UMBC will open the 2012-13 men’s basketball campaign at the University of Pennsylvania and play six non-conference home games before America East Conference competition, it was announced today by head coach Randy Monroe.

The Retrievers open the season in Philadelphia, taking on the Quakers on Friday, Nov. 9.  They open the home schedule three days later, when they host Eastern (Pa.) University on Monday, Nov. 12. Eastern is coached by former UMBC assistant coach Nate Stewart.

UMBC plays the first of six games vs. local rivals on Wednesday, Nov. 14 when they face 2012 MAAC champion and NCAA Tournament qualifier Loyola (Md.) at Reitz Arena.  The Retrievers host Towson (Dec. 1), American (Dec. 6) and Coppin State (Dec. 12), and travel short distances to George Mason (Dec. 4) and Mount St. Mary’s (Dec. 29).

Long-time rival Central Connecticut State (Nov. 20) and Canisius (Dec. 15) also will visit the RAC Arena  in late 2012.

UMBC will also visit two additional squads that competed in the NCAA Tournament last season.  The Retrievers close the month of November at Marquette on Nov. 28 and travel to Norfolk State on Dec. 9. The Retrievers also visit the Chicago area when they play DePaul on Dec. 22.

“Needless to say, we are very excited about our non-conference schedule,” head coach Randy Monroe said.  “We are going to face some very competitive teams and feel like these games will prepare us for the always-tough America East Conference.”

UMBC’s America East slate will be announced later this summer.

Notes:  The Retrievers also opened vs. Penn in 2011-12 and dropped a 59-45 decision… UMBC has not faced George Mason since the 1999-00 season and Mount St. Mary’s since the 2002-03 campaign… They will face Eastern (Pa.), Norfolk State and DePaul for the first time… UMBC and Towson will meet for the 56^th time- the Tigers are UMBC’s most frequently-played opponent.

2012 UMBC Men’s Basketball Non-Conference Schedule

November

Fri. 9 at Penn, TBA; Mon. 12 Eastern (Pa.) 7:00 p.m.; Wed. 14 at Loyola (Md.), TBA, Tue. 20 Central Connecticut State, 7:30 p.m.; Mon. 26 at Marquette, TBA

December

Sat. 1 Towson, TBA; Tue. 4 at George Mason, TBA; Thu. 6  American, 7:00 p.m.;  Sun. 9 at Norfolk State, 4:00 p.m.; Wed. 12 Coppin State, 7:00 p.m.; Sat. 15 Canisius, TBA; Sat. 22 at De Paul, 2:00 p.m.; Sat. 29 at Mount St. Mary’s, TBA

Honorable Mention: Boxing-Jermain Taylor vs. Caleb Truax (Friday 11pm from Biloxi, MS live on Showtime), Abner Mares vs. Eric Morel (Saturday 9pm from El Paso, TX live on Showtime); Tennis: ATP Tour Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters (Tuesday-Friday 4:30am Saturday 7am Sunday 7:30am from Monaco live on Tennis Channel/ESPN3.com); Soccer: MLS-Montreal Impact @ DC United (Wednesday 7:30pm from RFK Stadium live on Comcast SportsNet PLUS), New York Red Bulls @ DC United (Sunday 6pm from RFK Stadium live on ESPN2); Women’s College Lacrosse: ACC Tournament-Maryland vs. Virginia Tech (Friday 2pm from Durham, NC live on ESPN3.com), ACC Championship (Monday 7pm from Durham, NC live on ESPNU)

10. Augustana (Wednesday 7pm Rams Head Live), Portugal. The Man (Thursday 7pm Rams Head Live); Charm City Devils (Saturday 6:30pm Recher Theatre); Colin Hay (Thursday 7:30pm Baltimore Soundstage); The Bacon Brothers (Thursday & Friday 6:30pm & 9pm Rams Head on Stage), WAR (Sunday 5pm & 8pm Rams Head on Stage); Fountains of Wayne/James Iha (Thursday 7pm 9:30 Club), NEEDTOBREATHE (Saturday 8pm Sunday 7pm 9:30 Club); Glen Campbell (Tuesday & Wednesday 7:30pm Birchmere), Bela Fleck & The Flecktones (Monday 7:30pm Birchmere); Bad Brains (Friday 8pm Howard Theater); Daryl Hall/Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings (Friday 8pm Warner Theatre); Bowling For Soup (Saturday 8pm Stevenson University); Johns Hopkins Spring Fair feat. Passion Pit (Friday-Sunday, Passion Pit show Friday 7pm JHU Rec Center); UMBC Quadmania feat. Gym Class Heroes (Friday-Sunday, Gym Class Heroes show Saturday 7pm RAC Arena); Neon Trees “Picture Show” available in stores/on iTunes (Tuesday)

