CAMBRIDGE, Mass.-- The week three women's basketball honors have been awarded to UMBC sophomore guard Michelle Kurowski (Hicksville, N.Y./Hicksville) and Boston U. freshman guard Caitlynn Moran (Hopewell Junction, N.Y./John Jay). Kurowski, the recipient of the America East Player of the Week, led the Retrievers to two wins en route to her second recognition of the season. Moran continued to be a catalyst for the Terriers last week and is receiving the Rookie of the Week award for the first time of her career.
Kurowski led the Retrievers to a 2-0 week with a team-best 21.5 ppg and 8.5 rpg, all on the road. She started the week with a double-double of 14 points and 10 rebounds at Towson to go along with three assists and a steal. Kurowski then finished the week at Bucknell with 29 points on 9-of-18 shooting Sunday. She also made a career-high 10 free-throws (10-of-12) and added a team-best seven rebounds and three swipes. Kurowski had 17 points in the first half and also scored UMBC's last eight points of the game as the Retrievers staved off a furious Bucknell comeback. For the week, the sophomore guard shot 44.8 percent (13-for-29) from the floor, 30 percent (3-for-10) from three-point range and 87.5 percent (14-for-16) from the charity stripe. Kurowski ranks third in the league in both points (19.4 ppg) and rebounds (8.4 rpg) as well as fifth in free-throw percentage (.844).
"Mo" Moran led the Terriers to a victory over Northeastern last week with her 24 points, four rebounds, six assists and three steals. She was named the America East Player of the Game against the Huskies as she shot 52.9 percent (9-for-17) from the field, 50 percent (3-for-6) from beyond the three-point arc and hit three-of-four free-throw attempts in the last minute of regulation to seal the win at Case Gym. Moran is sixth in America East averaging 14.6 points per game and is fifth in assist/turnover ratio with a mark of 1.2.
Honor Roll
The best of the rest last week....
Denise Beliveau, New Hampshire, So., F
13.5 ppg, 10.5 rpg, 1 apg, 1 bpg, 61.5 FG %
Mary Silvia, Hartford, Jr., G
20 ppg, 1 apg, 1 spg, 2 bpg, six 3FG (6-for-9)
Kirsten Jeter, Stony Brook, Jr., F
19 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 2.5 apg, 1.5 bpg, 1 spg
Samantha Wheeler, Maine, So., F
16.5 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 2.5 spg, 2 apg, 67 FG%
Fast Start
The conference currently owns a 22-21 (.512) record in non-conference action, leading to unofficial RPI rankings of as high as ninth, including a strength of schedule as high as fifth. The last time America East finished with a non-conference record higher than .500 was during the 2005-06 when the league finished with a 66-50 record (.569) and an RPI ranking of 11th. That same season, three teams - Hartford, Stony Brook and Boston U. - completed the season in the top-100.
Poll Position
In the latest ESPN/USA Today Division I Top-25 Poll released, both Vermont and Hartford received votes for the second straight week. The Hawks, receiving 10 votes, have been receiving votes in each poll this season, while the Catamounts, recipients of nine votes, moved up from receiving two votes the previous week. Hartford is also receiving 12 votes in this week's AP poll.
Career Days
Hartford junior Mary Silvia (Reading, Mass./Reading Memorial) returned from injury in fine form, scoring a career-high 20 points in the win over Temple, while tying a school record for most three-pointers in a single game with six. A personal-best two blocks also added to her career day... Also against the Owls, Hawk senior center Diana Delva (Stamford, Conn./Westhill) reached the 1,000-point milestone with a game total of nine. Delva became the fifth active player in the league to reach that career mark... UNH sophomore forward Denise Beliveau (Framingham, Mass./Framingham) collected a career-high 14 boards en route to her first double-double of the season in the Wildcats' overtime win over Harvard. In the same game, Jill McDonald (Middlebury, Vt./Middlebury Union) netted a career-high 17 points, all in the second half and extra session... Stony Brook senior Joia Daniels (Silver Spring, Md.) also tallied a career high in points with 18 against Sacred Heart last Tuesday... Boston U. freshman Caitlynn Moran (Hopewell Junction, N.Y.) helped the Terriers hold back a determined Northeastern team with a career-high 24 points last Tuesday... Another rookie, Albany guard Ebone Henry (San Diego, Calif./Mater Dei Catholic) came up with a career day to propel the Great Danes to a victory. Scoring a career-high 16 points last Monday against St. Francis (N.Y.), including 12 in the second half to help Albany pull away from the Terriers... In Orono last weekend, Black Bears Corinne Wellington (Rochester, N.Y./Wilson Magnet) and Kristin Baker (Bingham, Maine/Upper Kennebec Valley) reached individual marks. Wellington, another freshman, tallied 20 points and 10 rebounds, both career-highs, against Holy Cross for her first career double-double. Baker eclipsed the 200-assists plateau for her career with five in the game against Buffalo.
