FINAL SCORE: #3 Louisville 72, #14 Vermont 52
LOUISVILLE, KY. – No. 14 Vermont (27-8, 13-3 AE) led No. 3 Louisville (28-7, 15-3 ACC) after the first quarter of action, but a strong third quarter from the Cardinals ultimately propelled them past the Catamounts 72-52 on Saturday afternoon from the KFC Yum! Center during the first round of the Women's NCAA Tournament.
 
RELATED LINKS
Box Score
Highlights
Photos
Postgame: Coach Kresge & Student-Athletes
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Catamounts opened scoring on their first offensive possession of the game when Nikola Priede maneuvered her way to the paint, going up with the left hand, successfully making her layup while getting fouled, sending Priede to the charity stripe as Vermont led 2-0 just 28 seconds into opening tip-off.
• Louisville was able to counter, dialing up a 7-2 scoring run led by Anaya Hardy with four points, gaining a 7-4 overall advantage with 6:08 left in the opening frame.
• With 5:21 on the clock, Jadyn Weltz knotted the score at 7-7 when she swished a step back three-pointer after losing her defender with a package of dribbles, her first basket of the game.
• Keira Hanson orchestrated a 9-2 scoring run all by herself over the next four minutes, making a three-pointer and three separate mid-range jump shots as Vermont gained a 16-12 advantage with 1:56 remaining in the first quarter.
• Louisville's Reyna Scott and Mackenly Randolph each scored mid-range baskets before the end of the first frame as the Catamounts held onto a one-point lead, 17-16, entering the second quarter.
• The Cardinals scored seven unanswered points to begin the second quarter, but Hanson was there to halt the offensive surge, splashing her second three pointer of the game, this time in front of the Louisville bench, bringing the Catamounts to within one point, down 21-20.
• Priede regained the Vermont lead with 6:24 on the clock in the second quarter, displaying old-school post moves to get the basket to fall seeing UVM take a 22-21 lead.
• Before a media timeout with 4:46 remaining before halftime, the Cardinals made back-to-back three pointers courtesy of Tajianna Roberts and Randolph, but Priede answered on the other end, scoring her third basket in the paint to keep the Catamounts within striking distance, down by three points, 27-24.
• Laura Ziegler splashed a three-pointer with 3:32 on the clock until halftime, extending the Louisville lead to 30-24.
• Hanson and Priede each registered two points each before halftime, keeping Vermont in reaching distance with the Cardinals, seeing Louisville hold a 32-28 advantage heading into the third frame.
• To begin the third quarter, Emma Haan found Malia Lenz cutting to the paint where Lenz executed on her layup, cutting the deficit down to two points as Louisville led 32-30.
• The Cardinals went on a 7-2 scoring run following Vermont's opening basket to start the third frame, leading 39-32 at the first media timeout of the third quarter with 4:56 on the clock. Four different Cardinals contributed to the Louisville scoring run.
• Randolph carried the Cardinals to a 48-36 lead with three minutes remaining before the final quarter, scoring seven points to earn Louisville a double-digit lead.
• Priede notched one basket in the paint for Vermont before the end of the third frame, but it was the Cardinals that brought a 17-point advantage into the fourth quarter, leading the Catamounts 55-38. Ziegler capped off scoring in the third quarter with her second three-pointer of the game.
• Weltz, Hanson, and Priede combined for 14 points in the final quarter of action, but in the end the Cardinals were able to maintain their double-digit lead, walking away with the 72-52 victory, ultimately advancing to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• Hanson earned a game-high 22 points against Louisville on 8-17 shooting from the field and 4-9 shooting from long distance to go along with five rebounds, one assist, and a tied game-high two steals.
• Hanson becomes just the second Catamount in program history to have 20 points or more in two NCAA Tournament games.
• Priede scored 16 points to go along with two rebounds, two assists, one steal, and a tied game-high two blocks.
• Weltz notched 11 points shooting 3-5 from beyond the arch in her first career NCAA Tournament outing.
• Lenz recorded a game high 13 rebounds to go along with three points.
• Saturday's contest at Louisville marked Vermont's third NCAA Tournament appearance in the last four seasons.

For news and updates about the Vermont women's basketball program, follow @UVMwbb on X and Facebook, @Catamountsbb on Instagram, and visit UVMathletics.com. 
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