Storrs, Conn.-- The University of Vermont women's basketball team participated in news conferences and open practice at Gampel Pavilion Saturday afternoon in anticipation of their NCAA First Round Game against No. 1 Connecticut as the No. 16 seed in the Trenton Region. The Catamounts will tipoff with the Huskies Sunday at 12:20 p.m. live on ESPN2, ESPNU and ESPN360.com.
The Catamounts are making their first trip to the NCAAs since 2000 with the America East's automatic bid. Vermont (20-11) won the 2009 America East Women's Basketball Championship last Sunday as the No. 3 seed in the field. The Catamounts are playing some of their best basketball of the season as of late, winners in 11 of their last 13 games and avenging regular-season losses to both Hartford and Boston University at the conference tournament. Junior guards Courtnay Pilypaitis and May Kotsopoulos were both named to the All-Tournament Team, while Pilypaitis was named the Most Outstanding Player with 20 points and over eight rebounds per game.
However, Vermont will be facing its toughest challenge of the season in top-ranked Connecticut, who is undefeated at 33-0 this season. The Huskies won both the BIG EAST regular-season and tournament championships and are the favorites to win the National Title. This is the first meeting between these opponents since 1993, and UConn has the 8-0 advantage in the all-time series. The Huskies are led by National player of the year candidates senior Renee Montgomery and sophomore Maya Moore.
"Everyone, I think, loves an underdog and we play our best as an underdog," said Kotsopoulos during the news conference Saturday. "We've played Florida and Louisville and we always play loose against those to teams, and I think that's when we play our best. We are always excited to play those teams because we are the underdog and who knows what can happen when you play those teams."
About 30 minutes away from Gampel Pavilion and four hours later, Hartford will begin what it hopes to be a postseason run. The Hawks host St. John's in a second-round WNIT game at Chase Arena. Hartford (20-11) received an at-large bid to the invitation tournament and earned a first-round bye. Tipoff between the Hawks and Red Storm is set for 4 p.m.
Keep checking www.AmericaEast.com for postgame coverage, stats and results.