WOMEN'S BASKETBALL NOTEBOOK
Vermont (19-9, 11-3 AE) travels down to Smithfield, RI to engage in a conference matchup against Bryant (13-13, 6-7 AE) on Saturday (Feb. 24) at the Chase Athletic Center. Tipoff is scheduled for 2 p.m. and will be broadcast live on ESPN+.
 
BROADCAST INFORMATION 
Saturday's matchup with the Bulldogs 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
Watch Live on ESPN+
International Stream
Listen on WVMT
Live Stats
 
AMONG THE BEST IN AMERICA EAST
UVM sits alone in third place in America East standings having an 19-9 overall record and an 11-3 record in America East play. The Catamounts are second in the conference in scoring defense surrendering just 52.2 points per game, which is ranked third in the country. UVM is second in the conference in scoring margin at +8.0 per game. The Catamounts are first in field goal percentage (44.4) and second in opponent field goal percentage (37.7). 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 14.7 points per game. Olson is ninth in the league in scoring at 11.7 points per game while leading the conference in shooting percentage at 59.2 percent per game. Olson is also ninth in rebounds per game at 6.0 per game and fifth in total rebounds, having 169 on the season. Bella Vito ranks 13th in the conference in total rebounds, earning a total of 140 so far this season. Vito is also seventh in total steals (41) and steals per game (1.5). Utterback is seventh in the conference in shooting percentage at 44.5 percent per contest and is third in the conference in assists at 4.1 per game and is third in the conference with a total of 114 assists on the season. The Catamounts are third in the conference in blocked shots per game (3.8) and second in total blocks this season (106). The Catamounts are the only team in the conference with three players in the top ten in total blocked shots, with Richason having 25 (sixth), Olson 24 (seventh) and Priede 21 (ninth). Olson and Richason are tied for seventh in blocks per game, averaging 0.9 per game. The Catamounts are first in the America East in turnovers per game, allowing just 12.1 a game.
 
NATIONAL RANKINGS
The Catamounts rank in the top 100 in several key categories this season. Vermont is allowing just 52.2 points per game which ranks third in the country while their three-point percentage allowed (28.4) is 60th in the nation. On the defensive side, Vermont is ranked 11th nationally in turnovers per game at just 12.1 while their assist to turnover ratio (1.12) is 42nd in the country and are ranked 50th in the nation in field goal percentage at 44.4 percent per game. Vermont is also 11th in the nation in fouls per game with just 13.0 and are 90th in blocks per game at 3.8. Emma Utterback ranks 42nd nationwide with 173 field goals while being 44th nationwide in field goal attempts. Utterback ranks 75th in the nation in total assists with 114 on the season.
 
DEFENSIVE MINDS
The Catamounts rank third in the nation in points per game allowed and are second in America East. Vermont is also second in America East and 55th in field goal percentage allowed at just 37.7 percent game. UVM ranks 60th nationally in three point percentage defense surrendering just 28.4 percent per contest which is also second in the conference.
 
NET RANKINGS 
Maine currently leads America East with a NET Rating of 115, followed by Vermont (125) in second and UAlbany (152) in third who are all in the top 200. Binghamton (236), Bryant (274) and New Hampshire (295) are also in the top 300.
 
SCOUTING THE BULLDOGS
Entering Saturday's matchup Bryant is 13-13 overall and 6-7 in conference play. The Bulldogs are averaging 62.0 points per game on 41.6 percent shooting from the floor and 32.0 percent from three. Bryant is fourth in America East in field goal percentage and third in three point percentage and three pointers per game (6.4). On the defensive side of the ball, the Bulldogs are surrendering 61.8 points per game on 40.5 percent shooting from the floor and 29.5 percent shooting from deep. The Bulldogs are also registering 6.5 steals and 2.5 blocks per contest. The Bulldogs are led by first year Mia Mancini who has earned multiple America East Rookie of the Week honors on her way to averaging 13.0 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game. Senior Kamari Reynolds leads Bryant with 3.0 assists per game while classmate Mariona Planes Fortuny leads the team with 6.5 boards per game and is leading the team in scoring at 16.7 points per contest. Freshman forward Nia Scott makes an impact on the boards, averaging 6.5 a game as well. Planes Fortuny's scoring is second in America East while her rebounding is ranked eighth.
 
INSIDE THE SERIES
This will be the 12th matchup all time between the Catamounts and Bulldogs, with Vermont holding a 7-4 advantage. The first time these two teams met was in 1985 in Burlington, Vermont where Vermont earned a 72-61 victory. The last time these two teams met was this season at Patrick Gym where Vermont earned a 61-35 victory. In that game, Keira Hanson led Vermont with 16 points and a game-high four steals for the Catamounts, while Utterback finished with 14 points, two assists and one steal. Vito earned a team-high 13 rebounds for the Catamounts to go along with two points and two assists in that last victory. The Catamounts hold the longest winning streak in the series having won six consecutive games against Bryant dating back to 2019.
 
WHAT'S NEXT
Following Saturday's matchup, Vermont stays on the road to Lowell, MA where they will face UMass Lowell on Saturday, March 2 in the final regular season game of the season. Saturday's matchup with the Riverhawks is scheduled for 3 p.m. The matchup 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 the voice of Catamounts women's basketball, Ryan Zimmerman, on the call.
 
Vermont Federal Credit Union is the presenting sponsor of Vermont Women's Basketball