You know I’ll be at Recher Saturday night supporting the very awesome John Allan and CCD. My only issue with “Man of Constant Sorrow” is that I can’t fathom a human being leaving Kentucky…

I don’t particularly know anything about NEEDTOBREATHE but I DO know I dig this tune…

If Daryl Hall had Fitz & The Tantrums as his touring house band, I’d go to every show…

I probably shouldn’t admit how much I dig Neon Trees…

9. Ron White (Thursday 7:30pm Meyerhoff Symphony Hall); Eddie Griffin (Friday & Saturday Magooby’s Joke House); Norm MacDonald (Friday & Saturday Baltimore Comedy Factory); Wendy Liebman (Thursday-Sunday DC Improv); Mission: Impossible Ghost Protocol available on DVD/Blu-Ray (Tuesday); Tax Day (Tuesday)

I think I’m gonna go see Norm MacDonald. Because Norm MacDonald is funny. See below.

Also, it’s Tax Day Tuesday. I don’t think I’m getting any money back (do you have to make money for that?), but if I did I know exactly how I’d spend it…

There isn’t anything…in the world…I want more than a LoveSac.

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UMBC plays its final home game of the 2011-12 season when they host the Boston University Terriers on Wed., Feb. 22. The Retrievers’ lone senior, post Jake Wasco, will be honored in pregame ceremonies. The Retrievers did win the match-up with Boston U. at the RAC Arena last season, but were soundly beaten at Case Gymnasium on Jan.  24.  Tip-off time will be at 7:05 p.m. and the broadcast is available at www.umbcretrievers.tv.

RETRIEVER UPDATE: After allowing 66 and 56 points and holding UNH and Binghamton to 40 percent or below from the field, UMBC (4-23, 3-11) could not follow up, and fell at Canisius, 73-66, in Buffalo, N.Y. on Feb. 18. The Golden Griffins hit 50 percent from the field in the contest. Soph. forward Chase Plummer (15.4 ppg, 7.5 rpg) scored 24 points and added a career-high 14 rebounds and is putting together one of the top sophomore seasons in UMBC’s 26-year Division I history.

TERRIER UPDATE:  The Terriers (14-15, 10-4) return to Baltimore just three days after losing at Loyola, 69-56. Boston U. has dropped two straight, but has third place sewn up in America East Conference play.  Senior guard Darryl Partin has earned or shared single-game scoring honors for the Terriers in the last ten games and is averaging 19.8 points per game.

WHO’S UP NEXT:  UMBC plays its final game of the 2011-12 regular season when the Retrievers travel to Vermont to take on the Catamounts on Sat., Feb. 25. With a win at Binghamton on Wednesday, Vermont would be looking to capture the No. 1 tournament seed and potential regular season title on Saturday at Patrick Gymnasium.

Honorable Mention: NHL-Washington Capitals @ Ottawa Senators (Wednesday 7pm from Ottawa live on Comcast SportsNet PLUS), Montreal Canadiens @ Washington Capitals (Friday 7pm from Verizon Center live on NHL Network/Comcast SportsNet), Washington Capitals @ Toronto Maple Leafs (Saturday 7pm from Toronto live on NHL Network/Comcast SportsNet); Monster Jam (Friday-Sunday 1st Mariner Arena); Tennis: ATP Tour Regions Morgan Keegan Championships (Saturday 12pm & 4pm Sunday 4pm from Memphis live on Tennis Channel); Boxing: Marcos Maidana vs. Devon Alexander (Saturday 10pm from St. Louis live on HBO), Friday Night Fights-Juan Carlos Burgos vs. Cristobal Cruz (Friday 9pm from Dover live on ESPN2); High School Basketball: MPSSAA Playoffs Opening Round-Games include Catonsville @ Mergenthaler, Paint Branch @ Dulaney, Poly @ Blake, Perry Hall @ Sherwood, Chesapeake-AA @ South River, Great Mills @ North County, Leonardtown @ Broadneck, Severna Park @ Meade (All games Friday); Women’s College Basketball: North Carolina @ Maryland (Friday 8:30pm from Comcast Center live on Comcast SportsNet PLUS)

