WOMEN'S BASKETBALL NOTEBOOK
Vermont (4-3) takes a three game win streak on the road to Hanover, N.H. on Thursday when they face Dartmouth (1-4). The start time for that game is scheduled for 7 p.m. and will be broadcast live on ESPN+ and NESN. Ryan Zimmerman, the voice of Vermont women's basketball, will also be on the call on WVMT.
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TD BANK CLASSIC CHAMPIONS
Vermont capped off a perfect 3-0 week by going 2-0 and claiming the TD Bank Classic Championship by outlasting Siena 57-51. The Catamounts had three members on the All-Tournament Team with
Catherine Gilwee and
Anna Olson earning All-Tournament honors and
Emma Utterback garnering Tournament MVP.
Bella Vito also had a career day in the championship game recording a career-high 14 points and a career-high nine points. Utterback averaged 18.0 points, 5.0 assists and 3.0 rebounds per game across the tournament. Olson averaged 10.0 points, 6.5 rebounds and 1.0 assists with a blocked shot in two games while shooting 39 percent from the field. Gilwee averaged 13.5 points, 1.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game while knocking down 7 of her 13 three point attempts.
COACHING MILESTONE
Following the victory over Stonehill in the first round of the TD Bank Classic on Saturday Mayer Head Women's Basketball Coach
Alisa Kresge recorded her 50th career Division I win, all coming at Vermont. She is just the fifth coach in program history to reach the milestone and is the first to do so since the 2006-2007 season when Sharon Dawley accomplished the feat. It took Kresge just 102 games to reach the 50 win mark and in her 103 games at the helm of UVM now she is 51-52.
NON-CONFERENCE SLATE
The Catamounts have had a tough non-conference schedule to start the season, going 4-3 overall. Vermont is on their first three game non-conference win streak since the beginning of the 2021-22 season. UVM defeated LIU (Dec. 3), Loyola-Chicago (Dec. 5) and Dartmouth (Dec. 8) in three straight non-conference home games last season.
FACING THE ROAD AWAY FROM HOME
Vermont will have six road games during the month of December with their only home game coming versus Marist on Sunday, December 4. Following their matchup with Marist the Catamounts will face their longest road trip since 1998-99 season when they go on the road for five straight. UVM will face Saint Francis (Pa.), Duquesne, Sacred Heart, Holy Cross and then start conference play on the road against UAlbany to finish their month of December.
SCOUTING THE BIG GREEN
Dartmouth has started the season 1-4 with a victory over Merrimack. The Catamounts will be the third America East Dartmouth has faced on the season having lost to newcomer Bryant as well as New Hampshire. The Big Green also has losses on the road against Rhode Island and at home in their last matchup against Holy Cross on Sunday, November 27. Dartmouth is averaging 55.6 points per game on 35.8 percent shooting and 25.3 percent from three. First year forward Olivia Lawlor has gotten off to a hot start in her collegiate career leading the Big Green with 11.0 points per game on 47.8 percent shooting and checks in second on the team with 4.2 boards per contest. Senior forward Emma Koch has been a key contributor starting every game while averaging 6.8 points and a team-high 6.8 boards per game. Junior guard Mekkena Boyd is averaging a team-high 28.4 minutes per game registering 6.4 points, 2.4 rebounds and a team-high 2.6 assists per game.
INSIDE THE SERIES
This will be the 36th matchup all time between the two teams with Vermont holding a 19-16 advantage all time. The last time the two teams met was a season ago when the Catamounts claimed a 64-46 victory. Utterback registered 13 points, three assists and three rebounds in that game and Olson nearly recorded a double-double with 10 points and eight rebounds.
Delaney Richason added 11 points, three assists and two boards in the victory. Dartmouth has won the last two contests on their home court with the last Vermont victory coming in Hanover on December 9, 2015. The last time the two teams faced off in Dartmouth the Big Green came away with the 72-55 win. In their first seasons in the Green and Gold Utterback recorded eight points, two assists and a team-high seven rebounds while
Carly Whiteside registered 10 points and grabbed down four boards and Richason added three points and five rebounds.
UP NEXT
Following their matchup with the Big Green Vermont will return home to face Marist on Sunday, December 4 at 2 p.m. for their only game at Patrick Gym in December. The game will be broadcast live on ESPN+, with the voice of Vermont Women's Basketball, Ryan Zimmerman, on the call on WVMT. Sunday's matchup with Marist will also mark the Vermont women's basketball Youth Day Presented by Healthy Living.
