UMBC starts a two-game America East road swing on Wed., Feb. 9 when they visit New Hampshire at Lundholm Gymnasium. Tip-off time between the Retrievers and Wildcats is 7:00 p.m. 

RETRIEVER UPDATE: UMBC (4-7, 6-18) could not recover from another poor start and fell to Vermont, 67-55, at the RAC Arena on Sat., Feb. 9. In the three-game homestand, UMBC trailed by 9, 15 and 9 points at the midpoint of the fi rst half. They rallied to defeat Maine, 68-67, in the opener, but lost to Albany and Vermont. SR G Brian Neller has hit 22 treys in his last five games, while SO G Joey Getz scored in double figures in two of the three games at the RAC Arena. SR G Ryan Cook (14.7 ppg) leads UMBC in scoring, but is now at a season-low in scoring average.

WILDCAT UPDATE: New Hampshire (2-8, 6-16) had the bye this weekend, after falling, 63-48 at Vermont on Feb. 6. The Wildcats are 0-5 at home in league play in 2013. SR F Ferg Myrick, who leads the Wildcats with 13.8 ppg, scored just two points at Vermont a week ago. Myrick leads UNH with 34 three-point field goals.

WHO’S UP NEXT: UMBC has the weekend off before traveling to Long Island to take on Stony Brook at Pritchard Gym on Tues., Feb. 19.

The UMBC men’s basketball team plays at home for the first time since Dec. 12 and opens the home portion of its America East Conference schedule on Wed., Jan. 9 when they host the New Hampshire Wildcats. The road time has won five of the last six meetings between UMBC and UNH. The opening tap is slated for 7:05 p.m. Streaming is available on www.umbcretrievers.tv.

RETRIEVER UPDATE: Host Maine shot a blistering 58.5 percent from the floor and withstood a late Retriever rally to win their fourth straight, defeating visiting UMBC, 81-66, at Alfond Arena on Jan. 5. JR F Chase Plummer scored 14 points off the bench to lead UMBC (0-2, 2-13), which is in the midst of an eight-game slide. SR G Ryan Cook leads UMBC with 16.2 ppg and has scored in double figures in ten straight games.

WILDCAT UPDATE:  New Hampshire (0-2, 4-10) has lost five consecutive games since a 64-58 win over Yale on Dec. 8. Most recently, UNH fell, 65-49, to league favorite Stony Brook on Jan. 5. SR F Ferg Myrick  leads four Wildcats in double figures with 15.4 points per game and has scored 20 or more points in three of UNH’s last six outings. JR C Chris Pelcher (10.6 ppg, team-high 7.3 rpg) is one of the league’s top rebounders and is shooting 53 percent from the floor.

WHO’S UP NEXT:  The Retrievers head back out on the road to face a red-hot Vermont squad on Sat., Jan. 12.

Honorable Mention: Soccer-MISL Baltimore Blast @ Chicago Soul (Friday 8:30pm from Hoffman Estates, IL live on MISLtv.com), Baltimore Blast @ Milwaukee Wave (Saturday 7:30pm from Milwaukee live on MISLtv.com); Boxing: Friday Night Fights-John Molina vs. Dannie Williams (Friday 9pm from Santa Fe live on ESPN2); Women’s College Basketball: Miami @ Maryland (Thursday 7pm Comcast Center)

10. Jimmie’s Chicken Shack 20th Anniversary Show (Friday 8:30pm Rams Head Live), Bloc Party (Saturday 9pm Rams Head Live); Kris Allen (Monday 8pm Rams Head on Stage); Yellowcard (Friday 5pm 9:30 Club); David Murray Big Band & Macy Gray (Thursday 8pm Howard Theatre); Elvis’ Birthday Fight Club (Saturday 7:30pm Creative Alliance); Dropkick Murphys “Signed and Sealed in Blood” available in stores/on iTunes (Tuesday)

You know someone who is camping out for his spot to check out the JCS anniversary show…

I was never a huge Yellowcard fan, but I know they’re about to hit the road with our boys from All Time Low, so I’m back on the bandwagon. Plus this song always kinda kicked ass…

Say what you want about Macy Gray being a weirdo. Don’t say she isn’t a talented chick.

