Box Score Video Highlights
Burlington, Vt.— Junior Taylor McCarley (Bowie, Md./Academy of Holy Cross) scored a game best 26 points in a 74-60 win against Vermont on Saturday. The junior became the all-time leader in free throws made and free throws attempted, as well as scoring her 1,000th career point. UMBC wins their fourth in a row to move to 17-10, 8-6 AE.
UMBC opened the game with a flurry, scoring the first eight points of the game, capped by a Pandora Wilson (Gaithersburg, Md./Academy of Holy Cross) and one, scoring five on the run. Just a few minutes later, McCarley earned a pair of free throws, tying the all-time record at UMBC. This trend would continue as the Retrievers shot 57% in the opening stanza, leading 22-11 after one.
Vermont woke up in the second, putting together a string of seven straight points, cutting the Retriever lead to just 28-20. The Catamounts would get the lead down to as many as three, but the Retrievers fought back, taking a 39-32 lead into the locker rooms.
McCarley and Wilson led the way with 15 points each in the opening half. McCarley broke the all-time free throw attempts record in the first quarter, before scoring her 1,000th career point late in the second. She finished on the other end of an Emily Russo (Glenelg, Md./Woodbine) steal giving UMBC 37-29 lead.
Senior Capree Garner (Silver Spring, Md./Springbrook) scored the first points for either side in the third, about four minutes in. From there the Retrievers would get key buckets from Laura Castaldo (West Nyack, N.Y./Clarkstown South) and Liz McNaughton (Fairfax, Va./Fairfax) to increase their lead. UMBC would keep the Catamounts at bay, leading 54-40 after three.
UMBC would continue to keep their lead in double digits, but the Catamounts would not go away, chipping away at the lead. Vermont would cut the deficit to eight late in the quarter. However the Retrievers would hold on to win 74-60, making free throws down the stretch.
McCarley led the way with 26 points, setting both the free throws made and free throws attempted records in the process, as well as hitting her 1,000th point. McCarley added nine boards and six assists for UMBC. Wilson added 21 and seven rebounds in the win.
UMBC continues their road swing at Binghamton on Wednesday, Feb. 24. Tip-off with the Bearcats is slated for 7 p.m.
