McDaniel vs UMBC prediction: UMBC's rebuilt champions get their first home look against McDaniel
The defending America East champions return just 7.8% of last season's minutes, so a Division III visit is really an audition for a new roster.
- UMBC should control a non-Division I visitor; the real interest is which of its 12 newcomers earn rotation minutes.
- Rider transfer Flash Burton, a 15.1-point scorer last season, against McDaniel's backcourt under first-year coach T.J. Jordan.
- No spread or total has been posted. With 7.8% of minutes returning, last season's UMBC numbers offer little guidance for any line.
A champion in name only
UMBC went 24-9 last season. The Retrievers won the America East, strung together 12 straight wins and lost in the NCAA First Four. Almost none of that team is left. Players on this season's roster logged just 7.8% of last season's minutes and 5.9% of its points, and the program welcomes 12 newcomers.
That makes last season's defense, which ranked 32nd of 365 in points allowed per 100 possessions, a record of a different group. Coaches still picked UMBC second in the America East, behind Vermont.
Who carries the ball now
The biggest losses were shooters. DJ Armstrong Jr. hit 41.9% from three last season, and Ace Valentine has moved on to Robert Morris. The scoring load likely shifts to Flash Burton, who started all 29 games at Rider and averaged 15.1 points. His efficiency is the question: he shot 29.6% from three there.
Riley Jacobs is the most experienced holdover, a forward who started 16 games last season. Troy transfer Austin Cross adds guard depth. Against a Division III opponent, watch how Jim Ferry spreads the minutes rather than the margin.
McDaniel's new chapter
McDaniel arrives in transition. Longtime coach Kevin Curley died in May, and T.J. Jordan was hired in August after three seasons as the inaugural head coach at Notre Dame of Maryland. There is no Division I data on the Green Terror. The programs last played in 1997, an 83-79 UMBC win.
Key players
- Flash Burton (UMBC): Averaged 15.1 points in 32.1 minutes at Rider last season but shot 29.6% from three.
- Riley Jacobs (UMBC): Started 16 of 32 games last season, averaging 4.3 points and 3.8 rebounds.
- Austin Cross (UMBC): Made 27 threes off the bench at Troy last season, shooting 30% from deep.
Numbers that matter
| Returning minutes | 7.8% | Share of last season's minutes played by players on UMBC's current roster. |
|---|---|---|
| Last season's record | 24-9 | An America East title team that has since turned over almost entirely. |
| Last season's defensive efficiency rank | 32nd | Points allowed per 100 possessions last season, a mark set by players who are mostly gone. |
| Burton's scoring | 15.1 | Points per game at Rider last season, the most of any UMBC newcomer. |
McDaniel vs UMBC: quick answers
When is McDaniel vs UMBC?
Monday, November 9, 2026 at 6:00 PM ET.