BALTIMORE - Two women's basketball series were canceled this weekend among the America East: UMBC vs. Stony Brook and Vermont vs. UAlbany. To make lemonade out of lemons, the Retrievers and Catamounts rescheduled their late February series, originally to be played Feb. 27-28 for this weekend, playing on Sunday, Jan. 3 and Monday, Jan. 4 at a neutral site, with Albany hosting both teams at SEFCU Arena. Game times are set for 3 p.m. on Sunday and 1 p.m. on Monday.
UMBC vs. Vermont Series Info:
Who: UMBC Retrievers (2-4, 2-2 AE) vs. Vermont Catamounts (2-2, 2-2 AE)
Where: Albany, N.Y. - SEFCU Arena
When: Sunday, Jan. 3 (3 p.m.) and Monday, Jan. 4 (1 p.m.)
How to Watch: ESPN+ (Sunday) | ESPN+ (Monday) | Live Stats
Social: @UMBCWBB, #RetrieverNation, #AEWBB
Dawgs Bites
The UMBC women's basketball team split another America East series after the holiday break, going 1-1 at Binghamton on Jan. 27 and 28. The Retrievers defeated the Bearcats for the first time since 2017 in the first game, 57-54, while the hosting Bearcats edged out the Dawgs, 65-60, on Monday.
In the 57-54 win, graduate student Juliet Esadah (Henrico, Va.) led the Retrievers with her second double-double on the season, scoring 19 points and bringing down 12 boards. Junior Kasey Gagan (Warwick, R.I.) had a career day with 16 points, going 4-6 from beyond the arc, while classmate Jada Clowers (Macon, Ga.) rounded out the trio of double-digit scorers with 10 points (4-8 FG).
On Monday, Esadah picked up right where she left off by pouring in 17 points off a blistering 80 percent from the floor; Gagan (4-10 FG, 4-5 FT) and Janee'a Summers (6-9 FG, 4-7 FT) added double-digits on the day.
In both games, the Retrievers were able to hold the Bearcats to single-digits in the third quarter (five on Sunday and nine on Monday), and had the game come down to the final 10 minutes to determine the winner. Sunday's game features five ties and five lead changes, while Monday had 22 ties and15 lead changes.
Esadah is the driving offensive force for the Retrievers so far this season, leading the team and ranking second in the conference with 13.7 ppg. She also leads the conference in field goal percentage (55.2) and is second in the America East with 8.7 rpg; however, Esadah ranks 23rd in the nation in offensive rebounds, pulling down 4.2 per game.
Summers is ninth in both scoring (11.5 ppg) and rebounding (6.2 rpg), and ranks sixth in the conference in free throw percentage (75.0). Freshman Alexia Nelson (Brooklyn, N.Y.) is sixth in assists per game, dishing out 2.8.
About the Opponent: Vermont
Vermont started the season with America East play, going 2-2 on the young season. Most recently, the Catamounts split a series against conference newcomers NJIT over the holiday weekend. In the first meeting between the teams, the Highlanders hit seven three-point baskets to defeat the Catamounts, 70-60. The following day, Vermont responded with a 65-45 victory over NJIT, holding the Highlanders to just nine points in the first quarter.
The Catamounts have been led by freshman Anna Olsen, who has been named #AEWBB Rookie of the Week twice this season, including after dropping a career-high 17 points against NJIT on Sunday.
Sophomore Emma Utterback also helps to pace Vermont, leading the team with 11.5 ppg and is sixth in the America East in field goal percentage (.404). Delaney Richardson leads the team in rebounding, averaging 6.8 boards per contest, and is third in the conference in blocks per game (1.3).
The Series
The Catamounts and Retrievers are tied at 18-all in their series. Vermont, however, holds a 3-2 advantage in the last five meetings between the two teams.
A Look Back: The 2020 Vermont Series
Home court advantage was the name of the game last season, as each team won its home game and split the series. On January 11, the Retrievers erased a 13-point deficit in the third quarter, but a turnover at the last second in the fourth quarter helped Vermont seal a 60-58 in Burlington.
When Vermont came to Baltimore on Feb. 22, it was down to the final quarter and a push from the Catamounts that needed to be fended off. UMBC led, 41-25, when the final 10 minutes started, but Vermont got the score to 44-42 with 1:09 to play. Down the stretch, the Retrievers were able to pull the lead back away for a 54-47 final.
