BALTIMORE- UMBC head men’s basketball coach Aki Thomas is pleased to announce that four additional prospective student-athletes have signed National Letters-of-Intent with the Retrievers’ program for the fall of 2013.

Coach Thomas and his staff have added guards Rodney Elliott, Jr. and Bryan Harris and posts Devarick Houston and David Kadiri to the roster. They will join fall 2012 signees Will Darley and Charles Taylor, Jr. and walk-on Ben Grace to give the Retrievers seven new faces for the 2013-14 season.

“It is a very large group,” Thomas said. “We tried to fill every position and were successful in doing that. I think they should mesh well with the guys we have returning.”

Rodney Elliott, Jr. is a 6’2”, 175-lb. point guard who competed on the varsity squad for four years at John Carroll High School and resides in Bel Air, Md. He led the No. 7 Patriots with 16.6 points per game and  also averaged 4.2 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.3 steals in his senior season.

Ellliott, Jr. closed out his high school career with 1,116 points, 287 assists and 171 steals and earned First Team All-Metro honors from The Baltimore Sun.  His father, Rodney Elliott, Sr., earned four letters at the University of Maryland and competed for Gary Williams’ Terrapins from 1994-98.

Harris, who stands at 6’2” and weighs in at 180 lbs., starred for Southern (Anne Arundel) High School  and graduated in 2011. The Oxon Hill, Md. native earned First Team All-MIAA honors in his junior and senior campaigns. He was a two-time team captain and Most Valuable Player and averaged a career-best 20 points per game and six assists per game in his senior campaign.

Harris attended and competed at Massanutten Military Academy in 2011-12 and averaged 24.0 points per game. He earned a scholarship at Wofford University in the fall of 2012, but left after the fall semester due to health concerns and to be closer to home.

Junior college transfer Devarick Houston comes to UMBC after two campaigns at Chattahoochee Technical College in Marietta, Ga. A native of Jonesboro, Ga., the 6’7”, 190-lb. power forward averaged 12.8 points per game and 8.4 rebounds per contest this past season. He also blocked 2.9 shots per outing and was ranked ninth in the nation in that category.  His squad ended the 2012-13 campaign at No. 14 in the nation with a record of 26-4.

Houston prepped at Mays High School and averaged 14.1 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 2.2 steals a game as a senior. Houston was a key player for a top-notch Mays program and helped the Raiders reach the Class AAAA championship game in 2010.

Kadiri attended Coolidge High School in Washington, D.C. in his senior prep campaign. The 6’8”, 190-lb. Beltsville, Md. native’s squad finished 25-6 and won both the D.C. Interscholastic Athletic Association and D.C. State Athletic Association titles in 2013.

Kadiri averaged 13.7 points per game this winter and garnered 19 or more rebounds in three occasions. He earned DCIAA First Team honors and was tabbed to the Third Team All-Metro squad by The Washington Post.

Kadiri will become the first future Retriever to compete in the prestigious Capital Classic All-Star game. The 40th annual game is set for this Sunday, April 28 at T.C. Williams High School in Alexandria, Va.

Darley competed a post-graduate season at Fishburne (Va.) Military Academy, while Taylor did the same at Mount Zion in Baltimore.

The sharp-shooting Grace is also a Baltimore native and the 5’10” guard competed at The Gilman School.

“I feel it is very important to have players from this area attend UMBC,” Thomas said. “Local recruiting is something that I wanted to hone in on as soon as I took over.  There are a lot of really good basketball players in the area.”

We recruited some guys that go non-stop, love the game of basketball and are students of the game of basketball. We are happy with the outcome- we got all of our first choices. I am looking forward to working with them and getting them acclimated and moving forward.”

NEW RETRIEVERS FOR 2013-14

Name                            Pos.     Ht.      Wt.   Yr.   Hometown/HS/Previous School

Will Darley                    G         6-8      200    Fr.   Timonium,Md./Dulaney/Fishburne Acad.

