University of Maryland, Baltimore County men’s basketball earned its first win of the season Monday, defeating the McDaniel Green Terror 91-61 at Chesapeake Employers Insurance Arena. Redshirt senior guard Devin Ceaser led UMBC with a game-high 17 points on 6-for-12 shooting in 22 minutes as the Retrievers improved to 1-2.
Sophomore guard Carlos Varela and junior guard Evan Morton each scored 10 points, with Morton adding seven rebounds. Junior forward Jovan Ristic collected a game-high 13 rebounds.
UMBC Builds a 26-Point Halftime Lead
McDaniel took a 10-8 lead with 14:10 remaining in the first half before UMBC responded. Varela’s 3-pointer started a 12-0 run that gave the Retrievers a 20-10 lead with 10:54 left. Morton scored five points during the run, including a 3-pointer that finished the surge.
UMBC extended its advantage to 36-17 with 6:32 remaining after freshman guard Aidan Able made back-to-back 3-pointers. The Retrievers held McDaniel to 28.1 percent shooting and led 51-25 at halftime. Ceaser scored 12 points, while Ceaser and Varela combined for 22 points on 7-for-12 shooting in the first half.
UMBC Maintains Control in Second Half
The Retrievers opened the second half with a 14-8 run to increase the lead to 65-33 with 14:13 remaining. McDaniel cut the deficit to 22 points late in the game, but UMBC kept control for the 30-point victory. The Retrievers also held a 54-36 advantage on the boards.
Kyle Harvin led McDaniel with 15 points on 6-for-10 shooting as McDaniel fell to 1-2.
Next Game for UMBC
UMBC will host Morgan State University on Thursday, Nov. 12, at 6 p.m. in the opening round of the 410 Invitational.
Maryland Sports Blog Take
UMBC overcame an early deficit with a decisive 12-0 run, building a double-digit lead that ballooned to a 26-point halftime advantage. Defensive pressure and dominant rebounding paved the way for the Retrievers’ first win of the season. Ceaser led the charge with 17 points, while Varela, Morton, Ristic and Able made key contributions. UMBC now prepares to face Morgan State in the 410 Invitational.
Read the official University of Maryland, Baltimore County game recap.
Source: Original report
