Sophomore point guard Chris De La Rosa led UMBC with 18 points and six assists against Boston University but the Retriever were just outmatched by the pre-season favorites. [Corey Johns- TRW]
Twelve days after Corey Lowe, John Holland, and Jake O’Brien each had 20 points to lead Boston U past the Retrievers in Chase Gym, the two teams met up again, this time in the RAC. But the result was no different than before as the Terriers shot 54.9% from the field and made 11 three-pointers to hand the men’s basketball team their 19th loss of the season, 79-61.
“They’re just really good, point blank,” said coach Randy Monroe. “They’re picked to win the league and they’re certainly good enough to do that.”
Holland matched his 25 points effort last game with the help of five three-pointers. He also had 12 rebounds, three assists, two steals, and a block. O’Brien added 18 points and six rebounds with three blocks while Lowe packed the stat sheet with 10 points, eight assists, five rebounds, two three-pointers, and a steal. While those three were expected to have big games against UMBC again, Carlos Strong stepped up to add 13 points in their effort, hitting three three’s.
“I thought our kids gave a tremendous effort but it didn’t matter what defense we were playing, those guys are flat out good shooters,” Monroe said.
After going into the half down by 14 points UMBC looked to be done and just a walkover for the rest of the game. But the Retrievers went on a 19-7 run in the first five minutes of the second half to cut the Terrier lead to just five points.
“I was a gut check,” said sophomore point guard Chris De La Rosa who led the team with 18 points and six assists. “We could have just easily given up and called it quits and gone through the motions, but we didn’t and fought.”
After Robbie Jackson made two free throws to cut the Terrier lead to just five, on the ensuing possession John Holland went to the basket and was fouled by the seven-footer, sending him to the line to shoot two. He made both shots, ended UMBC’s run, and took away all the momentum and life UMBC had in them as his two shots started a 17-1 Boston U run over the next five minutes of the game.
“Basketball is a game of runs,” De La Rosa explained. “They made there and we didn’t respond. All we can do is come in tomorrow and practice and watch film.”
While De La Rosa led the team in points, only one other Retriever could get their total into double figures as Chauncey Gilliam had 10 points with five rebounds, four steals and three assists. That guard duo combined for five of the teams their three pointers.
Freshman swingman Adrian Satchell did not score in double figures but had a very solid game with seven points off a 3-9 shooting effort, and 10 rebounds. This season Satchell has started every game and is averaging 6.1 points and 4.5 rebounds. In conference play he has increased both of those totals to 8.2 points and 5.1 rebounds per game.
“Adrian is really developing and really growing,” Monroe said. “Those shots he missed today are shots he usually makes; it just wasn’t his day today. But he gave a tremendous effort and he’s getting better and better. His best days are certainly ahead of him.”
UMBC may not have been expected to contend for a championship this season, but nobody expected a 1-19 record 20 games into the season. But the team is still fighting and giving it everything they have to get wins even though they are not coming.
“These kids could have quit 10 games ago but they didn’t,” Monroe said. “They hang in and fight and keep scrapping. I’m proud of them. Obviously you’d like to have a better record but that will take care of itself in time.
“They’re a competitive group of young men and it does bother them to be in this situation and I wish I had a magic want to sooth some of the ills but this is our team…you take seven new faces, five freshman and I even consider Robbie [Jackson] and Chris [De La Rosa] freshman because they’re new and still figuring out how to play. Chris sat out for a year and Robbie sat out for a year and a half and just started playing basketball when he was in 10th grade. They’re learning and getting better but sometimes you have to go through some Rocky Roads to get where you want to go.”
Despite and 0-7 conference record the Retrievers still have an outside shot at a winning America East record with nine games left but in order to do that, “we have to scrap on everything,” De La Rosa said. “We have to play D, dive for loose balls, everything. We can’t take possessions off and can’t let [opponents] get comfortable. We have to jump on them from the beginning.
“I see improvement but we have to do it at a consistent basis and keep reminding [ourselves] all it takes is one good weekend at the end of the season.”
UMBC returns to action when classes resume on Wednesday, January 27 at 7:00 when they will take on Binghamton, who despite losing their top four scorers from last season, and having six players kicked off the team and replaced by walk-ons, have been a surprise with an 8-13 record, with a recent 73-67 upset of conference leading Vermont.
