WOMEN'S BASKETBALL NOTEBOOK
The Catamounts return to action this weekend after finishing 2-3 on their first homestand of the regular season. Vermont is in Lawrenceville, New Jersey on Friday night (Dec. 1) for a 7 p.m. tip-off with Rider. Then, UVM returns to Patrick Gym to host Boston University at 2 p.m. on Sunday afternoon (Dec. 3).

The women's basketball team hosted the annual TD Bank Classic last weekend and lost both games to American and James Madison. UVM is 2-5 overall in 2017-18, while Rider (0-6) is still searching for its first victory of the season after the Broncs finished 24-9 last year.
 
Friday night's game at Rider can be heard on CatamounTV.com. Pregame coverage with Logan Ratick begins at 6:40 p.m., followed by tip-off at 7.
 
On Sunday, the game against Boston University will be broadcast on ESPN3 with video, and audio on CatamounTV.com and News/Talk 620 WVMT-AM. Pregame coverage with Logan Ratick starts at 1:40 p.m. with the contest beginning at 2.
 
RELATED LINKS
Rider: Live Video | Live Audio | Live Stats | Game Notes
Boston University: Live Video | Live Audio | Live Stats 
Tickets
 
TOYS FOR TOTS
UVM Athletics will have Toys For Tots boxes at all home games until Dec. 15 to collect new and unwrapped toys to be donated for local families in need this holiday season. The Toys For Tots drive is presented by TD Bank. Fans can make donations at the marketing table. Last year, the local Toys For Tots program served over 1,700 families, providing toys to over 5,000 children in the greater Champlain Valley area. 
 
TICKETS
Fans can purchase tickets for the Boston University game on Sunday, Dec. 3 by visiting UVMathletics.com/Tickets. Additionally, tickets can be acquired by calling the UVM Athletic Ticket Office at (802) 656-4410 or by visiting the office, located on the balcony of the Patrick Gymnasium Lobby. On game days, tickets can be purchased beginning one hour before tip-off in the Patrick Gymnasium Lobby.
 
CATAMOUNTS RECAP
Vermont is coming off three consecutive home losses, with the final two coming in the TD Bank Classic. In a 68-56, consolation game loss to James Madison, Hanna Crymble led the Catamounts with 23 points, four rebounds and three assists. She also finished 9-9 at the free throw line. Crymble was the lone UVM player to be named to the TD Bank Classic All-Tournament Team.
 
Against JMU, freshman guard Josie Larkins logged her first career start and registered 12 points (4-7 3PT) in 27 minutes of action.
 
As a team, the Catamounts shot 41.3% from the field against JMU and 38% from downtown. However, the Dukes did manage to outrebound UVM 36-30 and win the turnover battle 14-23.
 
Hailee Barron (Burlington, Vt. native) scored 15 points for JMU. In the previous game, UVM lost 64-62 to American on a buzzer-beating layup by Emily Kinneston (Shelburne, Vt. native) to win the game. Kinneston was named to the TD Bank Classic All-Tournament Team.

SCOUTING RIDER
Head Coach Lynn Milligan is in her 11th season at the helm and coming off her best campaign (24-9 record in 2016-17). Losses have come on the road against Bucknell (Nov. 10), Navy (Nov. 12), Lafayette (Nov. 21) and Seton Hall (Nov 25), and vs. Holy Cross (Nov. 18) and East Carolina (Nov. 26).
 
Three Broncs averaging double-figures in scoring: Kamila Hoskova (13.2 PPG), Stella Johnson (10.7 PPG) and Jaiden Morris (10.5 PPG).
 
Rider is shooting just 30% from the field, 20% from three-point range and 70% at the line as a team. Opponents have the advantage on the glass, averaging six rebounds per game higher than the Broncs.
 
SCOUTING BOSTON UNIVERSITY
The Terriers are 4-2 to begin the season and sit first in the Patriot League. BU is 2-0 at home and 2-2 on the road. The Terriers' last home win came against rival Boston College 61-57 on Nov. 26. They fell to Harvard the game before in Cambridge, 80-70. BU also played another Boston foe, Northeastern and won 74-73 at home on Nov. 10.
 
Last time out, Boston won 78-61 at Bryant on Wednesday, Nov. 29. Four Terriers scored in double-figures: Nia Irving (16 pts), Tenisha Pressley (15), Naiyah Thompson (12) and Vanessa Edgehill (11). Irving grabbed game-high seven rebounds. The Terriers shot 52% from the field, 39% from deep and 60% as a team in this win.
 
The Terriers have two players averaging double-figures in scoring for the season: Katie Nelson (14.0 PPG) and Payton Hauck (11.3 PPG). Leading rebounder is Corrine Williams (6.2 RPG),
 
Head Coach Katy Steding (Stanford, '90) is in her fourth season in that role. She was previously an assistant at Cal where she worked with post players and on recruiting. Steding's prior head coach experience came at Warner Pacific College (NAIA) in Portland, Oregon for seven seasons. She has also been an assistant at Columbia and South Florida. Steding won Stanford's first-ever NCAA championship as a senior in 1990. She is also known for her time in the WNBA as a player for the Sacramento Monarchs and Seattle Storm.

INSIDE THE SERIES
Rider: UVM is 2-0 all-time against Rider. Vermont won the first meeting 80-62 in Lawrenceville, New Jersey on Jan. 4, 2004. The Catamounts won the second meeting 77-52 at Patrick Gym on Dec. 11, 2004. The two games were played in different seasons (2003-04 and 2004-05) but played in the same calendar year.
 
Boston University: BU leads the all-time series 38-36. Vermont lost first-ever meeting 75-53 in Boston on Nov. 29, 1978. A few of these matchups have been played in Hartford, Connecticut in the America East Tournament. 
 
The most recent meeting resulted in 60-45 UVM win in Boston on Dec. 28, 2015. Current Catamounts that scored in the victory were Candice Wright (6), Katie Lavelle (5), Hayley Robertson (5), Lauren Handy (5) and Rachel Merrill (5), while Sydney Smith and Courtney Wright both saw playing time.
 
BU won the last matchup in Burlington 80-62 on Dec. 29, 2013. This game occurred before any players arrived except for Kristina White, who led the way with 16 points (7-14 FG, 2-5 3PT) and six rebounds as a freshman in that contest.
 
HISTORY BEFORE OUR EYES
Candice Wright's two blocked shots against Columbia on Sunday, Nov. 19 tied her for first-all time in career blocks by a Catamount with Katie McNamara '05. The junior forward has notched 102 blocks so far in her career. The next blocked shot will propel Wright to the top of the record book, with more than a full season of eligibility left to add to that total. 
  
IT'S GOOD! FROM DOWNTOWN!
As a team, Vermont is shooting 29% from downtown and averaging 7.9 made three-pointers per game. Out of UVM's 417 field goal attempts through the first seven games of the regular season, just over 46% have come from behind the three-point arc. Individually, the most proficient three-point shooting Catamounts have been redshirt-junior transfer forward/center Cassidy Derda (36%) and redshirt-senior co-captain Kristina White (32%). Freshman Josie Larkins is shooting 31% from distance through her first seven career games.
  
NEXT UP
Vermont has a few days off following the Boston University game before a road game at Holy Cross on Saturday, Dec. 9. Pregame coverage with Logan Ratick from the Hart Center in Worcester, Massachusetts begins at 11:40 a.m., followed by the game at 12:05 p.m. on CatamounTV.com and News/Talk 620 WVMT-AM.