UMBC-Vermont Postgame

ALBANY, N.Y. - The UMBC women's basketball team (2-6, 2-4 America East) tried to use a fourth-quarter comeback to overcome the Vermont Catamounts (4-2, 4-2 AE) on Monday afternoon, but were unable to capitalize as they fell, 65-54, at SEFCU Arena in Albany.

Senior Janee'a Summers (Bound Brook, N.Y.) led all scorers with 20 points,  going 7-13 from the floor and 5-6 from the charity stripe. Juliet Esadah (Henrico, Va.) and Mya Moye (Washington, D.C.) each chipped in seven points while Esadah finished the day with 13 rebounds.

The Retrievers trailed the Catamounts, 51-38, at the beginning of the fourth quarter. After an early Vermont basket, Summers made back-to-back shots and Esadah converted a pair of free throws to cut the Catamount lead to 53-44 with 3:48 to play. Summers again went back-to-back at the rim to put UMBC within seven, 55-48, at the 2:26 mark. The Catamounts took a 59-50 lead with 35 seconds remaining but Summers was fouled on a three-point attempt, sinking all three free throws to bring the lead down to just six, 59-53, with 30 ticks on the clock. However, Vermont was able to hit free throws down the stretch to ice the win.

The Retrievers started out the game with an 8-3 lead, thanks to five points from Summers and a three-pointer from Moye. The Catamounts cut the score to three, 8-5, at the 5:43 mark but Summers sank a three to put UMBC up by six. Vermont made a layup and three-pointer to trail UMBC by one, 11-10, with 3:14 left in the first quarter, but a long shot from Kasey Gagan (Warwick, R.I.) and a jumper from Jada Clowers (Macon, Ga.) gave UMBC a 16-10 advantage. Vermont added one more basket before time ran out but UMBC took a 16-12 lead into the second period.

Esadah extended the Retriever lead to 18-12 early into the second quarter before the Catamounts cut it down to three, 18-15, with 7:29 to play. Patricia Anumgba (Silver Spring, Md./Paint Branch) hit a jump shot to give UMBC the 20-15 advantage, but Vermont quickly tied the game up at the 5:47 mark in the period. Jen Gast (Baltimore, Md./Catonsville) gave the lead back to the Retrievers with a layup but the Catamounts closed the quarter out on an 8-0 run, taking a 28-22 lead into halftime.

Vermont extended its lead to eight, 30-22, in the opening seconds of the third quarter before Gagan was fouled on a three-point attempt and cut the gap to five, 30-25, with 9:21 to play. The Catamounts used a 10-0 run to open up a 15-point, 40-25, lead before Alexia Nelson (Brooklyn, N.Y.) stopped it with a jumper. Each team scored 11 points to end the quarter, with Vermont holding onto a 51-38 lead heading into the final 10 minutes of the game. Moye scored four of the 11 points, including the final basket of the quarter.

Today's game was more evenly matched on the rebounding front, with the Retrievers edging out the Catamounts, 36-35. Vermont scored 42 of its points in the paint, compared to UMBC's 26. 

All five Vermont starters ended the day with double-digit points; America East Player and Rookie of the Week Anna Olson led the Catamounts with 18 points on 8-13 shooting with 10 rebounds. Delaney Richardson chipped in 14 points, followed by Josie Larkins (12 pts), Emma Utterback (11 pts, 9 assists), and Madison Smith (10 pts, 9 rebs).

The Retrievers will return to the UMBC Event Center on Saturday, Jan. 9 and Sunday, Jan. 10 to face the New Hampshire Wildcats. Game times are currently set for 1 p.m. on both days.