Brown University
6-3
Vermont
3-6
Steeves' Double-Double Leads Women's Hoops Past Vermont, 62-50
12/8/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
BURLINGTON, Vt. – Sophomore forward Erika Steeves recorded her fourth double-double of the season behind a game-high 17 points and a game-best 11 rebounds to lead Brown University women's basketball past the University of Vermont, 62-50, on Thursday afternoon at Patrick Gymnasium.
The Bears (6-3) used a 22-5 run to turn a 36-36 tie with 1:51 left in the third quarter into a 58-41 edge over the host Catamounts (3-6) with 6:00 remaining. Brown played in Vermont's "Catamount Classroom" event with over 1,000 students from local elementary schools attending the game.
Steeves (Montreal, Quebec) posted her third double-double in her last four games and added a career-best four blocks. She has grabbed 10 or more boards six times this season.
Sophomore guard Taylor Will (Arlington Heights, Ill.) netted 13 points on 6-of-12 shooting for her eighth game this year in double figures. Freshman forward Kathleen Ryan (Clarence Center, N.Y.) scored a career-high 12 points, sinking 4-of-5 shots from 3-point distance in her first collegiate game in double figures.
Sophomore guard Shayna Mehta (San Francisco, Calif.) and freshman guard Abby O'Keefe (St. Louis, Mo.) each notched nine points while junior guard Megan Reilly (Norwood, N.J.) totaled six rebounds, a game-high four assists, and a career-best two blocks.
Brown held Vermont to 28.8-percent shooting (19-of-66) for the game.
The Bears scored the first six points of the second half to pull ahead 31-24 before UVM netted eight consecutive points to take a 32-31 lead with 4:41 left in the third quarter. A trey from the top of the key from Ryan and a jumper from O'Keefe kept it tied 36-36 with 1:51 to go in the stanza.
The Bears then began their 22-5 run starting with a 24-foot 3-pointer from O'Keefe. Will followed with a steal and score and Steeves made a layup to give Brown a 43-36 advantage heading into the fourth quarter.
A wing 3-pointer from Ryan capped a 12-2 spurt and gave Brown a 48-38 lead. Baskets from O'Keefe, Mehta, and Steeves helped comprise 10 unanswered points as the Bears finished their 22-5 run with a 58-41 lead with 6:00 left.
Brown took an early 10-8 lead behind 3-pointers from Steeves and Mehta before using a 10-0 run to gain a 20-8 edge at the 9:20 mark of the second quarter. Ryan knocked down a pair of 3-pointers and Will converted a pair of driving layups to fuel the streak.
The Catamounts responded with nine straight points and a 14-1 run overall to pull ahead 22-21 with 4:00 to go until halftime. Will answered with a triple 10 seconds later, and Brown brought a 25-24 edge into the locker room.
In the first half, the Bears connected on 5-of-8 shots (62.5 percent) from behind the arc and held the hosts to 9-of-35 shooting (25.7 percent) from the field.
For Vermont, Lauren Handy scored 16 points, Hanna Crymble posted a double-double on 11 points and 10 rebounds, and Kristina White netted 12 points. Brown has won the last four meetings vs. UVM.
Next, Brown breaks for finals prior to hosting Saint Peter's on Thursday, Dec. 22 at 1:00 p.m. at the Pizzitola Sports Center.
Video of all Brown women's basketball home contests and all Ivy League games, home and away, will be broadcast live on ILDN.TV/BROWN.
Tickets for all Brown women's basketball games can be purchased online, by calling the Brown Athletics Ticket Office at (401) 863-2773, or by walking up to the box office located in the Pizzitola Sports Center, open Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
