By SCOTT NOVAK

Niles Daily Star

NOTRE DAME, Ind. – Despite a 1-for-13 start from the field in the second half and watching a 14-point lead evaporate, No. 10 seeded Vermont held off No. 7 seed Wisconsin 64-55 at the Purcell Pavilion Sunday afternoon.

Vermont will now face either host Notre Dame or Cleveland State in the second round of the NCAA Tournament on Tuesday.

The Catamounts (27-2) and the Badgers (21-11) battled for control of the game early on with neither team able to build more than a four-point lead through the first 10 minutes of the opening half.

Vermont was able to keep the game close because of the efforts of its post players – Alissa Sheftic, Lauren Buschmann and Kendra Seto.

“They played extremely well,” Vermont coach Sharon Dawley said. “Everyone talks about our guards and works really hard to defend our guards, so our bigs help us out a lot. When Alissa Sheftic for one example, started turning it on a month ago, that’s when we got solid and was the piece that we were missing.

“Also Kendra Seto has been playing well and Lauren Buschmann has been coming into her own. It’s a matter that they have to do that to draw defenders off. They will start that and then Courtnay (Pilypaitis) will get open and shoot the ball, and the posts are a big part of it,” she added.

A 10-0 run by Vermont allowed the Catamounts to take a 21-11 lead on a jumper by Pilypaitis with 8:09 to play in the first half.

The lead would reach 25-13 with 6:12 showing on the clock when Pilypaitis connected again.

The Badgers made a run of their own in the final six minutes of the first half as they outscored Vermont 12-6 to cut the lead down to 33-25 at the intermission.

Wisconsin continued its roll in the opening five minutes of the second half and cut the 33-32 on a 3-point play by Lin Zastrow.

The Badgers finally reclaimed the lead for the first time since the opening minutes of the first half when Alyssa Karel knocked down a 3-pointer with 15:13 to play to make it a 35-33 contest.

The deficit reached four points moments later and despite the woeful shooting in the first eight minutes of the second half, Vermont found itself down just 39-36 with 12:38 to play.

“We were very lucky that we had the exact same scenario last weekend in the championship game,” Dawley pointed out. “I think something happens to you when you have a lead. I don’t think that we sit back on it, but sometimes mentally you try and protect the lead instead of playing basketball. So we just talked a lot about last weekend to play the game we know how to and be fine.”

Two minutes later, May Kotsopoulos tied the game at 39-39 with a 3-pointer and a layup by Pilypaitis with 9:24 left in the game gave the Catamounts the lead for good at 41-39.

Vermont was able to keep the Badgers at bay by knocking down a shot here and there and then when the game turned into a free throw shooting contest, the Catamounts connected from there are well.

Vermont made 11-of-12 over the final three minutes to seal the victory.

Pilypaitis hit five of those free throws and finished with a game-high 25 points. Kotsopoulos added 14 points for the Catamounts.

“I think their defense, first of all, gave their offense a spark,” Wisconsin coach Lisa Stone said. “Our impatience offensively against their trapping defense and zone gave them opportunities. Look they scored 21 points off of turnovers. Defensively in the second half we were very good, they only scored three points until the 13-minute mark. It was less about them (Pilypaitis and Kotsopoulos), and more about their team.

“They are solid; their posts did a nice job for them. They do the little things really well. They kept the ball alive and won some 50/50 balls. They are a very good, veteran team. Pilypaitis and Kotsopoulos are both very good but their entire team is really solid,” she added.

Wisconsin was led by Alyssa Karel’s 13 points. Zastrow ended up with 11 points.

VERMONT 64

Sofia Iwobi 4; Alissa Sheftic 7; Courtnay Pilypaitis 25; May Kotsopoulos 14; Kendra Seto 7; Lauren Wheeler 0; Tonya Young 1; Lauren Buschmann 6. TOTALS: 21 19-27 64

WISCONSIN 55

Tara Steinbauer 4; Lin Zastrow 11; Rae Lin D’Alie 5; Teah Gant 9; Alyssa Karel 13; Jade Davis 0; Jamie Russell 0; Taylor Wurtz 5; Anya Covington 8. TOTALS: 22 6-9

Halftime score: Vermont 33, Wisconsin 25. 3-point baskets: Vermont 3 (Pilypaitis 1, Kotsopoulos 1, Young 1), Wisconsin 5 (D’Alie 1, Karel 2, Gant 1, Wurtz 1). Total fouls (fouled out): Vermont 13 (None), Wisconsin 22 (Karel). Records: Vermont 27-6, Wisconsin 21-11