Women's Basketball

No. 1 UAlbany and No. 2 Vermont Advance to Jersey Mike's Championship

BOSTON – The top two defenses in the league were in impressive on Monday night as No. 1 UAlbany and No. 2 Vermont both advanced to the Jersey Mike’s America East Women’s Basketball Championship. The two will square off Friday evening with a bid to the NCAA Tournament on the line.
 
Vermont blitzed visiting Bryant, jumping out to a 13-4 lead and stretching the lead as high as 60-32 midway through the fourth on the way to a 62-45 victory. UAlbany trailed 23-20 at the half, but outscored the Black Bears 29-18 in the final 20 minutes to secure a 49-41 win.
 
The Great Danes are making their third trip to the championship in the last four seasons and won it all in 2021-22. They’re hosting the title game for the first time since 2014. The Catamounts are making their third consecutive trip to the championship game, winning it over UAlbany in 2022-23 as the top seed.
 
Friday’s Championship will air on ESPNU and ESPN+. For full playoff coverage, including box scores, highlights, photos and more, visit Playoff Central.
 

No. 1 UAlbany 49, No. 4 Maine 41
  • Sera Hodgson hit three straight triples to open the game as Maine led UAlbany 9-4 midway through the period. The Black Bears extended it to 12-7 before finishing with a 12-10 lead.
  • UAlbany trailed 19-12 and then 21-14 with four minutes left in the period. The Great Danes outscored Maine 6-2 to finish the half down just 23-20.
  • Kaci Donovan tied the game up one minute into the quarter and UAlbany took a 33-28 lead on a Kayla Cooper layup with 4:37 remaining in the third. Sarah Talon pulled Maine within one late, but Jessica Tomasetti hit a late three for a 38-34 lead.
  • The Great Danes held the Black Bears without a point for nearly four minutes to open the quarter, taking a 42-34 lead. Caroline Bornemann responded with five straight points to make it 42-39, but UAlbany held on for the 49-41 victory.  
  • Kayla Cooper led the team with 16 points, eight rebounds, four assists and three steals while Kaci Donovan added 12 points, five boards and two blocks. 
 
No. 2 Vermont 62, No. 3 Bryant 45
  • Catherine Gilwee came out firing as she scored 11 of the Catamounts’ first 13 points as they built up a 13-4 lead early. They led 20-8 and finished the period with the 21-10 advantage.
  • Mimi Rubino cut it to 23-13, but Vermont countered with four straight for a 14-point lead. UVM didn’t score over the final two minutes but still held a 31-18 lead at the half.
  • Bryant scored to make it 35-21, but the Catamounts responded with a 15-9 run over the remaining seven minutes of the period for a 50-30 lead after three quarters.
  • Vermont pushed its lead as high as 60-32 midway through the fourth before finishing with the 62-45 win.
  • Gilwee concluded the night with a season-high 16 points and four assists as one of four players in double figures. Nikola Priede added ten points and eight rebounds as the UVM defense held Bryant to 34.9 percent shooting.
 
ABOUT AMERICA EAST 
Founded in 1979, the America East Conference is an elite NCAA Division I athletic conference that fosters an environment for student-athletes to become champions. Comprised of academically renowned, like-minded member institutions located in the Northeast region of the United States, America East is committed to broad-based excellence and progressive in its approach to supporting its more than 3,500 student-athletes across 18 sponsored sports. For more information, visit www.AmericaEast.com and follow the America East Conference its social media channels, @AmericaEast.  
  
- America East Conference – Where Champions Rise -