Halftime Report

American fell flat on their face against Va. Tech last Thursday, but memory of that harsh loss doesn't seem to have tripped them up today. American has a bit of a cushion as they currently lead UMBC 47-31.

American came into the matchup with some extra motivation after the defeat they were dealt the last time these two teams faced off. We'll see if they're able to flip the script or if it'll just be more of the same.

Who's Playing

American Eagles @ UMBC Retrievers

Current Records: American 5-7, UMBC 5-9

How To Watch

What to Know

The American Eagles are on the road again on Friday and play against the UMBC Retrievers at 7:30 p.m. ET on December 29th at Chesapeake Employers Insurance Arena. Both of these teams will be looking for a pick-me-up after considerable defeats in their previous games.

American was expected to have a tough go of it last Thursday and that exactly how things played out. They suffered a painful 77-55 loss at the hands of the Hokies. American found out winning isn't easy when you don't work as a unit and rack up ten fewer assists than your opponent.

The loss doesn't tell the whole story though, as several players had good games. One of the most active was Jermaine Ballisager Webb, who scored 15 points along with six rebounds. As a matter of fact, that's the most points he has scored all season. Another player making a difference was Matt Mayock, who scored nine points.

Meanwhile, UMBC's recent rough patch got a bit rougher last Wednesday after their fourth straight loss. They were the victim of a bruising 103-81 loss at the hands of the Hawkeyes. The oddsmakers set the bar high with a 179.5-point over/under, but they still managed to beat it.

Despite the loss, UMBC had strong showings from Dion Brown, who scored 23 points, and Khydarius Smith, who scored 20 points. As a matter of fact, that's the most points Smith has scored all season.

The Eagles have traveled a rocky road recently, as they've lost four of their last five contests, which put a noticeable dent in their 5-7 record this season. As for the Retrievers, they bumped their record down to 5-9 with that loss, which was their fourth straight on the road.

Going forward, American is expected to win a tight contest, barring any buzzer beaters. This contest will be their fourth straight on the road (so far over this stretch they are 1-2 against the spread).

American was pulverized by UMBC 98-67 in their previous meeting back in November of 2021. Can American avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.

Odds

American is a slight 2-point favorite against UMBC, according to the latest college basketball odds.

The oddsmakers had a good feel for the line for this one, as the game opened with the Eagles as a 1.5-point favorite.


The over/under is set at 156 points.

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Series History

American has won 2 out of their last 3 games against UMBC.

  • Nov 23, 2021 - UMBC 98 vs. American 67
  • Dec 03, 2019 - American 85 vs. UMBC 61
  • Nov 24, 2018 - American 73 vs. UMBC 69