10. Blake Shelton (Saturday 7:30pm Patriot Center); Mr. Greengenes (Friday 7:30pm Rams Head Live), Several Species: The Pink Floyd Experience (Saturday 7pm Rams Head Live); Citizen Cope (Friday 7pm Recher Theatre); Guns N Roses (Thursday 10pm Fillmore Silver Spring), Flogging Molly (Friday 8pm Fillmore Silver Spring); Estelle (Wednesday 7:30pm Birchmere); Rick Ross (Thursday 7pm D.A.R. Constitution Hall); Fun. “Some Nights” available in stores/on iTunes (Tuesday)

I’m not really a Blake Shelton fan.That said, I wish I could tell you I didn’t enjoy this tune…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OGoiiwxTWeE

I am particularly bitter that my trip to Indy this weekend will prevent me from getting to the Cope show Friday night. If you’ve never seen him, shame on you…

What’s happening in Silver Spring won’t ACTUALLY be a GNR show, but it doesn’t mean you can’t sing along…

Just in case you forgot, Flogging Molly is the one that ISN’T Dropkick Murphys…

9. Portlandia The Tour (Tuesday 7pm & 9pm 9:30 Club); Jeffrey Ross (Saturday 8pm Fillmore Silver Spring); Jim Gaffigan (Thursday-Saturday Warner Theatre); Rodney Carrington (Friday 7:30pm Meyerhoff Symphony Hall); Rich Vos (Thursday-Saturday Magooby’s Joke House); Donnell Rawlings (Thursday-Sunday DC Improv); “J. Edgar” available on Blu-Ray/DVD (Tuesday); “Act of Valor” and “Wonderlust” out in theaters (Friday); 2012 Academy Awards (Sunday 7pm from Los Angeles live on ABC)

Can someone ask Jeffrey Ross if he’ll come on my show this week and make fun of me? It’s that good…

Also funny? Jim Gaffigan. It’s just a very different type of funny…

Honorable Mention: Women’s College Basketball-Miami @ Maryland (Sunday 2:30pm from Comcast Center live on ESPN2); High School Basketball: Dulaney @ Perry Hall (Wednesday 6:30pm), Towson @ Perry Hall (Friday 7pm); Baltimore Ravens Regional Scouting Combine (Saturday 1 Winning Drive Owings Mills)

10. Anthrax/Testament (Tuesday 7pm Rams Head Live), Black Stone Cherry/Cavo (Thursday 6:30pm Rams Head Live), Umphrey’s McGee (Sunday 7pm Rams Head Live); Wayne Static (Wednesday 6pm Recher Theatre); Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe Presents the Rolling Stones’ album Sticky Fingers in it’s entirety (Friday 8pm Baltimore Soundstage); George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic (Tuesday 7pm 9:30 Club), The Darkness (Wednesday 7pm 9:30 Club), Jack’s Mannequin (Friday & Saturday 6:30pm 9:30 Club); Eric Benet (Tuesday & Wednesday 7:30pm Birchmere); The Fray “Scars and Stories” and Van Halen “A Different Kind of Truth” available in stores/on iTunes (Tuesday)

I probably enjoy Cavo a little bit more than I’m willing to admit publicly…

I both enjoy Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe…

AND I enjoy the Rolling Stones’ album Sticky Fingers. So I’ve got that going for me…

I really don’t care…at all…what you think. The new song by The Fray is freaking awesome.

9. Mike Epps (Friday 7:30pm & 10pm D.A.R. Constitution Hall); Nick Cannon (Thursday-Sunday Baltimore Comedy Factory), Alonzo Bodden (Monday 8pm Baltimore Comedy Factory); “Safe House” opens in theaters (Friday); “A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas” available on DVD/Blu-Ray (Tuesday); Wanda Sykes (Friday 8pm Strathmore); Motor Trend International Auto Show (Thursday-Sunday Baltimore Convention Center); Sex at the Zoo (Thursday 6pm Maryland Zoo in Baltimore); Wishful Drinking feat. Carrie Fisher (Tuesday-Sunday France Merrick Performing Arts Center-Hippodrome)

This is a bizarre combination of events for sure. Me personally, I’d watch Denzel Washington act his way out of a cardboard box, so I’m excited for Safe House.  Of course, there’s no way humanly possible it’s as good as Training Day (language NSFW)…

I don’t know if Eli Manning would be willing to donate his new car to the event at the Convention Center this weekend, but I’d certainly appreciate the opportunity to drool over the Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport Centennial Edition…

UMBC plays its lone Saturday home date of the conference season when the Retrievers host the Maine Black Bears at the RAC Arena on Feb. 4. The game is the nightcap of a Retriever-Black Bear doubleheader as UMBC celebrates its Hall of Fame Day. Tip-off time is set for 3:30 p.m.  All UMBC home basketball games are streamed on www.umbcretrievers.tv.

