UMBC

Kristin Drabyn stole the show in the second half with 14 points, including 11 in the first seven minutes of the period.

Fort Wayne, Ind.-Kristin Drabyn scored a season-high 14 points, all in the second half, to lead the UMBC women’s basketball team past host IPFW, 75-53, Tuesday evening at Gates Sports Center. The Retrievers, who have won five of their last six games, improve to 7-2 on the season, while the Dons fall to 1-7.

The game was close for much of the first half, but UMBC went on an 8-0 run to end the period and take a 34-23 lead into the break.

The Retrievers pulled away in the second half thanks to 61.5 percent (8-of-13) shooting from 3-point range, including Drabyn’s 4-of-4 from long distance. Drabyn scored 11 of her team-high 14 points in the first seven minutes of the period to break the game open, and she was 5-of-5 from the floor in the second half.

UMBC scored 41 second-half points and held a game-high 30-point lead at 70-40 with just under seven minutes remaining in the game.

Five Retrievers scored in double figures. Matea Pender notched 13 points and is 11-of-15 from 3-point range in her last three games after going 2-of-3 against the Dons. Brittnie Hughes scored 11 points and added six assists, while Sharri Rhode and Morgan Hatten each tallied 10 points.

As a team, the Retrievers shot a season-high 54.5 percent from the field (30-of-55) and were 47.6 percent from 3-point range (10-of-21).

IPFW was led by Hilary O’Connell’s 22 points. She was 7-of-8 from the field, including a perfect 6-of-6 from behind the arc.

The Retrievers continue their Indiana trip on Thursday, Dec. 22, as they take on Butler in Indianapolis at 7 p.m.