WOMEN'S BASKETBALL NOTEBOOK
The number one seeded Catamounts (22-6, 14-2 AE) host the eight-seed Bryant (9-20, 3-13 AE) at Patrick Gym on Wednesday in the Jersey Mike's America East Quarterfinal. The start time for the game is scheduled for 5 p.m. ET and it will be broadcast on ESPN+ with Rob Ryan and Bernie Cieplicki on the call. Ryan Zimmerman, the voice of Catamounts women's basketball, will have the radio call on WVMT (FM 96.3/AM 620).
 
RELATED LINKS
Watch: ESPN+ | International Stream
Listen | Live Stats | Tickets
CatamounTV Press Conference: Coach Kresge | Richason | Utterback
 
AMERICA EAST CHAMPSIONSHIPS
The Catamounts ended the regular season with their longest winning streak since the 2001-02 season earning 14 straight victories, all coming in America East play. With their latest victory, 64-41, over Bryant on Saturday to clinch the number one seed in the Jersey Mike's America East Playoffs. With the victory Vermont earned their first America East regular season title since the 2002 season. During their 14-game winning streak Vermont is 7-0 at home and 7-0 on the road. Vermont boasts the best conference road record in America East. The Catamounts hold the longest winning streak in America East at 14 games. UAlbany who also finished 14-2 in conference play earned a share of the America East regular season title. The Great Danes are seeded second, due to tiebreakers, in the Jersey Mike's America East Playoffs. 
 
AMONG THE LEADERS IN AMERICA EAST PLAY
The Catamounts finished second in the conference in scoring at 62.1 per game and first in points allowed and scoring margin, giving up just 53.2 points per game with a plus 9.0 scoring margin. Vermont led America East in team field goal percentage (43.8 percent) while also leading the conference in opponent field goal percentage (36.5 percent). UVM also ranked first in the conference in three point percentage converting 38.1 percent of their chances behind the arc, with the next closest team being UAlbany coming in at 33.5 percent. The Catamounts were also third in opponent three point percentage allowing just 26.9 percent of their opponents chances from behind the arc. Vermont averaged the least turnovers in the conference with 13.4 per game and their 0.54 margin was second and one of only two teams that had a positive margin, while their assist to turnover ratio (1.06) was first. Emma Utterback finished fourth in America East and lead the Catamounts with 13.8 points per game. Anna Olson was ninth in scoring at 11.9 per contest. Catherine Gilwee was 16th at 10.8 points per game and was also second draining 2.3 three pointers per game on 40.6 percent shooting which led the conference. Olson led the conference in field goal percentage at 51.8 percent and was fourth in free throw percentage at 75.5 percent this year. Utterback was 12th in field goal percentage at 41.6 percent from the field. Utterback was second in the conference in total assists (120), first in assists per game (4.3) and led the conference in assist/turnover ratio (1.8).
 
WINNING STREAKS IN THE NCAA AND VERMONT
The Catamounts 14-game winning streak is seventh in the NCAA as the longest in the country. #1 South Carolina has the longest winning streak in the nation at 35 games. In New England, only Boston University (17 games) has a longer winning streak than Vermont. 
 
The longest winning streak in program history is 29 games. The 1991-92 Catamounts were undefeated in the regular season going 26-0 before winning the North Atlantic Conference to go 29-0. In the NAC Tournament, the Catamounts won their three games by an average margin of 28.6 points. The 1991-92 team was the first Vermont basketball team to make the NCAA Tournament. They fell 70-69 in the First Round against George Washington. This winning streak is tied for Vermont's longest winning streak since the 2001-02 season. That season the Catamounts made it to the WNIT where they defeated Holy Cross (70-63) and St. Joseph's (60-55) before falling 76-48 to Virginia Tech in the Quarterfinals.  
 
COACHING MILESTONES
With the victory Saturday over Bryant Mayer Head Women's Basketball Coach Alisa Kresge moved into a tie with Pam Borton in fourth place for most wins in program history. Her 124 games coached for the green and gold is fourth all time and with a victory Wednesday over the Bulldogs she would move into sole possession of fourth most wins all-time at 70.
 
RICHASON A BIG INDICATOR FOR SUCCESS
UVM is 14-1 this season when junior forward Delaney Richason reaches double figures in scoring. Richason posted a career-high 21 points for the Catamounts against Binghamton at home and most recently against NJIT. Last season the Catamounts went 14-2, including the playoffs when Richason scored in double digits. The last 31 times Richason has scored in double figures Vermont is 28-3 with the last loss coming on the road to Miami (OH) on November 11, 2022.
 
NET RANKING 
The current 2022-23 NET rankings were released on Sunday with Vermont coming in at 141. UAlbany followed the Catamounts at 191 while Maine rounded out the top three for America East coming in at 209. UMBC and Binghamton are the only other America East teams in the top 300 coming in at 280 and 282 respectively.
 