RETRIEVER UPDATE: After an eight-day layoff frrom games, UMBC (2-7, 3-18) got the offense going at Albany, but could not get enough stops vs. the high-powered Great Danes and fell, 87-76. Junior guard Ryan Cook scored a team season-best 28 points. UMBC played without leading scorer Chase Plummer (14.0 ppg), who suffered a concussion earlier in the week and did not make the trip.

BEAR UPDATE:  The Black Bears (4-5, 10-10) dropped five straight games after defeatnig UMBC on Jan. 7, but have come back to post victories in their last two outings. Freshman guard Justin Edwards scored 18 points as Maine held off Binghamton, 67-59, in Orono on Jan. 28. Senior guard Gerald McLemore, who scored 29 points in the win over UMBC, leads the team at 17.9 ponits per game. Maine has played UMBC after a bye in both meetings this year.

Who’s Up Next:  UMBC starts a busy week by hosting Hartford on Tuesday, then travels to Stony Brook for a Thursday contest before returning home to entertain UNH on Sunday.

Honorable Mention: College Lacrosse scrimmage-Penn State @ Johns Hopkins (Saturday 1pm Homewood Field); Mount St. Mary’s @ UMBC (Saturday 1pm UMBC Stadium); Boxing: Friday Night Fights-Isaac Chilemba vs. Edison Miranda (Friday 10pm from Las Vegas live on ESPN2), Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. vs. Marco Antonio Rubio (Saturday 10pm from San Antonio live on HBO); Women’s College Basketball: Boston College @ Maryland (Thursday 7pm Comcast Center), Maryland @ Georgia Tech (Monday 7pm from Atlanta live on Comcast SportsNet); Soccer-MISL Norfolk SharX @ Baltimore Blast (Wednesday 7:35pm 1st Mariner Arena); High School Basketball: Perry Hall @ Eastern Tech (Wednesday 6:30pm), Perry Hall @ Patapsco (Friday 7pm); Pro Wrestling: Ring of Honor (Saturday 7pm Du Burns Arena)

10. Lacuna Coil (Tuesday 7pm Rams Head Live), Sebastian Bach (Thursday 7pm Rams Head Live), Jimmie’s Chicken Shack (Saturday 7:30pm Rams Head Live), Third Eye Blind (Monday 6:30pm Rams Head Live); Dierks Bentley (Sunday 3:30pm Recher Theatre); Rise Against (Sunday 7pm Patriot Center); Augustana (Saturday 8pm 9:30 Club), Bone Thugs-n-Harmony (Sunday 10pm 9:30 Club); Marc Broussard (Tuesday 7:30pm Birchmere), Yardbirds (Monday 7:30pm Birchmere)

If Jimi Haha is reading this, can you please leave me two for Saturday night? Thanks…

Third Eye Blind had way more good songs than you realize they did…

I heard a guy on 98 Rock say the other day “if you need your face rocked clean off, Rise Against is the way to go.” He might have been right…

Here’s Bone Thugs n Phil Collins. Not only did this happen, but I really enjoyed it.

9. Demetri Martin (Friday 8pm Warner Theatre); Carrie Fisher “Wishful Drinking” (Tuesday-Sunday France-Merrick Performing Arts Center-Hippodrome); Chocolate Affair (Thursday 6pm Baltimore Waterfront Marriott Hotel)

Carrie Fisher is coming to town. This is a fantastic time to remind everyone that Adrianne Curry once dressed up as Princess Leia…

I would follow this up with another thought, but clearly my brain is no longer in operation.

UMBC will try to shake  off a forgettable performance six days ago against Stony Brook and pull off their fourth consecutive win vs. Hartford at Chase Family Arena when they battle the resurgent Hawks on Tues., Jan. 17 at 7:00 p.m. Tip-off time is set for 7:00 p.m.

