WOMEN'S BASKETBALL NOTEBOOK
Vermont will look to extend their winning streak to seven games and earn the longest such streak under Mayer Head Women's Basketball Coach Alisa Kresge on Saturday (Jan. 28) at UMBC. Vermont enters the matchup at 14-6 and 6-2 in the America East while the Retrievers are also 6-2 in conference play and 9-10 overall. The matchup is scheduled to start at 12 p.m. and will be broadcast live on ESPN3, while Ryan Zimmerman will be on the call on radio on WVMT.
 
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AMERICA EAST STANDINGS 
The Catamounts have earned six straight victories, all coming in America East play. Vermont got a critical win over Maine at The Pit Wednesday (Jan. 18) night 61-52 and have victories over NJIT and Bryant on the road, as well as three home wins versus New Hampshire, UMass Lowell and Binghamton to stand at 6-2 in the America East. UVM's only losses in conference came against UAlbany and UMBC with their last loss on the season coming against UMBC. The Catamounts are tied for third place with UMBC who comes in at 6-2 as well. Vermont is one of three teams in the America East with an overall record above .500 coming in at 14-6. Vermont bolsters the second longest winning streak in the conference behind UAlbany who leads the conference at 14-8 and 8-0 in conference play, while winning eight consecutive. Maine comes in at 10-9 and 6-1 in America East play, with their only loss coming to UVM. NJIT comes in behind UVM and UMBC at 9-11 (4-4 AE) to sit in fifth place. Binghamton rounds out the top six at 10-11 overall and 3-5 America East record.
 
AMONG THE LEADERS IN AMERICA EAST PLAY
The Catamounts are second in the conference in scoring with 61.9 per game and first in points allowed and scoring margin, giving up just 54.3 points per game with a plus 7.6 scoring margin. Vermont is second in team field goal percentage (42.8 percent) and lead the conference in opponent field goal percentage (36.9 percent). UVM also ranks first in the conference in three point percentage converting 37.5 percent of their chances behind the arc, with the next closest team being UAlbany coming in at 35.5 percent. The Catamounts are also third in opponent three point percentage allowing just 28.6 percent from behind the arc. Vermont averages the second least turnovers in the conference with 14.4 per game and their 0.70 margin is second, while their assist to turnover ratio (1.00) is first in the America East. The Catamounts are the only team with three of the top 12 scorers in the conference being led by Emma Utterback's 13.7 points per game which is fourth in the conference. Anna Olson ranks eighth with 11.8 points and Gilwee is 12th with 11.2 points per contest. Olson is also seventh in the conference with 6.2 rebounds per contest, while Gilwee is second in the America East in three point percentage knocking down 40.9 percent of her threes. Olson is also third in field goal percentage at 50.9 percent, while Utterback is 10th at 41.2 percent from the field. Utterback leads the conference in assists (86), assists per game (4.3) and assist/turnover ratio (2.0).
 
CATAMOUNTS AMONG NATION'S BEST
Utterback is tied for 70th in the country with 86 total assists and her 4.3 assists is tied for 82nd nationally and first in the America East. Her 2.0 assist to turnover ratio is first in the conference and is 67th in the nation. Catherine Gilwee has had a hot shooting sophomore season ranking 43rd (40.94 percent) in the nation in three point percentage, while being tied for 80th in three point attempts with 127. Her 2.60 threes made per game has her ranked 51st in the country and her 52 makes is tied for 30th nationally. As a team Vermont is shooting 37.5 percent from three which has them ranked 13th nationally, while their 42.8 percent shooting from the field is second in the conference and ranked 93rd in the country. Defensively their 54.3 points allowed per game is first in the conference and 14th in the nation while holding teams to just 36.9 percent from the field (46th in the country and first in America East). Their 28.6 percent three point percentage allowed is ranked 74th in the country.
 
NET RANKING
The current 2022-23 NET rankings were released on Thursday January 26, 2023, with Vermont leading the America East, coming in at 148. UAlbany followed the Catamounts at 185 while Maine rounded out the top three for the America East coming in at 187. Binghamton and UMBC are the only other America East teams in the top 300 coming in at 277 and 293 respectively.
 
