With seven seconds left in overtime, a pair of free throws converted by Vermont senior forward Candice Wright gave the team a 58-57 edge. An attempt by BU to take the lead on a layup was off the mark, and the Catamounts secured the final defensive rebound to seal the contest. Vermont (7-11, 3-3 America East) and Binghamton (7-11, 2-3 AE) were evenly matched throughout the game, with Binghamton’s greatest lead coming at 51-45 with about a minute and a half remaining in regulation. At that point, however, the tides turned, and the advantage did not last as Vermont went on a 6-0 run in the remaining 90 seconds to tie the game and force overtime.

The Bearcats began overtime by netting a jumper made by junior guard Kai Moon, but as the clock continued to count down, Vermont junior forward Hanna Crymble was able to make four free throws, putting the Bearcats down 56-54. There was hope for the Bearcats when Moon cashed in a 3-pointer, putting the team up by one, but with Vermont being 100 percent accurate with free throws one the day, it was unlikely that Wright would falter.

Throughout the overtime period, Vermont failed to score a single field goal, with all seven of its points coming at the free-throw line.

While Vermont was 100 percent accurate on the free-throw line, Binghamton struggled in this area, making just eight out of their 17 free-throw attempts. The Bearcats excelled in other areas, however, as sophomore forward Olivia Ramil had a career-high three blocks to go with five rebounds and eight points. Junior guard Carly Boland had three steals and seven points, and senior forward Rebecca Carmody had eight rebounds and eight points.

The most notable story of the game for Binghamton was the return of Moon to the court. Since suffering an injury on Nov. 21 against Lehigh, Moon had played in just one game. Coming off the bench against Marquette, she played 20 minutes and put nine points on the board. After entering Saturday’s game midway through the first quarter, Moon appeared to finally be back at full health, as she was netted a career-high 25 points and sank all five of her attempted 3-pointers. She poured in eight of 10 field goals, making for an impressive comeback game.

Crymble’s performance was the highlight of the dramatic win for UVM. Her 21 points led the team, and she finished third with six rebounds. Crymble is averaging 15.4 points on the season, good enough for fourth in the conference.

The loss against UVM marks the Bearcats’ third loss in conference play and is reminiscent of an earlier nonconference matchup against Rider University. In both games, the Bearcats struggled in the final few minutes of the game, resulting in several fouls against them that sabotaged the team’s lead.

As conference play rolls on, the Bearcats will have to look to get back on track and increase their win total. On Sunday, the team will play one of its toughest games of the season as they travel to face the defending champion and AE preseason favorite Maine. The Black Bears (12-7, 5-1 AE) are led by junior guard Blanca Millan whose 17.4 scoring average leads the conference.

Before the trip to Maine, the Bearcats will have another chance to improve their America East record this Wednesday when they head on the road to face UMass Lowell. Tipoff is set for at 11 a.m. from the Costello Athletic Center in Lowell, Massachusetts.