Women’s Hoops: Vermont Upset Bid Comes Up Short in 72-68 Loss to Stonybrook

Posted on by George Commo

Courtesy Vermont Sports Information

BURLINGTON –– Anastasia Warren had a game-high 22 points, including seven in the final three minutes, as Stony Brook survived Vermont’s best effort and won their 22nd straight game 72-68 at Patrick Gym Wednesday evening. With the win the Seawolves clinched their first-ever America East regular season title as they improved to 13-0 in conference. The Catamounts fell to 6-8 in league play.

COACH’S QUOTE
“We played solid, team basketball for most of the game and played as the aggressors but the second we allowed Stony Brook to get us on our heels, they took advantage of it,” said Mayer Women’s Basketball Head Coach Alisa Kresge. “We need to take the same fight for a full 40 minutes into our next game.”

HOW IT HAPPENED
Vermont stormed out of the gate seizing a 9-0 lead 3:18 into the game with seven points from Delaney Richason. The Seawolves responded with their own 7-0 run to tie the game at 18 late in the first quarter. Emma Utterback scored at the buzzer to give UVM a 20-18 lead after ten minutes.
The Seawolves used another 7-0 run to take their first lead of the game, 27-26, with 5:25 left in the half. Josie Larkins had five points of a 7-0 UVM run that reestablished a six-point lead for the Catamouts. Utterback hit a pull-up jumper with five seconds left in the half to give Vermont a three-point edge at the break.
Larkins converted a three-point play with 3:56 left in the third quarter to give the Catamounts a nine-point advantage. The Seawolves Kaela Hilaire had six points in a 10-0 Seawolves run over the next 2:16 as Stony Brook retook the lead late in the quarter. In the final minute of the quarter Hanna Crymble hit two free throws and Larkins scored in the paint to rebuild their three-point lead headed to the final frame.
Stony Brook’s Hailey Zeise hit two three-pointers in the first five minutes of the fourth quarter, the second tied the game at 62 with 5:17 left in regulation. Utterback gave UVM a 66-65 lead with two made free throws with 2:33 left.
The Seawolves Anastasia Warren scored the next five points as Stony Brook took a four-point lead with 1:46 to go. Larkins cut it to two with 1:19 left in regulation but Stony Brook forced two Vermont turnovers and a jump ball situation in the final 44 seconds to escape Burlington with a win.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
Hanna Crymble scored 12 points Wednesday night, moving her into sole possession of sixth place all-time in Vermont with 1,700 points. She needs 72 points to tie May Kotsopoulos ’10 for fifth place with 1,772 points. Crymble is now one of 22 players in America East history to ever reach 1,700 career points.
At the conclusion of Wednesday’s America East action the Catamounts sit in sixth place in the league, a half game behind New Hampshire for fifth place, and a half game ahead of UMBC and UAlbany who are currently tied for seventh place.

WHO’S NEXT
Vermont heads back out on the road for its final regular season contest away from Patrick Gym this Saturday. The Catamounts will face UMBC at 1 p.m. on February 22. 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.