WOMEN'S BASKETBALL NOTEBOOK
Vermont (10-6, 2-2 AE) women's basketball will host America East foe UMass Lowell (1-12, 0-3 AE) on Wednesday (Jan. 11) at Patrick Gym in their annual Catamount Classroom Game. The start time for the matchup is scheduled for 11 a.m. and will be broadcast live on ESPN+. Ryan Zimmerman, the voice of Catamounts women's basketball, will be on the call on WVMT.
 
RELATED LINKS
Watch Live: ESPN+ | International
Listen | Live Stats | Tickets
 
CATAMOUNT CLASSROOM
The matchup with the River Hawks will be Vermont's annual Catamount Kids Classroom Game. To purchase tickets to the game, you can visit uvmathletics.com/tickets or visit the ticket kiosk on game day. 
 
CATAMOUNTS AMONG NATION'S BEST IN SEVERAL AREAS
Emma Utterback is leading the team in scoring this season with 14.1 points per game. She is currently tied for second in the America East in scoring and is tied for 220th nationally. Utterback is also 12th in the conference knocking down 40.4 percent of her shots from the field which is 225th in the nation. Utterback is tied for 70th in the country with 70 total assists and her 4.4 assists is tied for 77th nationally and first in the America East. Catherine Gilwee has had a hot shooting start to the season ranking 26th (44.44 percent) in the nation in three point percentage, while being ranked 34th in three point attempts with 108. Her 3.00 threes made per game has her 14th in the country in three pointers made per game and her 48 makes is tied for sixth nationally. As a team Vermont is shooting 38.41 percent from three which has them ranked eighth nationally, while their 42.6 percent shooting from the field is ranked 108th in the country. Defensively their 56.8 points allowed per game is 41st in the nation while holding teams to just 38.2 percent from the field (110th in the country). Their 29.1 percent three point percentage allowed is ranked 109th in the country.
 
NET RANKINGS
The current 2022-23 NET rankings were released on January 9, 2023, with Vermont leading the America East, coming in at 177. UAlbany followed the Catamounts at 189 while Maine rounded out the top three for the America East coming in at 198. Binghamton, NJIT and UMBC are the other America East teams in the top 300 coming in at 281, 294 and 295, respectively.
 
AMERICA EAST RANKINGS
The Catamounts have turned around their early conference season with back-to-back victories over Bryant on Wednesday on the road, and Saturday at home versus New Hampshire to improve to 2-2 in the America East. Vermont is one of three teams in the America East with an overall record above .500 coming in at 10-6. UAlbany leads the conference at 10-8 and 4-0 in conference play followed by Maine who comes in at just 7-8 but are the only other defeated team in conference play at 3-0 in the America East. UMBC rounds out the top three with a 6-9 record and 3-1 in conference play. Binghamton is the only other team ahead of Vermont in the standings coming in at 9-7 with a 2-1 record in the America East.
 
AMONG THE AMERICA EAST LEADERS
The Catamounts are second in the conference in scoring with 62.9 per game and first in points allowed and scoring margin, giving up just 56.7 points per game with a plus 6.2 scoring margin. Vermont is also tied for first in team field goal percentage (42.6 percent) and lead the conference in opponent field goal percentage (38.2 percent). UVM also ranks first in the conference in three point percentage converting 38.4 percent of their chances behind the arc, with the next closest team being Bryant coming in at 35.7 percent. The Catamounts have three of the top 10 scorers in the conference and are led by Utterback's 14.1 per game which is tied for second in the conference. Anna Olson ranks 10th with 11.5 points and Gilwee is eighth with 12.1 points per contest. Olson is also fifth in the conference with 6.7 rebounds per contest, while Gilwee leads the America East in three point percentage knocking down 44.4 percent of her threes. Olson is also sixth in field goal percentage at 47.1 percent, while Gilwee is 10th at 43.2 percent and Utterback is 12th at 40.4 percent from the field.
 
SCOUTING UMASS LOWELL
The River Hawks enter Wednesday's matchup with a 1-12 overall record and are 0-3 in the America East. In conference play, UMass Lowell has fallen to NJIT and Maine in tough battles, with the game against the Black Bears going into overtime. The River Hawks have also fallen to UAlbany in the America East, while dropping matchups against Towson, Holy Cross, Farleigh Dickinson, Harvard, UMass, Brown, Boston, Indiana and Boston College in non-conference play. The River Hawks defeated Central Connecticut on December 7, 60-47. UMass Lowell enters this matchup averaging 51.5 points per game on 34.3 percent shooting from the field and 24.8 percent from three, while knocking down 74.4 percent of their free throws. On the defensive side, the River Hawks are surrendering 68.5 points per game on 46.0 percent shooting and 30.1 percent from three point range while averaging 7.2 steals and 3.6 blocks per contest. UMass Lowell is led by sophomore Ivory Finley who is averaging 9.4 points per game to go along with 4.3 rebounds and 0.9 assists per game. Senior forward Kaylen Banwareesingh is currently leading the team with 7.6 rebounds per game which is fourth in the America East to go along with 8.4 points and 1.3 assists per contest. Senior guard Jaliena Sanchez is leading the team with 3.5 assists per game to go with 7.7 points and 2.7 rebounds.
 
INSIDE THE SERIES
This will be the 19th matchup all-time between the two teams with the squads splitting the previous 18 matchups 9-9. The first matchup of the series came on December 1, 2013, at Patrick Gym where the Catamounts defeated the River Hawks 95-82. Vermont has won three consecutive matchups including sweeping the two-game season series a year ago. In those two matchups Emma Utterback averaged 16.5 points, 2.5 rebounds and 4.0 assists including a season-high 25 points in their February 26th matchup. Olson was a force down low averaging 14.0 points, 4.5 rebounds, 1.0 assists and 1.0 blocks across their games last season. Delaney Richason did everything for the Catamounts a season ago against the River Hawks averaging 14.0 points, 3.0 rebounds, 1.0 assists and 2.5 blocks per game on 50.0 percent shooting from the field and 36.4 percent from behind the arc. The longest winning streak for either team is three games, which both teams have each done on two different occasions.
 
WHO'S NEXT
Following Wednesday morning's game against the River Hawks, the Catamounts will return on the road for a two-game trip away from Patrick Gym. Vermont will face off with America East rival Maine on Wednesday (Jan. 18) with the start time for that game scheduled for 7 p.m. The game will be broadcast live on ESPN+. Vermont will also face NJIT on Saturday (Jan. 21) on the road with the start time for that game scheduled for 7 p.m. This game will be broadcast live on ESPN3. Both matchups will have Ryan Zimmerman, voice of Catamounts women's basketball, on the radio call on WVMT.
 
NATIONAL GIRLS AND WOMEN IN SPORTS DAY
The University of Vermont Women's Basketball team will celebrate National Girls and Women in Sports Day powered by Vermont Mutual on Saturday, February 4th during their game against UAlbany at 12 P.M. On February 4th, girls from the local community with an interest in sports and being involved in this celebration will have the opportunity to become members of the UVM Athletic Staff for the day. Girls between fourth and eighth grade can apply to a wide variety of positions including: Public Address Announcer, Marketing Assistant, Ticket Staff, and many more! Participants will be able to work in the position for one half of the game, the other half they will be able to watch the game with their family. To apply, please visit https://uvmathletics.com/sb_output.aspx?form=126