By Corey Johns
While no loss is good, it is not horrible to lose to the number one team in the conference, as the men’s basketball team did on Tuesday night. With the loss UMBC stays in fifth place in the conference while Vermont has won 12 of their last 13 games.
Last time the two teams met UMBC was without Jay Greene and Richard Flemming and took a 34-point loss. Both were back this week but the Retrievers were still short staffed with Justin Fry out for his third straight game. Without Fry UMBC dressed just eight while Vermont played 11.
The bigger loss was the defensive presence he has inside. Vermont shot 57 percent inside in the first half, which opened the three-point game up for the Catamounts the rest of the way. They sunk eight threes in the game.
UMBC was definitely playing high caliber ball in the first half and went into intermission with a seven-point lead, 37-30. Greene hit a buzzer beater three and the Retrievers were dominating on the boards, 21-9.
But it was a tale of two halves. UMBC gave up 47 points in the second half, including six threes while Vermont shot 58 percent from the field. No matter what team you play, if you give up 47 points in the second half while they shoot 58 percent, you are not going to win. Vermont did not let the Retrievers leave with an upset.
Five catamounts scored in double figures: Marqus Blakely (13) who scored 11 points in the second half, Colin McIntosh (15), Mike Trimboli (15), Maurice Joseph (13), and Joey Accaoui (12).
Even though the team lost, Darryl Proctor and Chauncey Gilliam did everything they could to get a win. Both recorded double-doubles. Proctor tallied 24 points for his 35th straight game in double-figures and 10 rebounds while Gilliam scored 16 points with 10 rebounds.
On a bright note, Richard Flemming is really playing good basketball as is back for his second game since being out for four weeks. He scored 12 points in 28 minutes with 10 of the points coming in the first half.
Even with Flemming’s 12 points off the bench, the bench scoring was the biggest difference. Vermont outscored UMBC 29-12 there, making up for the 12 point loss.
While UMBC’s streak has been snapped, it is not a terrible loss. UMBC very well can still get back on a roll, and in all honesty, as long as they win their conference tournament, nothing else counts.
