FINAL SCORE: Vermont 44, Stony Brook 37
BURLINGTON, Vt. – The Vermont women's basketball team held Stony Brook to just three points in the fourth quarter and less than 25-percent shooting for the game, defeating the Seawolves 44-37 in a defensive battle on Senior Day at Patrick Gym on Sunday. Vermont improves to 9-20 (4-12) with wins in its final two regular season games, while Stony Brook falls to 16-13 (8-8).
 
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"Senior Day is always special for those we honor and our two seniors played their hearts out and willed their team to victory," said head coach Lori Gear McBride. "Gracia was sensational in the post and came up with several big rebounds in the fourth quarter while Kylie hit some big shots for us and was her usual calming presence on the floor. "

Lauren Handy paced all scorers for Vermont as she reached double-figure scoring with 10 points, two blocks and a pair of rebounds. Hayley Robertson was one point shy of her second double-double as she chipped in nine points and a team-best 10 rebounds, while Kylie Atwood and Sydney Smith each added eight points.

Senior Gracia Hutson held the Seawolves' leading scorer Brittany Snow to 0-for-6 from the field and pulled down nine rebounds on Senior Day.
 
Christa Scognamiglio posted a game-high 11 points for Stony Brook. Ogechu Anyagaligbo recorded a double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds.
 
After Vermont took an early 6-0 lead, the Seawolves responded with a 13-3 run midway through the first quarter. Smith halted Stony Brook's run with a put-back layup to bring UVM within two (13-11). Robertson closed the quarter out on with a long three-pointer, and the teams were tied at 16 after one.
 
Back-to-back three balls from Atwood and Handy gave the Catamounts a five-point edge (25-20) midway through the second quarter. Handy followed up with a jumper from left of the lane as Vermont put together a 29-26 advantage headed into the locker rooms at the half.
 
Both teams struggled to find their shooting range in the third quarter. Two late third period buckets by UVM in the final two minutes of the period maintained a 35-34 cushion for Vermont heading into the final 10 minutes.
 
Davion Wingate drained a long triple to give the Seawolves their first lead in the second half (37-35) with eight minutes to play. The Catamounts strung together an 8-0 run over the final minutes in the fourth quarter fueled by six points from Kylie Butler.
 
Butler drew the and-one foul on a layup, and followed with a pair from the charity stripe. Vermont's defense held Stony Brook scoreless over the final eight minutes, while also holding the Seawolves to just 11-percent (2-for-18) from three-point range. Butler went 5-for-5 from the foul line in the fourth quarter.

The late defensive performance followed Thursday's road win over UNH, during which UVM held the Wildcats without a point for the final 5:46 of regulation.

"I was pleased with our defensive effort overall, holding Stony Brook to just four field goals in the second half," said McBride. "There were so many big plays in the homestretch but Kylie Butler had some of the biggest with her free throws, huge offensive rebound and late steal. She brought great energy to the tail end of the game and really picked up her teammates."
 
The 8-seeded Catamounts gear up next week for the quarterfinal round of the 2016 America East Tournament on Saturday, March 5 at Binghamton University. Vermont will face either Maine or Albany in the first round of games and the schedule for next weekend's action will be released on Monday.
 
Radio coverage begins 20 minutes prior to tip-off on WVMT 620-AM and SportsJuice.com with Jamie Scavotto calling the action. All tournament matchups can also be viewed for free via ESPN3.