FINAL SCORE: Vermont 60, UMass Lowell 36
BURLINGTON, Vt. – A total of seven different Catamounts signed the points column in the box score, led by a career-high 19 from sophomore
Lauren Handy, as Vermont never trailed and ultimately secured a 60-36 win over UMass Lowell at Patrick Gymnasium on Wednesday night.
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Handy's mark surpassed her previous career high of 17 points, which she turned in at Binghamton on Feb. 16, 2016. In addition,
Hayley Robertson poured in 15, a season-high and her most since recording a double-double (20 pts, 10 reb) against UMass Lowell in the River Hawks' last visit to Patrick Gymnasium on Feb. 8, 2016.
Although the teams traded points in the first five minutes of the game, an 11-2 run to close the first quarter powered UVM to an initial nine-point lead from which it never looked back. With the onset of the second stanza came an additional outpouring as the Catamounts constructed a 15-4 sequence, helped by
Kylie Butler (2),
Jessica Fuller (5), Handy (4) and Robertson (4). In doing so, the Green and Gold worked their way to an advantage of as many as 18.
Handy also added a pair of blocks for UVM in the first 20 minutes. At the defensive end of the floor,
Hanna Crymble pulled down a team-high five rebounds, while Butler grabbed four on the offensive glass and helped the Catamounts ink eight second chance points. Vermont in that stretch also received a combined 17 points and 11 rebounds from Butler and Robertson.
UMass Lowell managed to shoot 40.9 percent (9-for-22) from the field in the second half, but Handy's hot hand helped her counter with a 5-for-10 line from the field and amass 15 points. In the fourth quarter, the Catamounts stretched their lead to 26. That marked Vermont's largest separation on an opponent this season as well as the team's largest lead since going up 27 in a win over Central Connecticut on Nov. 13, 2015.
Candice Wright logged her 87th career block in the victory, inching within one of former Catamount Karena Zornow (1995-99) for seventh all-time in program history. Wright remains the fastest to reach the mark, having appeared in her 52nd game Wednesday night.
Nicole Hayner, Oda Shackelford and Katherine Smith each contributed six points for the River Hawks in the setback.
The win moves the Catamounts to 8-18 on the season and 5-9 in conference play. It also gave the Green and Gold their first sweep over UMass Lowell in the regular season series and evened the all-time series between the sides at four-apiece.
UVM now has eight days to prepare for its next matchup, a Thursday, Feb. 23 home tilt at 7 p.m. against Albany. The Catamounts will also celebrate Senior Night in conjunction with the game.