TV Record
America East is a perfect 4-0 so far in televised games this season, with the latest victory coming for Hartford over Temple on Saturday, November 28, 65-54. The contest was broadcast live from Chase Arena on Connecticut Sports Network (CTSN). The next two games for America East squads on TV will be even greater tests, as both are against top-ranked Connecticut. Vermont gets the first crack at the Huskies this coming Thursday at Gampel Pavilion in Storrs. Hartford will face its intrastate foe on Thursday, December 10 at the Hartford Civic Center. Both games will be broadcast live throughout the state of Connecticut on CPTV.
Playing Up
Blowing up expectations, underclassmen around the league are playing older than they actually are in areas of the game that usually plague younger players. In assist/turnover ratio, UMBC sophomore Katie Brooks (Maryville, Tenn./Heritage) tops the list at 1.5, and five of the next nine are also freshmen or sophomores, including rookies Katelyn Vanderhoff (Lititz, Pa./Lancaster Mennonite) of Maine and Caitlynn Moran (Hopewell Junction, N.Y./John Jay) of Boston U. In field goal percentage, another sophomore, Black Bear Samantha Wheeler (Derry, N.H./Timberlane Regional) ranks first with a .535 percentage and six of the next nine are underclassmen, including a trio of rookies.
Dead River Returns
University of Maine held its 17th annual Dead River Company Classic last week in what is the longest running regular season tournament hosted by an America East school. Initiated in 1993-94 under head coach Joanne Palombo-McCallie, the Dead River Company Classic is always held early in the season and attracts prominent programs such as Florida, Oklahoma State, Wisconsin, Georgia and Clemson. The Black Bears defeated Buffalo, 58-53 in the consolation game this year, while Penn State took the tournament title with 52-48 win over Holy Cross on Saturday.
Hartford Downs Ranked Opponent Again
In what is becoming a common occurrance, Hartford defeated a ranked opponent when the Hawks upended #19/23 Louisville, 62-50 Tuesday night (11/17) at Chase Arena. It was the fifth straight season Hartford has defeated a team ranked nationally. Below is a breakdown of those victories.
November 17, 2009 62-50, #19/23 Louisville
November 21, 2008 53-51, #5/6 Duke
December 22, 2007 54-51, #23 Michigan State
December 2, 2006 60-43, #23/22 BYU
March 19, 2006 64-58, #23 Temple
Returning Champs Are Back At It
Eight months removed from their America East Championship in March, Vermont is back to doing what they've been doing best - winning. The Catamounts opened the season winning the tournament title at the Sheraton Raleigh Wolfpack Invitational hosted by NC State. UVM beat the MAC's Western Michigan by a 79-65 score Friday night (11/13), then beat host NC State, 52-47, on Saturday night (11/14). Senior guards May Kotsopoulos (Waterloo, Ontario/Waterloo Collegiate) and Courtnay Pilypaitis (Ottawa, Ontario/St. Peter) were both named to the all-tournament team, with Kotsopoulos earning MVP honors.
Star Tracker
Throughout the season, we will track the statistics of the five players named to the preseason all-conference team by the coaches.
Player, Team Key Stats
E. Beverly, UH 10.8 ppg, 9 rpg, 2.8 bpg, 2.2 spg
C. Pilypaitis, UVM 21 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 5.5 apg, 4.8 spg
M. Kotsopoulos, UVM 20.3 ppg, 2.5 apg, 2 spg
C. Cassidy, UMBC 13 ppg, 2.4 apg, 2.6 3FG
D. Delva, UH 12 ppg, 8.4 rpg, 1.8 bpg
Back In The Game
The 2008 Rookie of the Year Denise Beliveau (Framingham, Mass./Framingham) of University of New Hampshire is back for her sophomore season after a season-long hiatus due to injury. Out to prove that the time away from the court won't cause a sophomore slump, the 5-foot-11 forward powered the Wildcats to a season-opening win over St. Joseph's with 21 points, nine rebounds and two assists. As a rookie she averaged 10 points, 6.2 rebounds, two assists and two steals per game.
