WEST HARTFORD, CONN. – No. 7 seed Northeastern (14-14) closed the game on a 16-2 run in the final 10 minutes, and defeated No. 10 seed UMBC (4-24) 55-30 in a first round game at the Friendship Cottage Cheese America East Championship on Wednesday evening at the Chase Family Arena. The Retrievers’ 30 points matched the lowest ever in an America East tournament game.
The Huskies led 39-28 with 10:21 remaining before stifling UMBC down the stretch. The Retrievers came up short on their last nine shots of the game, and were held to 27 percent (6-of-22) shooting in the second half. Northeastern, meanwhile, overcame a 39 percent shooting performance by maintaining a 42-26 edge on the glass, including 16 offensive rebounds that led to 13 second chance points. The Huskies also scored 15 points off 20 UMBC turnovers.
Sophomore guard Maralene Zwarich scored a game-high 14 points to lead three Northeastern players in double figures. Senior guard Melissa Kowalski and sophomore forward Michelle DeCerbo each chipped in 10 points. Freshman forward Sharri Rohde scored 10 points for UMBC and was the only Retriever in double figures.
Both teams started sluggish in the first half, combining to score just 11 points in the game’s first nine minutes. Despite missing seven of its first eight shots, UMBC trailed by just three, 7-4, with 11:04 left in the half. Northeastern scored the next 10 points, however, and led 26-15 at the break. The Retrievers were never closer than nine points in the second half. Northeastern’s defense held UMBC without a three-point basket for the first time all season, as the Retrievers were 0-for-11 from behind the arc. UMBC led the conference in 3-point field goals made during the regular season.
UMBC matched the low point total that was established by Hartford on March 1, 1992 in an 80-30 quarterfinal loss to Vermont. Northeastern shot just 39 percent (9-of-23) from the line, the fourth lowest percentage in tournament history.
Northeastern advances to a Thursday quarterfinal game against No. 2 seed Binghamton.