RETRIEVER UPDATE: UMBC (1-3, 2-14) had no answers for Stony Brook at the RAC Arena on Jan. 11, as the Seawolves shot nearly 59 percent from the floor in a 89-49 victory. It was the third consecutive loss for UMBC and the third straight game in which they allowed 89 points. Junior guards Ryan Cook (14 pts.) and Brian Neller combined for 27 of UMBC’s 49 points as the hosts did not reach the 33 percent shooting mark.

HAWK UPDATE:  Hartford (2-2, 2-14) started the season at 0-13, but has won two of its last three contests in league play.  UH used a second-half surge to defeat winless Binghamton, 69-57, on Sunday at the BU Events Center. Senior guard Andres Torres has led the charge, leading UH in all four America East games, averaging 16.5 points in that span. He had a season-high 27 in the 56-49 win over UNH. Hartford attempts 24.8 3-point field goals per game.

Who’s Up Next:  UMBC has a quick turnaround, as they return to the RAC Arena to face Binghamton on Thursday, Jan. 19.

Honorable Mention: Women’s College Basketball-Wake Forest @ Maryland (Thursday 7pm Comcast Center), Maryland @ Duke (Sunday 3:30pm from Durham, NC live on ESPNU); Golf: PGA Tour Humana Challenge (Thursday & Friday 3pm Saturday & Sunday 4pm from La Quinta, CA live on Golf Channel), Champions Tour Mitsubishi Electric Championship (Friday 6:30pm Saturday & Sunday 7:30pm from Ka’upulehu-Kona, HI live on Golf Channel); Boxing: Eddie Chambers vs. Sergei Liakhovic (Saturday 9pm from Philly live on NBC Sports Network); High School Basketball: Woodlawn @ Perry Hall (Wednesday 6:30pm), Milford Mill @ Perry Hall (Friday 7pm)

10. Dru Hill (Saturday 7pm Rams Head Live); Taproot (Saturday 6:30pm Recher Theatre); Jimi Haha (Thursday 8pm 8×10 Club); Aimee Mann (Monday 8pm Rams Head on Stage); Ozomatli (Saturday 9pm 9:30 Club); Bryan Adams (Monday 8pm Strathmore)

For those of us in Charm City, Sisqo and the boys from Dru Hill are a bit of royalty-even if they’re not really all that famous anymore.  They were so freaking awesome in the mid-90′s…

I heart Jimi Haha-and not just because I beat the Jimmie’s Chicken Shack/Jarflys frontman a few weeks ago in “Everybody Beats Glenn”…

You’ve probably heard some Ozomatli, even if you don’t think you have…

I love Bryan Adams. So sue me.

9. Adam Carolla (Saturday 8pm & 10pm Fillmore Silver Spring); “Haywire” out in theaters (Friday)

Adam Carolla is a funny hombre. I LOVED him with Dr. Drew on “Loveline”, but I think I loved Crank Yankers even more…

I don’t know if you’d call me “excited” about the pending release of Haywire, but I AM excited about posting another new picture of Gina Carano…

Stony Brook has swept the last three season series vs. UMBC and the red-hot Seawolves invade the RAC Arena on Wed., Jan. 11 to battle the Retrievers. Tip-off time is set for 7:05 p.m.  All home games are streamed at www.umbcretrievers.tv.

RETRIEVER UPDATE: For the third consecutive game, UMBC (1-2, 2-13) will run into a team on a hot streak as the Retrievers suffered back-to-back losses to Albany and Maine in a three-day stretch last week. UMBC allowed 89 points in each setback. The Retrievers are averaging 72.7 points per game through three league games, paced by Chase Plummer, who averaged 21.7 points per game through the first three AEC contests. 

SEAWOLF UPDATE:  Stony Brook (3-0, 8-6) has won five consecutive games and are a perfect 7-0 at Pritchard Gymnasium in 2011-12. They snapped a five-game road losing streak with a 60-54 win at BInghamton on Jan. 5, then defeated Albany, 81-68 at Pritchard on Jan. 8. Senior guard Bryan Dougher scored 19 points in that intra-state victory and leads a balanced Seawolves’ attack with 13.6 points per game.  Eight different Seawolves have earned or shared game-high scoring honors this season. 

Who’s Up Next:  UMBC has its first bye of the season this week and will travel to Hartford for a Tuesday evening match-up with the Hawks.