Vermont at USC 12/30/14

USC 64 Vermont 56

Another hard fought game for Vermont where they struggled to get the big play needed to put them over the top. I neither watched nor listened to the game so all of my analysis comes form watching the highlights and analyzing the box score. The formula on the road remains the same for Vermont. Get down big in the first half by getting dominated inside and shooting poorly.The poor shooting includes struggling to finish at the rim. Followed by a spirited second half run where each time Vermont has the chance to take the lead or cut it to a one possession game, they make a crucial mistake or the ball just doesn't bounce their way. The most glaring example from this game is a Hector Harold near steal. As you can see at the end of the highlights, with a minute and a half to go, Harold has a full hand on the ball. If he is able to corral that lose ball Vermont has a fast break at the other end with a chance to cut the deficit to two or one. Instead the ball bounces around and ends up giving USC and easy lay in to push their lead to six. This effectively sealed the game for USC. It is moments like this that have been the bane of Vermont's existence this year.  Nearly all of the road games have followed this pattern. The struggles in the first half are very concerning because this was something the last group struggled with too and it is very hard to play from behind every single game. It seems that it must be due to game preparation and that falls on the coaches to an extent. Maybe it is as simple as changing the pregame meal but something has to give. On the other hand the fight and tenacity the team comes out with in the second half is impressive. Maybe Becker should give a halftime speech before the game. Whatever the reason is, it is great to see a team battle back and play hard no matter the score. There is no head hanging with this group and I admire that. It would just be nice if Vermont wasn't down by such large deficits. It is great to see Kurt Steidl continue to fill up the box score. One Bid Wonders wrote a great piece on Steidl this week and it speaks to the maturity and progress he has made already just halfway through the season. Check it out here. Clancy Rugg made the leap at just about the same point during his sophomore season so it will be interesting to see if Steidl can carry this momentum into the conference schedule. Ethan O'Day also looked more aggressive and assertive on the offensive end. That is an absolute must for Vermont in the second half of the season. With 2014 in the books for the Vermont squad, reflection on the last year of basketball is inevitable. It was a year of highs and lows for the Vermont program as they lost only one regular season conference game (an impressive achievement), but were upset in the semifinals and missed out on the NCAA tournament. I am very excited for 2015 and I think it will be the most crucial year for the program in its history. Happy New Year everybody!!

Vermont at St. Louis 12/21/14

St. Louis 58 Vermont 55

The road continues to be unkind to Vermont as they fall to 1-4 away from Patrick gym. The game was back and forth and for most of the game the lead was never above three for either team. The deciding factor in the second half came down to three point shooting. After making their first two threes in the first half, Vermont went cold and missed their next 11 shots from distance. Shooting that poorly is going to be the difference in a game with such slim margins. At the same time that Vermont went cold, St. Louis found their range and hit several timely threes in the second half. Each time Vermont looked poised to take control or go on a run, St. Louis was able to hit a three and swing the momentum. St. Louis also dominated the offensive glass. This is nothing new for this year's Vermont team and while they prevented St. Louis from converting on their second opportunities, it limited the amount of scoring chances the Cats had throughout the game. This was probably the most winnable game on the current road trip and Vermont could be looking at a prolonged losing streak. Young teams tend to have a tougher time winning on the road in a hostile environment. That seems to be holding true for Vermont thus far. To their credit they did mount a furious rally and never quit on the game. Most of that was due to Trae Bell-Haynes and his blinding speed. He continues to reinforce the nickname I have given him (one.man.run) because he can score in bunches with very little time going off the clock. Ethan O'Day had a very good scoring game and was able to stay out of foul trouble, He will have to have games like this one during conference play in order for Vermont to compete at the level they are accustomed. Zach McRoberts continues to impress on the defensive end and is showing great toughness as a rebounder. I think he has fallen in love a bit too much with the three and his offense remains a work in progress but I love the energy he brings to this team. Down the stretch of this non-conference schedule getting healthy will remain the top priority, Vermont has stayed poised and continues to put themselves in a position to win. They are playing very shorthanded right now and health will be the biggest indicator of their success during the conference schedule. Stony Brook, Albany, and Hartford have all righted the ship after some struggles a few weeks ago. The league is fairly wide open and every single game is going to matter and be a dogfight. The teams that avoid the bad loss and play well on the road are the teams that will finish near the top. Vermont is ready to compete for the title if they can continue to grow as a team and find a way to get healthy.