CATAMOUNTS ARE STREAKING
Vermont enters Saturday with a six game winning streak and have improved to 6-2 overall in the America East after starting out 0-2. The last team to defeat the Catamounts was this same UMBC team on January 1. During their streak Vermont has been dominant on defense outscoring teams by 12.0 a game and holding them to just 49.8 points per game on 36.3 percent shooting and only 28.4 percent from three. The Catamounts also have a +3.8 turnover margin forcing 15.5 turnovers per contest, while only committing 11.7 themselves. On offense, Vermont is scoring 61.8 during these six games while shooting 42.5 percent from the floor and 34.4 percent from three point range. Delaney Richason has stepped her game averaging 12.0 points on 56.5 percent shooting from three, while Utterback leads the Catamounts averaging 12.8 points, 3.5 assists and 2.2 rebounds per game on 45.1 percent shooting. During this stretch Vermont is 3-0 at home and 3-0 on the road with victories over Bryant, New Hampshire, UMass Lowell, Maine, NJIT and Binghamton. The six-game winning streak is the longest conference regular season winning streak for the Catamounts since 2010.
 
SCOUTING UMBC
The Retrievers enter Saturday's matchup with a 9-10 overall record and are 6-2 in the America East. In conference play, UMBC has defeated Binghamton, Vermont, Bryant, UMass Lowell, NJIT, with the win over NJIT coming on Wednesday night (Jan. 25) with a thrilling buzzer-beater to earn the 61-60 victory. Their two losses came against the top two teams in the America East in Maine and UAlbany. However, The Retrievers are on a three game win streak including a 76-59 win against UMass Lowell and a 62-57 overtime victory at New Hampshire. UMBC enters this matchup averaging 59.7 points per game on 40.1 percent shooting from the field and 27.7 percent from behind the arc, while hitting 70.2 percent of their free throws. Defensively, the Retrievers are giving up 65.7 points per game on 40.7 percent shooting and 31.7 percent from three point range while averaging 7.3 steals and 2.9 blocks per game. Graduate guard KK White leads the team in scoring with 11.6 points per game which is 10th in the America East to go along with 4.8 rebounds and 1.1 assists. Graduate forward Kiara Bell is second on the team averaging 11.1 points to go with 8.1 rebounds which is third in the conference on 48.1 percent shooting which is fifth. Laycee Drake is leading the team with 2.6 assists per game while registering 7.7 points and 4.3 boards per game while also leading the team with 18 three pointers made. The Retrievers were picked to finish ninth in the America East receiving 15 total points.
 
INSIDE THE SERIES
This will be the second matchup against UMBC this season, and 43rd all-time between the two teams with Vermont holding a 22-20 edge. The teams first met in Piscataway, New Jersey in the Rutgers Tournament in November 1996 where UMBC came away with a 62-52 victory. Earlier this season, Vermont fell to UMBC 58-57 on New Year's Day at Patrick Gym. White led all scorers in that game for the Retrievers netting 18 points on an efficient 8-13 shooting. Drake and Keelah Dixon were both in double digits for UMBC with Drake finishing with 11 points and two assists, while Dixon had 10 points and two steals. Bell dominated the game in the paint with 18 rebounds (eight offensive) and three blocks to go along with nine points. The Catamounts got several key contributors off the bench in that game with first year Paula Gonzalez and Maria Myklebust each contributed 14, while Gonzalez had a career-high four three points made and three assists. Last season, Vermont swept their two matchups 69-36 (Jan. 15) and 59-47 (Feb. 19). UMBC holds the longest winning streak of the series at seven coming from 2014 to 2017. The Catamounts longest win streak is six games from 2008 to 2010.
 
WHAT'S NEXT
Following Saturday's matchup with the Retrievers Vermont will have a week off before returning to Patrick Gym for a meeting with America East leading UAlbany on Saturday, February 4. The start time for the game is scheduled for 12 p.m. and will be broadcast live on ESPN3. Ryan Zimmerman, the voice of Catamounts women's basketball, will be on the call on radio on WVMT.
 
SHOW YOUR SUPPORT FOR SHE ROARS AND UVM ATHLETICS
She Roars has produced an exclusive line of apparel for UVM Athletics fans to show their support of all women, transwomen, femme and nonbinary folks in sport and in our community. The exclusive team store is open until 2/5 order now at go.uvm.edu/roar.
 
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