Rodney Elliott, Jr.         G          6-2      175     Fr.    Bel Air, Md./John Carroll

Ben Grace*                   G         5-10    175     Fr.    Baltimore, Md./The Gilman School

Bryan Harris                  G         6-2     180     Fr.    Oxon Hill, Md./Southern/Massanutten Acad.

Devarick Houston          F          6-7      190     Jr.      Jonesboro, Ga./Mays/Chatttahoochee Tech

David Kadiri                  F/C       6-8      190     Fr.     Beltsville, Md./Coolidge

Charles Taylor, Jr.         G          6-4      185     Fr.     Haymarket, Va./Springbrook/Mount Zion

BALTIMORE- Aki Thomas, acting head men’s basketball coach at UMBC, has been appointed as the head coach of the program, Dr. Charles Brown, director of athletics, announced today.  Thomas has served as acting head coach since Oct. 10, 2012, following five previous seasons as a Retrievers’ assistant coach.

“I have been impressed with Coach Thomas’ basketball acumen, as well as his positive approach with our student-athletes,” Dr. Brown said. “He has all the tools to be an outstanding head coach.”

Coach Thomas and his staff have led UMBC to more victories (7) and conference wins (5) than in any season  since the 2008-09 campaign, despite the loss of three post players due to injury, including 6’10” starter Brett Roseboro. UMBC’s scoring margin in America East play has improved from -13.6 in 2011-12 to -8.0 currently.

The Retrievers are allowing nearly six less points per game (71.3) than they did in the previous season, despite the loss of the primary
interior presence of their defense.

“I want to thank UMBC for allowing me the privilege to continue leading its basketball program,” Thomas said. “President Hrabowski,
Dr. Brown, Dr. Nancy Young, vice president for student affairs, and all my colleagues have given me – and more importantly the team –
tremendous support this year.”

“I have a tremendous staff in John Zito, Jay Greene, and Brian Johnson, and any coach would be proud to work with them. Our team will continue to improve every day and to represent the UMBC community well.”

It’s “WNST Day” this Saturday, February 9th, where we will gather to support UMBC basketball and continue to celebrate a great Ravens Super Bowl triumph.

At 1pm on Saturday, Phil Stern’s Lady Retrievers take on Vermont and then, at 3:30, it’s the Men’s team battling Vermont in a key America East contest.

Best of all?

Just print this blog and take it to the RAC box office and you’ll get in for just $3.00 (for BOTH games!).  Yes, that’s all you need to do.  Print the blog and get a $7.00 ticket discount just for being a friend of WNST and UMBC Athletics.

We – the folks from WNST – will be there in full force to cheer UMBC on to victory and support the Retrievers.  UMBC has been a longtime supporter of WNST and vice versa — so what better way to say “Thank You” than to head out to the RAC this Saturday and see some exciting college basketball!

Print this out — and take it to the RAC box office this Saturday for either the women’s game or the men’s game — or both! — and enjoy UMBC basketball at a discount price.

UMBC Head Basketball Coach Aki Thomas suspended Forwards Brett Roseboro and Will Wise for an altercation at practice on Friday. Neither player traveled with the team to Boston for their game against the Terriers on Saturday. Roseboro was averaging nearly 10 points and six rebounds per contest. He has been one of the Retrievers best defenders this season. Wise has seen action in just six games this year and has played just 21 minutes. UMBC forward Chase Plummer is expected to start in place of Roseboro in Today’s game against Boston University.

No America East team has given the UMBC Retrievers more headaches than the Vermont Catamounts. The Retrievers have dropped nine straight to Vermont and trail the all-time series, 18-4. But UMBC (1-2, 3-13) is coming in off of a 68-57 win over New Hampshire on Jan. 9, while Vermont (2-1, 9-6) is looking to rebound from a 63-53 setback at Boston U. on Jan. 8. The opening tap is slated for 3:00 p.m.

RETRIEVER UPDATE: Ryan Cook led all scorers with 21 points and a retooled lineup propelled the Retrievers to a 68-57 victory over New Hampshire in an America East Conference match-up at the RAC Arena. SR F Adrian Satchell (5/5 fg, 11 pts.) and JR G Quentin Jones (4a) got starting nods and sparked the effort. Cook scored 20 or more points for the sixth time this season and leads UMBC with 16.5 ppg.

