WOMEN'S BASKETBALL NOTEBOOK
The Catamounts (18-8, 10-2 AE) will look to avenge their earlier season loss against Maine (17-8, 10-1 AE) on Saturday afternoon in their annual Rally Around Mental Health Game presented by Redstone. Vermont currently sits a half game back of the Black Bears and UAlbany for first place in America East.
 
BROADCAST INFORMATION 
Saturday's matchup with the Black Bears 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
Game Notes: Vermont | Maine
Watch Live: ESPN+ | AmericaEast.TV
Live Stats
Tickets
 
HISTORIC THURSDAY NIGHT
On Thursday night against New Hampshire the Catamounts tied a program record with 14 three pointers made. Five different players knocked down a triple led by Andjela Matic who hit a career-high six threes while Delaney Richason connected on four of her threes. Vermont also extended their winning streak to three games, having won all three by 20+ points, for the first time in the Kresge era. In their last three games, Vermont has outscored their opponents by an average of 73.3-45.7 points per game. Emma Utterback has led the way in those three games averaging 17.7 points, 2.3 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game. Matic has had a strong surge of late averaging 13.0 points and 5.7 points per game while setting career-highs in back-to-back games. Matic has also connected on 57.9 percent (11-of-19) of her triples.
 
AMERICA EAST LEADERS
UVM sits alone in second place in the America East standings having an 18-8 overall record and a 10-2 record in America East play. Vermont is one of three teams with 10 wins in the conference along with UAlbany (10-1) and Maine (10-1). UVM is third in the conference in scoring margin at +7.4 per game. The Catamounts are first in field goal percentage (44.1) and second in opponent field goal percentage (37.9). 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 15.0 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 58.2 percent per game. Olson is also ninth in rebounds per game at 6.0 per game and sixth in total rebounds, having 156 on the season. Bella Vito ranks 13th in the conference in total rebounds, earning a total of 134 so far this season. Vito also ranks seventh in the conference in steals per game (1.5) and fifth in total steals (40). Utterback is seventh in the conference in shooting percentage at 45.0 percent per contest and is third in the conference in assists at 4.2 per game total assists with 108 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 while Olson is sixth in total blocks (21) and Priede is eighth in total blocks (20).
 
NATIONAL RANKINGS
The Catamounts are currently ranked in the top 10 in fouls per game (10th), turnovers per game (ninth) and scoring defense (third). Vermont is surrendering just 52.7 points per game and only turning the ball over 12 times a game while only committing 13 fouls per contest. The Catamounts are also 83rd nationally in blocks per game (3.8), 91st in field goal percentage defense (38.3 percent) and 60th in three point percentage defense (28.3). Vermont is 71st in the country in field goal percentage at 43.7 percent per game while also ranking 43rd nationally in assist to turnover ratio at 1.12 per contest. Utterback is tied for 80th in the country with 105 total assists and 4.2 per game while Olson ranks 23rd in field goal percentage. Utterback also ranks 42nd in the nation in field goals made (160).
 
NET RANKINGS
Maine currently leads America East with a NET ranking of 113, followed by UAlbany (129) in second and Vermont (133) in third, who are all in the top 200. Binghamton (252), Bryant (283) and New Hampshire (290) are also all ranked in the top 300.
 
SCOUTING THE BLACK BEARS
Maine enters Saturday's matchup with a 17-8 overall record and are tied for first in America East at 10-1. The Black Bears are averaging 65.4 points per game on 40.5 percent from the field and 30.1 percent from three. Their points per game leads the America East while their +7.7 scoring margin is second in the conference. On the defensive end, the Black Bears are surrendering 57.8 points per game on 41.0 percent shooting from the floor and 30.5 percent shooting from three while registering 6.9 steals and 1.9 blocks per contest. Maine is led by graduate guard Anne Simon who also leads the America East in scoring at 18.6 per game. Simon leads the conference in 30+ point games with four this season alongside 7.0 rebound and 3.3 assists per game. Adrianna Smith is second on the team in scoring at 16.2 per game while leading the team and the conference in rebounding at 11.2 per contest. Smith is also tied for third in the country in double-doubles and leads America East with 17.
 
INSIDE THE SERIES
This will be the 103rd meeting all-time between the Black Bears and the Catamounts, with Maine holding a 65-37 advantage in the series. The first time these two teams met was in 1975 where Vermont came away with a 75-71 victory. Last season, Vermont earned a season sweep of Maine, for the first time since the 2010 season. In both of those seasons, the Catamounts went on to make the NCAA Tournament. During their two matchups last season, Olson led the Catamounts averaging 16.0 points and 4.5 rebounds per game on 52.2 percent shooting. Utterback also had a strong season against the Black Bears averaging 14.0 points, 3.5 boards and 2.5 assists on 47.6 percent shooting in their two meetings. In their matchup earlier this season the Black Bears defeated the Catamounts 60-48, but Olson registered her 1,000th career point. Keira Hanson scored a career-high 20 points in the loss connecting on six triples alongside two assists and one rebound. The longest winning streak for either team in the matchup is 12 games. Vermont won 12 straight from 2006 to 2011, while Maine earned 12 consecutive victories twice (1977 to 1985 and 1986 to 1991).
 
WHAT'S NEXT
Following Saturday's matchup, Vermont will face UAlbany in their final regular season home game on Thursday (Feb. 22) with tip set for 6 p.m. That game will be broadcast live on ESPN+ and the international stream will be available on AmericaEast.TV. 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