WASHINGTON – The non-conference slate ended with a tremendous effort that fell just short for American University men's basketball as the Eagles lost in a double-overtime thriller to UMBC, 96-93, despite a career-high 33 points from graduate student
Matt Rogers. The Eagles found a way to tie it up in both regulation and the first overtime, but UMBC had the last word in the second OT.
Notable Numbers
- Rogers' efforts moved him into 10th place all-time in career scoring at American, now with 1,476 points. He was 24 points away coming into the game, and surpassed that mark midway through the second half.
- He added 10 rebounds for his first double-double of the season, as well as tying for team-high honors with five assists.
- Graduate student Lincoln Ball tied his career-high with 15 rebounds, including six on the offensive glass.
- Three others in addition to Rogers reached double figures in scoring. Sophomore Matt Mayock tied his season high with 17 points, and junior Geoff Sprouse drained a season-high five three-pointers on his way to 15 points.
- Graduate student Colin Smalls, who needed to hit at least one of two free throws to force the first overtime and got one, finished with 11 points and five assists.
- The Eagles hit 11 three-pointers overall, and held UMBC to seven after the Retrievers came in averaging almost 10.
- Marcus Banks led UMBC with 28 points including six of his team's seven triples.
First Half
- The Retrievers took the early lead, going up 8-2, but once the Eagles found their stride, they pulled ahead.
- Stephens, who was out for more than two full games due to injury, made his first shot in his first game back to tie the game at 14-14 near the 14-minute mark.
- Sprouse started a 10-0 run with a three-pointer at the 15-minute mark, and a Mayock triple was included as well before Smalls capped it with a fast-break layup at 12:58.
- The Eagles hit 8-of-12 from the field to that point, largely thanks to Rogers who was 6-for-6 to start the contest.
- AU clung to a tight lead until the five-minute mark when the game saw its second tie at 33-33.
- From there, the teams traded buckets and traded the lead over the final stretch, and it was the Retrievers with a one-point advantage at the break, 41-40.
- Rogers finished the half with 18 points, while Ball grabbed seven boards just in the first 20 minutes.
- UMBC, who averages close to 10 three-pointers a game, was held to just 3-of-7 by the Eagles in the first half.
Second Half
- The second half was marked by six ties and six lead changes after the Eagles quickly took their lead back in the opening 1:15 with buckets from Rogers and Smalls.
- The largest run for UMBC, an 8-0 spurt, put the Retrievers up 56-48 near the 13-minute mark.
- After a flurry of activity on both sides had UMBC up 64-58 thanks to a pair of three-pointers from Banks, the Eagles took the lead back with a 7-0 run.
- Greg Jones cut the margin to one with an old-fashioned three-point play at 8:00, and Rogers capped the run with a layup for a 65-54 lead at 7:25.
- After the Retrievers went back on top, 70-65 after a 6-0 run, the Eagles were playing catch-up for the rest of regulation.
- Mayock came up with a clutch three-pointer at 1:12 to tie the score at 76-76, and Smalls finally gave AU a lead back on a driving layup with 18 seconds to go.
- Smalls was then whistled for a foul on a made shot at the other end, giving Bryce Johnson a chance at a three-point play and he converted.
- Down 79-78, Smalls then drew his own foul with three seconds left. He went to the line for two shots, needing to make at least one, and got one.
Overtime
- Three more ties followed in the first overtime, and neither team ever led by more than three.
- Sprouse drained his fifth trey of the game for an 86-86 tie with 2:19 to go.
- Both teams went well over a minute without scoring, before UMBC took a lead on an Ace Valentine layup at 55 seconds.
- The answer was there for AU yet again, courtesy of a Rogers layup 30 seconds later.
- UMBC had plenty of time on its last possession, but the Eagles' defense was solid and the Retrievers missed their only attempt.
Double Overtime
- The Retrievers scored first in the second overtime period and AU was never able to take the lead.
- After the second tie of the second extra frame at 93-93 thanks to a Jones triple at 2:18, the Eagles did not score again.
- Three missed shots marked the final minute and 23 seconds for AU.
- Valentine gave the Eagles a chance by hitting just one of two free throws with five seconds to go. Ball collected the crucial rebound for AU, but the final attempt by Sprouse missed the mark.
Up Next
- The Eagles will start conference play on the road at Navy, taking on the Midshipmen at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 2.
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