Raining Three's
Vermont's Courtnay Pilypaitis and UMBC's Carlee Cassidy (Syracuse, N.Y./Westhill) are both climbing up the America East record book for three-pointers made. Pilypaitis sits sixth in conference history with 203, right behind recent Boston U. graduate Kristi Dini's 208. Cassidy, with 191 long field-goals, is ninth and is four shy from overtaking the eighth slot. Both already the all-time leaders at their respective school, the pair are second and third in the league this year with 2.8 and 2.6 per game, respectively.
Helping Hand
Pilypaitis is also among the league's all-time elite in dishing out assists. She handed out nine assists last week to bring her total to 494, passing currently Maine Head Coach Cindy Blodgett for fifth all-time. Twenty-three more will not only move Pilypaitis into fourth-place, but will give her the school's all-time record currently head by Lori Taylor '98 with 517 career assists.
Class Act
Vermont's May Kotsopoulos, a business administration major with a GPA of 3.67, was named one of 30 candidates for the Lowe's Senior CLASS Women's Basketball Award. She is the two-time Women's Basketball Scholar-Athlete and was the team MVP for the America East champion Catamounts. Kotosopoulos is the second straight Catamount to be selected as a candidate for the Lowe's Senior CLASS Women's Basketball Award. Former standout Amy Rosenkrantz '09 earned the honor last season.
Wooden Award
University of Hartford's Erica Beverly (Bridgeport, Conn./Kolbe Cathedral) was named a preseason candidate for the John R. Wooden Award, the most prestigious award in college basketball. Beverly was one of 31 candidates announced over the summer. These players and others who excel throughout the season will be evaluated and considered for December’s midseason list and the official ballot released in March. She finished her junior year averaging 11.1 ppg and led the team at 7.2 rpg, while being named to the America East All-Conference First Team and to the All-Defensive Team. She also led the team in blocked shots with 61, on the way becoming the school’s all-time shot blocker. Beverly also finished second on the team with 68 assists.
Good Things Come In TV Packages
During the regular season, America East, in partnership with ESPN Regional Television, will produce 14 games, which will be distributed among regional sports networks and local carriers. Eric Frede returns as the play-by-play announcer for America East basketball. Frank Sullivan, who coached in the ranks for 33 years, returns for his third season as men’s basketball color analyst. Leah Secondo, a veteran of America East television productions, is the color analyst for women’s basketball games.
The conference television slate begins Jan. 2 when Stony Brook battles Boston University on MSG and NESN at Case Gym, site of last year’s four-overtime thriller between the two schools. In women’s action, Vermont will host Hartford on Jan. 26 on NESN in a rematch of a 2009 semifinal game.
Both America East Championship games will be aired live on Saturday, March 13. The men’s title bout will take place at 12 p.m. on ESPN2, marking the 23rd straight year the conference championship has been nationally televised. The women’s championship contest will be televised on Comcast Sports Net at 8 p.m. All four semifinal contests will be aired regionally on Sunday, March 7 from Hartford’s Chase Arena, site of the 2010 America East Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championship Presented by Newman's Own.
As result of a partnership with Pack Network, each of the conference-produced games will also be streamed and available for free at AmericaEast.tv, the league’s new home for live webcasts. First-round and quarterfinal action from the America East Men’s & Women’s Championship will also be aired on the new site.
Coming To A TV Near You
America East will produce four episodes of America East On Campus, a 30-minute magazine show devoted to showcasing the conference’s best and brightest student-athletes. The fifth-year show, which will air on regional sports networks including NESN beginning in January, is hosted by Frede, who produces the show along with his Cod Rock Media Productions partner, Dan Hannigan.
A Return To Familiar Ground
For the first time in the league’s history, the 2010 America East Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championships will be held in a combined tournament format at the University of Hartford’s 3,508-seat Chase Arena in West Hartford, Conn. March 4-7, 2010. The first, quarterfinal and semifinal rounds for both the men and women will be held at the combined tournament, while the title games will both be held the following weekend at the site of highest seeds remaining.
