SCORE: Vermont 64, UAlbany 59
 
LOCATION: Broadview Center - Albany, N.Y.
 
RECORDS: UAlbany 18-3, 7-1 America East | Vermont 15-7, 7-1 America East
 
SHORT STORY: In a neck-and-neck contest, five points were the difference as the Great Danes fell to Vermont, 64-59, Thursday night.
 
COACH COLLEEN MULLEN: "Vermont got off to a very strong start. They are a tough defensive team and kept us off balance at the offensive end. I was proud of how our team battled back and put themselves in a position to win the game."
 
KEY STATS

• Freshman Deja Evans led with 21 points while adding six rebounds.
• Following Evans with 17 points, senior Kayla Cooper tallied a team-high seven rebounds.
• Junior Abby Ray shared the team-high with seven rebounds. Both Cooper and Ray totaled three offensive and four defensive boards.
• Relying on defense, graduate student Helene Haegerstrand totaled three blocks for her third game of the season with multiple blocks.
• Continuing her role as the floor general, graduate student Sarah Karpell totaled six assists for the second consecutive contest.

 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• Despite the Great Danes taking the first basket, the Catamounts went on to tally four consecutive baskets for an 8-2 lead just over three minutes into the game.
• Gradually closing the gap throughout the remainder of the quarter, UAlbany finished the first quarter down, 17-15.
• Trading baskets throughout the start of the second, Vermont tallied the first scoring run with two field goals in a 90-second time frame.
• UVM earned a 29-22 advantage with 4:06 on the clock but the Great Dane defense held off the Catamounts for four minutes while they closed the lead to two, 29-27, after a three-pointer from Meghan Huerter and a layup from Kayla Cooper.
• The Catamounts got the last say heading into halftime with a jumper just four seconds before the first half ended.
• Vermont jumped to a double-digit point lead late in the third quarter with an 8-0 scoring run throughout five minutes. 
• Kicking up the offense in the final two minutes of the third, the Great Danes notched seven points while allowing two to make it a 46-38 game with one quarter remaining.
• Holding off the Catamount offense to just two points in over three minutes to start the fourth, UAlbany tallied a 7-2 scoring run to make it a one-possession game, 48-45, at 7:40.
• Continuously slashing at the Catamounts' lead throughout the next two minutes, a three-pointer from Helene Haegerstrand put the game within one, 53-52, at 4:22.
• A three-pointer and two free throws proved to be the difference in the game result as Vermont gained a six-point lead with just over minutes remaining. 
• The Great Danes consistently hit their shots but successful free throws from the Catamounts helped seal the deal in a 64-59 UAlbany loss.

 
NEXT: The Great Danes head on the road to face UMBC in an afternoon contest on Saturday (Feb. 3).
 
For more information on the University at Albany women's basketball team, follow the squad's official social media accounts shown below.
Twitter - @ualbanywbb
Instagram & Threads - @ualbanywbb
Facebook – facebook.com/UAlbanyWBB