Yale at Vermont 12/18/14

Yale 57 Vermont 56

"I guess this is what you have to go through"

I thought this comment from Coach Becker following the game summed it up perfectly. This team is right there and fighting and clawing every game. When it come down to the end game execution Vermont has struggled. These are the kind of games that this young team will have and one would hope that during the conference schedule they will be able to learn from these games and execute when it really matters. Every other piece is there or starting to improve. Vermont was able to hang tough on the boards, get several offensive boards, and get crucial offensive rebounds down the stretch. This has been Vermont's weakest area thus far and I do not think it is a coincidence that Zach McRoberts joining the lineup has coincided with improvements in rebounding. He does all of the little things and the hustle plays that an undersized team needs to hang tough. This is a perfect segue into why this game has positive takeaways: overcoming adversity. For Vermont to be this good and hang tough in these games is impressive considering the adversity and obstacles they have faced. Losing 6 seniors and starting with a very new and inexperienced team. Then losing players to injuries off and on. Followed by losing their top recruit and starting point guard for the year. Which is then followed up by losing their leading scorer and senior captain. If that wasn't enough Brendan Kilpatrick then goes down with another concussion and will probably be out for and extended time. When you lay it all out like that it is amazing how consistently this young team has been able to adapt and overcome. This fact alone continues to reinforce the idea that this team can compete for a title. This team is deep and can replace production from many different positions. That is the biggest indicator of future success for any team. The ability to overcome obstacles and never back down. There was a stretch in the second half where the officials made several questionable calls in a row that went against Vermont. Yale used this to swing the momentum in their direction. Vermont never let their heads hang and pushed forward. They were able to fight all the way back and put themselves in a position to win. It is very deflating to not get a shot off on a designed play at the end of a game. I will however tip my cap to Yale for making enough plays to win. On the last defensive possession Vermont did a great job forcing the ball to a secondary option and he was able to step up and knock down a shot. Sometimes that is the way the ball bounces. Individually Kurt Steidl looked great. Early in the year he struggled with his role and let his frustration manifest out on the court. He has improved each game and is starting to look like a player making the leap. Steidl had been playing tough defense while getting on the boards all year. In this game his offense flourished and he made big play after big play down the stretch. He is fast becoming a leader on this team and it will be a key for him to continue this momentum. I am interested to see if Vermont can play with the same intensity on the road. Sitting at 1-3 on the road for the season this road trip is a great opportunity for continued growth before diving into the conference schedule. Young teams tend to struggle on the road and the next step for this team is proving they can get it done in a hostile environment.

Wagner at Vermont 12/14/14

Vermont 61 Wagner 47

A win is a win. This was a tough game to watch because there was zero flow. Wagner had one skilled player and absolutely no organization or discipline. They were lucky to score 47 as much of their offense came from about 25 feet from the hoop. The Wagner players committed fouls on nearly every play and the referees inconsistently enforced the rules throughout the game. This would have all been fine if Vermont had not started slow and played down to Wagner's level for much of the game. It took about 10 minutes for Vermont to get their first hoop and they never got in rhythm. Not having Hector Harold hurt the offensive flow as he can really stretch the floor and create driving lanes for the guards. Seeing him in a walking boot on the sidelines is discouraging. Vermont can't seem to get healthy. With the offense sputtering the defense was solid from the opening tip. This team can really clamp down and force teams into tough shots. Trae Bell-Haynes looked solid down the stretch and hit his free throws, which right now seems to be a challenge for most of the Vermont players. Team free throw shooting continues to be an adventure and makes each trip to the line tough to watch. Brandon Hatton maintained his strong stretch of play. He has a scorers mentality and is always ready to shoot. His defense is improving and he is clearly starting to carve out a role on this team. Cam Ward came up with another circus shot from three and it couldn't have come at a better time. It stretched the lead and took the wind out of Wagner's sails. He has looked a little tentative over the last two games and seems a little unsure what he wants to do when the ball is in his hands. The turning point in the game was Dre Wills going up for a monster dunk to give Vermont momentum......and then he gave it right back by getting a technical foul for taunting. I love Wills' enthusiasm and hustle but he is going to have to watch some of his on the court extracurriculars. That is already two technicals on the season and this one really hurt the team. Instead of a double digit lead and Wagner on their heels, Wagner seemed to rally and made their run directly following the technical foul. What is most frustrating is I have been waiting for Wills to dunk like that on someone and it was a bittersweet moment. I am sure Wills will be able to clean it up and there will be many more dunks. The Yale game on Thursday is going to be a tough hard nosed game and will provide this young team another difficult test.

