BALTIMORE -- David Nichols scored 18 points, Joe Cremo added 15 and Albany beat Maryland, Baltimore County 77-50 on Monday for its first conference win of the season.

UMBC went scoreless for seven-plus minutes in the second half until Jairus Lyles completed a 3-point play and Albany had a 27-point lead with 9:32 to go.

Greig Stire chipped in 11 points for Albany (10-9, 1/3 America East), which snapped a three-game losing streak to avoid starting 0-4 in league play for the first time since the 2001-02 season. Albany's three previous conference losses were by eight points or less.

Nichols had 12 points in the first half and Cremo added 11 as the Great Danes built a 37-25 lead. It was a season low for points in a half for UMBC.

Rodney Elliott led UMBC (12-6, 3-2) with nine points. The Retrievers shot just 16 for 49 (32.7 percent) and were outrebounded 41-26.