CINCINNATI -- In a game marked by poor shooting and turnovers by both teams, UMBC lost to Xavier, 77-58, last night at Cincinnati Gardens before 6,613 fans.
UMBC (1-6) has lost 15 of its past 16 games on the road and hasn't won a road contest in December since beating Coppin State in 1992.
The Retrievers shot just 27 percent from the field (18 for 66) and 62 percent from the line (16 of 26). UMBC committed 32 turnovers.
UMBC, which came into the game averaging 16 turnovers per contest, had that many by the end of the first half.
"Our offense is our biggest enemy," UMBC coach Earl Hawkins said. "We just have to find a way to score more, especially inside."
The starting frontcourt for UMBC accounted for just 14 points.
Xavier (8-1) wasn't much better. The Musketeers shot 40 percent from the field (25 for 62) and 67 percent (24 of 36) from the line. Xavier committed 23 turnovers.
Although the Musketeers played almost as poorly as UMBC, Xavier played well enough to prevent the Retrievers from getting back into the game in the second half.
UMBC trailed by as much as 48-29 in the second half, but rallied to get within 49-41 with 10:05 left.
At one point, UMBC scored nine straight points in a span of 1:07. Artie Walker led the charge with seven points, and had a steal and the assist on the other basket in the 9-0 run.
But the Retrievers would not get any closer. Xavier outscored UMBC 11-3 over the next three minutes to go back up 60-44.
"This is typical of our season," Hawkins said. "We have been in almost every game but we have not found a way to get it done in the end. If we keep our turnover rate down to our normal level -- ballgame."
The two teams then traded baskets, fouls and turnovers the rest of the way. Matt Skalsky led UMBC with 17 points, 13 of those coming in the first half, while Jeff Massey led Xavier with 22.
Both teams started slowly. UMBC missed its first three shots and turned the ball over three times in the first 2 1/2 minutes. Xavier countered by missing both of its field goals and turning the ball over three times as well.
But Xavier finally got untracked, scoring the game's first six points in a span of 31 seconds.
The Retrievers didn't score a point until Eric Hayes hit a three-pointer from the top of the key 3 1/2 minutes into the game, ending an 0-for-3 drought from the field.
Things quickly turned bad again, though, for UMBC. The Retrievers didn't make another field goal until there was 8:57 left in the half. With UMBC misfiring on 11 straight possessions, Xavier went on a 13-0 run to take control.
UMBC was led in the first half by Skalsky, who scored 13 of the Retrievers' last 18 points. UMBC twice had chances to get the deficit under 10 in the final minute, but couldn't convert.
With UMBC down 33-22, the Retrievers' Chris Thompson turned the ball over as he drove to the basket and the Musketeers answered at the other end with a Larry Sykes dunk.
After Hayes missed the second of two free throws, UMBC got the rebound but threw the ball away with six seconds left and Xavier went into intermission with a 35-23 lead.