Harvard at Vermont 12/6/14

Harvard 64 Vermont 52 2OT

A hard fought game that ended in heartbreak for Vermont. For the first 45 minutes of game-time Vermont went punch for punch with Harvard and played their hearts out. The wear and tear and inexperience finally caught up with the Cats in the second overtime. It was an unfortunate way for the game to end because it was a tough, gritty, and exciting college basketball game. Harvard is a very tough team who was in the preseason top 25 before losing a game early in the season. They are battle tested and experienced. To push that team to the brink is impressive to say the least. Becker said after the game that "there are no moral victories here". I understand where he is coming from because Vermont had several chances to win and couldn't put the game away. I am sure as a coach those crucial mistakes are going to haunt him for a few days. However, I do believe that this game is further evidence that this group can compete for the America East title. All season it has been about the process and building the program. If these early games are any indication, Vermont is ready to compete for the title this year. The improvement halfway through the non-conference schedule is definitely ahead of schedule. Harvard completely took Vermont out of its comfort zone and the Cats were still able to adapt and stay in the game. So far this year Vermont has relied on penetration and getting to the rim as their offensive game plan. Harvard cut off every possible driving lane and made the Cats use every second of the shot clock. Instead of looking panicked and lost, Vermont adapted and made enough plays to give themselves a chance to win. The most important take away from this game is that this years team is actually better defensively than last years. I think everyone was expecting a significant drop off defensively with this new group. So far, they are better able to contain guards and force more turnovers. Last years group was great at holding a team to one shot and making them shoot a low percentage. This years group can force turnovers and get out in transition which makes up for the drop off in rebounding. For what it is worth, Vermont hung tough on the boards and ended up out rebounding Harvard by a slim margin. They did make some crucial rebounding errors when the game was on the line but over the course of the game held their own. The new found speed and athleticism makes Vermont much tougher to guard on defense and tougher to attack on offense. In the end the Cats ran out of gas and the thin front line to finish the game was too much to overcome. Hector Harold rolled his ankle and did not return and Ethan O'Day fouled out. The fact the O'Day continues to struggle with foul trouble is concerning on a team with an already thin front line. He has to play smarter because he needs to stay on the court. The freshman guards struggled with the physical play of Harvard and as a result did not shoot well. The two players that stood out in the game were Kurt Steidl and Zach McRoberts. Steidl played very tough perimeter defense and continued to get tough rebounds. These are pieces of his game I did not expect to see this year. His offensive game has not progressed like I thought it would but the rest of his game is rounding out very nicely after some early season struggles. It seems like he wanted to expand his offensive game (and be the main scoring option) early in the season but has seen the positive results of expanding the other aspects of his game. He still has a beautiful stroke form three and is not afraid to take the big shot. In his first game of the year Zach McRoberts played all of the crucial minutes down the stretch and was asked to guard Harvard's best player on defense. I was blown away by his defensive ability and basketball IQ. He is still clearly not at 100% but was able to come up with big defensive plays an grab key rebounds. Diving all over the floor and playing much bigger than his frame, McRoberts is going to help solidify the frontcourt and improve the team's rebounding. If he can stay healthy he is going to completely change the makeup of this team I just cant say enough good things about how well he played after missing so much time. It is unbelievable how college ready these freshman are and that bodes well for the future of this program and the level of recruits that Becker is getting at Vermont. Another piece for the future of the program is UVM announced that Ernie Duncan will redshirt this season in an attempt to solve his back issue. I am very glad the team made this move because if Duncan can get fully healthy he will have his full four years of eligibility left. No sense in wasting a year struggling through an injury. He gets to be in the same freshman class as his brother and his buddy Josh Speidel, so it almost seems like a better situation for him. This is all possible if his back problem can be solved. The school called it a "complex back injury" so it will be interesting to see how it will be treated. I am sending positive thoughts his way for a full recovery. The game did not end that way that Vermont wanted but the journey to get to there was filled with positive moments. Hopefully these young players can learn from their mistakes and execute differently down the stretch in a future game. With a week off for exams they will have plenty of time to get healthy, get hungry, and get ready to come back and challenge Wagner next Sunday.

Hartford at Vermont 12/3/14

Vermont 81 Hartford 69

"I don't think anyone underestimated us, this is Vermont"

