The University of Vermont Catamounts fell just three points short against the St. Louis University Billikens on Wednesday night — missing out on what would have been a first-ever appearance in the Women’s National Invitation Tournament championship game.
Despite leading by nine points midway though the third quarter, the Catamounts could not withstand a strong comeback from St. Louis and were left heartbroken at the final buzzer. The women’s basketball team ended their season with the 54-57 loss at their home gym in Burlington.
It was the UVM women’s first appearance in a Women’s National Invitation Tournament semifinal game, and it came off the back of their spectacular win on the road against Purdue on Monday evening.
Vermont head coach Alisa Kresge rued the team’s missed chances in comments after the game.
“Tonight, a couple shots that we normally make didn’t roll in,” Kresge said in a press release from UVM Athletics. “If they do, it’s a different ending.”
Offensively it was a slow start to the game, with both teams even on 13 points at the beginning of the second quarter.
Baskets from guard Keira Hanson and center Nikola Priede built some momentum for the Catamounts. Then guard Bella Vito capped it off with a clean 3-pointer followed by a mid-range jump shot to put her team ahead by seven, 24-17, going into halftime.
The third quarter dealt a heavy blow to the Catamounts’ hopes of making it to the final. St. Louis orchestrated an 8-0 scoring run, then a 7-2 run, to regain the lead and enter the final quarter four points ahead, 41-37.
The Catamounts put up a valiant effort to claw back their advantage. Two long-range shots from guard Andjela Matic brought Vermont within two points with less than five minutes left in the game.
But a 6-0 final scoring push from the Billikens put the game just out reach for Vermont. Despite late layups from forward Anna Olson, the Catamounts saw their chance of making it to the championship game just slip from their grasp as a free throw from St. Louis sealed a narrow victory for the visitors.
It put an end to a history-making season for Vermont women’s basketball. The Catamounts’ three postseason wins in the Women’s National Invitation Tournament are the most by an America East program, men’s or women’s, in a single season.
It was also the end of college play for two graduate students — guard Emma Utterback and forward Delaney Richason. The duo depart Vermont as all-time leaders in games played with 136.
In a press conference after the game, an emotional Utterback reflected on the progress made by UVM’s women’s basketball program.
“When I first got here, no one really paid attention to Vermont women’s basketball,” she said before thanking Catamount fans for packing Patrick Gym. “The show-out where you could barely see an empty seat, it was so special. That’s what gets me so choked up, that we were able to do that.”
St. Louis will face off against Minnesota University in the championship game on Friday evening. Tipoff is slated for 3 p.m. and can be streamed on ESPN +.
