Courtesy Vermont Sports Information
DURHAM, NH. –– Hanna Crymble scored the game-winning layup with two seconds left in regulation as the Catamounts completed a last-minute comeback earning a 44-42 win in America East action Wednesday afternoon from Lundholm Gymnasium. With the win the Catamounts improved to 6-6 in conference this season while the Wildcats fell to 4-7.
COACH’S QUOTE
“We knew we were going to have to come in and battle a tough, scrappy New Hampshire team,” said Mayer Women’s Basketball Head Coach Alisa Kresge. “Proud of the fight we showed for 40 minutes and the mental toughness through the ebbs and flows of the game. We were able to execute and come up with big plays down the stretch.”
HOW IT HAPPENED
Ashley Storey opened the scoring with a three-pointer as the Wildcats opened the game with a 5-0 run. Hanna Crymble scored three points for UVM in a low-scoring quarter that UNH led 9-5 after ten minutes.
The Catamounts downtown shooting took over in the second quarter. Sarah Wells, Carly Whiteside, Jane McCauley, and Josie Larkins hit from three to give Vermont a 19-14 lead at the half. McCauley and Larkins triples helped UVM close the half on a 6-0 run.
Vermont’s hot shooting from three continued in the second half Crymble and Delaney Richason buried a couple more shots from downtown and UVM stretched its lead to nine with 4:50 left in the third quarter.
UNH’s Maggie Ahearn helped lead a Wildcats comeback, she scored seven points in the final minutes of the third quarter as UNH went on a 10-2 run to close within one heading to the final frame.
The Wildcats scored the first five points of the fourth quarter to take a 36-32 lead. Larkins and Crymble responded to tie the game at 36 with 4:57 to go. Ashley Storey appeared to seal the game for the Wildcats with a three-pointer, capping a 6-0 UNH run, to give the Wildcats a 42-36 edge with 1:23 to play.
Down six the Catamounts went back to their three-point shooting. Crymble nailed a shot with 45 seconds left to cut the UNH lead to three. Then UVM forced a turnover on the ensuing possession and Larkins hit her second triple of the afternoon to tie the game at 42 with 5.9 seconds to go.
After advancing the ball with a timeout UNH turned the ball back over to Vermont with an offensive foul on Ahearn. Vermont advanced the ball with their own timeout and drew up a play for Crymble. She took the inbounds pass from Larkins and fought her way to the paint and laid in the game-winner.
UNH’s Amanda Torres missed a desperation layup attempt at the buzzer and the Catamounts sealed their 12th win of the season.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
Six of the seven Catamounts to see game action this afternoon hit a three-pointer, at one point UVM’s only offense came from a string of six made triples, each from a different scorer.
Sarah Wells set a new career-high with five offensive rebounds this afternoon, she had seven total rebounds in the game.
This afternoon was the Catamounts 12th win of the season, their most since the 2009-10 campaign.
Last season on the road the Catamounts trailed UNH by three in the final minute and pulled out a 51-50 win. UVM has now won in its last three trips to Lundholm Gymnasium.
With the victory, the Cats Win, Community Wins campaign and Vermont Mutual Insurance Group will donate $100 to a Vermont charity, bringing the 2020 total to 25 wins totaling $2,500. A special thank you to Vermont Mutual Insurance for their support, protecting Vermonters since 1828.
WHO’S NEXT
Vermont is back on the road this weekend as they travel to face Binghamton on Saturday (February 1) at 2 p.m. The game will be broadcast live on ESPN3. Fans can also listen to the contest on WVMT AM 620/96.3 FM with Maura Sheridan on the call.