FINAL SCORE: Vermont 67, Binghamton 71

VESTAL, N.Y. – Vermont (13-5, 2-1 AE) fell to Binghamton (10-5, 2-0 AE) on Thursday evening at Dr. Bai Lee Court. The Bearcats scored 26 points off the bench compared to Vermont's three, handing the Catamounts their first conference loss of the season.

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Box Score 

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Bearcats opened the game on an 11–2 run, with Bella Pucci and Yanniah Boyd combining for all 11 points, as Pucci scored five and Boyd added six.

• The Catamounts answered with back-to-back three-pointers from Emma Haan and Keira Hanson, followed by another triple from Haan, closing the quarter on a 9–6 run to trail 15–11 at the end of the first quarter.

• Vermont carried that momentum into the second quarter, going on a 15–5 run from the start of the quarter to the 5:18 mark. Malia Lenz led the surge, opening the quarter with a layup and knocking down a pair of three-pointers. 

• Binghamton responded with a 14–7 run of its own, sparked by Boyd converting on both free throws and capped by a driving layup. The Catamounts trailed 34–33 going into halftime.

• Lenz opened the second half with a strong layup off a Hanson assist, which helped the Catamounts put together a 10–6 run to begin the third quarter. She would score six of the 10 points. 

• Vermont continued to apply pressure, outscoring Binghamton 13–7 from the 6:08 mark of the third quarter through the end of the quarter. Haan ignited the run with a breakaway layup off an assist from Lenz, while Nikola Priede caught fire, scoring nine points in the quarter. Priede began her scoring with a tough baseline fadeaway through contact and closed the quarter by converting on both free throws.

•  Boyd beat the buzzer at the end of the third quarter with a left-handed driving layup to cut Vermont's lead to seven heading into the fourth.

• Binghamton opened the final quarter on an 8–5 run, beginning with a Kaia Goode three-pointer and ending with Leah Middleton converting both free throws. 

• Vermont held a four-point lead before a timeout at the 6:38 mark. Out of the break, Lenz would make a driving layup, Carletta Bennette made both free throws, and Pucci would make a three at the 5:08 mark, trimming the Catamount lead to 61–60.

• The Bearcats closed the game on an 11–6 run. Boyd finished with a driving layup with eight seconds remaining, and Pucci sealed the win at the free-throw line, securing a 71–67 victory for Binghamton.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• Lenz scored a career-high 21 points, grabbed nine rebounds, and added two assists. 

• Priede posted her fifth double-double of the season with 15 points and 12 rebounds. 

• Pucci led the Bearcats with 20 points. 

• Vermont held the edge in field-goal shooting, going 28-57 (49.1%) compared to Binghamton's 22-58 (45.8%).

• The Bearcats shot more efficiently from three-point range, going 6-13 (46.2%) from beyond the arc, while the Catamounts went 7-25 (28.0%). Binghamton also held the advantage at the free-throw line, going 21-25 (84.0%) compared to Vermont's 4-7 (57.1%) effort.

UP NEXT

Vermont travels to Maine for its first matchup versus the Black Bears on Thursday, Jan. 15, at Memorial Gym on the Skip Chappelle Court. Tip-off is scheduled for 6 p.m. The game will be televised on ESPN+, with the radio broadcast available on the Varsity Network App featuring Ryan Zimmerman on the call.