THE BASICS:

RESULT: Vermont 53, Hartford 47,
RECORDS: Hartford (12-8, 4-3 AE); Vermont (6-13, 3-3 AE)
LOCATION: Patrick Gymnasium (Burlington, Vermont)
 
THE LEAD:
Vermont held off a furious comeback bid by the University of Hartford women's basketball team to take a 53-47 decision in Burlington on Sunday afternoon. After being down by as many as 25 points with 6:09 left in the third quarter, the Hawks took the lead with 3:29 left in the game, but it wasn't enough for them to come away with the win.     
 
Freshman Jade Young led the Hawks with 13 points, while senior Darby Lee also finished in double digits with 11 points.

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• Vermont opened the game on a 9-2 run in the first 6:29 and maintained its seven-point lead for the remainder of the first quarter. The Catamounts held a 14-7 advantage after one.
• The Catamounts continued to extend their lead in the second quarter, holding the Hawks to 17.9 percent shooting from the field and a season-low 13 points in the opening half to take a 34-13 lead into the break.  
• In the opening minutes of the second half, Vermont pushed its lead to a game-high 25 points with 6:09 remaining in the third. But the Hawks would not go away quietly. They scored 11 of the quarter's final 14 points to cut the Vermont lead down to 15 at 43-28.
• The Hawks continued to chip away at the Vermont lead in the fourth quarter. After going on a 14-3 run, Hartford took its first lead of the afternoon - a one-point edge - with 3:29 remaining on a Lindsey Abed free throw. But Vermont held the upperhand for the remainder of the game, answering with seven-straight points over the final 2:15 to take the 53-47 decision.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS & NOTES:

• Hartford owned the advantage from the free-throw line, draining 18 free throws (81.8%) to Vermont's 10.
• Additionally, the Hawks forced 13 more turnovers than Vermont (26-13), while the Catamounts held the rebounding advantage (38-31)
• With 11 points, Lee surpassed 900 career points.
• Junior transfer Alexia Douglas recorded a career-best four assists in her first career start.

UP NEXT:
The Hawks return to action after a bye week next Saturday (Jan. 27) when they look to complete the series sweep of UMass Lowell. The 2 p.m. tip kicks off a three-game homestand for Hartford.