Even though the men's basketball team came out with a road win Monday night, Baltimore Arena did provide some tense moments.

First, the Penn State-Maryland-Baltimore County game was the last of a tripleheader at the arena. The Washington Bullets and Atlanta Hawks played an afternoon NBA contest that forced the Lions to hold their morning shoot around at Loyola College.

Then if the NBA game wasn't enough, fans were treated to UMBC-Buffalo matchup in women's basketball. As a result the men's game was delayed a half an hour longer.

"That was disappointing," Coach Bruce Parkhill said. "We didn't find out until (Monday) that there was a prelim game and the game might not start until 8:30."

The most nervous time for the team, though, came toward the end of the game. A Dana Harris layup with 10 seconds left cut the Lions' lead to 79-77. Seconds ticked away before Matt Gaudio inbounded the ball to Freddie Barnes. Derell Thompson fouled Barnes just as the horn sounded.

But Penn State, with all its clock controversies this season, should have known that it wouldn't leave Baltimore that easy. The referees said the foul occurred with three seconds left, and added the time on the clock. Fortunately for the Lions, Barnes made both free throws to seal the 81-77 win.

"After (the ref) explained it to me, I agreed," Parkhill said.

UMBC Coach Earl Hawkins said, "(The referees) did a good job. They didn't have to give us the three seconds back."

Notes: -- The 81-77 win was the first time this season that the Lions defeated a team that shot over 50 percent for the game. Shooting a paltry 39 percent in the first half, the Retrievers recovered to shoot 65 percent in the second half and 53 perecent for the game.

-- Barnes, who turned his right ankle last Wednesday against Butler, scored 12 points on Monday but showed signs that he still isn't 100 percent. However, he went 6-for-6 from the free throw line in the final 2:10.

"I felt good from the line," Barnes said. "(The ankle) was a little sore. It affected me more mentally. I didn't cut and didn't push the ball."

-- Monroe Brown wasn't the only player shooting blanks in the second half as the team shot 29 percent in the final 20 minutes. Playing near his hometown for the first time, Brown went 4-of-18. Hawkins said his team defended Brown much better.

"We just got all over the guys for not fighting over screens in the first game," Hawkins said. "The guys did what we said and they didn't quit."