Albany (NY) downs UMBC 73-59

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) Ray Sanders scored 16 points, Evan Singletary added 14, and Albany (NY) beat the University of Maryland-Baltimore College 73-59 on Wednesday night in an America East Conference opener for both teams.

Mike Rowley and Joe Cremo scored 12 apiece and Greig Stire added 10 for the defending conference champion Great Danes (12-4, 1-0), who have won five straight games.

Albany shot 51 percent from the field and outrebounded the Retrievers 36-21, led Rowley's eight boards.

Leading by two at halftime, Singletary scored back-to-back 3-pointers amid a 9-0 run and Albany led 52-42 with 12:03 left. UMBC gained on an 8-3 run, but Albany finished with an 11-1 run in which Sanders scored five points.

UMBC led 34-33 on Jairus Lyles' layup with 1:18 left in the first half, but Cremo's 3 put Albany up 36-34 at halftime.

Lyles scored 17 points with four assists and four steals for UMBC (4-12, 0-1) and Rodney Elliott added 11.