WOMEN'S BASKETBALL NOTEBOOK
The Catamounts (17-8, 9-2 AE) look to continue their winning ways on Thursday night when they travel to Lundholm Gymnasium to face New Hampshire (9-15, 3-8 AE). Tip is scheduled for 6:03 p.m. and the game will be broadcast live on ESPN+.
BROADCAST INFORMATION
Thursday's matchup with the Wildcats 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 | Utterback
Watch Live: ESPN+ | International Stream
Listen on WVMT
Live Stats
DOMINATING VICTORIES
The Catamounts earned back-to-back 20+ point victories for the first time this season. On Thursday (Feb. 8) Vermont routed NJIT 76-51 before defeating UMBC 69-45 on Saturday (Feb. 10). In those two games
Emma Utterback led the Catamounts averaging 20.5 points, 2.0 assists, 2.0 rebounds and 1.5 steals per contest while connecting on 54.8 percent of her shots.
Anna Olson also had herself an impressive week, averaging 12.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.0 steals on an impressive 69.2 percent shooting from the floor. Against UMBC Olson had a perfect game connecting on all six of her field goal attempts and going 5-for-5 from the free throw line.
HOME COURT ADVANTAGE
With the Catamounts last two victories UVM improved to 12-1 at home this season, which is the most wins at Patrick under Mayer Head Women's Basketball Coach
Alisa Kresge. Vermont is 6-0 in America East play at Patrick Gym and in their 12 victories they are outscoring their opponents 61.8-49.2 and have held six opponents to under 50 points. Utterback leads the Catamounts at home scoring 15.6 points per contest alongside 4.2 assists, while Olson is second on the team with 12.2 points per game and is tied for first at 6.2 boards per contest. Olson also leads the team shooting 57.0 percent from the floor at home. Vermont's 12-1 record at home is tied for 25th best in the nation.
NET RANKINGS
Maine currently leads America East with a NET ran4ing of 112, followed by UAlbany (127) in second and Vermont (142) in third, who are all in the top 200. Binghamton (255), New Hampshire (274) and Bryant (281) are also all ranked in the top 300.
AMONG THE BEST IN THE NATION
The Catamounts are currently ranked in the top 100 nationally in several important categories, including top 15 in fouls per game (ninth), turnovers per game (11th) and scoring defense (fourth). Vermont is surrendering just 53.2 points per game and only turning the ball over 12 times a game while only committing 13.0 fouls per contest. The Catamounts are also tied for 86th nationally in blocks per game (3.8), 90th in field goal percentage defense (38.3 percent) and 61st in three point percentage defense (28.3). Vermont is 69th in the country in field goal percentage at 43.7 percent per game while also ranking 45th nationally in assist to turnover ratio at 1.12 per contest.
AMERICA EAST RANKINGS
UVM sits alone for third place in America East standing having a 17-8 overall record and an 9-2 record in America East play. Vermont is one of three teams with nine wins in the conference along with UAlbany (9-1) and Maine (9-1). UVM is third in the conference in scoring margin at +6.4 per game. The Catamounts are second in field goal percentage (43.7) and second in opponent field goal percentage (38.3). Vermont is just one of three teams with two scorers in the top 10 in scoring in America East (joining Maine and Bryant). Utterback ranks sixth in the conference averaging 15.1 points per game. Olson is ninth in the league in scoring at 11.8 points per game while leading the conference in shooting percentage at 57.6 percent per game. Olson is also ninth in rebounds per game at 6.0 per game and sixth in total rebounds, having 151 on the season.
Bella Vito ranks 14th in the conference in total rebounds, earning a total of 128 so far this season. Vito also ranks seventh in the conference in steals per game (1.5) and fifth in total steals (38). Utterback is eighth in the conference in shooting percentage at 44.8 percent per contest and is third in the conference in assists at 4.2 per game and is tied for second in the conference with a total of 105 assists on the season. Olson,
Delaney Richason and
Nikola Priede all rank in the top 10 in America East blocked shots this season. Richason ranks fifth with 23 total blocks and 0.9 blocks per game while Olson is sixth in total blocks (21) and ninth in blocks per game at 0.8. Priede is eighth in total blocks (20) and 10th in blocks per game at 0.8.
SCOUTING THE WILDCATS
New Hampshire enters Thursday's matchup with a 9-15 overall record having lost two straight games against Bryant and Maine. The Wildcats are scoring 55.7 points per game on 37.6 percent shooting from the floor and 30.1 percent from deep while surrendering 58.4 points per game on 40.5 percent from the field and 31.8 percent from beyond the arc. The Wildcats are outrebounding their opponents 34.3-33.1 per game while also registering 9.9 steals and 2.1 rebounds per game. New Hampshire has eight players averaging 4.0 points per game or more led by Breezie Williams who is scoring 7.6 points per contest. Williams is also leading the team with 2.4 assists per game (57 total). Williams had a game-high 16 points and four steals in the two teams' earlier matchup this season. Avery O'Connor is second on the team with 7.2 points per contest alongside 2.3 rebounds per game. Clara Gomez leads the Wildcats in rebounding at 5.9 per contest while chipping in 5.7 points per game.
INSIDE THE SERIES
This will be the 92nd matchup all-time between the Catamounts and the Wildcats. Vermont holds a 51-40 advantage in the twin state rivalry. The first matchup came in 1976 when the Catamounts defeated New Hampshire 72-55. New Hampshire holds the longest winning streak in the series having won 12 straight from 1978 to 1987. Vermont's longest winning streak in the matchup is 11 games coming from 2006 to 2010. Currently, Vermont has won six straight matchups, and nine out of the last 10, including their matchup earlier this season. UVM has swept the season series for the past two seasons. Over their last six matchups, Vermont has outscored New Hampshire by an average of 57.8 to 47.7 and have held the Wildcats to under 45 points on three occasions. In their matchup earlier this season, the Catamounts had five players score in double figures led by Utterback who finished with 14 points and five assists while Olson registered a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds.
Andjela Matic and
Keira Hanson each scored 10 points off the bench for the Catamounts in that game.
WHAT'S NEXT
Following Thursday's matchup with the Wildcats, Vermont will return home for an important two-game homestand against second ranked Maine and first ranked UAlbany. The Catamounts and Black Bears will square off on Saturday (Feb. 17) with tipoff scheduled for 4 p.m. That game will be Vermont's annual Rally around Mental Game presented by Redstone. Vermont will then face UAlbany in their final regular season home game on Thursday (Feb. 22) with tip set for 6 p.m. Tickets are available for purchase at
UVMathletics.com/Tickets or by visiting the Patrick Gym Box Office on gameday.
Vermont Federal Credit Union is the presenting sponsor of Vermont Women's Basketball