CATAMOUNT UPDATE:  Defending America East champion Vermont opened the league season at 2-0 before suffering a 63-53 setback at Boston University on Jan. 8. JR G Sandro Carissimo led UVM with 17 points, but the Catamounts only shot 27.3 percent (15-of-55) from the floor at Case Gym.  SR F Luke Apfeld leads a balanced Vermont offense with 10.3 ppg and Carissimo is nearly in double figures at 9.8 ppg.

WHO’S UP NEXT:  UMBC returns home to face the first-place Hartford Hawks on Wed., Jan. 16.  Tip-off time at the RAC Arena is set for 7:00 p.m.

UMBC faces a team- Norfolk State- that is coming off a landmark season. The Spartans posted a 26-10 record a year ago and defeated Missouri in the second round of the NCAA Championship. It is the first-ever meeting between the Retrievers and Spartans.

RETRIEVER UPDATE: UMBC (2-7) rallied late to tie American at the end of regulation in the first overtime period, but fell, 73-70, to the Eagles in double overtime on Dec. 6. SR G Ryan Cook led all scorers with 24 points. It was UMBC’s second home overtime loss  of the season- the Retrievers have led five of nine games with ten minutes remaining. Cook leads the squad and is second in America East with 17.4 ppg.

SPARTAN UPDATE: Norfolk State lost four of five starters from last season’s NCAA Championship team, but the Spartans have won three straight to even their record at 5-5. They won a pair of MEAC decisions, 55-45 at Savannah State and 78-72 at South Carolina State on Dec. 1 and 3. JR G Pendarvis Williams, the lone returning starter from last year’s squad, leads a balanced attack wtih 11.3 ppg. Today’s game will just be the second at home for the Spartans.

WHO’S UP NEXT:  UMBC plays its final game before exams start when they host another MEAC institution, Coppin State, on Wed., Dec. 12. Tip time at the RAC Arena is set for 7:00 p.m.

TOWSON MEN’S BASKETBALL FACES CROSSTOWN RIVAL UMBC SATURDAY

Tigers Seeking Third Win in Four Games

BALTIMORE, Md. – The Towson men’s basketball team will play a local rival for the second straight game on Saturday as the Tigers make the short trip to the RAC Arena to take on UMBC at 7 p.m.

Towson (3-3) saw its two-game win streak snapped on Monday as the Tigers fell, 65-53, at Loyola.

Junior Jerrelle Benimon leads the Tigers with 14.7 points and 8.8 rebounds per game. He is one of five different Towson players that have led the team in scoring during a game this season.

Freshman Jerome Hairston led the Tigers with 13 points and a season-high six rebounds against the Greyhounds on Monday. The guard is fourth among Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) rookies in scoring at 9.2 points per game and he’s averaging 11.0 points per game in his last three outings.

UMBC (1-5) has dropped four straight contests, including an 83-65 home setback on Thursday night against Canisius. Senior guard Ryan Cook leads the Retrievers in scoring (16.5 ppg) and rebounding (8.0 rpg).

Towson holds a commanding 34-19 lead in the series, dating back to 1970. The Tigers have won four of their last five matchups with the Retrievers, but UMBC won at the Towson Center last year, 62-58.

Saturday’s game will mark the seventh straight contest Towson has played away from home as the Tigers begin the year on a 10-game road swing.

BALTIMORE- Two prospective student-athletes with Maryland connections have signed national letters-of-intent to attend UMBC in the fall of 2013 and compete in the sport of men’s basketball, acting head coach Aki Thomas announced today.

Will Darley, a 6’7”, 200-lb. guard, who attended Dulaney High School, and Charles Taylor, Jr., a 6’4”, 185-lb. small forward who currently matriculates at Mount Zion Academy in Baltimore, Md. committed to the Retrievers during the signing period.

