University of New Hampshire Athletics
University of New Hampshire
11-5, 3-1AE
University of Vermont
3-13, 0-4AE
| Team | 1 | 2 | F |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Hampshire | 31 | 33 | 64 |
| Vermont | 22 | 34 | 56 |
Five Players Reach Double Figures as Women's Basketball Outlasts Vermont, 64-56
1/14/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
BURLINGTON, Vt. -- Senior forward Kaylee Kilpatrick (Saint John, New Brunswick) recorded a double-double and five players scored in double figures as the University of New Hampshire women's basketball team edged out the University of Vermont, 64-56, at Patrick Gymnasium on Wednesday.
UNH wins back-to-back contests and improves its overall record to 11-5 and 3-1 in America East play. Vermont drops its sixth consecutive game and slips to 3-13, 0-4.
Kilpatrick turned in her sixth double-double of her career and first of the 2014-15 season with 10 points and 10 rebounds. The 6-foot-4 forward also matched her career-high with five blocks. Junior forward Elizabeth Belanger (Acton, Mass.) posted a team-high 14 points while ripping down six rebounds. Guards Kristen Anderson (Greene, Maine) and Aliza Simpson (Londonderry, N.H.) each drained four 3-pointers to notch 12 points apiece. Simpson's four treys was a new career-high for the freshman while Anderson matched her season-high. Senior guard Ariel Gaston (Toledo, Ohio) rounded out the double-digit scorers for UNH with 10 points while tallying a season-high four steals.
The UNH quintet in double-digit scoring marked the first time the team accomplished the feat since Feb. 16, 2014 when the squad trumped the University of Hartford in a 76-71 overtime decision at home.
Vermont was led by freshman guard Sydney Smith who potted a game-high 18 points while registering seven rebounds and two rejections. Senior forward Nikki Taylor nearly earned a double-double with nine points and nine rebounds off the bench. Sophomore guard Kylie Butler pitched in eight points, seven boards and three steals.
The Wildcats connected on 20 of 55 (36.4 percent) attempts from the field while the Catamounts shot 21 of 60 (35.0 percent) from the floor. New Hampshire dialed up from beyond the arc 18 times and netted eight for a .444 3-point percentage. Defensively, UNH racked up a season-high 10 blocks, but Catamounts won the battle in the paint, outscoring (28-14) and outrebounding (48-32) the opposition.
The two sides traded baskets to start the contest as UNH held a 6-5 edge early into the first media timeout.
New Hampshire managed to carve out a six-point advantage at 15-9 by engineering a 9-4. Kilpatrick started the surge with a jumper from the left elbow. After a Taylor layup by the Catamounts, Gaston responded with a layup of her own while fouled. She completed the three-point play with a made free throw to give the 'Cats an 11-7 advantage. Belanger added to the run with a layup in transition from Simpson. Taylor interrupted the run with another second chance layup, but Kilpatrick capped off the spurt with a jumper from the right elbow at the 11:36 mark.
The Catamounts chipped away at the Wildcats' lead down to 16-12 with 8:53 left in the first half with contributions from Jordan Eisler and Taylor.
Simpson jumpstarted the UNH offense with the first 3-pointer of the game at with 7:42 showing on the clock. However, Vermont responded immediately with a trey of its own from Smith to bring the score within two baskets at 19-15.
New Hampshire bolstered its lead to nine points at 26-17 with less than five minutes remaining in the first frame, highlighted by an Anderson 3-pointer from the left corner. Smith responded for the Catamounts with another trey from the top of the arc to bring the Catamounts within two scores again with 4:39 on the clock.
The two sides exchanged scores, but Simpson potted the last basket of the frame with a 3-pointer to give UNH a 31-22 lead into halftime.
Vermont aimed to wrestle the lead away from New Hampshire to begin the second half, netting 10 of the first 14 points. Clenching onto leads of 35-32 and 40-37, Anderson buried two 3-pointes to give the Wildcats a pair of six-point advantages. However, UVM overcame the baskets from beyond the arc and sliced UNH's lead down to 43-42. Smith drove into the paint with a layup and the Catamounts followed with a Butler trey.
New Hampshire preserved its slim lead as free throws from freshman center Carlie Pogue (Cincinnati, Ohio), Belanger and Gaston went through the net to up the advantage to 46-42 with 7:39 left in regulation.
The Catamounts made it a one score game again at 44-42 as Taylor converted both of her free throws at the 7:17 mark. UNH turned to Simpson as she drained two 3-pointers interrupted by a Katie Lavelle layup. Kilpatrick followed up with a mid-range jumper to push New Hampshire to a 54-46 lead with 4:53 left in regulation.
UVM tried to muster a comeback in the waning moments of the second half, cutting UNH's lead down to 60-56 at the 1:15 mark. After a New Hampshire missed shot, Vermontl collected the rebound and called timeout. On the Catamount inbound pass, Gaston intercepted the feed and was immediately fouled. The senior guard hit both of her attempts, giving the visitors a 62-56 lead with 26 ticks left. Butler tried to propel Vermont within a score again, but her 3-pointer was off the mark. Kilpatrick sealed the deal for New Hampshire as she made both of her free throws to give the UNH the 64-56 victory.
UNH returns to Durham on Saturday, Jan. 17 (1 p.m.) to host Binghamton University for America East action. For tickets, visit UNHWildcats.com/tickets or call (603) 862-4000.
Log onto UNHWildcats.com or follow the Wildcats via social media on Facebook (www.facebook.com/UNHWildcats), Twitter (@UNHWildcats), YouTube (www.youtube.com/UNHAthletics) and Instagram (@UNHWildcats) for the latest news and information on all 20 varsity sports. For additional information on the UNH women's basketball team, follow the 'Cats on Twitter (@UNHHoops) and Instagram (@unhwbb).
