WOMEN'S BASKETBALL NOTEBOOK
The Catamounts (9-7, 1-1 AE) will continue on their three game road trip when they travel to Maryland for an early morning matchup with UMBC (6-8, 2-0 AE) on Thursday, January 11. Tipoff for Thursday's game is scheduled for 11 a.m.
BROADCAST INFORMATION
Thursday morning's matchup will be broadcast live on
ESPN+. The international stream will also be available via AmericaEast.TV. Fans can listen to the game for free on the
Varsity Network App, from Learfield on WVMT, which will air on 96.3 FM in Burlington, 105.9 FM in Plattsburgh, and 620 AM around the rest of the region, with Ryan Zimmerman on the call.
RELATED LINKS
CatamounTV Preview: Coach Kresge | Olson
Watch Live on ESPN+
International Stream
Listen on WVMT
Live Stats
Game Notes: Vermont | UMBC
OLSON TOPS 1000
In Vermont's 60-48 loss at Maine on Saturday (Jan. 6),
Anna Olson scored her 1,000 career point on a free throw in the fourth quarter. The Catamounts now have two 1000+ point scorers on the squad with Olson joining
Emma Utterback, who surpassed the mark last season. In her four seasons with Vermont, Olson has averaged 11.8 points per game and averaged double figures in every season. So far in 2023-24, she is averaging a career-low 10.8 points per game but on a career-high 57.4 percent shooting from the floor.
HANSON HAS A CAREER DAY
Against Maine,
Keira Hanson recorded career-highs in points, field goals made, and three pointers made. Hanson finished tied for the game-high with 20 points to go along with six made triples and seven field goals. Hanson shot 40.0 percent from three while also connecting on 36.8 percent of her shots from the floor. Saturday marked Hanson's second consecutive double figure scoring effort, fourth on the season, and her first career 20 point game.
RANKED NATIONALLY
Vermont enters Thursday's matchup with UMBC ranked in the top 100 nationally in scoring defense, turnovers per game, assist to turnover ratio and fouls per game. The Catamounts are second in the America East Conference and 24th nationally in points per game allowed at 54.5 points per contest. The Catamounts are tied for 39th in the nation in turnovers per game at just 13.4 per contest and 89th in assist to turnover ratio at 0.99. UVM is also 15th in fouls committed per game with just 13.4 per contest. Olson is ranked 32nd nationally while leading America East in shooting percentage at 57.4 percent per contest. Utterback is tied for 63rd nationally in assists per game (4.7) and tied for 42nd in total assists (75), while also being tied for 31st in field goals made with 106 total.
SCOUTING THE RETRIEVERS
UMBC enters Thursday's game on a four game winning streak and are 6-8 overall and 2-0 in America East play this season. On offense, the Retrievers are scoring 63.2 points per game on 41.7 percent shooting from the floor and 35.5 percent from beyond the arc. On the defensive side, UMBC is surrendering 64.3 points per game on 41.2 percent from the field and 26.9 from deep while registering 6.8 steals and 2.2 blocks per game. Graduate forward Anna Blount leads the Retrievers in scoring and rebounding recording 12.0 points and 7.3 boards per contest. Blount is ninth in America East in scoring and is fourth in rebounding. Classmate Jordon Lewis is second on the team in scoring at 9.8 points per contest on 43.9 percent shooting from the floor. Graduate guard Trinity Palacio leads the Retrievers in assists with 32 and assists per game (2.3).
INSIDE THE SERIES
This will be the 45th matchup all-time between UMBC and Vermont, with the Catamounts holding a 24-20 advantage in the series. The first time these two teams met was in 1996 in the Rutgers Tournament in Piscataway, New Jersey, where UMBC earned a 62-52 victory. UMBC boasts the longest winning streak in the series having won seven straight from 2014 to 2017. Vermont's longest winning streak in the series is six games coming from 2008 to 2010. UVM won two out of three matchups last season, including their America East semifinal meeting, and have won six of the last seven games. In their three meetings last season, Vermont outscored UMBC by an average of 65.3-57.3 per game while shooting 50.0 percent from the floor and dishing out 16 assists per game as a team. Utterback led UVM against the Retrievers, averaging 16.0 points, 5.0 assists and 3.3 rebounds per game on 48.8 percent shooting, while Olson was second on the team averaging 12.0 points, 1.7 assists and 6.0 rebounds per game on a team leading 51.7 percent shooting for game.
UP NEXT
Following Thursday morning's matchup with UMBC, the Catamounts will conclude their three game conference road trip on Saturday (Jan. 13) at NJIT. Tipoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. and will be broadcast live on ESPN+ with the international stream available via AmericaEast.TV. Fans can also listen to the game for free on the
Varsity Network App, from Learfield on WVMT, which will air on 96.3 FM in Burlington, 105.9 FM in Plattsburgh, and 620 AM around the rest of the region, with Ryan Zimmerman on the call.
Vermont Federal Credit Union is the presenting sponsor of Vermont Women's Basketball