CATAMOUNTS ARE STREAKING
Vermont is riding a 14-game winning streak into Wednesday's matchup and clinched the number one seed in Jersey Mikes' America East playoff after starting out conference play 0-2. During their streak, Vermont has been dominant on defense outscoring teams by 12.3 points a game and holding them to just 50.1 points per game on 35.7 percent shooting and only 24.9 percent from three. The Catamounts also have a +1.7 turnover margin forcing 14.1 turnovers per contest, while only committing 12.4 themselves. On offense, Vermont is scoring 62.4 points during these 14 games while shooting 44.6 percent from the floor and 37.7 percent from three point range. Delaney Richason has stepped up her game averaging 11.6 points on 46.7 percent shooting from three, while Utterback leads the Catamounts averaging 13.5 points, 3.9 assists and 3.1 rebounds per game on 43.6 percent shooting from the floor and 43.8 percent from three. Olson is scoring 12.2 points per game and grabbing a team-high 5.9 rebounds on 55.6 percent shooting per game during the Catamounts winning streak. The 14-game winning streak matches the Catamounts longest winning streak since the 2001-02 season.
  
CATAMOUNTS AMONG THE NATION'S BEST
The Catamounts are holding teams to 36.5 percent shooting from the field which is ranked 29th in the country and just 26.9 percent from behind the arc which is 21st nationally. The Catamounts are giving up just 53.2 points per game which is ninth in the nation. 11 times this year Vermont has held their opponents to under 50 points and six times have kept their opponents from scoring 40 points. 21 out of the 28 opponents UVM faced failed to reach 60 points against the Catamounts. Vermont is also 18th in the country in fouls per game with just 13.8 a game. The Catamounts are knocking down 38.2 percent of their three point attempts which is seventh in the country. Vermont's .786 winning percentage was tied for 35th in the nation. Gilwee is 31st in the country at 40.62 percent shooting from three point range while her 65 makes is tied for 74th in the nation. Olson's 51.8 percent shooting is 52nd in the nation. Utterback's 4.3 assists per game is 79th nationally and her 120 total assists on the season has her tied for 76th in the country. 
 
SCOUTING THE BULLDOGS
The Bulldogs enter Wednesday's quarterfinal with a 9-20 overall record and finished 3-13 in America East play. In conference play, Bryant defeated UNH, UMass Lowell, and NJIT. They were swept by Vermont, UAlbany, Maine, Binghamton, and UMBC. Bryant enters this matchup averaging 62.0 points per game on 38.7 percent shooting from the field and 32.0 from behind the arc, while hitting 72.7 percent of their free throws. Defensively, the Bulldogs are giving up 63.9 points per game on 40.5 percent shooting and allowing 32.7 percent from three point range while averaging 8.1 steals per game and 3.3 blocks per game. Junior center Mariona Planes Fortuny leads the team and is second in America East in scoring with 15.7 points per game on an efficient 46.9 percent shooting from the field to go along with 6.1 rebounds per game. Her shooting percentage is seventh in the conference while her rebounds per game is ninth. Senior guard Nicole Gallagher is second on the team averaging 10.7 points per game with a team high 6.6 rebounds to go along with 1.2 steals. Redshirt sophomore Kemari Reynolds is leading Bryant with 3.2 assists per game to go with 7.1 points and 2.9 boards per contest. The Bulldogs were selected at seventh overall in the America East Preseason Poll, receiving 21 total points with zero first place votes.
 
INSIDE THE SERIES
This will be third matchup against Bryant this season, and 10th matchup all-time between the two teams with the series at 6-4 in favor of Vermont. This will be the third matchup as America East opponents. Both teams longest winning streak of the series is four games. Bryant won four straight from 2013-2016, but Vermont has won the last four matchups including both this season. In those four games Vermont is averaging 66.0 points per game and have won by an average margin of victory of 10.8 points. Vermont defeated Bryant in Smithfield 68-67 in OT on January 4, 2023. Olson delivered her third career double-double grabbing a career-high 15 rebounds to go along with 20 points and 4 blocks. Olson also knocked down a career-high in free throws going 10-13 from the charity stripe. Utterback finished that game with 20 points and three steals on 9-19 shooting. Gilwee played a career-high 43 minutes scoring 10 points and dishing out three assists in the overtime victory. In her four career matchups with Bryant Utterback is averaging 13.8 points in 36 minutes of action to go with 2.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.0 steals per contest. 
 
AMERICA EAST TOURNAMENT HISTORY
Vermont is 36-26 all-time in the America East tournament. They have advanced to 20 semifinals, 11 America East title games, and won the championship six times. The Catamounts last title came in 2010 in a 55-50 win over Hartford.
 
WHAT'S NEXT
Following Wednesday's matchup with the Bulldogs if the Catamounts are victorious they will host the America East Semifinal game at Patrick Gym on Sunday, March 5. The start time for the game is scheduled for 1 p.m. ET and will be broadcast live on ESPN+. Ryan Zimmerman will be on the radio call on WVMT (FM 96.3/AM 620).
 
QUARTERFINAL TICKET INFORMATION
Tickets for the general public went on sale Monday. Season ticket holders can purchase their regular season seats for the quarterfinal through their online ticket account. For more information, including Victory Club members, student information and ticket prices, click here.