CATONSVILLE, Md. (Interstat) — Maryland-Baltimore County used a dominant first half and a balanced offense to beat visiting McDaniel 91-61 in a men’s NCAA Division I game on Monday at Retriever Activities Center. The Retrievers led 51-25 at halftime and kept the non-divisional opponent at distance after the break before improving to 1-2 this season. Attendance was 1,180.

McDaniel opened with Bruce Black’s two free throws and Kyle Harvin’s 3-pointer for a 5-0 lead, but UMBC answered quickly. Devin Ceaser made two jump shots, Riley Jacobs made a layup and Ceaser added two free throws to put the Retrievers ahead 8-7. After Dominic Downs hit a 3-pointer for McDaniel, UMBC took control with Carlos Varela Romero’s 3-pointer, a Jacobs dunk, Evan Morton’s layup, Flash Burton’s layup and Morton’s 3-pointer. The Retrievers outscored McDaniel 40-15 over the final 13 minutes, 44 seconds of the first half and carried a 51-25 lead into the break.

The decisive stretch came late in the first half and early in the second. Burton opened the second half with a fastbreak jumper and Ceaser followed with a 3-pointer to push the lead to 56-25. McDaniel got second-half baskets from Ryan Shaffer, Rece Bowser and Jacob Williams, and Harvin continued to score inside and from the perimeter, but UMBC answered each time. Jaiden Reynolds made a 3-pointer and a layup during a second-half run, Sifeng Huan scored on layups and added free throws, and Taesyn Slating closed the Retrievers’ scoring with a late 3-pointer.

UMBC scored 91 points from 78 possessions, an offensive rating of 116.3. The Retrievers had 15 offensive rebounds, eight assists, eight blocks, 10 turnovers and 10 fouls. UMBC finished with 28 points in the paint to McDaniel’s 26, 17 fastbreak points to McDaniel’s four, and nine points off turnovers to McDaniel’s 10. McDaniel scored 26 points in the paint, 10 points off turnovers and four fastbreak points.

Devin Ceaser led UMBC with 22 minutes, 17 points, one rebound and two assists. The 6-foot-1, 175-pound guard from Waldorf, Md., who previously attended St. Stephen’s/St. Agnes, made jump shots and 3-pointers during the first-half surge. Riley Jacobs, a 6-10, 205-pound forward who previously attended St. Stephens & St. Agnes School, added 14 minutes, eight points, six rebounds, two assists and two blocks. Evan Morton, a 6-2, 180-pound guard from Moravian Prep, contributed 17 minutes, 10 points, seven rebounds, one assist and one block.

Jovan Ristic, a 6-5 guard from Savremena Gimnazija, had 21 minutes, three points, 13 rebounds and one assist. Carlos Varela Romero, a 6-4, 190-pound guard from the International School, added 20 minutes, 10 points, two rebounds, two assists and one block. Aidan Able, a 6-4 guard from John Carroll School, had 18 minutes, eight points, four rebounds and four assists. Flash Burton, a 6-3, 165-pound guard from Cardinal O’Hara, chipped in 22 minutes, seven points, four rebounds, four assists and one block.

Sifeng Huan, a 7-foot forward from Saint Andrews Episcopal School, had 11 minutes, eight points and five rebounds. Jaiden Reynolds, a 6-6 forward from Winston-Salem Christian School, had 11 minutes, eight points, five rebounds, one assist and one block. Taesyn Slating, a 6-5, 195-pound guard from Eden Junior Senior High School, added five minutes, five points, two rebounds and one assist. Harvin, Black and Bowser paced McDaniel’s scoring efforts, while Shaffer, Downs, Cole Riley, Williams, Kendrick Tche-Tafon, Ashenafi Stuart, Sekou Bangoura and Charlie Boone also scored.

UMBC had lost at Marist and at George Mason in its first two games before breaking through against McDaniel. The Retrievers are scheduled to host Morgan State next. No betting line, point spread, over-under or game-simulator projection was available for the game.