WOMEN'S BASKETBALL NOTEBOOK
Vermont (5-5) will play its final non-conference game of the regular season Tuesday morning at 11 a.m. at Bryant (2-8). Fans can listen live with Cooper Boardman on the call on AM 620 WVMT. A free video broadcast is also available via NEC Front Row.
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LARKINS LEADING AND APPROACHING MILESTONES
Graduate guard
Josie Larkins, who leads the Catamounts in scoring with 12.4 points per game, is approaching some big career milestones. Against UMass Sunday she hit six three-pointers and had a season-high 20 points. Her six triples moved her into third place all-time at UVM in made three-point field goals with 189. She needs five more to tie Lori Taylor (1994-98) for second all-time with 194 made three-pointers.
She also needs just 53 points to reach 1,000 in her Catamount career. She would be the 23rd player in program history to reach 1,000 points and the first to do so since
Hanna Crymble '20 in 2018.
Larkins is 25th in the NCAA currently shooting 46% from behind the arc. She's made 29 three-pointers this year which is tied for 29th in the NCAA.
LIMITING OPPONENTS TRIPS TO THE LINE
The Catamounts are averaging just 13.4 fouls-per game this season which is the 15th fewest in the NCAA. As a team in 10 games they have committed just 134 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 2.17. She ranks 72nd in the NCAA in the category. In 10 games this season Utterback has 39 assists this year and ranks second in the league with 3.9 per game. On Sunday at UMass she dished a season-high nine assists.
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 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.
LARKINS LIGHTS UP THE BULLDOGS
This matchup in the 2019 season-opener was a game to remember for
Josie Larkins. She set a career-high in scoring with 29 points in the Catamounts 71-66 win. That night Larkins matched the program record for three-pointers in a single game with eight.
SCOUTING BRYANT
The Bulldogs are 2-8 this season and 1-4 at home at the Chace Athletic Center. UVM will be the fourth America East team the Bulldogs have faced this season. All on the road Bryant lost by 14 to UMass Lowell, 26 to UAlbany and beat UNH 61-54. Two of their home losses to Brown and Iona came by a combined seven points.
The Bulldogs were selected seventh in the Northeast Conference preseason poll. Graduate forward Brooke Bjelko was selected to the Preseason All-NEC team. She is tied with Alana Perkins for the team lead in scoring with 11.5 per game. Bjelko had a double-double with 13 points and 12 rebounds in Bryant's trip to Patrick Gym in 2019.
SERIES HISTORY
Vermont meets Bryant for the seventh time in program history tomorrow. The series dates back to a meeting in October of 1985, where the Catamounts won 72-61. Following the win, the Catamounts would not see the Bulldogs for almost 30 years. The series was renewed in 2013, and the two teams have played five times since. Bryant leads the series 4-2, but the Catamounts won the most recent matchup 71-66 in the 2019 season opener.
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
