Video Highlights

Durham, N.H.— UMBC women's basketball got a season best 27 points from junior Taylor McCarley (Bowie, Md./Academy of Holy Cross) in a 65-55 win against New Hampshire on Saturday. The win moves the Retrievers to 13-8, 4-4 AE on the year.

The Wildcats opened the game with a bucket off the opening tip to put them in front early. From there, most of the opening portion of the quarter went back and forth. UMBC tied the game at 8-8 after back-to-back buckets by Pandora Wilson (Gaithersburg, Md./Academy of Holy Cross) and Capree Garner (Silver Spring, Md./Springbrook). McCarley continued the 6-0 scoring run with a driving layup, giving the Retrievers their first lead at 10-8. The Retrievers would end the quarter with a 12-10 lead, finishing the stanza on an 8-2 run.

Quarter two saw the Retriever defense step up, forcing three straight turnovers, pushing their lead to 16-10. The run would not stop there, as UMBC outscored New Hampshire 14-2 over a five-minute span. McCarley extended their lead with a trio of free throws she earned after drawing a foul with the shot clock winding down. UNH then found their offense, eventually retaking the lead, 25-24 after an Elizabeth Belanger triple. The Retrievers got a pair of freebies from McCarley to take a 26-25 lead into the break.

UNH held the Retrievers to 36% shooting in the first half, including 1-9 to end the second quarter. McCarley and Wilson each had ten points in the first half to lead UMBC.

Defense was the key for the Retrievers in the third. UMBC forces a total of five turnovers in the quarter, and found themselves on the right side of a 7-0 run early on. The run was capped by a Laura Castaldo (West Nyack, N.Y./Clarkstown South) trifecta. McCarley and Castaldo torched the Wildcats just minutes later with a mini 5-0 run to push the advantage to ten. The Retrievers ended the third with 42-32 lead.

Quarter four started the way the third ended. McCarley hit a pair of triples, and had five total points early on.  From there the Retrievers would make their foul shots, holding on for a 65-55 victory.

McCarley led all scorers with a season high 27 points, adding five rebounds and three assists. Wilson chipped in 20 and seven boards. The Retrievers shot 38.8% from the field, holding the Wildcats to 33% shooting. 

UMBC will continue their road swing with a Wednesday matchup at Albany on February 3. Tip-off with the Great Danes is set for 7 p.m.