BURLINGTON, Vt. (Interstat) — In a grinding, defensive America East Conference clash defined by offensive inefficiency, the Vermont Catamounts used a decisive second-half surge to pull away from the Maryland-Baltimore County Retrievers for a 64-55 victory on Thursday night at a packed Roy L. Patrick Gymnasium.

The game, witnessed by 2,260 fans, was a stark departure from the high-scoring affair oddsmakers predicted. Both teams struggled mightily from the field, combining to shoot just 32.7 percent. The final total of 119 points fell dramatically under the pregame over/under line of 140.5, underscoring the night’s defensive tenor.

The contest was a deadlock through 20 minutes, with the teams knotted at 29-29 at halftime. The Retrievers, despite shooting just 28.6 percent in the first half, hung tough through physical defense and a 13-point effort from Spanish big man Jose Roberto Tanchyn. Vermont, meanwhile, was carried early by the shooting of Canadian guard TJ Hurley, who connected on a pair of first-half three-pointers.

The turning point came after the break. Vermont’s offense, while far from fluid, found just enough rhythm to create separation. A 7-0 run early in the second half, capped by a Ben Johnson layup off a Gus Yalden assist, gave the Catamounts a 38-33 lead they would not relinquish. The Retrievers’ shooting woes only deepened, as they managed just six field goals in the first 14 minutes of the second half.

Vermont’s key run was a 9-2 stretch midway through the period that broke the game open. Hurley, who finished with a team-high 18 points, drained a critical three-pointer. Moments later, after a Retrievers turnover, Johnson sank another triple off a Sean Blake assist, pushing the Vermont lead to 48-40 and forcing a UMBC timeout with 12:04 remaining.

UMBC scrapped to stay within striking distance, with Caden Diggs leading the charge. The junior forward from Waldorf, Maryland, scored 14 points, including several tough drives, and added two assists, a block, and a steal. But every time the Retrievers threatened, Vermont had an answer, often from sophomore Lucas Mari.

The guard from Valencia, Spain, provided the crucial offensive spark off the bench for Vermont. In just 22 minutes, Mari scored a game-high 16 points, including three three-pointers. His most significant sequence came in the final minute. After Diggs cut the deficit to 59-57 with a driving layup, Mari responded with a cold-blooded three-pointer from the wing with 26 seconds left, assisted by Ben Johnson, to seal the outcome at 62-57. He then iced the game with two free throws in the closing seconds.

Vermont’s defense was the ultimate difference. The Catamounts held UMBC to 17-of-52 shooting overall and a frigid 6-of-26 from beyond the arc. The Retrievers’ offensive rating of 86.0 on 64 possessions highlighted their struggles. Vermont also protected the rim, registering four blocks, two from Ben Michaels. UMBC’s four total assists illustrated their inability to generate consistent clean looks against Vermont’s disciplined scheme.

For Vermont, Johnson finished with 11 points and two assists, while Blake orchestrated the offense with five assists. Yalden contributed eight points and five assists but battled foul trouble. For UMBC, Tanchyn joined Diggs in double figures with 13 points, and DJ Armstrong added eight points.

With the win, Vermont improves to 14-8 overall and solidifies its position in the America East standings. The Catamounts, who were installed as 7.5-point favorites pregame, covered the spread, validating the high win probability assigned to them by analytics systems. UMBC sees its two-game winning streak snapped and falls to 12-8.

Both teams return to conference action on Saturday. Vermont will host NJIT, while Maryland-Baltimore County travels to face Albany. The Catamounts and Retrievers are scheduled for a rematch in Baltimore on Thursday, Feb. 19.