Big Green Drop Heartbreaker to Vermont in Final Seconds

Thursday, December 1

Hanover, N.H.

7:00 PM

Dartmouth College

1-5,0-0Ivy League

Vermont

5-3,0-0America East

Vermont

Dartmouth

Victoria Page ’25

Photo by: Doug Austin

Big Green Drop Heartbreaker to Vermont in Final Seconds

12/1/2022 10:22:00 PM | Women's Basketball

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The Catamounts’ 3-pointer with less than two seconds remaining stunned Dartmouth in a 67-66 defeat

By: Kyle Relf

HANOVER, N.H. — The Dartmouth women's basketball team gave Vermont all it could handle, but was upended in the final seconds by the Catamounts' clutch 3-pointer in a 67-66 loss Thursday night at Leede Arena.

The Big Green moved to 1-5 on the season, while Vermont improved to 5-3 with the non-conference win.

Powered by hot shooting from beyond the arc, the Big Green were 11-of-18 from downtown, including a staggering 10-of-14 showing in the first half. Dartmouth's 61.1 percent from three marked the eighth-highest clip by any team with 10 or more triples in a single game across Division I this season. Victoria Page knocked down five 3-pointers as part of her career-high 23 points.

Dartmouth held a 41-39 edge at halftime and still played the Catamounts evenly through the majority of the second half without the power of the three-ball, but was sunk by Catherine Gilwee's clutch game-winning 3-pointer with 1.7 seconds remaining. Time expired as Page collected the ensuing inbounds pass and attempted one last prayer.

During her career night, Page was 8-of-14 from the field and went for 19 points in a fast-paced first half. Mekkena Boyd and Grace Niekelski also scored in double figures with 13 and 11 respectively. Four Catamounts reached double figures, led by Gilwee's 18 points. Vermont was 17-of-23 at the free throw line, while Dartmouth was just 7-of-14.

The 3-pointers came early and often for Dartmouth in a hot start for both sides. Boyd set the tone with a pair of treys less than two minutes apart early in the first quarter before Carrington Washburn drained her first of the season. Page's first of the game followed and the Big Green trailed, 14-12. Dartmouth never led in the opening quarter, but tied the game, 20-20, with another Page three in the final seconds.

Vermont built a 26-20 lead in the early minutes of the second quarter, but Niekelski's triple kickstarted the Big Green offense as Page and Mia Curtis continued the 3-point barrage. Both sides traded buckets through the closing minutes of the second quarter until Page knocked down a deep 3-pointer at the halftime buzzer to put the Big Green on top, 41-39.

A slower-paced third quarter saw Dartmouth extend its lead to seven after Olivia Lawlor's bucket in the final minutes. Gilwee responded with a 3-pointer and the Catamounts eventually trailed by only one after another Gilwee basket, and the Big Green clung to a 55-53 lead heading into the fourth quarter after Niekelski knocked down one of two from the line.

Dartmouth looked to be in good shape with a 58-53 lead in the early minutes of the fourth thanks to buckets from Leiya Stuart, who transferred from Vermont, and Boyd, a Green Mountain State native. The Catamounts tied the game and took the lead, 61-60, with a pair of Gilwee free throws at the 5:09 mark and led by two after Anna Olson's trip to the line. The charity stripe continued to be crucial as both teams traded opportunities, right up until Boyd's make and miss at the line with 13 seconds remaining. Trailing 66-64, Vermont took full advantage of the last-shot opportunity as Gilwee spotted up on the perimeter and sunk the game-winning 3-pointer.

Dartmouth is set to play just its second road game of the season Saturday, traveling to Siena. The game begins at 2 p.m. and will be streamed live on ESPN+.