WOMEN'S BASKETBALL NOTEBOOK
A morning showdown sits ahead for the Vermont women's basketball team as the Catamounts host Ivy League foe Brown on Thursday (Dec. 8) for an 11:30 a.m. tip off at Patrick Gymnasium. Numerous local grade schools will be in attendance as UVM celebrates Catamount Classroom presented by VSAC, sponsor of Vermont's 529 college-savings plan.
 
Thursday's game will be streamed online for free in high definition through AmericaEast.TV. As always, Tyler Terens will handle play-by-play duties both on the stream and on WVMT 620-AM. Fans away from their radio can also follow along with free live audio through Catamounts All-Access. Live stats will be provided through SIDEARM Stats.
 
RELATED LINKS
Video | Audio | Live Stats | Tickets
Vermont Notes | Brown Notes
 
GAMEDAY PROMOTIONS
Catamount Classroom presented by VSAC, sponsor of Vermont's 529 college-savings plan: Vermont will host the 3rd annual Catamount Classroom, presented by VSAC, sponsor of Vermont's 529 college-savings plan. Grade schools throughout Vermont are encouraged to attend for a day full of fun, learning, and basketball
 
CATAMOUNTS RECAP
A 20-point third quarter that included a 14-3 run in the period's latter stages proved too much to overcome for Vermont as the Catamounts fell 53-39 to Temple at McGonigle Hall last Sunday afternoon (Dec. 4). UVM had a strong defensive showing early in the final period, holding the Owls scoreless for nearly seven minutes stretching back to the third quarter and forcing five turnovers before surrendering a point.
 
SCOUTING BROWN
The Bears (5-3) were also most recently in action on Sunday, capturing the Ocean State Tip-Off Championship after a 77-70 win over cross-town rival Providence. Sophomore Taylor Will buried 22 points to lead her teammates, ultimately being recognized as Tournament MVP. It was also her third time scoring 20-plus points this season.
 
Brown also boasts a tremendous amount of youth as the roster is made up of six freshmen, five sophomores and one junior. In addition to Will, three other players lead the charge offensively as Shayna Mehta (15.9 ppg), Justine Gaziano (13.0 ppg) and Erika Steeves (12.4 ppg) all are averaging double figures. As a team, Brown is averaging 73.1 points per game while opponents are netting a 68.3 figure. Steeves is also the team's leading rebounder with 10.6 boards per game.
 
Boston College alumna Sarah Behn is in her third season directing the Bears. She arrived in the Ocean State following a three-year stint at UMass Lowell, during which the River Hawks elevated to the NCAA Division I level. In addition, she spent time elsewhere in New England at Foxboro (Massachusetts) High School (2004-11), Franklin Pierce (2000-02) and Framingham State (1997-2000).
 
Brown has one opponent in common thus far with Vermont–the Bears fell at Bryant by a 70-67 margin on Nov. 17.
 
INSIDE THE SERIES
The Catamounts sit in a 4-4 deadlock with Brown dating back to December 1992, when Vermont opened the series taking an 81-69 win in Providence, Rhode Island. Since then, UVM has pocketed victories in 2002, 2007 and 2012. Niki Taylor and Lauren Buschmann combined for 27 points and 18 rebounds in the most recent win, a 66-56 contest in which the former logged a double-double (15 pts, 10 reb).
 
Within the confines of Patrick Gymnasium, Vermont has emerged victorious in two of its last three meetings with the Bears.
 
DOUBLE THE FUN
Candice Wright's double-double (10 pts, 11 reb) against Holy Cross on Nov. 30 was the first of her career and UVM's first of the 2016-17 season. Hayley Robertson was the last Catamount to post a double-double, accomplishing the feat on Feb. 8, 2016 as the Toronto native pocketed 20 points and pulled down 10 rebounds against UMass Lowell. Three others were recorded at various stages throughout last season, including a pair by Sydney Smith.
 
PAIR OF CATAMOUNTS EARN ALL-TOURNAMENT ACCOLADES
Following the Catamounts' runner-up performance at the TD Bank Classic (Nov. 25-26), both Smith and freshman Hanna Crymble were named to the event's All-Tournament Team. Each logged 12 points in UVM's opening round win over NJIT and Crymble chipped in 11 points in the Championship Game against Milwaukee.
 
HERE'S THE POINT
Crymble's weekend at the TD Bank Classic marked the rookie's third and fourth consecutive games reaching double figures in scoring and fifth in Vermont's first six matchups on the season. The four-game streak was the longest by a Catamount freshman since Smith reached double figures in seven straight games from Nov. 25-Dec. 14, 2014.
 
WELCOME TO VERMONT, COACH
A 1997 graduate of West Chester University in Pennsylvania, head coach Chris Day arrives in Vermont following a three-year stint as an assistant at the University of Pennsylvania. During his time at Penn, the Quakers punched two tickets to the NCAA Tournament and captured two Ivy League titles. The squad amassed 67 wins during his tenure, including a remarkable 36-6 mark in conference action.
 
The eighth head coach in UVM history, Day also spent time in coaching capacities at Indiana (2012-13), Saint Joseph's (2005-12) and La Salle (2004-05). He served a three-year stint (2000-03) as head coach at Division III Widener University in Chester, Pennsylvania, helping Widener make its first postseason appearance in 20 years.
 
NEXT UP
UVM has nine days separating it from its next action on the court, meeting Michigan for a noon contest in Ann Arbor on Saturday, Dec. 17.
 
TRACK THE #VCATS
Fans can stay up to date on the latest news and notes around the Catamounts through a variety of platforms:
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