BURLINGTON, VT – Vermont (4-3) outlasted Siena (3-4) in a back-and-forth battle 57-51 on Sunday afternoon at Patrick Gym to claim the 2022 TD Bank Classic. Emma Utterback was named Tournament MVP after averaging 18 points, five assists and three rebounds throughout the tournament.
 
RELATED LINKS
Box Score | Box Score (.pdf)
CatamounTV Highlights
 
COACH'S QUOTE
"It was a tough game all the way down through the stretch, but we're very excited to be able to win this tournament for the first time since 2011 in front of our fans," said Mayer Women's Basketball Coach Alisa Kresge. "It was a great game and we are excited about this win."
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• Vermont got off to a hot start with Utterback and Anna Olson knocking down back-to-back layups on Vermont's first two trips. After a missed jumper by the Saints, Bella Vito knocked down a jump shot from the right wing to put Vermont up 6-0 and force an early Siena timeout.
• After the timeout Vito connected on another layup to extend the Catamounts lead to 8-0 with 6:58 remaining in the first quarter. However, the Saints would counter with their own run, going on a 10-3 spurt from the 6:58-3:48 mark of the first quarter to cut the Vermont lead to just one, 11-10. An Utterback three from the corner assisted by Andjela Matic with 1:04 left gave Vermont the 14-10 lead heading into the second quarter.
• Olson started a back-and-forth second quarter by converting an and-one on the Catamounts first possession of the quarter to push their lead to 17-10.
• From there Siena would storm back outscoring UVM 11-5 over the next five plus minutes to cut the Catamount lead to 22-21 with 3:47 remaining in the half.
• Both teams then stalled out with neither side able to record any points for the next 2:48 until Utterback knocked down a free throw with 1:08 remaining. She missed the backend of the two shots, but UVM was able to corral the rebound and Catherine Gilwee sent a pass over to Utterback in the corner who was able to knock down a three and put Vermont back up five, 26-21 with 1:02 remaining.
• Siena answered with a jumper on the other end, but Utterback again had the answer for UVM drilling a wing three on an assist from Delaney Richason with 22 seconds remaining to put Vermont up 29-23 heading into halftime, a point differential that would stand for the rest of the game.
• The intensity picked up in the second half with both teams deadlocking at 28 points apiece.
• Vito started the third quarter just as Olson did the second converting an and-one on Vermont's first possession of the half to put Vermont up 32-25.
• Over the next 8:49 the two teams locked in defensively with Vermont shooting 3-9 and Siena shooting just 3-12. However, it was the charity stripe that helped Vermont stay afloat going 7-9 and accounting for half their points during that span, including Olson knocking down a pair with 25 seconds remaining to put Vermont up 45-35.
• London Gamble who scored a career-high 11 points answered on the other end with a pair of free throws of her own for Siena to cut the lead to 45-37 heading into the final stanza.
• Siena opened with a solid offensive set that led to two points to cut the lead to 45-39, but Vito again answered the call for Vermont knocking down a three and then corralling an offensive rebound on their next possession to give Utterback an extra scoring chance for UVM and push their lead to 50-39 with 8:28 remaining.
• It appeared the Catamounts would run away with the Championship game, but Siena would not go away easily stringing together an 8-0 run from the 8:28-4:49 mark to cut Vermont's lead to just three, 50-47.
• The two teams would battle again for two scoreless minutes until Utterback found a wide open Catherine Gilwee in the left-hand corner with 2:49 remaining in the game. Gilwee knocked down the three and put UVM up 53-47.
• Ahnisysha Jackson and All-Tournament Team member Valencia Fontenelle-Posson gave the catamounts a scare with back-to-back layups to cut the lead to one possession at 53-51 with 54 seconds remaining.
• Again, it was the senior experience of Utterback to help settle Vermont down as she converted a layup with 39 seconds remaining and on UVM's final possession she was able to dance away from defenders without turning it over and avoiding the foul. She was able to find an open Gilwee again who was trapped and fouled with four seconds remaining. Gilwee knocked down both free throws to ice the game and give the Catamounts the 57-51 victory.

 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• The Catamounts claimed the TD Bank Classic title for the first time since 2011.
• Emma Utterback recorded her second 20-point contest of the season on 6-13 shooting from the field and 3-4 from beyond the arc. Utterback also added five assists and four rebounds.
• Bella Vito set a career-high with 14 points on a very efficient 6-8 shooting. Vito also set a career-high and tied the game-high with nine rebounds.
• Catherine Gilwee scored 14 points for the Catamounts going 4-7 from beyond the arc and 2-2 from the free throw line.
• Anna Olson, the only other Catamount to score, finished with nine points, three steals, one block and tied with a game-high nine rebounds. Olson had a game-high five offensive rebounds.
• Gilwee was named to the All-Tournament team after averaging 13.5 points, 3.5 assists and 1.5 rebounds per contest. Olson also received the nod after averaging 10 points, 6.5 rebounds and 1.5 steals across two games.
• Vermont held the lead wire-to-wire throughout this contest, never trailing.

 
2022 TD Bank Classic All-Tournament Team
Emma Utterback – Guard, Vermont (Tournament MVP)
Catherine Gilwee – Guard, Vermont
Anna Olson – Forward, Vermont
Valencia Fontenelle-Posson – Guard, Siena
Linda Van Schaik – Forward, Oakland
Sophie Glidden – Forward, Stonehill
 
UP NEXT
Following the TD Bank Classic the Catamounts will travel to Hanover, N.H. for a non-conference matchup with Dartmouth. Vermont and the Big Green will faceoff on Thursday, December 1 and the start time for that game is scheduled for 7 p.m. That game will be broadcast live on ESPN+ and voice of Vermont women's basketball Ryan Zimmerman will be on the call on WVMT.