FINAL SCORE: UMBC 74, Vermont 60
BURLINGTON, Vt. – UMBC led wire-to-wire as the Retrievers topped UVM 74-60 in the Catamounts' annual Rally Against Cancer game on Saturday at Patrick Gym. Vermont falls to 7-20 (2-12) on the season, while UMBC improves to 17-10 (8-6).
 
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"We got off to a sluggish start and did a nice job of recovering in the second quarter," said head coach Lori Gear McBride. "Consistency is the key for us right now and teaching our young players what it takes, effort and focus wise, is what we need to work on. The talent is there."
 
Sydney Smith led all Catamounts in scoring as she posted 19 points, going 6-for-9 from the field, and pulled down four boards. Candice Wright also reached double-figure scoring with 15 points and four rebounds. Hayley Robertson grabbed a team-high nine rebounds as well. Rookie Lauren Handy made her first career start and finished with seven points and seven boards.  
 
Taylor McCarley and Pandora Wilson each eclipsed the 20-point mark for the Retrievers. McCarley recorded 25 points, grabbed nine rebounds and dished out six assists, while Wilson registered 21 points, pulled down seven rebounds and had a pair of blocks.  
 
Candice Wright halted a 9-0 Retriever run with a put-back layup at the 6:16 mark in the first quarter. Wright followed up with nine of Vermont's 13 first quarter points, and the score was 22-13 in favor of UMBC after 10 minutes.
 
Smith knocked down a jumper and a three-ball to chip away at the UMBC lead, and UVM closed to within eight (28-20) with 5:09 to play in the half. Kylie Butler followed up with a triple from the left corner and the Catamounts made it a single-possession game.
 
Smith piled up 12 second-quarter points as Vermont shot 48-percent (13-for-27) from the field in the first half. The Catamounts trailed the Retrievers 39-32 after two quarters.
 
After more than a four-minute scoring drought from both teams to open the second half, Capree Garner laid one in as UMBC took a nine-point lead. The Retrievers extended their advantage to as many as 16 (54-38) with a minute to play in the third. Wright then tacked on a pair from the charity stripe as the Catamounts headed into the final quarter down 54-40.
 
A 6-2 Vermont run in the fourth quarter put UVM within single-digits once again (65-56) with two minutes remaining in the game. A trip to the stripe for McCarley at the 26 second mark sealed the UMBC conference win.

"I thought Candice and Sydney performed really well for us off the bench in the second quarter and changed the dynamic of our offense," McBride added.

The Catamounts head to Durham, New Hampshire next Thursday (Feb. 25) for a matchup against the Wildcats. Tip-off at Lundholm Gym against UNH is set for 7 p.m.
 
Radio coverage begins 20 minutes prior to tip-off on WVMT 620-AM and SportsJuice.com with Ben Altsher calling the action. All conference games can also be viewed for free via AmericaEast.tv