BALTIMORE- UMBC senior guard Ryan Cook (Laurel, Md./Pallotti) led a balanced effort with 14 points as the Retrievers got the home slate off to a good start with a 70-52 victory over Eastern (Pa.) before 1,719 at the RAC Arena. The victory was the first for UMBC acting head coach Aki Thomas. It came against his great friend Nate Stewart, who shared the UMBC bench with Thomas from 2007-2011.