A statement from Cam Ward following the game in which he and the rest of the Catamounts made a statement by dominating Hartford from start to finish. The rest of league has now been put on notice that this will be a reload year for Vermont as opposed to a rebuild. Hartford is the most senior laden and experienced team in the league. That is why they were picked to finish second while Vermont was picked fourth. After watching that game an observer would think those roles were reversed. Vermont played with great poise and precision. The offense for the Cats has been machine-like in its execution and as a result Vermont continues to shoot the ball at a high percentage while outscoring their opponents in the paint. What a stark contrast to the Vermont teams of the past decade, which relied on defense and maximizing the abilities of each individual player. This team has many moving parts and each player is multifaceted and ready to contribute. As far as depth of talent this team is far superior to any team that Vermont has put on the floor. There have been better individual players and teams that did certain things well in the past but none that can match this team's versatility. In years past there was one way and one style of game in which Vermont could win. This team can beat their opponent in many different ways. On the offensive side of the ball There are several players (Wills, Ward, Bell-Haynes) that can get to and finish around the rim with consistency. If a team decides to pack it in, Vermont can kick it out to several shooters (Harold, Steidl, Ward, Hatton). Defensively, Vermont can play tough perimeter defense and bother guards into making unforced errors. At the back end Ethan O'Day can protect the rim. Solid rebounding teams will give Vermont trouble all year but their versatility will win them a lot of games. Dre Wills is improving at a rapid rate and is becoming the player that Vermont runs their offense through. Short on pure basketball ability but loaded with athleticism and determination, Wills is becoming the heart and soul of this team. His ability to make an impact on both ends of the floor is allowing him to lead the team in just about every facet of the game. 11pts, 7rbs, 7ast, 6stls, 2blks is a very impressive stat line. The two blocks came in the same defensive sequence as he created a shot clock violation on his own by blocking two consecutive attempts at a three. He was all over the court and is electric every time he touches the ball. Cam Ward continued to take advantage of his increase in playing time and led the team in scoring with 19 points. He showed a beautiful stroke from three and finished around the rim with creativity. It is no accident that in the two games where he has played major minutes Vermont's turnovers have decreased dramatically. He is a calming presence on the court. Brandon Hatton is also looking great after missing the beginning of the season with a concussion. He held is own on the defensive side of the ball and his smooth shooting stroke was on display. I love the three in transition. His most exciting play was actually a beautiful lead pass on the fast break to Cam Ward. Check the highlights. Vermont getting the early conference win was very important for a young team and also important going into a very difficult game against Harvard. That game will be a great test and will provide another measuring stick for the early season progress of this team.

Vermont at Quinnipiac 11/30/14

Quinnipiac 89 Vermont 73

From domination to dominated. Start to finish Quinnipiac out muscled, out hustled, and flat out out worked Vermont. As mentioned in my last post, this was a strength versus weakness game and Quinnipiac's strength won big time. Vermont looked small and timid for much of the game. The first half set the tone with Quinnipiac grabbing every rebound and Vermont getting nothing going to the basket. Vermont had 6 rebounds at the half. I don't think I have ever seen a number that low. Quinnipiac is currently the best rebounding team in the nation and they played like it. It also marked the first time this season a guard was able to blow by Vermont's perimeter defense at will. This led to Quinnipiac's post players being comically wide open for much of the game. Vermont played better for stretches in the second half but each time they had a chance to cut the deficit to single digits they made a crucial mistake. Vermont definitely showed their youth in this game and the thin frontcourt was exposed for the first time. Ethan O'Day is a very good player but his lack of rebounding ability continues to be puzzling. He is going o have to find a way to get tough down low. Time to regroup and prepare for a very difficult conference opener against a Hartford team that just beat this same Quinnipiac team 54-50. As for some positive moments from this game in a season of progress, there were a few. Vermont only committed 6 turnovers and passed the ball with more efficiency. This was partially due to Cam Ward playing his best game. Ward looked confident with the ball in his hands and made good decisions. He is a very crafty scorer and has unlimited range behind the three point arc. Lost thus far in the season behind Duncan's back uncertainty and Bell-Haynes' emergence, Ward plays the game with a great calm and reminds me a bit of Sandro Carissimo. Ryan Pierson looked more effective and actually led the team in both shots (10) and scoring (14). That is not exactly a recipe for success but he has to show he can make positive contributions on the court. On the injury front, Brendan Kilpatrick took a hard foul and crashed to the floor. He left the game and did not return.  That is not a good sign for someone who can't seem to get rid of the injury bug. Ernie Duncan did not play and there are whispers of a possible redshirt. To me that seems like the most intelligent move if it is still an option. He hasn't played a ton but you never know how the NCAA is going to rule on a medical hardship. With Ward getting stronger and a championship run no sure thing, I personally would rather have four healthy years from Duncan. Becker is preaching the "process" and he will have plenty to preach about after this game. I don't mind this loss in the sense that going into the first conference game for a young team, having a chip on their shoulder is a bonus. I am sure part of this loss was feeling a little to good about how well they played against Bryant. It is tough to stay mentally focused and as a player it can be easy to take your foot off the gas and expect everything to bounce your way. Hopefully Becker can use this as motivation for the Hartford game. 

