The University of Vermont Catamounts (21-7) survived a furious second-half run by Binghamton University (10-17), and advanced to the second round of the Friendship Cottage Cheese America East Championship with a 69-58 victory. The Bearcats cut what had once been a 21-point deficit to just five, 54-49, with an 18-2 run late in the second period. Vermont, however, closed the game on a 10-4 run, scoring its final 10 points from the free throw line in the final 1:13.
Despite shooting just 38% for the game, including 32% over the final 20 minutes, Vermont made 33-of-35 (94.3%) free throws, setting a new, single-game America East Championship record for free throw percentage in the process. The previous record had been a 16-for-17 (94.1%) performance by Maine on March 7, 1998. Senior guard Morgan Hall tied the individual record for free throws, scoring 14 of her game-high 24 points from the charity stripe.
Binghamton outshot the Catamounts, held a 29-27 rebounding edge, and nearly came all the way back from what had once been a 22-point first-half deficit. Vermont opened the game with a 12-2 run and led 31-9 with 7:18 left in the opening period. The Catamounts opened the second half in similar fashion, building a 52-31 advantage with 12:37 remaining before Binghamton mounted its charge.
Hall also had five rebounds, three blocks, and three steals. Joining her in double figures were senior guard Theresa LaRocque with 15 points and junior forward Aaron Yantzi with 14 points.
Sophomore center Kristin Hibler tied a career-high with 16 points. Freshman forward Rachel Laws scored 12 of her 14 points in the second period. Binghamton shot 51%, but was plagued by 25 turnovers.
Vermont advances to the second round of the tournament for the second straight season. The Catamounts will face the winner of the second quarterfinal game between #3 seed Boston University and #6 seed Northeastern.
VISITORS: #7 Binghamton 10-17, 6-10 AE
TOT-FG 3-PT REBOUNDS
No. N A M E FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA OF DE TOT PF TP A TO BLK S MIN
20 Blues, Jennifer * 3-11 0-4 2-2 2 2 4 4 8 3 4 0 1 35
22 Laws, Rachel * 7-11 0-0 0-0 1 2 3 4 14 0 2 0 1 25
23 Townley, Kate * 2-6 0-0 0-0 0 5 5 4 4 7 5 0 3 29
33 Hibler, Kristin * 5-7 0-0 6-8 1 3 4 1 16 1 1 0 1 30
35 Wegwerth, Leala * 3-4 1-1 0-0 1 3 4 2 7 0 8 0 0 29
12 Scordino, Laura 0-1 0-1 0-0 0 3 3 1 0 0 1 0 0 10
13 Miller, Molly 1-1 0-0 1-2 0 0 0 2 3 0 1 0 1 10
14 Haubrich, Jennifer 1-2 0-0 0-0 0 2 2 4 2 0 0 0 0 8
15 Eldridge, Iesha 1-2 0-0 2-2 0 2 2 0 4 1 2 0 0 14
21 Quam, Kasi 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1
43 Forkey, Erin 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 8
55 Bartula, Dagmara 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1
TEAM ........................................ 2 0 2 1
TOTALS 23-45 1-6 11-14 7 22 29 22 58 12 25 0 7 200
TOT-FG 1stH: 8-17 47.1% 2ndH: 15-28 53.6% OT: 0-0 00.0% Game: 51.1% Deadbl
3pt-FG 1stH: 1-3 33.3% 2ndH: 0-3 00.0% OT: 0-0 00.0% Game: 16.7% Rebs
FThrow 1stH: 6-8 75.0% 2ndH: 5-6 83.3% OT: 0-0 00.0% Game: 78.6% 0
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HOME TEAM: #2 Vermont 21-7, 12-4 AE
TOT-FG 3-PT REBOUNDS
No. N A M E FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA OF DE TOT PF TP A TO BLK S MIN
03 LaRocque, Theresa * 4-7 0-0 7-8 3 2 5 0 15 3 1 0 1 36
10 Cressman, Dawn * 0-6 0-1 2-2 1 4 5 3 2 2 2 0 2 19
14 Yantzi, Aaron * 6-10 0-0 2-2 0 1 1 4 14 0 1 0 2 29
24 Boardman, Lani * 1-6 0-3 4-4 1 4 5 1 6 0 1 1 1 31
33 Hall, Morgan * 5-12 0-0 14-15 1 4 5 0 24 2 5 3 3 37
05 Sabourin, Danielle 0-1 0-0 0-0 0 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 11
21 Freeman, Tricia 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 3
25 Spinka, Tiffany 0-1 0-1 2-2 0 1 1 2 2 0 1 0 0 24
32 McNamara, Katie 2-5 0-0 2-2 2 0 2 2 6 1 1 0 1 10
TEAM ........................................ 1 0 1
TOTALS 18-48 0-5 33-35 9 18 27 12 69 8 13 4 10 200
TOT-FG 1stH: 11-26 42.3% 2ndH: 7-22 31.8% OT: 0-0 00.0% Game: 37.5% Deadbl
3pt-FG 1stH: 0-2 00.0% 2ndH: 0-3 00.0% OT: 0-0 00.0% Game: 00.0% Rebs
FThrow 1stH: 16-17 94.1% 2ndH: 17-18 94.4% OT: 0-0 00.0% Game: 94.3% 1
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OFFICIALS: Angie Lewis, Janice Aliberti, Jerome Skrine
TECHNICAL FOULS:
#7 Binghamton - none
#2 Vermont - none
ATTENDANCE: TBA
SCORE BY PERIODS: 1st 2nd OT1 OT2 OT3 OT4 TOTAL
#7 Binghamton 23 35 58
#2 Vermont 38 31 69
PTS IN THE PAINT: #7 Binghamton - 30 #2 Vermont - 18
PTS OFF TURNOVERS: #7 Binghamton - 09 #2 Vermont - 25
2ND CHANCE POINTS: #7 Binghamton - 06 #2 Vermont - 08
FAST BREAK POINTS: #7 Binghamton - 04 #2 Vermont - 08
2003 Friendship Cottage Cheese America East Championship
Quarterfinal #1...Vermont advances to Friday's second semifinal (8:30 p.m.)