For Immediate Release: January 20, 2007
Contact: Joshua J. Darling (dobrian@binghamton.edu)
Phone: 607-777-6478

Binghamton women's basketball deals Vermont second straight loss, 64-55
Thompson nets 13 points and eight rebounds; Lindgren ties career-high with eight boards

Box Score

VESTAL, N.Y.- Junior forward Brianna Thompson (Chehalis, Wash.) led three Bearcats in double-figures with 13 points and pulled down a game-high tying eight rebounds, leading Binghamton (6-12, 2-3 AE) to a 64-55 victory over Vermont (13-5, 3-2 AE) in an America East Conference women's basketball game on Saturday afternoon at the Events Center. The win is Binghamton's third consecutive over the Catamounts dating back to January 24, 2006.

After trailing by as many as 15 points in the first half, Vermont rallied to tie the score at 49-49 with 4:23 to play in the second half behind eight points each from freshman guard May Kotsopoulos and senior guard Brittney Cross. An 11-2 run by the Bearcats over the next 2:48, however, put the game well out of reach as Binghamton retook the lead 60-51 and wrapped up the 64-55 victory. In the final minute of play, BU connected on 9-of-10 free throws, including 6-of-6 from senior guard Rebecka Lindgren (Oskarshamn, Sweden).

For Vermont, Kotsopoulos led all scorers with 14 points and freshman guard Courtnay Pilypaitis added 13 points, four rebounds and three assists. Cross finished with 10 points to round out the Catamounts double-figure scoring.

Joining Thompson in double-digits for the Bearcats were sophomore forward Laura Franceski (Moscow, Pa.) and junior guard Laura Sario (Espoo, Finland) with 12 points each. Franceski added five rebounds and a game-high four blocks while Sario grabbed three boards and dished out three assists in 35 minutes of action. Lindgren chipped in with eight points and tied her career-high with eight rebounds.

In the first half, Binghamton dominated the first ten minutes of play as they opened up a 20-5 lead by the 9:22 mark and hit on eight of their first seventeen shots. At the same time, the Bearcats limited Vermont to 2-of-17 shooting from the field and held Pilypaitis, the six-time America East Rookie of the Week recipient, scoreless for the first 11:34 of the contest. The Catamounts would eventually narrow the gap to nine points to trail 29-20 at the half.

For the game, the Bearcats shot 47.8 percent (22-46) from the field and connected on 19-of-22 foul shots (86.4 percent) while Vermont finished at 39 percent shooting (24-61).

Binghamton travels to defending conference champion Hartford this Wednesday for a 7 p.m. contest.

Game Notes: Laura Franceski was named Player of the Game for Binghamton while May Kotsopoulous collected the honor for Vermont.