Bryant at Vermont 11/26/14

Vermont 73 Bryant 47


From the opening tip Vermont steamrolled Bryant in their most dominating performance of this young season. The intensity was clear from the very beginning as the Cats were diving for every loose ball and getting their hands in every passing lane. The energy was electrifying and they completely overwhelmed Bryant. Vermont imposed their will and knocked Bryant on their heels. The final score doesn't even do the game justice. With nine minutes to go the score was 53-23. If not for a few garbage time threes, Bryant would have struggled to break 40 points. For all of the improvements on offense (which are numerous), it was the defense that set the tone. Dre Wills is a lock-down perimeter defender and is capable of shutting down the opposition's best guard. Dyami Starks led the NEC in scoring last season and dropped 30 on Vermont last year. Wills was in his grill all night and he struggled to get shots off. Prior to garbage time he was in single digits in the scoring column. The team seemed to take Wills lead and played with tremendous intensity. The thought was that this team would take a large step back on the defensive end with the graduation of some very good defenders. After the first five games, I think the defense is going to continue to be a strength for Vermont. The ability to guard the perimeter and get out in transition is a huge advantage. Having Ethan O'Day to protect the rim and alter shots allows the guards to be even more aggressive. On the offensive side of the ball Vermont continues to score with tremendous efficiency. As I stated in my last post, Vermont is able to outscore their opponents in the paint by getting high percentage shots at the rim. This game was no different as Vermont outscored Bryant 38-14 in the paint. As a result the Cats shot 59% from the field. Regression is inevitable but Vermont is currently shooting 53% on the season. That is an impressive number and speaks to the play-making and shot-making ability of this team. Seemingly getting to the rim at will in this young season, Vermont is set up for future offensive success. The maturation and improvement of Wills in the early part of the season is fun to watch. I personally have always liked the way Wills plays. Last year he looked so good in spurts but was too raw and the minutes just weren't there. He also battled injuries and never quite looked 100%. This year he is aggressively getting to the rim and has a tremendous motor. Wills is all out on every play and has a nose for the ball. I said in my season preview that he was the best rebounder on this team and that ability was on display several times during the Bryant game. Wills has tremendous potential and is still scratching the surface of what he can do. A 14 pt, 9rb, 3ast, 4stl, 2 block game will play on any team. He also manged to play great defense while only committing one foul. Here is a link to a piece on Dre Wills from One Bid Wonders. Bookmark that website for all your America East news. They do great work. It was nice to see Brandon Hatton get into the game after missing the early part of the season with a concussion. His offensive game is smooth and as he gets used to the college game and learns the defensive side of the ball, he has the potential to be a great spark off the bench. It was great to see what this team can do when firing on all cylinders and this would be the perfect time to be playing their best basketball. The next game is a very tough road game against Quinnipiac. That will be one of those strength vs. weakness games. Quinnipiac is one of the best rebounding teams in the country and it is a clear area of weakness for Vermont. After that game is a very important early conference home game against Hartford. That game will be a very clear indicator of where this Vermont team fits in the America East hierarchy. The Hartford game is followed by the best home game on the schedule this season as Harvard comes to Patrick Gym on December 6th. That game is followed by two more home games to finish a four game homestand. This is the crucial part of the non-conference schedule and will be a great barometer for the rest of the season.

Vermont at St. Joseph's 11/22/14

St. Joseph's 68 Vermont 60

Playing in a hostile environment, Vermont came out hot to start the game and then succumbed to the weight created by their turnovers. The difference in the turnovers this game versus the first few was that many of them were live ball turnovers that led directly to St. Joe's baskets. This is definitely going to be this teams biggest issue in the early part of the year. The inexperience and youth is most evident in this category. Other than that I thought Vermont showed very well. This was a very tough roadvgame against an good A-10 opponent. St. Joe's is competitive year in and year out and has a fringe NBA player in DeAndre Bembry. Through all of the turnovers and large second half deficits, Vermont never panicked and multiple times fought back into the game. They were a bounce here or there from making the game very interesting. I absolutely love the grit of this team and even in the small amount of time playing together you can see the confidence and the chemistry building. What I find most promising is the offensive firepower. This team can really shoot the ball and more importantly get to the rim. With the sample size getting larger it is now time to believe that this team will consistently outscore teams in the paint. Their ability to do this does not come from a dominant post game but instead from having several players who can create off the dribble and find the open man. I have been blown away by how many easy buckets this team can get on a nightly basis. In this game Dre Wills was able to get to the rim on three consecutive crucial possessions in the second half to get Vermont within striking distance. He continues to fill up the stat sheet and is getting more and more comfortable on the court. It was a small sample but Drew Urquhart is rapidly passing Ryan Pierson on the depth chart. He looked good in his limited minutes, showing toughness on the boards and making his free throws. He missed a couple bunnies but the potential is starting to be put into action. I also will give a shout out to Kurt Steidl's improved rebounding ability. He has grabbed at least 5 rebounds in three consecutive games and looks much stronger than a year ago. Also who didn't love that circus shot three that Cam Ward made? So far this year Kilpatrick looks every bit a player who is coming off major surgery and a year off. I am hopeful he will be able to shake off the rust but he is nowhere near 100%. Ernie Duncan started this game like he has started every other one, a beautiful pass for an easy bucket and a three pointer. No seriously, that is exactly how he has started every game. Then his back gives out and we don't see him again. I really don't know what to think of this injury. It is something that he must not experience at all times, but when his body is moved in just the right way it must be aggravated. This will certainly be the ongoing saga until it either clears up or he sits out indefinitely. It is really to bad because he would put this team over the top. All in all a very good showing and the team is moving in the right direction. Now back to Patrick Gym for Joe O'Shea's homecoming which I really hope Vermont spoils.