You may remember Dropkick Murphys as the band that put a Christmas tune on their album that was coming out in January. BRILLIANCE.

9. Jim Gaffigan (Saturday 7pm & 9:30pm Modell Performing Arts Center at The Lyric); George Lopez (Saturday 8pm D.A.R. Constitution Hall); Christian Finnegan (Thursday-Sunday DC Improv); “Dredd“, “Frankenweenie” & “Archer Season 3” available on Blu-Ray/DVD (Tuesday); “Zero Dark Thirty“, “Gangster Squad” & “Promised Land” out in theaters (Friday); Baltimore County Winter Restaurant Week (Friday-Monday throughout Baltimore County)

Want to move into “best friend” territory with me? Get me Archer Season 3. NOW.

On the list of spots participating in BCWRW? Costas Inn. Oysters Rockefeller for all!!!

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DURHAM, N.H. - Riding a three-game winning streak, the Tigers will be seeking to stake their claim to a share of the Colonial Athletic Association championship when they visit Cowell Stadium to face CAA co-leader New Hampshire …A Tiger win over UNH would throw the entire CAA into a mad scramble because it would create the possibility of a six-way tie for first place in the CAA … Wins by Towson over UNH, James Madison over Old Dominion, Richmond over William & Mary and Villanova over Delaware would leave Towson, UNH, JMU, Richmond and Villanova all tied for first place at 6-2 and would force the utilization of a tie-breaker scenario.

For Towson to have its best shot at its second straight CAA championship, the Tigers would like a three-way tie with New Hampshire and Villanova because Towson would hold the tie-breaker over both teams.

The Tigers, who are the defending CAA champions, have won 12 of their last 15 CAA games … Towson was 7-1 in 2011 and has a 5-2 record this year … From 2007 to 2010, the Tigers were 3-29 in CAA games.

Towson is also seeking its second straight appearance in the NCAA FCS playoffs … Last year, the Tigers earned the CAA’s automatic bid as conference champion … Towson earned a first-round bye and dropped a 40-38 heartbreaker to Lehigh in the second round of the playoffs before a sellout crowd at Unitas Stadium.

TIGERS vs. NEW HAMPSHIRE: Towson and New Hampshire are meeting for the ninth time in a series that began in 1980 … UNH has a 7-1 series lead and didn’t lose a game to the Tigers until last year.

The two teams first met in 1980 when Towson was a Division II program … UNH won that contest, 10-6 despite a 51-yard field goal by future NFL All-Pro punter Sean Landeta … In 1981, Towson and New Hampshire met in Durham and the Wildcats pulled out a 31-29 victory … The teams did not meet again until 2004 when they were conference rivals … In seven games as conference rivals, UNH has averaged 43.3 points per game … In conference games, their average margin of victory has been 29.3 points … UNH has a 4-0 record at home against Towson.

On its way to its first CAA championship last season, the Tigers finally beat UNH for the first time ever, handing the Wildcats a 56-42 loss at Unitas Stadium … The two teams combined for 98 points and 1,128 total yards.

ROAD WARRIORS: The Tigers, who are seeking their first-ever win at Cowell Stadium, have been a very good road team the last two seasons … In fact, Towson has won six of its last seven CAA road games … In 2011, Towson earned CAA road wins at No. 17 Old Dominion (39-35), No. 14 William & Mary (38-27), No. 7 Maine (40-30) and Rhode Island (28-17) … Towson has a 2-1 CAA road record this year … On Oct. 6, the Tigers lost at No. 5 James Madison (13-10) … But, Towson bounced back with a 49-35 win at No. 19 Villanova and a 34-27 overtime victory at No. 23 Delaware one week later.

