Vermont basketball vs. UConn: Keys to the NCAA Tournament matchup
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STORRS, Conn. - Legendary coach Geno Auriemma had high praise for the University of Vermont women’s basketball team.
The Catamounts take on Auriemma’s Big East champion and powerhouse Connecticut program on Saturday at 3 p.m. in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament at Gampel Pavilion.
“If you look at them on film and take away the Vermont jersey, you say ‘What team is that?’ They look as good as a lot of teams that we had on our schedule,” Auriemma said during Friday’s press conference.
No. 15 Vermont (25-6) is on a 17-game win streak and beat Albany in the America East championship to reach the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2010. The game will televised on ABC in the Catamounts' first national network TV appearance.
“We are here to play hard, to fight, we worked really hard to get here,” Vermont coach Alisa Kresge said. “That kind of mentality of we gotta rip off the name UConn and it’s a faceless opponent in a sense and remember that when tip happens.”
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Auriemma admires Vermont defense
Vermont’s eighth-ranked scoring defense (52.8 points allowed) led the Catamounts to their longest win streak since the 1992-93 season. UVM held opponents to 49 points on average over its three conference tournament wins.
“When you have a team that plays defense like that, when you have a team that's committed like that, they don't have to score a lot of points, even though they shoot the ball really well,” Auriemma said.
UConn assistant coach Morgan Valley, who starred at Rice Memorial, attributed Vermont’s success to Kresge, who was a three-time defensive player of the year at Marist.
“She gets them to play really hard and they play good defense, so I think they're a direct reflection of her when she was a player,” Valley said. “That final game (the America East championship) was a bit of a testament to that.”
Vermont is the 20th ranked mid-major, according to College Insider, and is looking to become the first 15 seed to beat a second-seeded program in tournament history.
“They play like a team that gets players that maybe were overlooked by bigger programs, and they play like they have something to prove,” Auriemma said.
Vermont keeps the big picture
Vermont’s seventh tournament appearance and first under the four-year coach Kresge comes against the storied Huskies (29-5), which many of the Catamount stars idolized growing up.
“Geno (Auriemma), we are respecting a ton and we are respecting the team and everything about UConn,” UVM guard Catherine Gilwee said. “But she (Kresge) said we can do that and also treat this game like every other game.”
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Vermont held two practices on Friday, the first being at the University of Hartford before travelling to Storrs for its first look at Gampel.
“We are seeing some offense again after that championship game,” Kresge said of practice. “They are playing loose and playing hard. I think the nerves will be there when tip happens and rightfully so, but we are in a situation where nobody expects us to win. … If you play in awe, it’s already over.”
Catamounts can’t miss to start practice at Gampel Pavilion. pic.twitter.com/1H8d2oIxje
— Jake Rousseau (@ByJacobRousseau) March 17, 2023
Emma Utterback shared a similar message.
“Step on that floor and own it and own the experience and don't let the moment get too big,” Utterback said. “Anyone can win a basketball game no matter how good a team is.”
March Madness: Coverage of UVM basketball teams in the 2023 NCAA Tournament
America East championship starters:
▶Catherine Gilwee: 10.5 ppg, 3.1 apg, 2.5 rpg.
▶Emma Utterback: 14 ppg, 4.2 apg, 3.2 rpg.
▶Bella Vito: 3.5 ppg, 1.5 apg, 5.0 rpg.
▶Anna Olson: 11.7 ppg, 1.5 apg, 6.7 rpg.
▶Delaney Richason: 9.2 ppg, 4.4 rpg.
Big East championship starters:
▶Aaliyah Edwards: 16.6 ppg, 2.4 apg, 9.2 rpg.
▶Nika Mühl: 7.3 ppg, 7.8 apg, 4.0 rpg.
▶Lou Lopez Sénéchal: 15.7 ppg, 1.7 apg, 3.2 rpg.
▶Dorka Juhász: 14.3 ppg, 3.0 apg, 10.0 rpg.
▶Aubrey Griffin: 12.1 ppg, 1.3 apg, 6.8 rpg.
Contact Jacob Rousseau at JRousseau@gannett.com. Follow on Twitter: @ByJacobRousseau
TV, radio, stream information
Teams: (15) Vermont vs. (2) Connecticut
Site: Harry A. Gampel Pavilion in Storrs, Connecticut
Date: Saturday, March 18
Tip-off: 3 p.m. eastern (approx.)
TV: ABC
Stream: ESPN3
This article originally appeared on Burlington Free Press: Vermont basketball vs. UConn: Keys to the NCAA Tournament matchup
