Sacred Heart University Department of Athletics
Vermont
Women's Basketball Closes Out Non-Conference Play Sunday vs Vermont
12/13/2025 10:04:00 AM | Women's Basketball
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THE LEAD
Believe it or not, the first part of the Pioneers schedule comes to a close on Sunday afternoon when Sacred Heart welcomes the Vermont Catamounts for the non-conference finale. The final test before opening up MAAC league play is set for a 2:00 p.m. tip-off at the William H. Pitt Center.
SCOUTING SACRED HEART
After back-to-back one-possession losses, the Pioneers will look to close out their non-conference schedule with a notch in the win column when they host the Albany Great Danes on Sunday. Leading the Pioneers into the weekend match-up with the Catamounts is senior guard Amelia Wood who has scored double figures in six of the eight games this season, including a season-high for all players of 20 on the road against CCSU. For the season she is the lone player to average double figures at 12.8 ppg. Additionally, Wood is second on the team in rebounding with a 5.6 per game average and assists with 14 and leads the team with 17 steals and six blocks. After increasing her career-high in scoring to 19 against UAlbany, junior forward Nalyce Dudley vaulted into the second position in the scoring column with an average of 9.0 ppg while shooting at a team-high 45 percent (29-of-65). As a team, the Pioneers are shooting 34.5 percent from the field (148-of-429) with 32 of the 148 baskets from outside the arc. Despite a season low 13 turnovers against UAlbany, the biggest area of improvement for the Pioneers needs to come in ball control as they are currently turning the ball over at a clip of 19.1 turnovers per game.
SCOUTING VERMONT
Winners of their last two games, the Catamounts enter Sunday with an 8-3 overall record with the eight wins tied for the most among the America East's nine teams. As a team, Vermont is outscoring its opponents by 18.0 ppg, averaging 72.4 points while holding their opponents to just 54.4 percent. Much of that scoring average comes thanks to a 48.7% field goal percentage with 72 three-point field goals among their 316 total made buckets. Individually, three Catamounts are averaging in double figures, led by senior center Nikola Priede who contributes 14.8 ppg and is also the leading rebounder at 7.8 per game and leads the way with 18 blocks. A pair of senior guards follow her in the scoring column with Keira Hanson averaging 14.3 ppg and Jadyn Weltz chipping in 11.8 ppg.
SERIES HISTORY vs VERMONT
· Sunday's game will be the fourth meeting between the two New England teams.
· Overall, Vermont owns a 2-1 record in the three previous matchups, the most recent coming two seasons ago in Burlington.
· Sacred Heart won the initial meeting back in December 2014, a 10-point victory on its home court.
· Vermont picked up the win the next season in Burlington and again won on their home court in the most recent meeting on December 20, 2023.
NEXT TIME OUT
When they return to the court at the end of the upcoming week, it's back to a 0-0 record for the Sacred Heart women's basketball team as they reset and open up MAAC action on Friday, December 19 with a trip to New Rochelle to take on the Iona Gaels. Opening tip-off in the conference opener is set for 6:00 p.m. with all of the action available live on ESPN+.
