Men's Basketball Trips at UMBC, 92-81

Monday, December 7

Baltimore, MD

4 P.M.

George Washington University

1-3,0-0Atlantic 10

UMBC

2-1,0-0America East

George Washington

UMBC

Photo by: Gail Burton

12/7/2020 6:52:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score Box Score

Monday's game at the Event Center at UMBC was in some ways a microcosm of the calendar year. After GW's game at Towson Monday night was postponed due to a positive COVID test within the Tigers' program, the Buff and Blue scrambled to find another opponent and made their way to the home of the Retrievers. The new arena was all but empty except for the teams on the floor, and an eclectic music playlist provided the lone atmosphere in the facility.

Unfortunately for GW, without a crowd to feed off in what could've been a true road test, the Buff and Blue had to make their own energy and couldn't find an answer for UMBC on either side of the floor until the late stages of the game. UMBC started hot and stayed that way, connecting on .567 of its first-half field goal attempts, including 7-of-13 from 3, and after the home squad started the second on a 14-0 run, the Buff and Blue faced an uphill climb in the face of a 25-point deficit. GDUB staged a furious rally and a 3-pointer from Jamison Battle cut the lead to two with under a minute to play, but the fight back emptied the Colonials' tank and UMBC was able to secure the eventual win.

Battle was a second-half scoring stud with 16 points in the final 20 minutes on 5-of-8 shooting, while Maceo Jack found his shooting stroke as the senior finished with 17 in a perfect 7-of-7 shooting show, including 11 in the second half. James Bishop also showed why he entered play as the A-10's second-leading scorer with yet another 20-point game -- his fourth in four tries this season -- including 13 after halftime. Battle, Bishop and Jack combined for 40 points in the final 20 minutes on 14-of-21 shooting, including 7-of-9 3s.

After three days off midweek this week, GW will seek its first road win of the season on Friday at Delaware. Tip time from the Blue Hens' Bob Carpenter Center is 7 p.m. on FloHoops.