UMBC

Chase scores game-high 18 points in opener

BALTIMORE – The UMBC women’s basketball team returns to the RAC for its home opener on Sunday, Nov. 11 against Monmouth. The contest marks the first of five-straight home games for the Retrievers in November. Tip-off is set for 2 p.m. at the RAC Arena. All the action can be seen live on UMBCRetrievers.tv.   

scouting the retrievers: UMBC women's basketball (0-1) opened its 45th season of action on Friday night at Morgan State, falling to MSU 72-61. The Lady Bears exploded out of the gates and built up a 15-point cushion on the Retrievers, before back-to-back threes from sophomore guards Lauren Chase and Bria White got UMBC going. The Retrievers cut the deficit down to three points on a transition layup from senior guard Raven Harris with 4:35 in the half, but MSU opened the lead back up to 12, 40-28, scoring the final 10 points of the half. Morgan State forced the Retrievers into 11 first-half turnovers and converted them into 15 points.

MSU extended its lead to 18, its largest advantage of the evening, with 16:16 to go, but Harris and Chase helped UMBC inch back in, scoring seven-straight points. The Retrievers would cut the deficit down to 11 multiple times in the second half, but failed to come within single digits of the Lady Bears, who shot 52.4 percent in the second half.

White led the charge for the Retrievers in the first half, scoring 12 of UMBC's 28 points, while Chase picked it up with 13 second-half points. Chase led all scorers and matched a career-high with 18 points. White added six rebounds and a career-high two blocked shots in her Retriever debut. Seniors Raven Harris and Brittany Crowell each chipped in nine points. Harris finished with team-highs in rebounds (seven), steals (three) and assists (three).

Head coach Phil Stern is in his 11th season at the helm of the Retrievers’ program, after leading the black and gold to their second America East Championship game appearance last season. Following the graduation of 59.5 percent of the conference’s highest scoring offense in 2011-12, UMBC was tabbed to finish sixth in the league behind Albany (61 votes), Boston University (56 votes), Hartford (54 votes), New Hampshire (37 votes) and Vermont (37 votes).

scouting the HAWKS: Monmouth opens its 2012-13 campaign on Sunday against the Retrievers. Head coach Jenny Palmateer enters her second season at the helm of the program after leading the Hawks to a 19-13 overall record and a trip to the Northeast Conference Tournament Championship game a year ago. Despite erasing an 18-point deficit in the league championships, Monmouth concluded its 2011-12 season with a 58-48 loss to top-seeded Sacred Heart, narrowly missing out on its first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance.

The Hawks, who return nine letterwinners and three starters from a year ago, were picked to finish third in the Northeast Conference and placed senior guard Alysha Womack on the preseason All-NEC Team. Womack is a three-time All-NEC Second Team selection and led Monmouth with 15.9 points per game last season, despite missing 11 games due to injury.

On the horizon for the retrievers: UMBC hosts five straight games at the RAC Arena in the month of November, all of which will be broadcast live on UMBCRetrievers.tv. The Retrievers host in-state rivals Coppin State (Nov. 14), Loyola (Nov. 17) and Towson (Nov. 20). Former Retriever standout Michele Brokans makes her return to the RAC Arena on Nov. 25 when UMBC hosts Eastern (Pa.). Brokans serves as an assistant coach with the Eagles under head coach Nate Davis.