BOSTON – For just the second time in league history, four America East women’s basketball programs will be appearing the post season. Binghamton, UMBC and NJIT will all compete in the WNIT First Round on Thursday evening while No. 14 Vermont plays at No. 3 Louisville on Saturday at 12 p.m.
Binghamton is the first team in action, traveling to face Mercyhurst on Thursday night at 6 p.m. UMBC plays at Ohio at 7 p.m., while NJIT goes to Merrimack for a 7 p.m. matchup with the Warriors. Fans can watch the Bearcats on NEC Front Row, while NJIT and UMBC will be on ESPN+. Vermont will play Louisville on ESPN at 12 p.m. on Saturday.
Going Green
Vermont captured its second straight conference championship, taking down Maine 61-43 on Friday evening. The Catamounts trailed 9-2 in the opening minutes but took the lead for good with a 19-2 run in the opening half and extended their lead to 17 points after three periods. Vermont improved to 27-7 on the season and secured its fifth straight victory and second straight conference title. Keira Hanson led the offense with 23 points, one of four players in double figures.
Vermont at a Glance
The Catamounts have won 8 of 9 overall and rank fourth in the nation in scoring defense at 51.6 points per game. They’re also tied for first in the league in scoring (65.8), first in field goal percentage (45.5%) and first in three-point field goal percentage (34.0%). Three players average double figures for Vermont, led by Nikola Priede (17.4), Keira Hanson (14.1) and Jadyn Weltz (11.7). Priede is also averaging 7.7 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game while Hanson has 63 threes and is shooting 42.6% from deep.
Binghamton at a Glance
The Bearcats are 19-12 this season and reached the conference semifinals, falling 60-56 on the road at Maine. Binghamton went 2-3 over its past five games, including a buzzer-beating victory over Bryant in the quarterfinals. As a team, Binghamton is averaging 64.9 points per game while allowing 61.2 this season. Second-Team All-Conference performer Bella Pucci leads the team with 15.3 points, 3.7 rebounds and 1.3 steals per game, while Kendall Bennett is putting up 13.8 points and 9.8 rebounds per game.
UMBC at a Glance
The Retrievers won 5 of 7 to conclude the season, highlighted by a last-second 66-65 victory over NJIT thanks to a jumper by Jade Tillman. Tillman then forced OT in the semifinals against top seed Vermont, before the Retrievers ultimately fell 68-65 in 2OT. The team is 16-14 overall, but 11-5 since Jan. 10. They are averaging 62.6 points per game while allowed 58.2 this season. Tillman is averaging 15.9 points and 7.6 rebounds per game, while Heidi Williams is 2nd on the team with 9.5 points and 5.1 rebounds per game.
NJIT at a Glance
The Highlanders are 18-12 this year and one win from their best season as a Division I program. They have won 4 of 6, including a 66-65 defeat in the conference quarterfinals to UMBC in the final seconds. The team is averaging a league-best 65.8 points per game while allowing 62.9. Senior Alejandra Zuniga lead the team with 17.8 points, 4.0 assists and 3.9 rebounds per game. Olivia Kulyk is putting up 15.0 points, 4.9 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game while leading the league with 72 threes.
Championship Feeling
Vermont claimed its second straight conference title on Friday and third in the past four seasons. The Catamounts are the first team to win three titles in four seasons since UAlbany won six straight from 2012-2017.
Outstanding Once Again
Nikola Priede was recognized as the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player after recording 14 points, eight rebounds and two blocks in the championship, as well as 17.3 points and 3.3 blocks per game in the championship overall. She’s just the eighth player in league history to earn the honor a second time.
Stepping up
Junior Malia Lenz was a force in the championship final, posting 13 points and 14 rebounds. Overall in the three-game tournament she averaged 9.3 points, 9.0 rebounds and 2.0 steals per game.
#AEHoops in the Postseason
This year four teams were selected to compete in postseason action. In addition to Vermont’s appearance in the NCAA Tournament, Binghamton, UMBC and NJIT were all selected to the WNIT. The four teams in postseason play matches the most in conference history. In 2016, UAlbany reached the NCAA Tournament, while Maine played in the WNIT with UMBC and Stony Brook competing in the WBI.
Catamounts in the NCAA Tournament
Vermont’s only previous NCAA win was in 2010, as the No. 10 Catamounts took down No. 7 Wisconsin 64-55, before losing 84-66 to No. 2 Notre Dame in the second round. Last year The Catamounts fell 75-55 to No. 2 NC State, but did lead 33-29 late in the second quarter. In 2023, No. 15 Vermont fell 95-52 to No. 2 UConn 95-52 in 2023.
Postseason Performances
Binghamton last played postseason basketball in 2018, going 1-1 in the WBI, with a win 70-59 win over Youngstown State. UMBC last appeared in the postseason in 2016, beating Fairfield 61-49 in the WBI. This marks NJIT’s first postseason appearance.
WNIT Success
The America East has had at least two teams in the WNIT three times in the past five seasons. Two years ago, Vermont went on a run to the WNIT Fab 4 after falling to Maine in the conference championship. The Catamounts beat Niagara (69-53) and Colgate (65-55) at home before taking down Purdue on the road (67-59). Vermont lost 57-54 to eventual champion Saint Louis in the Fab Four. UAlbany also reached the WNIT, falling to Colgate.
Conference Performance
The America East is ranked as the 14th best conference in the nation this year by NET, highlighted by a 56-48 record in non-conference action. The conference is also 1 of 8 conferences to have 75% of its programs own a NET of 200 or better (ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, SEC, American, Big East, Sun Belt, America East).
Season for the Ages
America East Player of the Year Adrianna Smith had one of the best seasons in conference history and last week was named as one of the finalists for the Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year. She led the league in scoring (22.8), rebounding (10.7) and assists (4.7) and is just the 8th player in NCAA history to average 20, 10 & 4 for a season. Smith also joined Maya Moore (UConn) as the only players in NCAA history with 700 points, 300 rebounds and 150 assists in a single season.
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 -