Burlington, VT - The University of Hartford women's basketball team erased a 12-point halfitme deficit to pick up its first victory in Burlington, VT in three attempts, 56-52 on Tuesday night. The Hawks Katie Kelley scored her first career double double, 12 points and 13 rebounds, and scored what would be the game winning basket with 58 seconds remaining. Hartford improves to 10-8 on the season and 5-1 in America East action.
Hartford struggles to score in the first half, connecting on 7-of-29 from the field for 24 percent, including 1-of-8 from beyond the arc. In the meantime, the Catamounts made 41 percent of their first half shots (12-of-29) and 3-of-9 three pointers to take a 29-17 point advantage into the break. The Hawks also finished the first 20 minutes with seven turnovers, while forcing only two from Vermont.
“As disappointed as I was in our first half performance, I was just as pleased with our will to win in the second half,” said head coach Jennifer Rizzotti. “I was especially pleased with Katiek (Kelley) and Bev's (Erica Beverly) leadership and refuse to loose attitude in the second half. This is a huge win, seeing as its another step towards our goal of winning another America East Championship.”
For the game, Kelley was one of three players in double figures, with Erica Beverly and Mary Silvia leading the team in the scoring column with 13 points, which tied Silvia's career-high. Silvia was named the America East Player of the Game, along with Courtnay Pilypaitis for Vermont. Beverly also recorded a double double, her second-straight, with 10 rebounds. Nine of Beverly's points came at the free throw line, where she finished 9-of-10. As a team, the Hawks compiled one of their best free throw shooting games, connecting on 15-of-18 for 83 percent, including 93 percent in the second half (13-of-14).
The Hawks finished the game shooting 34 percent (18-of-53), which included a 46 percent second half effort (11-of-24). The Hawks also led the battle of the boards on a 42-31 advantage, including 18 offensive rebounds that the Hawks turned into 15 second chance points.
Neither team could put together a significant run in the first half, until the Catamounts put together a 13-3 scuttle to take their first 12-point advantage, 27-15 with 5:13 to play. Hartford scored a jumper 29 second later, which would be the last basket before the final minute of the half. Sy Janousek scored the final bucket of the half, after a four-minute drought for both teams, giving Vermont its 12-point halftime advantage.
The Hawks scored first coming out of the break, on a pair of free throws from Beverly. Vermont answered back by taking a 15-point advantage, the largest of the game, with 18:01 to play on a Pilypaitis three pointer. The Hawks answered with six-points on two free throws from Ilicia Mathis and layups from Kelley and Beverly before a spark came off the bench in the form of Silvia. She came off the bench to score back-to-back three pointers in a 29 second span, which tied the game at 36. A Lisa Etienne free throw with 11:04 to play put Hartford ahead 37-36, and capping off a 13-0 run.
The Catamounts answered back by scoring eight-straight, all coming from different players. That run put Vermont ahead by seven, a lead which was quickly erased with a 7-0 run by Hartford. That run included a layup from Beverly, a fast break, steal and layup, from Mathis and a third three pointer from Silvia.
May Kotsopoulos answered by putting Vermont ahead by two with 6:56 to play. The Hawks thedn scored four-straight to take a two-point advantage with 6:12 to play and Vermont did the same, pulling ahead 50-48. Vermont was held scoreless for the next two minutes, which allowed the Hawks to take a 52-50 advantage on a pair of free throws from Kelley and a Silvia driving layup with 2:48 to play.
Kelli Poles tied the score at 52 on a layup with 2:17 to play, but it would prove to be the final points for Vermont. Hartford didn't score on its next possession, but held the Catamounts without a basket as well. Kelley then scored on a jumper from the top of the key with 58 seconds remaining, and a jumper from Kotsopoulos was off the mark. The Hawks then lost the ball on a jump ball call, before a Pilypaitis turnover led to a pair of free throws from Beverly with five seconds to play, securing the victory. A last second three-point heave for Vermont rimmed out and the Hawks left with the four-point victory.
Hartford will return to action for a Saturday night match-up against America East foe Albany at Chase Arena at the Reich Family Pavilion at 7:00 p.m.