After graduating from Dulaney in the spring of 2012, Darley is currently attending Fishburne Military Academy in Waynesboro, Va. He excelled during his senior campaign for the Lions, averaging 21.0 points and 7.0 rebounds per contest. The Timonium, Md. native earned Baltimore County Second Team honors and competed in the Baltimore County vs. Baltimore City Senior All-Star game after his final campaign.

Darley competed for the Crusader Nation 17U AAU squad during the summer of 2012.

“Will has a tremendous upside and high basketball IQ,” Thomas said. “We will look to have him fill the void left by the graduation of Brian Neller.”

Taylor, a native of Haymarket, Va., completed his high school studies at Springbrook (Md.) High School in 2011-12.  He competed in the Montgomery County senior all-star game, scoring eight points in the contest.

Taylor competed at national high school power Montrose Christian Academy during the 2010-11 campaign. He is currently playing for former Retriever Rod Harrison at Mount Zion.

“Charles is a high-level athlete that will bring a lot of energy to our program,” Thomas said. “He is a tremendous slasher and finisher.”

Neller, and classmates Ryan Cook (Laurel, Md./Pallotti) and Adrian Satchell (Windsor, Conn./Windsor) will complete their eligibility in 2012-13.

UMBC (1-2) meets a familiar foe on Tuesday, Nov. 20, when the Retrievers welcome the the Central Connecticut State Blue Devils (2-2). Both programs debuted at the NCAA Division I level in 1986-87 and Tuesday’s contest will be the 34th between the Devils and Dawgs. Tipoff time is set for 7:30 p.m. The game will be streamed on www.umbcretrievers.tv.

RETRIEVER UPDATE: In UMBC’s last outing, JR F Chase Plummer broke out for 28 points at Loyola (Md.) on Nov. 14, but the hot-shooting Greyhounds held off UMBC, 86-70. SR G Ryan Cook has been in double figures in all three games and leads the squad at 18.0 ppg.

BLUE DEVIL UPDATE: After opening the season with a one-point loss to Fairfield (64-63, ot) and a three-point setback at St. Peter’s, (64-61), CCSU roared back with impressive victories over Brown (86-71) and at LaSalle (81-74) on Nov. 15 and 18. SO G Kyle Vinales (23.3 ppg), the 2012 NEC Rookie of the Year, was named the NEC Player of the Week. Vinales posted three straight 20-plus point outings in Central’s 2-1 week. SO F Adonis Burbage scored a career-high 21 points and hit 7-of-8 from the field, 5-of-6 from three in the win over LaSalle.

Who’s Up Next: The Retrievers travel to Marquette for a contest in Milwaukee on Monday, Nov. 26. The game will be streamed on ESPN3.

SET THE SCENE: UMBC plays the first of 14 home games during the 2012-13 season when they welcome the Eastern (Pa.) Eagles to RAC Arena on Mon., Nov. 11.z

The game marks the return of Eastern Head Coach Nate Stewart, who served on the UMBC staff from 2006-11.

RETRIEVER UPDATE: Despite a tremendous 28-point, 11-rebound effort by senior guard Ryan Cook, the visiting UMBC Retrievers fell, 80-75, at Penn in the opening game for both teams. The game marked UMBC’s first under Acting Head Coach Aki Thomas.

UMBC led, 48-34, at the half, but a hot-shooting Penn squad outscored the Retrievers, 34-9, over the first 12:23 of the second half and the visitors could not overcome that rally.

SR G Brian Neller hit his first four 3-point attempts of the night and added 15 points.

EAGLE UPDATE: Tonight’s game marks the opening contest of the season for the Eagles. In Nate Stewart’s first season in 2011-12, Eastern put together a record of 15-11. But all five starters from that squad completed their eligibility and nine of Eastern’s 15 players ont the roster are freshmen or sophomores.

WHO’S UP NEXT: UMBC heads cross-town to visit 2012 MAAC champion Loyola on Wed., Nov. 14. The game will be broadcast by MASN-TV with a tip-off time of 9:00 p.m. Johnny Holiday and Troy Green have the call on the network for the 46th meeting between the Retrievers and Greyhounds.