WOMEN'S BASKETBALL NOTEBOOK
Vermont (13-6, 5-2 AE) looks to match their longest winning streak of the season at six games when they host Binghamton (10-10, 3-4 AE) Wednesday night at Patrick Gym. The start time for the game is scheduled for 6 p.m. and will be broadcast live on ESPN+. Ryan Zimmerman will be on the call for the radio on WVMT.
 
RELATED LINKS
Watch: ESPN+ | International Stream
Listen | Live Stats | Tickets
 
AMERICA EAST STANDINGS 
The Catamounts have earned five straight victories, all coming in America East play. Vermont got a critical win over Maine at The Pit Wednesday night 61-52 and have victories over NJIT and Bryant on the road, as well as two home wins versus New Hampshire and UMass Lowell to stand at 5-2 in the America East. Vermont is one of two teams in the America East with an overall record above .500 coming in at 13-6. Vermont bolsters the second longest winning streak in the conference behind UAlbany who leads the conference at 13-8 and 7-0 in conference play, while winning seven consecutive. Maine comes in at 9-9 and 5-1 in America East play, with their only loss coming to UVM. Vermont is currently third behind Maine followed by UMBC who is 5-2 in conference play in fourth. NJIT is the only other team with a winning record in America East games at 4-3 and 9-10 overall after falling to Vermont Saturday night. Binghamton rounds out the top six coming into Wednesday's matchup at 10-10 overall and 3-4 in the conference following a loss to Maine. 
 
AMONG THE LEADERS IN AMERICA EAST PLAY
The Catamounts are second in the conference in scoring with 61.8 per game and first in points allowed and scoring margin, giving up just 54.2 points per game with a plus 7.6 scoring margin. Vermont is second in team field goal percentage (42.7 percent) and lead the conference in opponent field goal percentage (36.9 percent). UVM also ranks first in the conference in three point percentage converting 37.4 percent of their chances behind the arc, with the next closest team being UAlbany coming in at 35.6 percent. The Catamounts are also third in opponent three point percentage allowing just 28.0 percent from behind the arc. Vermont has the least turnovers in the conference with 14.4 per game and their 0.84 margin is second, while their assist to turnover ratio (1.00) is first in the America East. The Catamounts are the only team with three of the top 13 scorers in the conference being led by Utterback's 13.6 points per game which is fourth in the conference. Anna Olson ranks seventh with 11.8 points and Gilwee is 13th with 11.3 points per contest. Olson is also sixth in the conference with 6.2 rebounds per contest, while Gilwee leads the America East in three point percentage knocking down 42.4 percent of her threes. Olson is also fourth in field goal percentage at 50.0 percent, while Utterback is ninth at 40.8 percent from the field.
 
CATAMOUNTS AMONG NATION'S BEST
Utterback is tied for 68th in the country with 83 total assists and her 4.4 assists is tied for 78th nationally and first in the America East. Her 2.1 assist to turnover ratio is first in the conference and tied for 61st in the nation. Catherine Gilwee has had a hot shooting sophomore season ranking 27th (42.37 percent) in the nation in three point percentage, while being tied for 96th in three point attempts with 118. Her 2.63 threes made per game has her tied for 44th in the country and her 50 makes is tied for 34th nationally. As a team Vermont is shooting 37.38 percent from three which has them ranked 12th nationally, while their 42.7 percent shooting from the field is second in the conference and ranked 99th in the country. Defensively their 54.2 points allowed per game is first in the conference and 14th in the nation while holding teams to just 36.9 percent from the field (44th in the country and first in America East). Their 28.0 percent three point percentage allowed is ranked 52nd in the country.
 
NET RANKING
The current 2022-23 NET rankings were released on Sunday January 22, 2023, with Vermont leading the America East, coming in at a season-best 145. UAlbany followed the Catamounts at 181 while Maine rounded out the top three for the America East coming in at 189. Binghamton and UMBC are the only other America East teams in the top 300 coming in at 283 and 296 respectively.
 
