BURLINGTON, Vt. – Bucknell guard Taylor O'Brien was named the TB Bank Classic's Most Valuable Player after her career-high 24-point performance helped lift the Bison to a 68-53 win over Vermont Sunday afternoon in the championship game of UVM's Thanksgiving tournament. With the win, the Bison improved to 4-2 on the season while the Catamounts fell to 2-4.
 
RELATED LINKS
Box Score (.pdf)
CatamounTV Highlights

COACH'S QUOTE
"When we play a good team, we have to be locked in and focused from the tip," Mayer Women's Basketball Coach Alisa Kresge said. "We can't give up 25 points to start a game and think we have a chance to win. We need to figure out how to be focused and play with a sense of urgency."
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• Bucknell's Cecily Collins had eight points in the early going as the Bison built an early 10-4 lead. O'Brien hit back-to-back three-pointers to make it 23-9 with 2:16 to go in the first quarter. The Bison carried a 13-point lead into the second quarter.
• UVM closed the second quarter with five points in 41 seconds to cut the Bison lead to eight at the half. In the dying seconds of the quarter Emma Utterback found Josie Larkins for a buzzer-beating three-pointer to make it 33-25 at the break. The Catamounts held Bucknell to just eight points in the second quarter.
• O'Brien scored 11 of Bucknell's 19 third quarter points as they built their advantage back up to 14.
• The Catamounts cut the Bucknell lead to 13 multiple times in the fourth quarter but they were unable to make a sustained run to complete a comeback.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• Delaney Richason had a season-high 18 points for the Catamounts, she also gathered four rebounds and was named to the All-Tournament Team.
• Josie Larkins was all over the scoresheet Sunday with five points, seven rebounds and six assists.
• Sophomore forward Anna Olson matched her season-high with nine rebounds Sunday. She also chipped in 10 points and drew a game-high six fouls.

2021 TD Bank Classic All-Tournament Team
Claire Orth – Guard, North Dakota
Isabella Mauricio - Brown
Delaney Richason - Vermont
Cecelia Collins - Bucknell
Taylor O'Brien – Bucknell (Tournament MVP)
 
WHO'S NEXT
The Catamounts are back in action next weekend as they host LIU and Loyola Chicago at Patrick Gym. UVM will face the Sharks on Friday night at 6 p.m. and welcome the Ramblers to Patrick Gym at noon on Sunday. Both contests will air live on ESPN3 or ESPN+, official designations will be announced on Tuesday, check back to UVMAthletics.com for full details.

Rise to the Top is the presenting sponsor of Vermont women's basketball