ualbany wbb WBB - Game 21/Conference Game 8 - vs Vermont, Broadview Center, Albany, NY, Thursday, February 1, 2024, 7:00PM

[cwdickens]

A critical game, I have not seen or heard any updates on Meghan Huerter or Lily Phillips injury status.

Vermont WBB comes into this game with an overall record of 14-7 and 6-1 in conference record.

Feb 1 (Thu) 7:00 PM

AE

vs 

Vermont

Spread Respect/International Players' Night

Albany, N.Y. Broadview Center

• ESPN+
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• Int'l Video
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• Tickets
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• History

Edited February 1 by cwdickens
correction

[cwdickens]

College Insider Mid-Major Poll UAlbany WBB comes in at #18............

[alum73]

Heading says Saturday.  Game is Thursday. 

[cwdickens]

UALBANY WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

 

Team seeking offensive spark

 

By Pete Dougherty

Jim Franco/Times Union archive

UAlbany’s Helene Haegerstrand is averaging 9.8 points and 28.8 minutes a game this season. “Everyone (has to) just stay ready,” she said.

VERMONT AT UALBANY

When: 7 p.m. Thursday

Where: Broadview Center, Albany

TV: ESPN+ (streaming)

ALBANY — Beauty was in the eyes of the trophy-holder. The America East women’s basketball championship game last March was attractive only to those who savor defense.

The University of Albany and Vermont shot a combined 24 percent, resulting in 89 rebounds. Vermont had three players in double figures for rebounding, and the Catamounts persevered for a 38-36 victory at Patrick Gymnasium and the conference’s bid to the NCAA Tournament.

 

The teams had tied for the regular-season title at 14-2. Vermont got the No. 1 seed and home court for the final because of a tie-breaker. That underscores the importance of regular-season games such as Thursday night’s meeting between UAlbany and Vermont at Broadview Center.

“We don’t go to one site and play back-to-back-to-back (in the tournament),” Great Danes coach Colleen Mullen said Wednesday. “You’re hosting if you’re the higher seed.

“Playing in Patrick Gym last year, with a sold-out crowd in a small gym, it was an electric environment, but it was a tough environment to play in. We are comfortable at home. Broadview is an amazing place to play. We have a great record at home. We want to give us ourselves the best chance to go to the NCAA Tournament, and being able to host and being the 1-seed is what makes every game in the conference important.”

Not only are the Great Danes (18-2, 7-0 America East) on a 14-game winning streak — tied for third-longest in the nation entering Wednesday — they have won 20 consecutive home games. That includes the final 10 of last season, when Hudson Valley Community College was their home base.

UAlbany could be a bit compromised against Vermont (14-7, 6-1), whose only conference loss was Jan. 6 at Maine. The Danes lost guards Meghan Huerter (right ankle) and Lilly Phillips (lower right leg) in their 54-46 victory over New Hampshire on Saturday.

“They’re day-to-day,” Mullen said. “They haven’t practiced. They’ve done some shooting. We’re hopeful that they’ll be able to play, but we’re not sure. We’re preparing for the worst, hoping for the best.”

The Danes have only 10 players. Seven of them are averaging more than 17 minutes per game.

“Everyone (has to) just stay ready,” said graduate forward Helene Haegerstrand, averaging 9.8 points and 28.8 minutes a game. “It doesn’t matter if you start or not, we’re all getting minutes, and we all have to perform in our minutes to be able to do what we do.”

Haegerstrand, Phillips, Lucia Decortes and Kayla Cooper all were a part of that tournament game in Vermont, the lowest-scoring in America East history.

“That was a grind-out fight,” Mullen said. “No basket came easy, and the difference last year was that Emma Utterback (18 of Vermont’s 38 points) had that breakout speed in transition that we didn’t have, and she got some easy baskets.”

Heading into Thursday’s game, UAlbany topped the nation’s 348 Division I schools in scoring defense

(50.6). Vermont was seventh.

“We have to have another defensive-minded game to stop them in transition, but figure out a way to score a little bit better,” Mullen said. “The only way to do that against a team that’s so disciplined and methodical is to move the ball side to side, make them play for a lot of the shot clock, then getting the ball inside and getting their bigs in foul trouble.”

[tnehurley]

Well, I’m very happy to hear that Lilly and Meghan are listed as “day to day.”  Both of their injuries looked to be a lot worse, particularly Lilly’s. Hope they can give us some minutes and points tonight.  If not, we go with what we have. Unfortunate to possibly be short-handed for such a big game though, and with a road game at UMBC on Sat. afternoon.

[UAalum72]

Meg and Lillly both in the layup line

[jimbo]

Tough fought game, but UVM just a little better. Some foul trouble didn’t help. 

[cwdickens]

I must question the substitutions timimgs and the lack of shots from beyond the arc, most of our shots came with under 10 seconds left on the shot clock.  Perhaps, a healthier team, the actual game plan may have been different with a different result.  Our team can go up to Burlington and beat this Vermont team.

[cwdickens]

2023-24 Women's Basketball Standings

 

2023-24 Women's Basketball Standings

SCHOOL	CONF	CPCT.	OVERALL	PCT.	STREAK
UAlbany	7-1	.875	18-3	.857	L1
Vermont	7-1	.875	15-7	.682	W6
Maine	7-1	.875	14-8	.636	W2
UMBC	4-4	.500	8-12	.400	W2
Bryant	3-5	.375	10-11	.476	L2
Binghamton	3-5	.375	8-13	.381	W1
UMass Lowell	3-5	.375	3-17	.150	L4
New Hampshire	2-6	.250	8-13	.381	L2
NJIT	0-8	.000	8-13	.381	L8

Edited February 2 by cwdickens

[jimbo]

1 hour ago, cwdickens said:

I must question the substitutions timimgs and the lack of shots from beyond the arc, most of our shots came with under 10 seconds left on the shot clock.  Perhaps, a healthier team, the actual game plan may have been different with a different result.  Our team can go up to Burlington and beat this Vermont team.

There were shockingly few three pointers and the FT% was uncharacteristic for these players. Maybe some jitters or really good defense by the Cats. 

[UAalum72]

5 hours ago, jimbo said:

There were shockingly few three pointers and the FT% was uncharacteristic for these players. Maybe some jitters or really good defense by the Cats. 

Phillips shot 0-1 with 4 fouls in 15 minutes. Huerter was 1-2 from 3 in <19 minutes. Pretty sure their injuries limited their effectiveness. Plus Karpell kept driving into the crowd in the paint where she didn’t have much chance to get a shot off.

[cwdickens]

10 hours ago, jimbo said:

There were shockingly few three pointers and the FT% was uncharacteristic for these players. Maybe some jitters or really good defense by the Cats. 

 

4 hours ago, UAalum72 said:

Phillips shot 0-1 with 4 fouls in 15 minutes. Huerter was 1-2 from 3 in <19 minutes. Pretty sure their injuries limited their effectiveness. Plus Karpell kept driving into the crowd in the paint where she didn’t have much chance to get a shot off.

I think Coach Mullen game plan called for limited three point shooting....