BALTIMORE—Sophomore guard Michelle Kurowski (Hicksville, N.Y./Hicksville) and junior forward Meghan Colabella (Upper Montclair, N.J./Montclair) each notched double-doubles, leading five Retrievers in double figures, as the UMBC women's basketball team (1-1) picked up its first victory of the season, 102-65, over UMES (0-1).
The Retrievers set a school Division I record for points scored; the last time a UMBC team tallied at least 100 points was Nov. 29, 1985, in a 108-76 victory at Shippensburg. The Retrievers also set new records for assists (28) and points in a half (59 in the second) while tying the 3-point mark (14).
Kurowski was named America East Player of the Game for the second game in a row after posting her second career double-double with 22 points and a career-high 14 rebounds to go along with a career-best seven assists Colabella notched her second straight double-double with 15 points and 10 boards while adding three blocks and three helpers. Senior guard Carlee Cassidy (Syracuse, N.Y./Westhill) poured in 18 points, and the trio combined to make 12 of 18 shots from long range.
UMES led, 11-8, less than five minutes into the game, and the score was tied at 16-16 at the 12:36 mark. But a layup by sophomore guard Katie Brooks (Maryville, Tenn./Heritage) sparked a 11-1 UMBC run to give the Retrievers the lead for good at 27-17 with 9:06 remaining in the first half. Kurowski scored seven points during that spurt.
UMBC scored 13 straight points to close out the opening period with a 43-24 advantage.
The Hawks scored the first six points of the second stanza to close their deficit to 13 at 43-30 just one minute into the half. But a 3-pointer by Cassidy at the 18:47 mark sparked a 17-0 run that saw the Retrievers take a commanding 60-30 lead with 15 minutes to play.
UMBC shot a sizzling 60 percent (21-for-35) in the second half and finished at 55.7 percent for the game while holding UMES to just 25.7 percent from the floor.
Sophomore forward Erin Brown (Bethesda, Md./Walt Whitman) tallied 13 points, and sophomore center Topé Obajolu (Randallstown, Md./Archbishop Carroll) added 11, while Brooks tallied seven points, six assists and five rebounds.
UMES guard Casey Morton led the Hawks with 12 points.
The 37-point margin of victory was UMBC's largest since defeating Salisbury State, 94-46, on Jan. 12, 1991. It was also the first time five Retrievers scored in double figures since Nov. 26, 2006, against NJIT, and the first time two players posted double-doubles since Dec., 2, 2006, at Fairleigh Dickinson.
The Retrievers hit the road for the first time this season when they travel to St. Joseph's on Saturday, Nov. 21.