Both first round games will be held Thursday, March 4, while the women’s quarterfinals will follow on Friday, March 5. The men’s quarterfinals will be scheduled for Saturday, March 6 and both the men’s and women’s semifinal tilts will take place Sunday, March 7. The highest seeds remaining in both the men’s and women’s tournament will host the championship games on Saturday, March 13.
Newman's Own Signs Title Sponsorship
The America East Conference, the University of Hartford and Newman's Own, Inc. announced at this year's Media Day that Newman's Own, Inc. will serve as the title sponsor of the 2010 America East Men's and Women's Basketball Championship. The Championship trio of America East, University of Hartford and Newman's Own, Inc. will announce a plan later this year that will further cultivate the principles of community service, education and leadership among students from the nine conference campuses.
ALBANY GREAT DANES (3-2, 0-0 AE)
UAlbany won two of its three games this week in convincing fashion … The Great Danes defeated St. Francis, N.Y. by a 70-49 score in their home opener before falling to Hofstra, 62-49, and rallying from a 12-point deficit to rout Cornell in an 80-55 decision … UAlbany’s bench accounts for 32.2 of the team’s 61.4 points per game … Freshman Ebone Henry (San Diego, Calif./Mater Dei Catholic), who averages a team-best 11.6 points off the bench, led the team in scoring in all three contests this week … Classmate Julie Forster (Huntington, N.Y./Huntington) nets 8.4 points per game to go along with a team-best 6.2 boards and 2.6 steals off the bench … Junior transfer Melia Basavand (Glendale, Calif./Glendale/Pasadena City) scores 8.2 points per contest in a reserve role … Sophomore Felicia Johnson (Newport News, Va./Woodside) had a 2.67 assist-to-turnover ratio in three games this week … She averages 4.2 assists per game this season … Senior Charity Iromuanya (Lincoln, Neb./Lincoln Northeast) contributes 10.2 points, 5.2 rebounds, 2.6 steals and 2.2 assists … Led by Keyana Williams (Kingston, N.Y./Kingston) and Forster, the Great Danes are averaging 3.0 blocks per game after ranking ninth in the league (1.5 pg) in the category last year … UAlbany will play two Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference opponents this week … The team visits Canisius on Wednesday, Dec. 2 before playing crosstown-rival Siena in a neutral site game at the Times Union Center on Saturday, Dec. 5.
BINGHAMTON BEARCATS (0-4, 0-0 AE)
Sophomore point guard Andrea Holmes (Memphis, Tenn./Mitchell) is averaging a career-high 14.8 points and 5.0 assists per game … She is on track to have the highest assists per game average since Kate Townley dished out 5.5 assists during the 2002-03 season … Junior guard Jackie Ward (Pittsford, N.Y./Pittsford-Mendon) is averaging a career-high 10.0 points per game so far this season. She netted a career-high 14 points in the Bearcats’ game against Lehigh on Nov. 24 … Senior guard Erica Carter (Naperville, Ill./Naperville) currently has 804 career points. She is six points shy of tying Melissa DiPaola (1989-93) for 19th place all time in school history. Carter also ranks fourth all time in school history with 138 three pointers as well as with a .361 three-point field goal percentage (138-362) … Binghamton faces Siena for the first time in school history when it heads to Loudonville to face the Saints on Wednesday at 7 p.m.
BOSTON UNIVERSITY TERRIERS (2-3, 0-0 AE)
The Boston University women’s basketball team claimed an 83-78 home victory over cross-town rival Northeastern last week. The Terriers, who have now won 26-of-27 games at Case Gym over the last four seasons, will now take a tour of the Ivy League schools as their next three consecutive games are at Brown (12/2), Harvard (12/6) and Yale (12/9). Against Northeastern, Boston U. led by 23 at the half, however, a determined Huskies-side did not relent as they chipped away at the lead and drew as close as four points late in the second half. Rookie of the Week Caitlynn Moran (Hopewell Junction, N.Y./John Jay) and senior Aly Hinton (Richboro, Pa./Council Rock) were clutch at the free-throw line as they hit 5-of-6 in the final minute to hold on for the victory. At the end of the game, Moran led all scorers with a career-high 24 points to go along with four rebounds, six assists and three steals.
