For the third time in four years, and for the second time in a row, the Vermont Catamounts are the America East Women’s Basketball Champions. The Catamounts shrugged off a slow start and used a sizeable first half run, to help pull away and defeat Maine 61-43 in the conference final played at Patrick Gymnasium in Burlington, Vermont on Friday evening.
The visiting Black Bears had an early lead, and a three-pointer by Lala Woods made it 9-2 at the first timeout with 4:29 left in the first quarter. It was all Catamounts after that. Vermont outscored Maine 27-6 over the next 10:53 to take a commanding 29-15 advantage. Another three-pointer by Woods and one by Asta Blauenfeldt finished the first half scoring, as the guests slashed the deficit to single digits at the break 29-21. That would be the final time they would be that close. UVM opened the third quarter on a 11-2 spurt to increase their lead to 17, and Maine never got closer than 12 from that point forward trailing by as many as 20 in the final period.
Vermont put four players in double figures in the win, led by Keira Hanson who put in a game-high 23 points (9-13 FG, 3-4 three-pointers). Nikola Priede, who made life difficult for Adrianna Smith all evening long, would record 14 points while grabbing eight rebounds. Malia Lenz had a double double with 13 points and 14 rebounds, while Jadyn Weltz contributed 11 points and five assists. The Catamounts are 27-7 and earned their ninth conference title. They will find out their first round opponent for the NCAA Tournament during the selection show on Sunday. Smith would register her 11th straight double double and 20th of her redshirt senior season with a team-high 22 points, 15 rebounds, and four assists. Smith had to battle for all she got against Priede and her defense. She shot 7-18 from the floor, while the rest of the team went 8-34. Woods chipped in eight points and Blauenfeldt had seven. The Black Bears (19-13), who are now 10-13 all-time in conference title games, finished 28.8% from the field (3-16, 18.8% three-pointers).
Photo from a game earlier this season in Orono
