Great Danes vanquish Vermont in America East opener

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- The University at Albany women's basketball team's difficult stretch of schedule - which included road games at Wisconsin on Dec. 21 and No. 6 LSU Dec. 29 - continued Thursday night with a home tilt against rival for the Great Danes' America East opener.

But just as they did against Wisconsin and LSU, UAlbany got out to a strong start against Vermont, opening the game on a 28-4 run. The Great Danes managed to ward off a couple second-half surges from the Catamounts and secure a 64-55 victory, which snapped a five-game losing streak against the squad that bounced them from last season's conference tournament.

COACH COLLEEN MULLEN: “We got out to a great start and really dictated the first half. I am proud of the way we executed the game plan and the team played with a lot of toughness. UVM has a lot of weapons but our defensive intensity really fueled this win.”

KEY STATS

• Graduate students Kayla Cooper (17) and Kaci Donovan (12) led with double-digit point totals.
• Cooper also tallied team-highs with three blocks and three steals while shooting nearly 50% from the field.
• Three Great Danes totaled five rebounds to lead the defense - graduate student Lilly Phillips, graduate student Jessica Tomasetti, and freshman Martina Borrellas.
• Freshman Delanie Hill tabbed a team-high four assists while making two field goals, including a timely three-pointer.
• UAlbany notched 23 points from 12 turnovers and scored 40 points in the paint.
• Phillips scored her 100th career three-pointer in the fourth quarter.
• The UAlbany defense held the Catamounts to just 21% shooting from the three.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Delanie Hill started the scoring with a layup off an offensive rebound from Lilly Phillips.
• With field goals from Phillips and Kaci Donovan, the Great Danes quickly gained a 10-2 lead about halfway through the first.
• UAlbany ended the quarter with six consecutive points. 
• Throughout the first quarter, the Great Danes held the Catamounts to just four points.
• In the first three minutes of the second quarter, UAlbany scored 12 unanswered points, including seven from Kayla Cooper.
• The Great Danes held their largest lead of the game, 32-6 (26 points), after two made free throws from senior Laycee Drake.
• The Catamounts gradually closed the scoring gap but UAlbany remained with a significant advantage, 36-19, at halftime.
• The second half was a different contest as Vermont came out of the break with a change in pace.
• Jessica Tomasetti scored a jumper to start the half after two consecutive offensive rebounds extended the Great Danes’ possession.
• UVM held UAlbany scoreless for nearly three minutes while adding three field goals.
• A three-pointer from Hill changed the pace and started what proved to be a nine-point scoring run.
• The third quarter ended with an 18-point advantage for UAlbany, 51-33.
• The Catamounts outscored the Great Danes, 22-13, in the final quarter.
• Vermont started the fourth with a 7-2 scoring run.
• With under four minutes remaining, UVM came out of a timeout and scored five consecutive points to make it a seven-point game.
• Phillips’ 100th career three-pointer to break the Catamounts’ scoring run.
• Play remained back and forth in the final 150 seconds and UAlbany earned the win, 64-55.

NEXT: The Great Danes will head on the road for UMass Lowell on Saturday (January 4).