Southern Vermont College at Vermont 11/19/14

Vermont 86 SVC 41

There is not much you can take a way from a game against such inferior competition. This game was not about anything but getting some of the new players more game experience. With that in mind I would just like to recognize the efforts of Drew Urquhart and Cam Ward. Drew had only played a combined four minutes through the first two games. He is clearly more skilled than Ryan Pierson and needs to be able to earn minutes. For a player who missed his entire senior year of high school basketball, it is of the utmost importance that he gets game experience no matter the competition. Drew definitely took advantage of his opportunity. After struggling with foul trouble in the first half, he showcased a smooth offensive touch and shooting ability. That ability to stretch the floor would be a great dimension to add to this team. He also pulled down some tough rebounds showing nice timing and footwork. I hope this performance earns him more minutes because Pierson is really struggling. Pierson had a hard time holding his own against the smaller SVC post players and is clearly not ready to play extended minutes for this team. Ward got the start in place of an injured Ernie Duncan. He handled the ball well and knocked down shots from the perimeter. He will need to play a role if Duncan's injury continues to cause him to miss significant time. Those are the two performances that stood out and it is nice to see depth even without the currently injured players. Now it is on the road to play St. Joes!

Vermont at Siena 11/17/14

Vermont 84 Siena 76

What a way to bounce back. After dropping a tough opener Vermont turned around and played their hearts out. Last nights win was not just a win, but a statement by a young team. This team showed their toughness and grit and willed themselves to victory. The game demonstrated the heart of a hungry young team eager to prove themselves and make each game a chance to learn a new lesson. The lesson learned in this game was about toughness. Siena (more importantly Jimmy Patsos) physically overpower opponents and wear teams down. Last years game featured 63 combined fouls and several foul outs. This years game was not far behind with 58 combined fouls and four Vermont players fouling out. The Cats finished the game with six healthy players and 24 turnovers. Several times their backs were against the wall but each time they were able to regroup and battle back. Early in the second half the wear and tear seemed to start to take effect for Vermont. Siena took a nine point lead with about 12 minutes to go and things were starting to look bleak. But then all of a sudden the one man run Trae Bell-Haynes took over. His speed and ability to finish around the rim is a thing of beauty. Just watch the highlights. After struggling in the first half, Bell-Haynes turned on the jets and just blew through the Siena defense at will. I love his tenacity and fearlessness when driving towards the hole. I mean that eurostep???? Killer. The beginning of the highlight video is an Ernie Duncan teaser. I am trying not to be too hopeful as the back injury seems to be fairly debilitating and will most likely linger all year. However, anyone watching that video has to just be drooling about his passing ability. His passing skills are on another level. He has elite court vision and puts the ball in the exact position for the player to finish in stride. He managed to lead the team in assists with four even though he only played 11 minutes. I find myself daydreaming about a backcourt with Bell-Haynes at the point and Duncan at the two guard. The potential for this group is definitely sky high. It was nice to see Kurt Steidl get back into the action and hit some big shots. The three from the corner to put Vermont up 75-71 was a killer blow. This game also demonstrated that when Hector Harold is not a walking turnover, he can be a very effective scorer. Unfortunately he has 11 turnovers through two games. Ethan O'Day turned in a stellar performance going 8-8 from the field and leading the team in scoring. He looks like he will thrive in the more uptempo system this year. He also blocked shots on two consecutive plays down the stretch with Siena trying to claw back into the game. This team is definitely going to lose some head scratchers and pull some upsets as they work out the kinks. The fun thing for the fans is the ability to climb back into a game with offensive firepower rather then relying solely on getting stops. Vermont outscored Siena 42-16 in the paint including 24-4 in the second half. That is the recipe for a potent offense. Throw in shooting a ridiculous 68% including an unreal 76.5% in the second half and you have a team that can put the ball in the hoop. It certainly seems like night in and night out you never know what this team will bring, but last night they proved that toughness and grit will be a big part of what this team can bring.