Honorable Mention: Boxing-Carl Froch vs. Yusaf Mack (Saturday 3pm from Nottingham, ENG live on Pay-Per-View); NBA: Washington Wizards @ Charlotte Bobcats (Tuesday 7pm from Charlotte live on Comcast SportsNet), Washington Wizards @ Dallas Mavericks (Wednesday 8:30pm from Dallas live on Comcast SportsNet), Utah Jazz @ Washington Wizards (Saturday 7pm from Verizon Center live on Comcast SportsNet), Indiana Pacers @ Washington Wizards (Monday 7pm from Verizon Center live on Comcast SportsNet); Gymnastics: Kellogg’s Tour of Gymnastics Champions (Thursday 7:30pm Verizon Center)

10. Rick Ross (Saturday 7:30pm 1st Mariner Arena); The Who (Tuesday 7:30pm Verizon Center); Civil Twilight (Wednesday 7pm Rams Head Live); Yellowcard (Thursday 7pm Rams Head Live), Chrisette Michele (Saturday 9pm Rams Head Live); Kreayshawn (Tuesday 7pm Recher Theatre), Rome (Wednesday 7pm Recher Theatre), Smile Empty Soul (Friday 6:30pm Recher Theatre); Joe Budden (Sunday 8pm Baltimore Soundstage); Marc Cohn (Thursday 6pm & 9pm Rams Head on Stage); Macklemore & Ryan Lewis (Tuesday 7pm 9:30 Club), Yeasayer (Wednesday & Thursday 7pm 9:30 Club), G. Love and Special Sauce (Friday 8pm 9:30 Club), Dan Deacon (Saturday 8pm 9:30 Club); Dangermuffin (Tuesday 8pm Metropolitan Kitchen & Lounge); Heart (Tuesday 7:30pm D.A.R. Constitution Hall), Ray LaMontagne (Friday 8pm D.A.R. Constitution Hall), Aretha Franklin (Saturday 7:30pm D.A.R. Constitution Hall); Chris Isaak (Tuesday 8pm Maryland Hall For The Creative Arts); Ballyhoo (Friday 8pm Looney’s College Park); Lyfe Jennings (Saturday 8pm Howard Theatre); Green Day “Dos” and Soundgarden “King Animal” available in stores/on iTunes (Tuesday)

I STILL haven’t stopped hearing from everyone who went to the last Civil Twilight show at RHL…

Macklemore & Ryan Lewis provide some real, thought-provoking hip-hop. Genuine…

Dangermuffin-good name, better band.

If I’m telling the truth, I swoon a bit every time I hear this Ray LaMontagne tune…

9. Tom Green (Thursday-Saturday Baltimore Comedy Factory); Bob Marley (Wednesday-Sunday DC Improv); Craig Ferguson (Friday 7pm & 10pm Warner Theatre); Anthony Bourdain (Saturday 8pm France-Merrick Performing Arts Center at The Hippodrome); “Lincoln” out in theaters (Friday); “Brave” available on Blu-Ray/DVD (Tuesday)

I’m not going to lie…I used to be SO in on Tom Green. For example, this was a GREAT bit…

I’d like to see Lincoln. I’d like to see THIS even more…

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BALTIMORE- For the second time in three years, the UMBC men’s soccer team has won the America East title and will represent the conference in the NCAA Men’s Soccer College Cup. The second-seeded Retrievers and fifth-seeded New Hampshire Wildcats played to a 0-0 double overtime draw, but UMBC advanced to the championships by prevailing, 4-2, in penalty kicks.

UMBC (11-4-5) junior goalkeeper Phil Saunders (Perry Hall, Md./Perry Hall) was named the championship’s  Most Outstanding Player. Saunders made five saves, including a point-blank stop in the second overtime period, and stopped a pair of UNH (7-7-6) attempts in the penalty kick shootout. He also blanked Stony Brook, 1-0, in the semifinals.