HARTFORD HAWKS (4-1, 0-0 AE)
The Hawks played just one game last week and came out with a 65-54 victory over the Atlantic 10’s Temple University on Saturday afternoon … Hartford was led by junior guard Mary Silvia (Reading, Mass./Reading Memorial) who compiled a career-high 20 points in her first game back from a wrist injury sustained in preseason … Silvia finished 6-of-10 from the field with all six baskets coming from three-point land, tying a school record for three-pointers made in a single game … The 20-point outing for Sivlia is the second-straight game a Hawk has finished in double figures with Alex Hall (Pembroke, N.H./Pembroke Acad.) scoring 20 against Dartmouth … Hartford forced the Owls into 22 turnovers and converted those miscues into 20 points, while shooting 35.3 percent for the game (18-of-51), including 42.9 percent from beyond the arc (9-of-21) … Hartford will play a pair of road games this week, the first at Sacred Heart on Tuesday (7 p.m.) and then at St. Joseph’s on Friday (7 p.m.).
MAINE BLACK BEARS (2-3, 0-0 AE)
Maine hosted their annual Dead River Company Classic over the weekend…The Black Bears were defeated on Friday night in a close match-up with Holy Cross but bounced back to pick up a 58-53 victory over Buffalo in the consolation game on Saturday afternoon as Penn State won the championship by defeating Holy Cross…Senior Kristin Baker (Bingham, Maine/Upper Kennebec Valley) represented the Black Bears on the All-Tournament team as she helped control the offense all weekend with game averages of 12 points, 4.5 assists and six rebounds and 2.5 steals…Freshman Corinne Wellington (Rochester, N.Y./Wilson Magnet) recorded her first career double-double for Maine in only her fourth game as a Black Bears with 20 points and 10 rebounds…Wellington would follow up her double-double performance with another double-figure scoring day on Saturday with 12 points and four rebounds…Sophomore Samantha Wheeler (Derry, N.H./Timberlane Regional) also had back-to-back double-figure scoring efforts with 12 on Friday and 18 on Saturday…Wheeler has now recorded a double-figure scoring performance in four of the Black Bears’ first five contests…With her five assists on Saturday against Buffalo, Baker has now reached the 200 mark in assists for her career and needs just three more rebounds for 200 total boards in her career…Senior Amanda Tewksbury (Clinton, N.J./North Hunterdon) stands just two rebounds shy of 350 for her career at Maine and needs just three more field goals to reach 200 as a Black Bear…Maine will now travel to West Virginia for a Saturday afternoon showdown with the Mountaineers…The Black Bears have only played West Virginia once with the Mountaineers picking up the victory in 2005.
UMBC RETRIEVERS (3-2, 0-0 AE)
UMBC picked up a pair of road wins last week… Senior guard Carlee Cassidy (Syracuse, N.Y./Westhill) hit a layup with one second left to give the Retrievers a thrilling 74-72 win over cross-town rival Towson on Tuesday… Four Retrievers scored in double figures for the third straight game, led by junior forward Meghan Colabella (Upper Montclair, N.J./Montclair) and sophomore forward Erin Brown (Bethesda, Md./Walt Whitman), who had 16 points each… Cassidy finished with 15, while sophomore guard Michelle Kurowski (Hicksville, N.Y./Hicksville) posted her second double-double of the season with 14 points and 10 rebounds… Junior guard Michele Brokans (Lansdale, Pa./Lansdale Catholic) dished out eight assists while committing just one turnover… UMBC drained 11 three-pointers, including eight of 11 attempts in the second half… Brown made a career-high four of six from long range… Kurowski scored 29 points in the Retrievers’ 68-63 win at Bucknell on Sunday… She combined with Cassidy and sophomore guard Katie Brooks (Maryville, Tenn./Heritage) to score all of UMBC’s 38 first-half points… The trio combined to hit six 3-pointers in the period… Kurowski scored UMBC’s last eight points of the game… She made nine of 18 attempts from the floor and a career-high 10 of 12 foul shots while adding seven rebounds and three steals… Already UMBC’s career three-point leader with 191, Cassidy ranks fifth all-time with 1,293 career points… Brokans ranks 14th in Retriever history with 193 career assists… The Retrievers play a pair of home games this week, hosting in-state rival Navy on Dec. 2 and regional foe Delaware on Dec. 5 before closing out the 2009 calendar year with five road games.
