Steen Scores 32 in Dartmouth's Win over Undefeated Vermont

Tuesday, November 22

Burlington, Vt.

5:00 PM

Dartmouth College

Vermont

Women's Basketball Announces 2011-12 Schedule

Steen Scores 32 in Dartmouth's Win over Undefeated Vermont

11/22/2011 8:47:00 PM | Women's Basketball

By: Dartmouth

BURLINGTON, Vt. - Junior guard Faziah Steen (Detroit, Mich.) scored a career-best 32 points and added a career-high 11 rebounds for her first career double-double to lead the Dartmouth women's basketball team to a 72-62 win over previously undefeated Vermont on Tuesday night at Patrick Gymnasium. Steen's 32 points marks the first 30-point game for the Big Green since the 2007 season.

Steen filled the statsheet for the Big Green with team-highs in points (32) and rebounds (11) while also picking up five steals and three assists with only one turnover on the night. Joining Steen in double figures was senior center Sasha Dosenko (Kiev, Ukraine) with 12 points.

Dartmouth (2-2) held a 22-point lead at the 11:58 mark of the second half before the Catamounts went on a 11-4 run to cut the Big Green lead to 15 points at the under eight minute timeout. Vermont (4-1) made eight free throws down the stretch, to get the Dartmouth lead into single digits with 1:19 left in the game but Dartmouth maintained its composure and went 4-of-5 from the stripe in the final minute to seal its second consecutive win over the twin state rival.

For the second consecutive game the Big Green shot better than 40 percent from the floor and concluded the game shooting 46.7 percent (21-of-45) from the floor. Dartmouth again made a statement on the defensive end, holding the Catamounts to just 25.9 percent (17-of-66) from the floor. The Big Green also got on the glass, outrebounding the Catamounts, 44-37.

Owning a 37-19 halftime lead, the Catamounts came out and went bucket-for-bucket with the Big Green but couldn't get the lead any lower than 20 points in the first 10 minutes of the half allowing the Big Green to jump out to a 22-point lead.

Lauren Buschmann was Vermont's catalyst in the second half. After going 0-for-2 in the first half, she was 10-of-11 in the second half and was able to get in the paint, scoring 22 of her 28 points in the second half. Despite allowing the Catamounts to cut the lead to single digits the Big Green held on for its second consecutive win.

The Big Green and Catamounts played a very defensive-oriented first half with neither team really getting into an offensive rhythm but upperclassmen Dosenko and Steen were able to jumpstart the offense accounting for 12 of Dartmouth's first 16 points.

Dartmouth utilized an 11-0 run to pull out to an 18-10 lead at the 8:49 mark of the first half. Steen led the Big Green with her sharpshooting with seven points in the stretch including nailing two triples while holding the Catamounts scoreless for more than five minutes.

Vermont ended the drought with a bucket in the paint from Lauren Buschmann but Dartmouth responded with an 11-2 run, sparked with a bucket from Steen, to extend its lead to 32-14 at the four-minute media timeout. The Big Green shot a blistering 50 percent (12-of-24) from the floor and was 11-of-12 from the free throw stripe in the first half.

Dartmouth returns to the hardwood after the Thanksgiving break and will take on Providence on Saturday (Nov. 26) at 2 p.m. in Rhode Island. Tipoff is set for 2 p.m.

Big Green Sidelines

- The Big Green is celebrating the birthdays of junior captain Faziah Steen and freshman Milica Toskovic. They are the only two players to have games on their birthday this season but seven players have birthdays during the season.

-Freshman Kamala Thompson made her first career start tonight.

-The Big Green used their third lineup this season.

-The win is Dartmouth's second consecutive over its Twin State rival.

-Dartmouth won the battle of the glass for the second time this season and for the second consecutive game.