Vermont at Canisius 11/15/14

Canisius 64 Vermont 60

Vermont began the season with a tough road loss against Canisius. This was one of the few winnable games on this year's non-conference schedule as Canisius is one of the teams on the schedule with as many freshman and as little experience as the Cats. Vermont's defense broke down in the second half and allowed Canisius to shoot a blistering 56%, including 6-8 from three. The first half for Vermont was marred by turnovers and missed shots.When the coaching staff added so many shooters to this team, I was excited to see the team three point shooting improve. So far this has not materialized and that is somewhat surprising. This is definitely the type of game this team is going to have this year. It is just too bad that they couldn't take advantage of a good match-up. The 17 turnovers will not win many games and the frustrating thing is 8 of those turnovers were Harold and Kilpatrick. Harold being asked to play a larger role is going to be one of the key areas for this team. He has demonstrated wild inconsistency and is very turnover prone. As an elder statesman on this team he is going to need to clean up his play. Duncan's back is clearly going to be a problem for the entire year and that is really going to handicap this team. It is really to bad for Duncan and I would have to imagine he is incredibly frustrated. The one very bright spot from this game was Trae Bell-Haynes. Throughout the summer he was the leading scorer for Vermont but his turnovers were limiting his effectiveness. For one game at least, he took care of the ball and showcased his tremendous speed and tenacity. Bell-Haynes gets up the floor very quickly and is able to score in transition. He has also demonstrated an ability to finish strong in traffic and make his free throws. This is a great recipe for future success and if he is able to limit his turnovers he will be a very effective player. Bell-Haynes is already a very polished defender and with his offensive abilities coming along seemingly ahead of schedule, he will play big minutes for this team. It does not get any easier as Vermont travels to Siena tomorrow for what will be a very difficult match-up. Siena is big, physical, and forces their opponents into unforced errors and mental mistakes. This will be a quick turnaround for the freshman and a much stronger opponent. Becker is preaching each game this season as part of the process and if the players can maintain that attitude and make small gains each game, Vermont will be headed in the right direction.

Vermont Season Preview

On the eve of the college basketball season, it is time to make a few predictions. This is the hardest year to predict in a while for Vermont. There is so much up in the air and the team that begins the season will likely look very different from the team at the end. But, predictions are fun and the unknown is part of the game. Without further adieu, here are some thoughts about the upcoming season.

Record: 14-15 (9-7) 4/5 seed, loss in the semifinals to Stony Brook

Starting lineup: Ernie Duncan, Dre Wills, Kurt Steidl, Hector Harold, Ethan O'Day

Leading Scorer: Tough Call. There will be very balanced scoring, leaning towards O'Day.

Rebounds: Wills if he plays starters minutes

Assists: Duncan

This season will be a trying one for the Vermont Catamounts. There is going to be a significant amount of changes and the team will most likely be in flux throughout the year. Playing time will come and go, players will get hot and clod. This is a very different feel from the last group as they had very dependable abilities and performance (most players don't start from day one and then never miss a game). Injuries can make a huge difference on any team, much less a team that is a young as Vermont is this year. There have already been a few injuries and I believe that to be the biggest factor in this team's success. Anyone who watched the one game that Ernie Duncan played could see that he is a cut above and crucial to this team success. If his back injury lingers this team could win far less games. If he is fully healthy it might bump up their win total. Duncan is a college ready player and may immediately one of the best players in the conference. Asking freshman to play large roles is tough. Even the most talented freshman can struggle with adjusting to the college game. Injuries can force players into tough positions before they are ready. The offense is going to be completely different and the pace of play much faster. Regardless of wins and losses this will be a welcome change for Vermont Fans. The games themselves should feature a more exciting pace of play and with a better offense fans will not have to grind it out on every possession. This team's biggest weakness will be on the boards. Teams with a strong post presence are going to be a tough match-up all year. Vermont will need to be very efficient with their possessions to make up for the rebounding difficulties. The other key will be maturity. With a young team there is an increased likelihood of mental mistakes and that can lead to poor chemistry. The veterans on this team are going to have to teach the new players how to pick each other up and not dwell on the mistakes. The faster this process happens, the better this team will play.

Key questions:

Will Steidl add pieces to his game and become a more well rounded scorer?
Can Dre Wills earn big minutes and become the glue guy on this team?
Will O'Day become the leader of this team?
Will Duncan's back hold up all year?
Can the team gel and mature early enough in the season to make an impact during the conference schedule?
Can a program change their entire identity in one year and still win games?
Will there be enough minutes to keep everyone happy?

As a fan, I am very excited to see what this team can do. For me this season is about more than wins and losses. I think everyone realizes that the goals for this years team are different than in years past. This season to me represents a watershed moment for the Vermont program. With the recruits for 2015 signed and the current crop of freshman ready to play, Vermont has broadened the type of recruit they can sell their program to. If this group can have success and create chemistry, next years team will be very dangerous. From that point who knows where this program can go. The flip side is if this team struggles and players become unhappy with losing or their role on the team, the program could end up in a very different direction. As a result I believe this is the most important year for the future of the Vermont basketball program. That adds intrigue beyond wins and losses and makes the games even more fun to watch. It all begins tomorrow and I have never been more excited.