Top Dawgs
The Retrievers have been awarded two America East weekly awards, most recently with graduate student Juliet Esadah (Henrico, Va.) earning Player of the Week honors for the week ending Dec. 29. In the two games against Binghamton, Esadah averaged 18.0 ppg, while shooting 65 percent from the field, and 8.0 rpg.
Freshman Alexia Nelson (Brooklyn, N.Y.) was named America East Rookie of the Week for the week ending November 30. In her collegiate debut against Morgan State on November 25, Nelson shot 40 percent from the field, scoring six points on the night. Nelson also dished out a team-high five assists while bringing down two rebounds and recording one steal in her first appearance in a Retriever uniform.
The Three Retrieveteers
UMBC's roster will look a little different when the 2020-21 season starts, but a core of returners will help to anchor the team.
Seniors Janee'a Summers and Jen Gast and sophomore Lyric Swann will be the veteran players to hold down the fort for UMBC.
Summers finished in the top 10 in scoring (12.5 ppg) and rebounding (7.0 rpg), while also ranking fourth in free throw percentage (.809) last season on her way to being named to the America East All-Conference Third Team. Gast saw her breakout season during 2019-20, leading the team with 198 rebounds and ranking fourth in the America East with 7.3 rpg. The Baltimore-native had a career-day against La Salle on November 30 with 15 points and 18 rebounds, the most by a Retriever since 2012.
Swann was a two-time America East Rookie of the Week, averaging 8.4 ppg off a 39.1 shooting percentage. The freshman scored a career-high 17 points against Stony Brook on February 1 and added to a highlight reel with multiple buzzer beaters throughout the season.
Double Take
Don't be surprised to see two Swanns gliding across the court in a Retriever uniform. After Lyric had an outstanding rookie career in 2019-20, twin sister Jaelyn joined the bench after one season at Muhlenberg College. The twins are the daughters of former UMBC standout Karyn Swann (1988-92), who earned East Coast Conference Defensive Player of the Year honors in 1990-91 and ranks 13th all-time in career steals.
The Swann twins, however, are one of four sets of twins that play for the Retrievers, joining Michael and Steven Zichelli (MLAX), Daron and Zachary Taylor (MXC), Samantha and Melissa Kameka (WXC). In total, eight sets of siblings currently play for the UMBC:
Lyric and Jaelyn Swann (WBB)*
Samantha and Melissa Kameka (WXC)*
Daron and Zachary Taylor (MXC)*
Michael and Steven Zichelli (MLAX)*
Jackson and Ryan Becher (MSOC)
Matthew and Charles Bennicci (MSD)
Kenny and Danielle Fuentes (M&WSOC)
Emma and Annika Bridges (WSD)
*- Indicates twins
The Votes Are In
In the #AEWBB Preseason Poll, the Retrievers were selected to finish fifth in the conference according to the coaches, tied with the Binghamton Bearcats.
UMBC, who were picked to finish eighth in the 2019-20 season poll, received 43 votes in the poll. For the third year in a row, the Maine Black Bears were selected as the favorites to win the conference with 78 points and six first-place votes, slightly edging out regular-season champions Stony Brook (76 points, four first-place votes).
2020-21 America East Women's Basketball Preseason Poll
No. School Points (1st Place Votes)
1. Maine 78 (6)
2. Stony Brook 76 (4)
3. UMass Lowell 62
4. UAlbany 54
T5. Binghamton 43
UMBC 43
7. Vermont 36
8. Hartford 24
9. New Hampshire 23
10. NJIT 11
AE on ESPN
Once again this year, every Retriever men's and women's home basketball games will be streamed on either ESPN3 or ESPN+.
The agreement between the America East and ESPN commenced with the 2016-17 academic year and will run through 2026-27. America East's nine-member institutions will work collaboratively with ESPN and the conference office to develop their own in-house production operations on their campuses. This will result in a significant increase in national coverage for multiple sports on ESPN3 branded "The AE on ESPN" showcasing more than 3,000 America East events over the term of the agreement, starting with all men's and women's basketball games and adding other sports in future years.
Land Acknowledgement Statement
The Office of Equity and Inclusion (OEI), in collaboration with the Inclusion Council, formally acknowledges the land of Indigenous peoples on which UMBC is located and encourages all in our community to share the following statement.
UMBC was established upon the land of the Piscataway and Susquehannock peoples. Over time, citizens of many more Indigenous nations have come to reside in this region. We humbly offer our respects to all past, present, and future Indigenous people connected to this place.