HOME SWEET HOME
The Catamounts have been dominant at home posting a 7-2 record so far this season and outscoring opponents by double digits, 62.2 to 50.0. Vermont is shooting 44.0 percent from the field and 39.0 percent from three, while holding opponents to just 35.1 percent from the floor and only 24.4 percent from behind the arc. Only one of nine teams have reached 60 points against Vermont at Patrick Gym while four have failed to reach 50 points in a game. At Patrick, the Catamounts have three players who are averaging 11.8 points or more led by 12.7 from Utterback who is shooting 42.1 percent from the floor and 42.9 percent from three on her home court. Olson and Gilwee are each averaging 11.8 points per game, while Olson is shooting 48.4 percent from the field, 83.3 percent from the charity stripe and grabbing down a team-high 5.9 rebounds. Gilwee is shooting 44.6 percent from the floor and 40.6 percent from three while grabbing 2.0 rebounds and dishing out 2.8 assists per contest at home.
 
SCOUTING THE BEARCATS
Binghamton comes into Wednesday's matchup at 10-10 overall and are 3-4 in the America East. In conference play, they've defeated Bryant at home and have wins over New Hampshire and UMass Lowell on the road with losses to UMBC, NJIT, UAlbany and most recently Maine. On the offensive side of the ball, Binghamton is averaging 60.4 points per game, which is third in the conference, on 38.9 percent shooting from the field and 32.0 percent from three point range. The Bearcats are also averaging 13.1 assists per game while grabbing down 37.8 rebounds per contest. On the defensive end, the Bearcats are giving up 59.8 points per game on 38.6 percent shooting from the field and 29.0 percent from behind the arc, while averaging 8.8 steals and 3.0 blocks per contest. Binghamton was selected fifth overall in the America East Preseason Poll receiving 39 total points and was one of just three teams who received a first place vote. Vermont and UAlbany were the only other two teams to receive first place votes with UAlbany garnering seven while UVM got the other vote. The Bearcats are led by Senior guard Denai Bowman who was selected to the Preseason All-Conference Team. Bowman is averaging 11.8 points, 4.5 rebounds and 3.4 assists per contest on 43.6 percent shooting from the floor. Senior forward Clare Traeger is leading the team with 8.6 rebounds (second in the America East) while also contributing 8.1 points per game. Redshirt first year Jadyn Weltz is second in the conference and leads the Bearcats with 77 total assists and 3.9 per game while also registering 6.3 points and 4.1 rebounds per game.
 
INSIDE THE SERIES
This will be the 43rd matchup all-time between the two programs with Vermont holding a 25-17 edge. The Catamounts have won three consecutive games against the Bearcats, taking all three matchups last season. Vermont defeated Binghamton 47-34 on the road before defeating them 65-60 at Patrick in February and then the Catamounts beat the Bearcats 71-63 in the first round of the America East Tournament at home. Olson led the way in the playoff victory scoring a game-high 22 points and corralling nine rebounds, while Utterback recorded 19 points, four assists and three rebounds in the victory. The first matchup in the series came in February 2002 with Vermont winning on the road 71-51. UVM holds the longest winning streak in the series having won the first seven matchups from 2002-2004. The Bearcats' longest winning streak is six games which spanned from 2016-2018.
 
WHAT'S NEXT
Following Wednesday night's matchup with the Bearcats Vermont will travel to Maryland on Saturday (Jan. 28) to take on America East rival UMBC. The matchup is scheduled to start at 12 p.m. and will be broadcast live on ESPN3. The game can also be listened to on the radio on WVMT with Ryan Zimmerman, the voice of Catamounts women's basketball, on the call.
 
NATIONAL GIRLS AND WOMEN IN SPORTS DAY
The University of Vermont Women's Basketball team will celebrate National Girls and Women in Sports Day powered by Vermont Mutual on Saturday, February 4th during their game against UAlbany at 12 P.M. On February 4th, girls from the local community with an interest in sports and being involved in this celebration will have the opportunity to become members of the UVM Athletic Staff for the day. Girls between fourth and eighth grade can apply to a wide variety of positions including: Public Address Announcer, Marketing Assistant, Ticket Staff, and many more! Participants will be able to work in the position for one half of the game, the other half they will be able to watch the game with their family. To apply, please visit https://uvmathletics.com/sb_output.aspx?form=126