PHOTO GALLERY

WEST HARTFORD, Conn. – Sophomore point guard Deanna Mayza compiled her second 20-plus game of the season, finishing with 23 points to lead the University of Hartford women's basketball team (12-11, 6-3 America East) in a 60-49 victory over the Vermont Catamounts on Sunday afternoon.

Joining Mayza in leading the Hawks was senior's Amber Bepko and Cherelle Moore who finished with 10 and 12 points, respectively. Overall, Hartford finished the game shooting 35.2 percent from the field on 19-of-54, with five of those field goals from beyond the three point arc. The Hawks also capitalized at the free throw line, making 17-of-22 for 77.3 percent.

Sophomore forward Alyssa Reaves came off the bench to lead the Hawks rebounding efforts as she pulled down a season-high nine rebounds, including three offensive boards. Overall, Vermont led the battle of the boards 42-35.

Defensively, Hartford forced the Catamounts into 19 turnovers and capitalized off those mistakes by scoring 20 points. The Hawks defense also held Vermont to just six second half field goals and an 18.8 percent shooting performance over the final 20 minutes. That 18.8 percent effort is a season low for a Hartford opponent.

GAME HIGHLIGHTS

·        Sophomore point guard Deanna Mayza led the Hawks for the fifth time as she finished with 23 points, her second 20-plus game of the season. She finished the afternoon contest 7-of-13 from the field, including a pair of three pointers. She also added seven points at the free throw line, missing just two attempts. Six of her 23 points came in the final 78 seconds of the game, helping ice the victory.

·        A pair of seniors joined Mayza in double figures for the game with Cherelle Moore and Amber Bepko chipping in 12 and 10 points, respectively. Bepko's 10 points is the fifth-straight game she has scored in double figures and increases her team-high to 17 times.

·        Hartford's defense stepped up in the second half, holding the Catamounts to just six field goals over the final 20 minutes. Vermont finished the second half shooting just 18.8 percent from the field (6-of-32), which is the lowest second half field goal percentage for a Hawk opponent in 2014-15.

·        Overall for the game, Hartford shot 35.2 percent, making 19-of-54 field goal attempts including five baskets from beyond the three point arc.

·        Sophomore forward Alyssa Reaves came off the bench to lead the Hawks in rebounding with a season-high nine boards. This is the second time in the last three games that she has led the team in rebounding, and the third overall time this season.

·        The Hawks defense also forced Vermont into 19 turnovers and converted those 19 mistakes into 20 points, leading the way with a 20-13 advantage in points off turnovers. The Hawks also led the way in points in the paint with a 20-16 lead, including a 14-8 effort in the second half alone.

FIRST HALF HIGHLIGHTS

·        The Hawks first six points all came from beyond the three point arc as sophomore's Deanna Mayza and La'Trice Hall teamed up to score from downtown. Hall provided Mayza with the pass in both instances with the second of those attempts just beating the shot clock from right in front of the Catamounts bench. Those two baskets resulted in the first lead change of the game, a 6-4 advantage in favor of the Hawks.

·        Hall would continue to feed players for the outside shot, this time providing Amber Bepko with the rock for her second of two-straight baskets and five unanswered points. That three pointer, which came with 8:45 remaining, also provided a lead change, a 13-12 lead in favor of Hartford.

·        Hartford ended the half on a 7-0 run, holding the Catamounts without a basket over the final 3:16 of the half. That 7-0 run allowed the Hawks to take a 26-24 advantage into the locker room, with the fifth lead change of the half coming courtesy of a 2-of-2 effort at the free throw line from sophomore Morgan Lumb.  

·        Mayza would lead all players in the opening half with 11 points, finishing 4-of-7 from the field including a perfect 2-of-2 effort from beyond the three point arc. She also converted the one free throw attempt she had.

SECOND HALF HIGHLIGHTS

·        Coming out of the intermission, the Hawks held Vermont to just one field goal over the first 8:30, closing out that span with a 6-0 run that led to a 34-28 lead, the largest of the game for Hartford to that point. Three different Hawks provided scoring in that run; a pair of free throws from Cherelle Moore and layups from Deanna Mayza and Alyssa Reaves. In that stretch, the Catamounts were 1-of-16 from the field.

·        The Hawks would extend that pressure through to the seven minute mark as the Catamounts managed just two field goals through the first 13 minutes of the second half. That drought again allowed the Hawks to build a six point lead, 41-35 with 7:02 remaining.

·        Hartford closed out the second half allowing Vermont to make just six field goals, holding then to 18.8 percent shooting over the final 20 minutes. The Hawks also forced Vermont into eight second half turnovers and converted those mistakes into six points.

·        The Hawks took care of the boards in the second half, finishing with a 25-23 advantage, including nine offensive rebounds. Off of those nine offensive boards, Hartford scored 11 second chance points. The Hawks also finished with a 14-8 advantage in the paint.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

·        Sophomore point guard Deanna Mayza dropped 23 points against the Catamounts, her second 20-plus game of the season. She has now scored in double figures in four of the last five games, while leading the team in scoring five times. In the two regular season games against Vermont, Mayza has averaged 17.5 points, finishing with 12 in the meeting in Burlington.  

·        A three pointer with 6:05 remaining in the second half pushed senior guard Amber Bepko into double figures as she finished with 10 points. This is the fifth straight game she has scored in double figures, and her 17th game overall this season.

·        Hartford held the Catamounts to an 18.8 percent (6-of-32) second half shooting performance, the lowest shooting effort by an opponent in 2014-15. The previous second half low also came against Vermont as the Hawks held them to 20 percent (6-of-30) in the first meeting.

TWEETABLES (140 characters or less)

·        SO point guard Deanna Mayza scored 20-plus for the second time this season as she drilled 23 points against the Catamounts.

·        Senior's Amber Bepko and Cherelle Moore also chipped in double figures, finishing with 10 and 12, respectively.

·        Hartford held UVM to a season-low 18.8 percent shooting in the second half as they made just six field goals in the final 20 minutes.

UP NEXT
The Hawks will play their next two games on the road with the first of those contests coming at the site of the 2015 America East Championship, The Events Center in Vestal, N.Y. Hartford will take on the Binghamton Bearcats next time out with tip off scheduled for 7 p.m. on Wednesday, February 4.