The Retrievers will compete in their third Division I NCAA Championship, with previous appearances in 1999 and 2010. The team will learn its first-round opponent on Monday afternoon when the brackets are announced.

“The last two days, we told them we would find a way to win knowing they (UNH) was a great defensive team and if it comes down to penalty kicks, whatever it takes, we are going to do it, and that’s exactly what we did,” head coach Pete Caringi, Jr. said.

The partisan UMBC crowd of 1,016 was shocked early on as the America East Striker of the Year, junior forward Pete Caringi III (Perry Hall, Md./Calvert Hall) went down and had to be helped off the field in the fourth minute of play. Caringi, who led America East with 14 goals on the season, did not return to the lineup.

However, the Retrievers did control much of the play in the first 45 minutes. The best scoring chance came in the 13^thminute, when junior forward Kadeem Dacres (Rosedale, N.Y./Mercer County CC) tested UNH sophomore netminder Travis Worra with a 19-yard shot toward the far post, but Worra made a diving save to keep the game scoreless.

Saunders, who was not tested in the first half, made a pair of saves on UNH midfielder Robert Palumbo in the 50^thminute, stopping an initial drive from 16 yards out and then rejected a rebound opportunity from seven yards away.

UMBC countered with good chances in the 68^thand 70^th minutes, but freshman midfielder Michael Burgos (Huntingtown, Md./The Calverton School) was wide with a header, and sophomore midfielder Stephen Ho (North Potomac, Md./Wootton) missed on the short side after a cross from Dacres.

The game headed to overtime, and although UMBC outshot UNH, 6-2, over that 20-minute span, the Wildcats had two outstanding opportunities. In the 95’, reserve midfielder David Schlatter hit the underside of the crossbar as he found himself unguarded on the right side from 12 yards out.

With less than four minutes to play in the second extra period, Schlatter got inside of the Retriever defense and drilled a seven-yard shot, but Saunders aggressively challenged and turned the attempt away.

Just as it did in 2010, the game went to penalty kicks and the results were similar. UMBC senior Milo Kapor (Toronto, Ont./Emily Carr) converted, as did UNH senior back Jordan Thomas, and Retriever sophomore midfielder Mamadou Kansaye (Baltimore, Md./McDonogh) gave UMBC a 2-1 advantage. UNH freshman Lukas Goerigk tried to beat Saunders to the goalie’s right, but the Retreiver netminder made the save on the hard shot along the turf.

UMBC senior fullback Liam Paddock (Worcesteshire, England/Chase Technology) and Palumbo matched scores, and the Retrievers led, 3-2, after three rounds. Dacres drilled his attempt into the upper left corner, but Saunders ended the proceedings by stopping Ryan McNabb’s effort with a similar diving save to his right.

The Retrievers won the 2010 shootout, 5-4 and went on to defeat No. 10 Princeton, 2-1, in the first round, before falling in penalty kicks at William & Mary.

“Tonight in general says a lot about UMBC Soccer- the crowd, the atmosphere, the enthusiasm for our program.,” Caringi said. “This is a culmination of a lot of work. This is a win for UMBC in general. I am really proud of the school and how everyone responded.”

In addition to Saunders, Dacres, Paddock and senior midfielder Dave Vaeth (Dundalk, Md./Patapsco) earned All-Tournament Team honors.

UMBC outshot UNH, 21-10, overall and earned 11 corners to five for the Wildcats. Worra collected seven saves in the contest.

Naval Academy Announces Major Athletic Award Winners

ANNAPOLIS, Md.– The United States Naval Academy announced its major athletic award winners Thursday morning at the annual Prizes and Awards Ceremony at Alumni Hall.

Cody Rome (Eagle, Idaho), a member of the cross country and track & field teams, was awarded the NAAA Sword for Men which is presented to that man of the graduating class who is considered by the Association’s Athletic Council to have personally excelled in men’s athletics during his years of varsity competition.

