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Buschmann Leads UVM Women's Basketball Past Saint Michael's

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Created on Sunday, 30 October 2011 04:15

Written by George Commo

Posts a double-double with game-highs of 23 points and 17 rebounds

Courtesy of Vermont Sports Information

BURLINGTON – Junior Lauren Buschmann posted a double-double with game-highs of 23 points and 17 rebounds to lead the Vermont women's basketball team to a 64-55 victory over neighboring Saint Michael's College in an exhibition game at Patrick Gymnasium on Saturday afternoon.

Vermont scored the first six points of the game and Buschmann dropped in six of UVM's first eight points of the contest.  The Purple Knights trailed 10-8 at the 15:40 mark, but SMC scored five straight and a 3-pointer by Caitlin Quinn pushed Saint Michael's in front, 11-10, for its first lead of the game.

Neither team held more than a three-point advantage the rest of the half.  The Catamounts struggled shooting the ball from the perimeter, but a 3-pointer by sophomore Sam Simononis with four seconds remaining in the half snapped a 1-for-13 drought and gave UVM a 32-30 lead at the break.

In the opening minutes of the second half, freshman Kayla Burchill broke a 38-38 tie with a 3-pointer and followed with a layup to open up a five-point lead for the Catamounts.  Fellow newcomer Tierra Shumpert added a three-point play to push UVM's lead to seven, 46-39, with 12:09 remaining.

The Purple Knights closed to within two points four different times, but the Catamounts put together an 11-5 run, which included a key 3-pointer by freshman Niki Taylor, over the final 5:23 of the contest to hold off Saint Michael's and come away with the 64-55 victory.

“It was a little closer than we had hoped, but Saint Michael's played a really well thought out and a strategically smart, aggressive game and I give (head coach) Jen (Niebling) a lot of credit," said Vermont head coach Lori Gear McBride. "I was particularly pleased with Lauren Buschmann, she really dominated inside and I thought Kristine Lalonde was solid for us and organizing us. We have a lot of young players so it might get a little frantic out there at times. But overall I was really pleased with the effort."

Taylor joined Buschmann in double figures with 11 points and five rebounds (four offensive) and newcomer Shavonne White added nine points and three steals. 

The Catamounts forced SMC into 28 turnovers and out rebounded the Purple Knights 42-39 for the game.

Quinn led Saint Michael's in scoring with 16 points, behind a 4-for-8 effort from three-point range.  Kayla Carnell chipped in 10 points and added four rebounds.

Vermont will host Franklin Pierce University on Saturday (Nov. 5) at 4:30 p.m. in the team's final preseason tune up.  The game can be heard on WVMT-620 AM and online at SportsJuice.com.  Live video will also be available via CatamounTV at UVMathletics.com for free.