Video Highlights

BALTIMORE – In its first game at the RAC Arena in nearly a month, the UMBC women's basketball team used a huge first half in which it outscored Vermont, 45-20, to pick up an 85-48 victory in its America East opener on Saturday afternoon. Juniors Pandora Wilson (Gaithersburg, Md./Academy of Holy Cross) and Taylor McCarley (Bowie, Md./Academy of Holy Cross) combined for 29 of their 37 points in the opening half.

UMBC, who entered the game first in the league in turnover margin, turned the Catamounts over 30 times in the contest, leading to 41 Retriever points. The black and gold shot a season-best 50 percent from the floor and 64.3 percent from three-point land en route to its highest point total since the Retrievers scored 86 points against Maine on Feb. 2, 2013.

McCarley and sophomore guard Laura Castaldo (West Nyack, N.Y./Clarkstown South) each finished with 19 points, marking a career-high for Castaldo. The duo hit eight of their nine attempts from beyond the arc. McCarley chipped in eight assists, seven rebounds and four steals in the contest. Pandora Wilson finished with 18 points, eight rebounds and three steals.

The Retrievers pick up their fourth straight win in the all-time series against Vermont and their eighth win in their last nine games to improve to 10-4 overall and 1-0 in America East action, while Vermont drops to 5-9 on the season and 0-1 in conference.

UMBC turned Vermont over five times in the opening five minutes and the Catamounts added three misses, while Pandora Wilson knocked down four of her first six shots and added a pair of free throws to put UMBC out in front, 10-2. Wilson chipped in six rebounds and two steals in the opening 5:12 of action.

The Retrievers extended their lead to as many as 15 as Vermont failed to connect on its first seven field goal attempts. UMBC's defense forced nine turnovers and converted them into 11 points for a 19-4 lead in the midst of the first quarter. The Catamounts hit their first field goal with 1:16 to go in the opening quarter, starting a 13-4 run in favor of UVM to trim the deficit to six points, 23-17, with 6:53 to go in the second quarter.  

UMBC finished out the half on a 22-3 run, with six different players scoring during the spurt, to take a 45-20 lead at the break. The Retrievers finished the half shooting 50 percent from the field, including four-for-five from long range. UMBC scored 28 points off of Vermont's 20 turnovers and 11 second chance points in the opening half. McCarley finished the period a perfect three-for-three from beyond the arc and six-for-six from the charity stripe for a game-high 15 points, while Wilson chipped in 14 points and seven rebounds, five of which were offensive.

Castaldo helped the Retrievers to add to their lead in the third quarter, knocking down four-of-five attempts from three-point range en route to a 16-point quarter for the sophomore to extend the advantage to 67-33. Junior guard Marissa Somerville (Loveville, Md./St. Mary's Ryken) went a perfect three-for-three from the field for a career-high six points during the fourth quarter.

Vermont's freshman forward Courtney Wright came off the bench to lead the Catamounts with 14 points on six-of-eight shooting from the floor. The rookie chipped in seven rebounds, including five off the offensive glass, while sophomore guard Sydney Smith added 10 points and three rebounds.

On the Horizon for the Retrievers

-UMBC continues home action against the defending league champion Albany Great Danes on Wednesday, Jan. 6. Game time is set for 7 p.m. at the RAC Arena.