NEW HAMPSHIRE (3-2, 0-0 AE)
Last time out, Candace Williams (Norfolk, Mass.) tallied 18 points but it was not enough to lead the University of New Hampshire to its third straight victory, falling to Quinnipiac University 68-54 on Sunday afternoon at TD Bank Sports Center … The Wildcats would finish out the game with an 8-0 run, cutting the Bobcats' lead down to 14, but the offensive spark was too little too late, as time expired with the Bobcats on top... Williams, who was named America East Player of the Game, finished the afternoon with 18 points, six boards and a steal … Denise Beliveau (Framingham, Mass.) tallied 13 points, seven rebounds and two assists … Earlier in the week, the University of New Hampshire women's basketball team defeated Harvard University, 78-65, in overtime on Tuesday night at Lundholm Gymnasium.... Jill McDonald (Middlebury, Vt.) scored a career-high 17 points all in the second half and in overtime to lead the 'Cats to victory ... The Wildcats laced the nets for a 20-5 run to start the game ... UNH posted a 12-2 run to kick off overtime, shooting 80 percent (4-for-5) from the field in the extra frame, on their way to outscoring the Crimson 20-7 in the stanza to secure the victory ... McDonald, who was named America East Player of the Game for UNH, finished with 17 points, seven rebounds and a career-high three assists ... Candace Williams tallied 18 points and eight rebounds, four steals and two assists ... Beliveau finished with 14 points, a career-high 14 boards and two blocks ... Amy Simpson (Waterford, Conn.) chipped in with eight points, eight assists and two blocks ... Diamon Beckford (Philadelphia, Pa.) notched a career-high eight points and pulled in five rebounds.
STONY BROOK SEAWOLVES (1-4, 0-0 AE)
Stony Brook got things clicking on offense this week scoring 70+ points for the first time this season in both games… The Seawolves dropped a tough game to Sacred Heart, 83-70, to start the week off… SBU led at halftime after shooting 50% from the field, but cooled off in the second half… Senior Joia Daniels (Silver Spring, Md.) scored a career-high 18 points against the Pioneers, making eight of 11 field goal attempts… Junior Kirsten Jeter (Elmont, N.Y.) also scored 18 points in the game while grabbing ten rebounds… Sophomore Destiny Jacobs (Glen Burnie, Md.) scored 12 while pulling down a game-high 13 rebounds, including seven on the offensive glass… Stony Brook bounced back with a 72-60 victory over Air Force… SBU led almost the entire game while shooting 42% from the floor… Jeter scored a game-high 20 points while freshman Sam Landers (Springfield, Va.) scored double-digits for the first time in her career with 10… Junior Misha Horsey (Wyncote, Pa.) also scored double-digits with 11 and recorded three steals... Stony Brook takes to the road to face Monmouth on Wednesday before hosting St. Francis (N.Y.) on Sunday.
VERMONT CATAMOUNTS (4-0, 0-0 AE)
Vermont defeated I-89 rival Dartmouth, the reigning Ivy League Champs, 83-59, in its lone game of the week. Freshman Kendra Seto (Oshawa, Ontario/Eastdale C.V.I.) led five Catamounts in double figures with 15 points and five rebounds on 7-for-10 shooting. Senior Courtnay Pilypaitis (Ottawa, Ontario/St. Peter) was one assist shy of a double-double and contributed 12 points, nine assists, five rebounds and five steals. Pilypaitis moved into fifth place among the America East's all-time assist leaders against the Big Green, surpassing the mark of 487 helpers from current Maine Head Coach Cindy Blodgett. Freshmen Kristine Lalonde (Sudbury, Ontario/National Elite Development Academy) and Lauren Wheeler (Ancaster, Ontario/Westdale) made their UVM debuts in the win over Dartmouth. Lalonde came off the bench and scored three points and added three rebounds in 14 minutes, while Wheeler saw seven minutes of playing time. Junior Tonya Young (Canaan, N.H./Mascoma Valley Regional) made her season debut and scored 12 points in 12 minutes off the bench. Vermont improved to 23-8 in home openers and has won seven straight over the Big Green. The Catamounts are 4-0 for the first time under Head Coach Sharon Dawley and the first time since the 2002-03 season. Up next for Vermont is a trip to Storrs, Conn. to face No. 1 Connecticut. The game will be a rematch of UVM's NCAA Tournament game against the Huskies last year. Connecticut defeated Vermont, 104-65, and went on to win the 2009 NCAA National Championship.