Fresh off their biggest victory since the 1990 NCAA tournament, the Flyers return home to face Maryland-Baltimore County Wednesday night.

UMBC will provide a test of the Flyer’s resolve and determination and can not be taken lightly. One of the favorites in the Northeast Conference UMBC is likely to put up a much better fight than Mt. St. Mary’s. UMBC dominated the Northeast Conference during the 1998-99 regular season, posting a 17-3 conference mark, and return four starters and twelve lettermen from that squad. UMBC is 1-1 in the current season, defeating Coppin State and losing to Loyola-Maryland.

UMBC plays a disciplined, team approach emphasizing defense and rebounding. On offense they share the ball, set solid screens and take good shots. Evidencing their team-oriented approach to the game, they posted their 17-3 record without having a single player named NEC player of the week and having only one player named to any of the three NEC all-conference teams. But that one player is a potential NEC player of the year. Terrence Ward, a 6’3″ junior guard led UMBC in scoring at 14.8 last year, as well as in assists with nearly 3 per game. Ward is an athletic scorer with point guard skills. The Flyers will want to avoid fouling Ward as he shot 87% from the line last year. Ward us averaging 16.5 points per game so far this year and has jacked-up 23 three pointers in two games, hitting 8. A streaky shooter at times he was 6 for 14 behind the arc against Coppin State but only 2 for 9 against Loyola.

Ward was expected to be joined in the backcourt by Tim Hyland, a 6’1″ junior. The backup at point for most of last year, Hyland averaged 10 points over the last 8 games but left the team and quit school within the last 48 hours. Hyland’s numbers were down compared to last season.

UMBC is down to 10 scholarship players, and just 3 guards. Kareem Washington, another freshman, will be forced into Hyland’s role. Hyland was UMBC’s only threat from behind the arc besides Ward. Justin Wilson, a highly regarded point guard from perennial power Archbishop Molloy High School in New York, has gotten the bulk of the playing time. In two games this year Wilson is averaging 11.5 points on 44% shooting, but has only 8 assists to go against 10 turnovers. In the frontcourt, UMBC features a player whose stats will seem very familiar to Flyer fans. Kennedy Okafor, a 6’7″ 250-pounds-plus junior forward is averaging 11.5 points and 12.5 rebounds in the young season. Okafor works hard and uses his strength and anticipation to clean the glass. His two double-doubles this year give him 22 for his career. Okafor has been prone to foul trouble, but has not picked up more than 3 in either of the Retrievers’ first two games.

Accompanying Okafor in the frontcourt are 6’6″ senior Isaac Green and 6’5″ Brad Martin. Martin, despite playing at small forward, does not have a solid shot from the perimeter. More of an inside banger, Martin has used his 210 pound frame to overpower smaller wings in the NEC. In two games he has yet to attempt a three point shot. Martin is averaging 12.5 points and 6 rebounds. Green is the guy who does all the dirty work, setting screens, taking charges, making the big pass and hitting the glass. He averages 6.5 points and 7 rebounds. The team’s sixth man has been 6’7″ Kerry Martin. He specializes in tough defense, blocking shots and finishing plays inside, and is averaging 4.5 points and 4 rebounds. UMBC has not shown a lot of depth in the young season. Nick Grella, last year’s starting center, has left the team for personal reasons, and Hyland’s departure leaves the backcourt thin. Against Loyola only six players saw more than 10 minutes of playing time.

Look for the Flyers’ depth to be a major advantage in the game. UMBC has been prone to turnovers on the young season, giving it away 25 times against Loyola, and with both starting guards averaging more than 30 minutes look for the Flyers to use a lot of ball pressure on the UMBC guards and press full-court at times. A potential trouble spot could be defensive rebounding. Besides Okafor, the UMBC frontcourt features smaller, athletic leapers, the type of team that Dayton sometimes struggles to keep off of the offensive glass.