WOMEN'S BASKETBALL NOTEBOOK
Following the exam break Vermont (5-4) will close out non-conference play with two road contests before the holidays. Vermont's mini-road swing begins at 3:30 p.m. tomorrow afternoon as they travel to face UMass (10-2) in a game that will be broadcast on AM 620 WVMT with Cooper Boardman on the call. All the action from the Mullins Center will also be streamed live on ESPN+.
 
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OLSON LEADS THE WAY FOR VERMONT
2021 America East Rookie of the Year Anna Olson is picking up where she left of last season leading the Catamounts in scoring this year with 12.4 points-per game. She is also UVM's top-rebounder grabbing 6.6 per game. She is averaging 1.2 blocks-per game this season which is tied with Maine's Maeve Carroll and NJIT's Kimi Evans for tops in America East.
 
LIMITING OPPONENTS TRIPS TO THE LINE
The Catamounts are averaging just 13.4 fouls-per game this season which is the 16th fewest in the NCAA. As a team in nine games they have committed just 121 personal fouls. UVM committed a season-low eight fouls at Navy on November 20.
 
UTTERBACK FINDING HER TEAMMATES AND PROTECTING THE BALL
Junior point guard Emma Utterback leads America East in assist to turnover ratio with 1.88. She ranks 119th in the NCAA in the category. In nine games this season Utterback has 30 assists this year and ranks sixth in the league with 3.3 per game.
 
HOME SWEET HOME
The Catamounts are 5-1 this season at home at Patrick Gym. They are averaging 67.8 points in their home games this season and have given up just 55.0 points.
 
FAST STARTS ARE KEY
Vermont has scored 18 or more points in the first quarter five times this season. UVM is 4-1 in those contests. In UVM's last game and win they scored 24 first quarter points against Dartmouth. In Vermont's five wins this season they've averaged 20.6 points in the opening 10 minutes, in its four losses UVM has averaged just 12.5 points.
 
SCOUTING UMASS
UMass is off to an impressive 10-2 start to the 2021-22 campaign. It is the third time in program history they've had 10 wins through 12 games. The Minutewomen lead the A-10 conference in scoring offensively, averaging 74.2 points per game. That ranks 64th in the NCAA. On December 5, UMass Lowell held the Minutewomen to a season-low 58 points in a 58-53 win. UMass' two losses came by a combined 11 points to Boston College and No. 11 Iowa State.

Graduate forward Sam Breen leads UMass in scoring with an even 18 points per game. She is also averaging 11.1 rebounds per game and she has posted seven double-doubles this year. Fans can expect her to go close to the distance Sunday. In UMass' last six games she's averaging 38.6 minutes of game action and has played the full 40 minutes twice.
 
With 531 rebounds this season UMass is ranked second in the NCAA in the category. Their rebound margin of plus-12.4 is tenth in the NCAA. UMass is 8-1 this season when they out-rebound its opponent.
 
SERIES HISTORY
Sunday's game renews a series that began in 1971. The Minutewomen and Catamounts have met 30 times since then, including 11 seasons in a row from 1973-1983. Vermont has won two of the last three games in the series, but UMass holds a 23-7 overall record against the Catamounts. The Minutewomen won the last meeting on November 29, 2019 a 83-49 contest at Patrick Gym.
 
COVID PROTOCOLS FOR FANS AT UMASS
To attend Sunday's contests fans will need to present proof of full vaccination for COVID-19. Proof may be the original CDC vaccination record card, a copy of said record, or a mobile photograph of the card. Fans must also present a matching photo identification card with the same name as the COVID-19 vaccination card.
 
Any individuals who are not fully vaccinated, or cannot locate their vaccination record, may instead produce a negative COVID-19 test (PCR or antigen) with the negative test result and collection date and time stamp within 72 hours of the event. 

Face masks must be worn at all times indoors while attending an event by all patrons, regardless of vaccination status.  Face masks may be lowered to consume food and drinks during an event. Patrons under the age of 12, who cannot be vaccinated, must wear a mask at all times.
 
CONFERENCE HOME OPENER THURSDAY DECEMBER 30
Vermont will begin America East play on Thursday, December 30 as they welcome Maine to Patrick Gym for the first time since January 22, 2020. Tip is set for 6 p.m. and tickets are available at UVMAthletics.com.
 
Rise to the Top is the presenting sponsor of Vermont women's basketball