The UMBC men's basketball team will open the season this Friday, November 21 when they face Loyola in the Battle of Baltimore Tournament at Towson University. Tip-off time for the locally televised (WMAR-TV2) game is 7 p.m.

Coppin State will face host Towson in the nightcap, with the losers (5:30 p.m.) and winners (8 p.m.) meeting on Saturday, November 22 to determine this year's champion.

UMBC has won the last three Battle of Baltimore Tournaments at Morgan State (2002), Loyola (2001) and at home (2000). The Retrievers' six-game BOB winning streak in the tournament is the longest in tournament history, breaking Loyola's five straight wins to open the event. After the Greyhounds won the first two titles and reached the finals in Year #3, UMBC has played for the title in each of the last four years.

Head Coach Tom Sullivan's next coaching victory will be #100 at UMBC. He is the longest tenured and winningest coach in UMBC's Division I (1986-87) history and will become the second coach in the program's history to record 100 wins. Billy Jones went 134-173 from 1974-1986.

UMBC trails the all-time series with Loyola, 26-16. The Retrievers had won four straight until LC's 62-43 victory at Reitz Arena last December. UMBC is 11-8 vs. Loyola since entering Division I competition in 1986-87. The teams have met each year in the BOB, with Loyola winning the first two games (1 title game) and UMBC taking the last three (2 titles).

Senior Kareem Washington earned Most Valuable Player honors in last year's BOB, amassing 40 points (14/28 fg) in the two games. He has scored in double figures in 15 consecutive games. Junior Andrew Feeley also earned All Tournament Team honors, averaging 12.5 ppg and 6.5 rpg in the two games.

UMBC students -- with valid identification -- are admitted free to the Battle of Baltimore.