Vermont Catamounts Secure America East Championship, Advance to NCAA Tournament

BURLINGTON, Vt. – The Vermont Catamounts women’s basketball team defeated the Maine Black Bears 61-43 on Friday night, securing their second consecutive America East Conference championship and an automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament. The championship game took place at Patrick Gymnasium in Burlington, Vermont.

Key Performances

Keira Hanson led Vermont with a game-high 23 points. Malia Lenz contributed a double-double performance for the Catamounts. For Maine, Adrianna Smith, the America East Player of the Year, finished with 22 points, 15 rebounds, and four assists despite the loss. Lala Woods added eight points for the Black Bears, while Asta Blauenfeldt scored seven.

Game Recap

Maine started strong, opening with a 9-2 run fueled by four early points from Smith. A triple by Woods extended Maine’s lead to 9-2 with 4:29 remaining in the first quarter. However, Vermont responded with a 19-2 run of their own, taking a 21-11 lead late in the first half.

Vermont continued to build their advantage, leading by eight points, 29-21, at halftime. They outscored Maine 19-10 in the third quarter, extending their lead to 48-31. While Smith scored back-to-back baskets to start the fourth quarter, narrowing the deficit to 13, Maine was unable to close the gap further.

Season Summary

The Maine Black Bears finished the season with a 19-13 record. Adrianna Smith had a standout season, leading the America East in scoring (22.2 points per game), rebounding (10.5 rebounds per game), and assists (4.7 assists per game) – the first player in conference history to lead in all three categories.

Vermont’s victory marks their second straight America East crown and their second consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance. The Catamounts previously made back-to-back tournament appearances in 2009 and 2010.

Looking Ahead

Vermont will now await their seeding in the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament. Maine’s season concludes with a strong showing in the America East Championship, falling just short of a return to the NCAA Tournament.