FINAL SCORE: #2 Vermont 70, #7 UMBC 39
BURLINGTON, Vt. – Nikola Priede, Bella Vito, and Keira Hanson all had over 15 points as second-seeded Vermont (19-12, 13-3 AE) defeated seventh-seed UMBC (14-15, 7-9 AE) on Thursday night.
 
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COACH'S QUOTE
"I think it was a combination of having just played this team a few days ago but also nerves. Credit to UMBC, they came out playing with nothing to lose and turned up the heat immediately," said Mayer Women's Head Coach Alisa Kresge. "I thought we finally started playing with composure and aggressiveness in the third. We were running and pushing the tempo more, which allowed us to get more stops. Keira and Nikola were both huge and took great shots in the rhythm of the game."
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Retrievers opened the game with a slight edge over the Catamounts at 8-6. In the first five minutes, Anna Olson, Nikola Priede, and Catherine Gilwee each had two points.
• After the first media timeout, the two teams scored five to end the first at 13-11. Keira Hanson had three, and Priede had two.
• Vermont opened the second quarter on an 11-4, which gave them a five-point lead at the second media timeout. Bella Vito had four, Hanson had three, and Gilwee and Priede each had two.
• The two teams scored five to close out the half, with Hanson scoring three and Olson scoring two.
• UMBC opened the second half on a 7-5 run, where Vito had all five points.
• The Catamounts closed the quarter on a 10-3 run with five points from Hanson, three from Priede, and two from Gilwee.
• Vermont opened the fourth quarter on a 17-3 run through seven points from Vito and Priede. Hanson chipped in three as well.
• After the final media timeout, the Catamounts outscored the Retrievers 11-4 to end the game. They had balanced scoring: three points from Sarah Lazar and Priede, two points from Vito and Emma Haan, and a free throw from Nika Kurdija.

 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• Priede led all scorers with 19 and was one of three Vermont players with over 15 points. Vito was second with a career-high 18, matching her career-high of two threes. Keira Hanson was third with 17 and had a season-high five made threes.
• Vito led the Catamounts on the boards with a season-high 12, which marks her third double-double of the season. Olson was second with six. Priede and Malia Lenz were tied for third with four each.
• Gilwee was the lead distributor for Vermont with four assists. Four other Catamounts were tied for second with two.
• Vermont recorded a season-high in blocks with nine. Priede matched her career high with three, while Vito and Hanson had two.
• Additionally, on the defensive end, the Catamounts held UMBC to a season-low 24.5% from the field on 12 field goals.

 
UP NEXT
Vermont will be back in action for the Jersey Mike's America East semifinal on Monday, Mar. 10, when they host third-seeded Bryant. The game will be streamed live on ESPN+ and begin at 6:00 p.m.
 
For news and updates about the Vermont women's basketball program, follow @UVMwbb on X and Facebook, @Catamountsbb on Instagram, and visit UVMathletics.com.
 
Vermont Federal Credit Union is the presenting sponsor of Vermont women's basketball.