FINAL SCORE: Vermont 57, Stony Brook 43
STONY BROOK, N.Y. – Sophomore Candice Wright turned in a career-high 23 points (8-for-11) to lead all scorers and tied a season-best with four blocks to help the Vermont women's basketball team to a 57-43 win over Stony Brook in the teams' regular season finale on Saturday as Island Federal Credit Union Arena.
 
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The four swats for Wright also increased her career total in the category to 93, surpassing Karalyn Church (1996-2000) for fifth all-time in program history. In fourth is former Catamount Andrea Cihal (2005-09), who registered 97 blocks while in Burlington. Wright remains the fastest to amass 93 in doing so through just 54 games.
 
With Saturday's win, the Catamounts also secured the seven seed in the upcoming America East Tournament.
 
Hanna Crymble put down 12 points on the day on 5-of-10 shooting and needed just two more rebounds to cash in her fifth career double-double. Kylie Butler matched Crymble with eight boards of her own.
 
Vermont never trailed Stony Brook after the first quarter and swelled its lead to a game-high 15 points midway through the second stanza.
 
The opening 10 minutes were rather closely-contested as neither team led by more than three points until Wright hit from downtown with 16 seconds left. She recorded 10 of UVM's 14 first quarter points, including the team's first five. Wright and Butler also grabbed two rebounds apiece in the period.
 
In entering the second quarter, Vermont continued what ultimately ended as a 16-0 run and resulted in a 13-point lead. Defensively, the Cats held Stony Brook 0-for-10 from the field during the stretch and forced three turnovers. In the last five minutes of the half the teams traded 3-pointers, which included a trey for Lauren Handy, before UVM headed into the locker room with a 32-24 lead in hand.
 
The Seawolves trimmed Vermont's lead down to just three early on in the third quarter. Kori Bayne-Walker drained a 3-ball, then Christa Scognamiglio made a fastbreak layup after setting up Bayne-Walker. After nearly four minute of scoreless action, Stony Brook continued to chip away and moved itself within the narrowest of margins once Gio Perez made a layup to move the score to 37-36.
 
As the game entered the fourth quarter, it looked like the last 10 minutes would be shaped much like the first period, as Bayne-Walker led off the stanza with 3-pointer to tie the score at 43-apiece. However, the Catamounts proceeded to shut down the Seawolves completely from there on out and string together a 14-0 run over the last 7:50 of the game. Kristina White began the sequence with a layup and Wright, Handy and Crymble each supported the cause. It marked the second time this season that Vermont has surrendered only three points in a quarter and second time in as many seasons that UVM accomplished the feat against Stony Brook.
 
Bayne-Walker had a team-high 13 points for Stony Brook in the setback and Scognamiglio came down with five rebounds.
 
The Green and Gold also had a strong day in the paint, outscoring Stony Brook by a 22-14 margin.
 
In sweeping the season series with Stony Brook, the Catamounts wrap up the regular season at 9-19 and 6-10 in America East play. The Seawolves close the slate at 12-17 and 5-11 against league foes.
 
UVM will face No. 2 Albany in the America East Quarterfinals. That game will be played at Cross Insurance Arena in Portland, Maine at 6 p.m. on Saturday, March 4. Fans can purchase tickets in advance by visiting the web home of Cross Insurance Arena or by calling the arena box office at (207) 775-3458.