Sixth-seeded UMBC will open the Jersey Mike's America East Women's Basketball Playoffs on Friday at defending champion, and third-seeded, Vermont. Tip-off is slated for 6 p.m. and fans can catch all the action on ESPN+

On Wednesday, UMBC's Anna Blount was named the America East Newcomer of the Year and earned a spot on the America East All-Conference Second Team. 

Last time out, Blount poured in 25 points and tied a career-high with 13 rebounds, but a pair of free throws with 1.1 seconds left gave visiting NJIT a 77-76 overtime last Thursday night at The Peake.

Jaden Walker tallied a career-high 16 points in the contest to go along with nine rebounds. Trinity Palacio added 12 points while Carmen Yánez chipped in 11 points of her own

The program honored Blount, Palacio and Maryama Turkstra with a ceremony prior to the game for Senior Night


Scouting Vermont:

• The Catamounts concluded their regular season with a 55-51 victory over UMass Lowell last Saturday afternoon at the Tsongas Center. With the victory, Vermont earned its third consecutive 20-win season, finishing 20-10 (12-4 AE). 
• Emma Utterback was named to the America East First Team for the third straight season, while Anna Olson garnered America East Second Team, All-Academic Team and All-Defensive Team. Keira Hanson earned America East Third Team and was named the Sixth Player of the Year. Delaney Richason was also named to the America East All-Academic Team.
• Utterback started and played all 30 games for Vermont, leading the Catamounts in scoring (14.3 points) and passing (4.0 assists) per game.
• She is seventh in the conference in field goal percentage (43.7%), sixth in scoring and third in total assists and assists per game. Her 121 total assists is ranked 86th in the nation as well. Utterback is fifth in America East in minutes per game (32.6) and fourth in total minutes played (978). 
• This is Olson's fourth overall selection having earned First Team honors a season ago and Third Team recognition in her first year season. This is also the first time in her career that Olson has been named to the America East All-Defensive Team. Olson earned All-Academic Team for the third consecutive year.
• This season, Olson has been an anchor for Vermont, leading the team in rebounding (5.9), shooting percentage (58.1), blocks (28) and blocks per game (0.9). She is also second on the team in scoring (11.7) which is good for ninth in America East. Her shooting percentage leads America East while her blocks per game is seventh and her total blocks are sixth.
• Hanson became the first Catamount to be named the America East Sixth Player of the Year. She scored in double figures in 11 games off the bench, including a career-high 20 points against Maine.
• Hanson led the Catamounts in bench points (202), three pointers made (42) and was second in three point percentage (37.2%) and she shot 41.5 percent from the floor. Her three pointers made is eighth in the conference and her 1.4 three pointers made per game is ranked ninth. Her 7.5 points per game were the most for a player coming off the bench in America East.
   

All-Time Series:

• The Catamounts lead the all-time series, 25-19, and have won the last four matchups, including a win in the America East Semifinals last season
• Carmen Yánez tied a career-high with 12 points, but UMBC fell, 69-45, at Vermont on 2/10.
• The Retrievers got the first basket of the game, but the hosts took the lead moments later and never looked back.
• Anna Blount paced the team with eight rebounds to go along with seven points, while Jaden Walker, Jaliena Sanchez and Trinity Palacio each added six points for UMBC.
• Jordon Lewis added four points and Paloma Iradier and Laura Lacambra watch recorded a bucket.
   

The winner of the game will advance to the America East Semifinals on Monday, hosted by the higher seed.