from the field on 10-of-21.  Pender added 10 rebounds, four assists and two steals in the two-day event. 

Hitting the Airwaves...UMBC will hit the airwaves with six games broadcasted live on WLG-1370 AM, all home games and some away games via www.umbcretrievers.com and a televised game against Vermont on Feb. 12 at RAC Arena.  All WLG broadcast games will also run live via the website for fans outside the broadcasting network.  UMBC will also broadcast live stats via the web for all home games at RAC Arena.

UMBC Captures Tip-Off Tournament Title...UMBC for the first time in the three-year history of the Retriever Tip-Off Tournament captured the title, defeating Morgan State, 72-50, in the opening round to advance the championship game against Fairleigh Dickinson.  UMBC went on to beat FDU, 76-58, to win the title as Matea Pender earned tournament most valuable player honors and Brittnie Hughes made the all-tournament team.   

Retrievers Picked Ninth In Preseason Conference Poll...The UMBC women’s basketball team was picked to finish ninth in the America East Conference Preseason Coaches’ Poll.  Hartford was the league’s pick to win the conference after taking the league tournament title last year.  Boston U. and Maine were selected to tie for second. 

America East Tournament Returns To Hartford...For the third consecutive season the America East Conference Championships will return to Chase Arena at the Reich Family Pavilion on the campus of the University of Hartford.  Hartford has hosted the conference tournament the past two seasons, including winning the league tournament last season.   

UMBC Adds Two Non-Conference Games In 2005-06...With Northeastern having moved to the Colonial Athletic Conference, UMBC will play two less conference games and added two non-conference games to the 2005-06 schedule.  UMBC will play 16 conference games, eight home and eight away, and face 11 non-conference opponents, leading up to the America East Tournament. 

International Students...UMBC has developed a reputation for having international students on its roster, including two in 2005-06.  UMBC has graduated two international students the last two years and will graduate senior Matea Pender at the conclusion of the upcoming season. 

UMBC Inks Two for 2006-07...UMBC head women’s basketball coach Phil Stern announced the signings of two student-athletes to National Letters of Intent to attend UMBC for the 2006-07 academic year.  Carlee Cassidy (Syracuse, N.Y./Westhill) and Leanne Crockett (Manchester, Conn./Manchester) are both slated to become freshman at UMBC in the fall of 2006.