WOMEN'S BASKETBALL NOTEBOOK
Vermont plays Binghamton for the second time in the span of two weeks on Wednesday night (Feb. 14), as UVM continues a three-game road trip which began on Sunday.
 
The Valentine's Day game between the Catamounts and Bearcats tips off at 7 p.m. inside the Binghamton University Events Center in Vestal, New York. It is the second and final meeting of the regular season between the two programs. 
 
Per a contract between the America East and ESPN, all conference games air online on ESPN3 and via the ESPN App.
 
As always, an audio broadcast is also available on CatamounTV.com and News/Talk 620 WVMT-AM. Pregame coverage for the Vermont-Binghamton game with Logan Ratick starts at 6:40 p.m., with tip-off set for 7 p.m. from the Binghamton University Events Center.
 
RELATED LINKS
Video | Audio | Live Stats | Game Notes
 
TICKETS
Fans can purchase tickets for Vermont's final two home games against Maine (Feb. 22) and Stony Brook (Feb. 25) by visiting UVMathletics.com/Tickets. Additionally, tickets can be acquired by calling the UVM Athletic Ticket Office at (802) 656-4410 or by visiting the office, located on the balcony of the Patrick Gymnasium Lobby. On game days, tickets can be purchased beginning one hour before tip-off in the Patrick Gymnasium Lobby.
  
CATAMOUNTS RECAP
Following back-to-back wins at New Hampshire and at home against Albany, Vermont lost to UMass Lowell on the road on Sunday by a score of 65-60. It was the River Hawks' first America East win since Feb. 8, 2016 (at UVM). The two programs split the regular season series at 1-1.
 
Sydney Smith led the way for the Catamounts with 19 points and six rebounds. She added three steals and two three-point field goals.
 
Meanwhile, Hanna Crymble scored 11 points, secured five rebounds and stole the ball three times. The two-time America East Player of the Week has registered double-figures in the scoring column in 22 of the 25 games that she has played (and started) in this season.
 
The Catamounts led for the majority of the first half and held that lead until the River Hawks took command midway through the third quarter. UMass Lowell outscored Vermont 22-9 in the third quarter to take a 44-36 lead into the fourth quarter.
 
UVM was unable to overcome the deficit, as UMass Lowell was eager to win its first conference game in more than two years.
 
As a unit, Vermont finished the contest at 40% from the field, 21% (6-28) from three-point territory and 80% (8-10) from the free throw line. UVM was out-rebounded 35-31.
  
SCOUTING BINGHAMTON
Head coach Linda Cimino is in her fourth season at the helm of the program after serving as the head coach at Division II Caldwell (2006-14). She is the all-time wins leader at Caldwell (128).  This is the first season in which Cimino has recruited every player on the roster.  She is also a member of the NCAA Women's Basketball Rules Committee.
 
This season, Binghamton is 17-8 overall (8-4 in the America East) and 6-4 at home. The Bearcats have won two in a row and six of their last seven games.
 
As a team, Binghamton leads the America East Conference in rebounding (39.6 RPG), field goal percentage defense (36.1%), and the Bearcats are second in scoring (65.5 PPG).
 
Senior guard Imani Watkins leads the conference in scoring (21.5 PPG) and ranks 13th in the nation in that category. Watkins also leads all NCAA Division I players with 503 field goal attempts this season. 
 
Center Alyssa James leads the America East and ranks seventh in the nation in blocks (3.3 BPG). She is the all-time block leader at Binghamton and in the America East. James leads the conference in rebounds (9.9 RPG). She is the niece of Basketball Hall of Famer and current Georgetown men's basketball head coach, Patrick Ewing. 
 
INSIDE THE SERIES
Vermont leads the all-time series 21-14. UVM won the first seven meetings of all-time with Binghamton. The Catamounts have lost five straight meetings and six of the last seven games to the Bearcats. Last season in Binghamton on Feb. 6, UVM lost 76-61. Sydney Smith scored 29 points while Hanna Crymble added 18.
 
This season, UVM lost 62-48 at Patrick Gym on Jan. 31. Hayley Robertson led the way for the Catamounts with 11 points off the bench. It was the only conference game in which Crymble failed to register double-figures in the scoring column. 
  
HISTORY BEFORE OUR EYES
Candice Wright's five blocked shots against Rider on Dec. 1 placed her in sole possession for first all-time on Vermont's career blocks list. The junior broke Katie McNamara's '05 record of 102 blocked shots on her first rejection of the contest. Wright has 136 blocked shots during her career through the last game at UMass Lowell.
   
DIALING FROM LONG DISTANCE
After making two three-pointers at UMass Lowell, Smith maintains her rank of fourth all-time in program history with 182 career makes from long distance. She surpassed her former teammate, Kayla Burchill '15 (170) with four three-pointers at UMBC on Jan. 6. Smith is closing in on third place, which is held by May Kotsopoulos '10 (187).
 
Additionally, White sits sixth all-time in program history in three-point field goals after she surpassed Ashleigh Cuncic '07 (143) on Jan. 31 against Binghamton. The redshirt-senior co-captain has now made 146 triples during her time in Burlington. 
 
As a team, Vermont is averaging just six and a half three-point makes per game. Out of UVM's 1,333 field goal attempts through the first 25 games of the season, just under 43% have come from behind the three-point arc. Individually, the most proficient three-point shooting Catamounts have been Robertson (35%), Crymble (32%) and White (32%).
  
NEXT UP
Vermont finishes the three-game road trip with its final road game of the regular season at Hartford on Saturday afternoon (Feb. 17). The Catamounts are 1-0 against the Hawks this season.
 
As with every America East contest, a video broadcast can be accessed online for the Hartford game via ESPN3. 
 
Additionally, Logan Ratick handles the radio broadcast for Vermont's lone game of the season in Hartford. Pregame coverage for the Catamounts' battle with the Hawks on Saturday starts at 1:40 p.m., followed by the game at 2 p.m. on CatamounTV.com and News/Talk 620 WVMT-AM from Chase Arena at Reich Family Pavilion in West Hartford, Connecticut.