WASHINGTON – For the final nonconference game of the 2025-26 season, American women's basketball will host the UMBC Retrievers on Sunday, Dec. 21. Tipoff from Bender Arena is set for 12 p.m. EST on ESPN+.
           
Follow Along

• Date/Time: Sunday, Dec. 21; 12 p.m.
• Site: Washington, D.C. (Bender Arena)
• TV: ESPN+

Series History

• In a series that dates back to 1990, the Eagles and the Rams have taken to the court 23 times, including the past four consecutive seasons. The Eagles lead the overall series record, 15-8, and carries a 10-3 home record.
• Most recently, AU fell to UMBC in a low-scoring, 50-45, affair on the road in Baltimore in November of 2024.

Tipping Off

• Coming off a gritty, road loss, 69-63, to VCU, the Eagles are looking to build on their offensive momentum after starting the season 1-9. Sophomore guard Molly Driscoll found her offensive groove again, dropping 24 points against the Rams.
• Driscoll sank five three-pointers, three of which came in the opening four minutes of the fourth quarter. The five threes, matches a career-high she's reached twice in her career. The Pennsylvania native went 7-for-9 from the free throw line and pulled down five rebounds. She also dished three assists.
• Madisyn Moore-Nicholson clocked out with 14 points on the night while Anna Rescifina logged 10 points. Moore-Nicholson is averaging 9.2 ppg, third on the squad in scoring behind Driscoll (14.1 ppg) and freshman forward Charlotte Tuhy (9.1 ppg).
• Against VCU, Tuhy finished off on the boards with 8 rebounds, leading all players on the hardwood. Along with Moore-Nicholson, Tuhy found herself in foul trouble against the Rams, each finishing the contest with four fouls apiece.
• The Eagles fell while lacking in the two stats they have struggled with all season: bench points and points in the paint. At halftime, VCU had 15 bench points to AU's nil, and at the final buzzer it was 41 to two. The squads were even 12-all in points in the paint in the first half and the split was 36 to 16 with the Rams holding the advantage at the close of business.
• Driscoll is seventh in the league in scoring and field goal percentage with her 14.1 ppg while shooting 39.4 percent from the field. She's 13th in three point field goal percentage, shooting 36.5 percent from deep.
• Still leading on the boards for the Eagles, Tuhy also sits atop the league in rebounding. The freshman averages 10.6 rebound per game across 1o games. She has found herself consistently within the top-20 in the nation in rebounding.

Scouting the Retrievers

• The Retrievers have had quite a back and forth season. The team had a stretch of four losses in a row to open November, before finally grabbing their third win of the season against Presbyterian. In December, UMBC have a win over Morgan State on the road and, most recently, a narrow, 60-57, loss to local rival, Loyola Md.
• The return of healthy Lex Therien and Kimmie Hicks propelled the Greyhounds over the Retrievers, the duo scoring 13 and 14 points, respectively. Both Therien and Hicks only recorded 19 minutes on the floor.
• The Retrievers were up six with 2:58 left in regulation before Hicks, along with Koi Sims, drilled threes to tie the game with 1:32 remaining. Therien then gave the Greyhounds a lead they would not relinquish with 51 seconds left.
• The Greyhounds took the advantage all over the court against the Retrievers, leading in field goal percentage (.415/.388), three point field goal percentage (.357/.333), and held a 21-14 made free throw advantage; however, Loyola Md. had more turnovers, 19 to UMBC's 16, and only managed four steals to UMBC's nine.
• Jade Tillman paced UMBC with 15 points, four rebounds, three assists, and two steals. Kennedy Austin added 10 points, while Alaina Williams contributed seven points and a team-high six rebounds. Austin, averaging 12.0 ppg, and Tillman, averaging 12.1 ppg, have been leading the charge offensively for UMBC so far this season. Kennedy is 11th in the America East in scoring.
• Tillman, along with A. Williams, lead UMBC in rebounding this season so far, averaging 5.8 and 4.9 boards respectively. The duo also has a combined 35 steals between themselves, Tillman leading the squad with 21 total.

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