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Baltimore, Md.—UMBC women's basketball used solid defense in a 61-49 win against the Stags on Thursday night. The Retrievers won their first ever postseason game in three tries, getting solid effort from Pandora Wilson (Gaithersburg, Md./Academy of Holy Cross) who scored 26 points to go along with eight rebounds, as UMBC improves to 18-13 on the year.

UMBC got another big performance from Taylor McCarley (Bowie, Md./Academy of Holy Cross) who added 18 points and six rebounds in the win, as she helped spark the run that distanced the Retrievers from the Stags.

Late in the first quarter, McCarley picked the pocket of the Stag ball handler, and raced to the other end for a lay-up to give UMBC a 10-9 lead. Classmate Emily Russo (Woodbine, Md./Glenelg) followed suit the very next possession with a theft and finish to make it 12-9 Retrievers after one.

The run would continue, as UMBC went on an 8-0 run over two quarters, holding Fairfield to no points for over five minutes to distance themselves from the Stags. From there, the Retrievers would continue to hold the lead, forcing the Stags into nine first half turnovers. Wilson capped the half with a put-back at the buzzer to take a 31-16 lead into the break.

The second half saw the Stags start a run, as they cut the Retriever lead to fewer than ten at 41-33 midway through the third quarter. However the run would stall, as UMBC kept the Stags at bay the rest of the way, keeping the lead at double digits the rest of the way, winning 61-49.

UMBC shot near 50 percent from the field, as the Retrievers kept the Stags off the free throw line, holding them to just one foul shot all game.

The Retrievers will face Youngstown State in the quarterfinals on Saturday, March 20. Tip-off with the Penguins is set for 2 p.m.