Women's Basketball Drops 73-58 Decision at Vermont in America East Conference Action

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

Burlington, Vt. – Courtney Pilypaitis scored 17 points and grabbed eight rebounds to lead Vermont to a 73-58 win over UAlbany in America East Conference women’s basketball action on Wednesday, Jan. 16 at Patrick Gymnasium.

Vermont (11-5, AE 2-1) scored off the opening tip and led the duration of the game. Pilypaitis hit a three-pointer to open the game as the Catamounts jumped out to a 13-4 lead less than five minutes into the contest. UAlbany (4-12, AE 2-1) scored 10 of the game’s next 15 points to close within 19-14 on an Amira Ford fastbreak layup.

Vermont responded with a 16-6 run to open up its largest lead of the half at 35-20. The Catamounts were led over the stretch with contributions off the bench as Tonya Young scored seven points and Sy Janousek added five points. Senior forward Gia Sanders led the Great Danes in the opening half with 11 points and six rebounds.

"The difference in the game was rebounding,” said UAlbany head coach Trina Patterson, whose team was off to its best start in the program’s America East history. “They had 25 offensive rebounds, which led to 74 shot attempts. It was a matter of not boxing out. We also had trouble shooting, and when we aren't making baskets, we can't get into our press."

After May Kotsopoulos scored to open the second half for Vermont, UAlbany rattled off seven straight points to move within nine points of the Catamounts capped off by a shot in the paint from TaNika Thrower at the 15:13 mark of the second stanza. Following back-and-forth action over the next five minutes, the Great Danes pulled within eight points on a pair of free throws at the midway point of the half.

The Catamounts answered back with a 17-6 run to pull away from the Great Danes. Young opened the stretch with five points and Pilypaitis tallied the six points on the back end as Vermont built a 67-48 advantage.

Pilypaitis was one of four Catamounts to score in double figures. She was joined by Young with 14, Janousek with 11 and Amy Rosenkrantz added 13 points.

Britney McGee scored all 13 of her points in the second half to reach double figures for the eighth consecutive game. Sanders finished with 11 rebounds and a career-high seven blocks to go along with her 11 points. Freshman Janea Aiken joined McGee and Sanders in twin figures with 11 points off the bench.