Rome is a five-time Patriot League track & field champion and a six-time runner-up.  He is the school record holder in the 3,000 meters and helped lead the Mids to four Patriot League cross country titles and two track & field titles.  He is a three-time All-Patriot League selection in cross country and was a 2011 CoSIDA Second-Team Academic All-American.   Rome was also the 2011 and 2012 Patriot League Indoor Track & Field Scholar-Athlete of the Year and a three-time NCAA track & field regional qualifier.

Rome is just the sixth dual cross country/track & field athlete to win in the 121-year history of the award and the first since Aaron Lanzel in 2003.

Other nominees for the NAAA Sword for Men included Andrew Faulk (gymnastics), Mark Meyer (swimming), Jabaree Tuani (football) and RJ Wickham (lacrosse).

Jess Palacio (Sun Valley, Nev.) of the cross country and track & field teams was awarded the Vice Admiral Lawrence Sword for Women, which is presented to that woman of the graduating class who is considered by the Association’s Athletic Council to have personally excelled in women’s athletics during her years of varsity competition.

Palacio earned 12 varsity letters and 10 N-Stars in her career on the cross country, indoor and outdoor track & field teams.  Earning 2012 Women’s Indoor Track Second-Team All-America honors in the mile, she in the program’s first indoor women’s track All-American.  Palacio holds five middle distance school records in track and field and is a four-time Patriot League Track-Athlete of the Meet.  She won 11 Patriot League individual track titles and helped lead the Mids to three track & field titles and two cross country titles in her career.  She was a Three-Time First-Team All-Patriot League selection in cross country and was the 2011 Patriot League Cross Country Individual Champion.

Palacio is the fourth dual cross country/track & field athlete to win the award in its 33-year history and the first since Amy Baxter in 2001.

Kierstin King from the women’s lacrosse team was also nominated.

Andrew Faulk (San Antonio, Texas) of the gymnastics team won the Thompson Trophy Cup, which is presented to that midshipman, male or female, who has done the most during the year to promote athletics at the Naval Academy.

Faulk, the gymnastics team captain, won 2012 ECAC titles in the all-around, pommel horse, parallel bars and high bar and was named the ECAC Gymnast of the Year.  He placed 13th in the all-around competition at the 2012 NCAA Championship and was one of six finalists for the Nissen-Emery Award, which is presented to the nation’s top senior gymnast.  He was ranked in the To 10 in the country in all-around average and finished first in the all-around competition in seven different meets.

Faulk is just the second gymnast to win in the 125-year history of the award and the first since N.C. Gillette in 1913.

Other nominees for the award included John Dowd (football) and Taylor Reynolds (lacrosse).

Will Race (Claremont, N.H.) of the men’s rowing team was awarded the men’s Coaches’ Calvert Award, which recognizes a graduating varsity letterwinner who displayed leadership, consistent effort, loyalty and dedication to the sport and who has taken their abilities beyond the expectations of the coach, peers and themselves.

Race was a three-year letterwinner and a member of Navy’s varsity eight boat.  This season he helped the varsity eight to a fifth-place finish in the Eastern Sprints, Navy’s best finish since 2004.  As a sophomore, Race helped the varsity eight to an eighth-place finish at the 2010 IRA National Championship.  He was selected to the under 23 U.S. National Rowing team where he rowed in the four without coxswain boat at the World Rowing Under 23 Championship in Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

Race is the fifth member of the rowing team to win in the 40-year history of the award and the first since Dean Phillips in 1997.

Erin Edwards (Hockessin, Del.) of the women’s basketball team was awarded the women’s Coaches’ Calvert Award, which recognizes a graduating varsity letterwinner who displayed leadership, consistent effort, loyalty and dedication to the sport and who has taken their abilities beyond the expectations of the coach, peers and themselves.

