FINAL SCORE: Binghamton 38, Vermont 51
Burlington, VT – Vermont cruised past Binghamton, 51-38, Thursday evening at Patrick Gymnasium on the way to their fourth victory in the last five conference matchups. With the win, UVM elevates to 12-7 (4-1 AE) on the season while the Bearcats fall to 5-12, remaining winless in conference play (0-4 AE). 
 
RELATED LINKS
Box Score | Box Score (.pdf)
CatamounTV Highlights 
 
COACH'S QUOTE
"I love being home and our fans. It's great. So excited to be home for a couple more, it's a nice opportunity for us to work on ourselves a little," said Mayer Women's Basketball Head Coach Alisa Kresge. "There's a couple of things that we really need to try to get better at, sharper at. But it's just an opportunity to clean up things on both ends. We got a tough slate ahead of us and obviously a couple teams we haven't faced yet."
 
HOW IT HAPPENED:

• Paula Gonzalez got the scoring started for Vermont taking a 2-0 lead after corralling the ball off a blocked shot. Binghamton would respond with a 6-0 scoring run, to capture an early 6-2 lead. 
• A steal from Bella Vito with 4:56 remaining in the first quarter set up a clean break out pass to Emma Utterback, who made her way to the rim and drew a foul. Utterback went 1-for-2 from the free throw line to bring Vermont within three, 6-3.
• Andjela Matic scored the Catamounts first three-pointer with 1:51 left of quarter one, coming off an assist from Delaney Richason. Matic would close out the scoring in the first quarter for Vermont, converting on a driving layup. Catamounts went into the second quarter down by five, 8-13.  
• A shifty move by Vito ignited the crowd as she cashed a fadeaway jump shot to begin scoring in the second quarter and draw Vermont within 13-10 with 8:29 remaining in the first gald. 
• Anna Olson and Matic would bring the Catamounts within one, each chipping in a layup, resulting in a 16-17 Bearcat lead. 
• Vermont took their first lead of the game at 20-19 lead with 1:58 remaining of the first half after Gonzalez swished a step-back jump shot.
• With four seconds left on the clock in half one, Matic found Richason at the top of the key who drained the three-point shot putting the Catamounts up 23-21 going into halftime. Matic led the Catamounts in scoring in the first half with seven points. 
• Vermont's defense forced Binghamton to turn the ball over ten times in the first half. 
• Binghamton came out and tied the game at 23-23 to begin quarter three. On the ensuing possession, Utterback found Olson cutting to the basket with a bounce pass, delivering on the open layup. Olson would make another layup on the very next possession to give Vermont a 27-23 lead. 
• Both teams went back-and-forth over the next four minutes plus with Vito and Richason each converting on layups for the Catamounts. The first TV timeout was called with UVM leading 31-29 with 4:49 remaining of quarter three. 
• Coming out of the timeout, Vermont's defense forced a shot clock violation which gave UVM the ball back and set up Matic for a hook shot which extended the Vermont lead to 33-29. 
• Keira Hanson got going offensively at the end of the third quarter, scoring two baskets in a row for the Catamounts. Vermont entered the final quarter with a six-point lead, 37-31.
• Hanson stayed hot entering the fourth, scoring UVM's first basket after driving hard to the basket and making the layup, her sixth point in a row. 
• Utterback accompanied Hanson with a layup of her own on the very next possession, her first made basket of the contest. Utterback went on to secure another quick two points for Vermont with 5:29 left in gametime, which gave Vermont their first double digit lead of the game at 44-33. 
• Olson was the first Catamount to hit double digits after spinning away from pressure and making the layup off the glass to reach 11 points and help Vermont maintain the double figure lead, 46-36.
• Utterback and Vito sealed the deal for the Catamounts making four combined late free throws, giving Vermont the 51-38 conference victory over Binghamton.

 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE:

• Utterback corralled a season high 3 offensive rebounds, along with three defensive rebounds, tying a game high six rebounds for the Catamounts. Vito brought in six rebounds as well.
• Vito surpassed her season high in steals, snatching four total against Binghamton. Vito's four steals were also a game high.
• Olson led Vermont in scoring with 11 points to go along with five boards and an assist.
• UVM won the bench scoring battle, outscoring the Bearcats 15-4 with their second unit.
• Vermont outscored Binghamton in the paint 32-22.
• This is the third time this season the Catamounts have held their opponent under 40 total points. UVM holds a 3-0 record in those games. 
• Hanson led all players in the +/- department, earning herself a +15 rating on the night. 

 
UP NEXT
Following Thursday night's matchup with the Bearcats, the Catamounts will have a week off before hosting UMass Lowell on Thursday, January 25. Tipoff is scheduled for 11 a.m. and the game will be broadcast live on ESPN+. The matchup with the River Hawks will have an international stream available via AmericaEast.TV. Fans can also listen to the voice of Catamounts women's basketball, Ryan Zimmerman, 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.
 
CATAMOUNT CLASSROOM GAME
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. 
 
Vermont Federal Credit Union is the presenting sponsor of Vermont Women's Basketball