Edwards helped lead Navy to back-to-back Patriot League Championships including the school’s first women’s basketball championship in 2010.  Over her last two seasons, Edwards started 52 games and scored 329 points. Edwards, who was the 2011-12 team captain, improved her game as a senior scoring in double figures eight times after scoring in double figures only eight times her first three seasons combined.  She led the Patriot League in three-point field goal percentage both as a junior and senior.

Edwards is just the second women’s basketball player in the 23-year history of the award to be recognized and the first since Jennifer Bombinski in 2001.

ON AIR: Wednesday’s game can be seen live on ESPN3 with John Sadak handling the play-by-play duties and Vince Angotti providing analysis.

SETTING THE STAGE: The Tigers are set to host Delaware, one of the hottest teams in the Colonial Athletic Association, on Wednesday, Feb. 22 at the Towson Center Arena. The Tigers have lost six straight since topping UNC Wilmington at home on Jan. 28, while the Blue Hens are riding a six-game winning streak. Wednesday will be the final home game for three Towson seniors who will be honored pregame. Wednesday’s game is being sponsored by PNC BANK, the official bank of Towson University.

ROB’S CAREER NIGHT: Towson senior Robert Nwankwo, who has scored in double figures in five straight games, poured in a career-high 20 points to go along with 13 rebounds against New Hampshire on Saturday. In a pair of games last week, the forward averaged 19.5 points, 13.0 rebounds and shot 52.2 percent from the field.

BATTLE DOWN LOW: Wednesday’s game will feature two of the best rebounders in the country. Delaware’s Jamelle Hagins currently ranks fifth in the NCAA averaging 11.2 rebounds per game. Hagins is first in the CAA in both total rebounds and defensive rebounds (8.6/game). Towson senior Robert Nwankwo is fourth in the league averaging 9.6 rebounds and the forward leads all CAA players with 4.2 offensive rebounds per game. Hagins and Nwankwo are also two of the top players in the country in blocks per game. Both are Top 25 nationally in rejections with Hagins averaging 3.0 and Nwankwo recording 2.5 per contest.

SCOUTING THE BLUE HENS: Delaware comes into Wednesday’s matchup with the Tigers as one of the hottest teams in the CAA. The Blue Hens have won six straight and are currently tied for fifth-place in the league standings. Delaware boasts the second ranked scoring offense in the conference, averaging 68.3 points per game. Sophomore Devon Saddler is second in the CAA averaging 18.6 points per game. The Blue Hens have also been solid defensively, rejecting 4.9 shots per game to rank second in the league in blocks. Junior Jamelle Hagins is second on the team in scoring (12.9 ppg), but his biggest contributions come on the defensive side of the floor. The forward averages a CAA-leading 11.2 rebounds per game and his 3.0 blocks per game is second in the conference.

LAST TIME OUT: Towson senior Robert Nwankwo posted his 13th double-double of the season, but a balanced New Hampshire squad outlasted the Tigers to pick up a 72-58 BracketBuster win Saturday afternoon at Lundholm Gymnasium. The Tigers won the battle of the boards (38-37) for the 10th time in the last 11 games. Towson also committed a season-low eight turnovers, but the Tigers were dominated from beyond the arc. New Hampshire made 10 three-point field goals, including a 6-for-15 shooting clip in the second half, while Towson was only able to hit two of its 17 attempts from deep. Tiger sophomore Marcus Damas had 11 of his 13 points in the second half and now has 20 double digit scoring games this season. The forward handed out a team-high four assists, but missed all eight of his three-point field goal attempts. Freshman Deon Jones put forth a solid effort with eight points and six rebounds in 30 minutes of action.

HONORING OUR SENIORS: Prior to Wednesday’s 7 p.m. tip, Towson will honor its seniors. A short ceremony honoring Bryan Blackstone, Deyon Cook, Robert Nwankwo and four senior managers will take place approximately 10 minutes prior to tip.