Exhibition: St. Michael's

St. Michael's 63 Vermont 61

Wait everybody...take a deep breath...and don't panic.

It certainly never feels good to lose an exhibition game to a sub D1 team but this is no ordinary match-up. St. Mike's is a very good team. They won this game because they are a better team. They have experience and the drive to win. This was the most important game on their schedule. Many of the Purple Knights players have had this date circled because they knew this was the year they had a chance. They executed a game plan and clamped down when the game was on the line like experienced seasoned veterans do. They are going to have a very successful season and have a great chance to make the D2 tournament. Before you say, but they are D2? I would like to remind everyone that UMass Lowell with a completely D2 roster went 8-8 in the America East last year and finished 5th.

On to the Cats. This is the beginning of separation in the some on the playing time battles. Due to Vermont being shorthanded many players were counted on to play bigger roles. There was definitely a Duncan effect in this game. It is already very apparent that he is a college ready point guard and the other freshman are not quite there yet. Ernie Duncan's health will be the difference for Vermont this year. Trae Bell-Haynes does a lot of nice things but he was exposed against the more experienced guards on St. Mikes. He tends to dribble too much and has not yet learned when to change speeds. He is always going a mile a minute and that created many, many turnovers. Until he adjusts to the college game he is much better suited as a backup guard. Brandon Hatton is going to have to work very hard to get minutes this year as he is a significant defensive liability. I love his shooting stroke but he is too slow to cover college guards. Cam Ward looked very good but he is too small to be an effective defender right now as well. With a smaller, quicker lineup for St. Mike's, Becker really needed Kilpatrick and McRoberts to effectively match-up. Urquhart and Pierson were to slow on defense. Kilpatrick's constant injury issues are definitely a concern. The biggest thing that concerned me in this game was Kurt Steidl's demeanor on the court. He was frustrated for much of the Concordia game and again against St. Mikes he never got in the flow. He yelled at several teammates and showed a general lack of maturity. As a guy I believe to be a future star, he has thus far not been demonstrating the mental fortitude he needs to do so. Time will tell.

As far as team performance, I am not going to over analyze the game. Without Duncan this team is different. All of the possible success of this team and the excitement surrounding it, is definitely with him a the point guard, There are going to be games where this team turns the ball over a ton. Right now everyone on this team is adjusting to the speed of the game, even the veterans, The entire pace of the offense is different than in years past and there is going to be an adjustment period. Right now there is a ton of one on one because everyone is moving an no one is sure who is going to take the shots. The other major takeaway is that with all of these new found shooters, Vermont can't fall in love with the three. In the second half the Cats settled for jump shot after jump shot. This game will help Becker reign these guys in and give him evidence to drive home the point of what needs to improve.

I will be putting out my season preview on Wednesday or Thursday of this week.

Exhibition: Concordia

Vermont 80 Concordia 57

Felt good to be back in Patrick Gym for last nights game. There has been so much excitement and hype surrounding this team, it was nice to finally see some real game action.

Now it is time for me to add to the hype..... Holy Ernie Duncan!!!

The much heralded freshman made his debut last night and he did not disappoint. Duncan demonstrated a high level ability to create opportunities for his teammates. His court vision and anticipation of where his teammates are going to be is already off the charts. Check out the highlights. The rest of Duncan's game was on display as well. He scored in the mid range game and hit two threes. Equally as impressive was his vocal leadership on the court. He certainly looked every bit the current starter, point guard of the future, and leader on this team.

Now on to the team.......Speed? check. Talent? check. Multiple play-makers? check.

Everything that this team needed to make the transition to a different style is there. The offense was fast pace and featured quick decisive ball movement. The defensive pressure on the opposing guards was intense. Becker has these players bought into a fast paced style that is designed to maximize the talent of this team. O'Day and Pierson both looked slimmed down and much quicker. O'Day ran the floor well and was rewarded with several beautiful open court feeds. Is Pierson for real? Concordia was small and that clearly gave him an advantage but for the first time I thought he passed the eye test. He made quick decisions and showed some touch around the rim. I would love to see him build on that momentum and be an effective piece for this team. Both he and O'Day did struggle to corral rebounds and the ball was ripped or poked away several times. Rebounding was the glaring weakness with this group. It will be interesting to see if they can as a team learn to rebound the ball instead of relying on one individual. Vermont has had a top individual rebounder for 8 years in a row (Holm, Blakely, Voelkel). That will certainly be the biggest adjustment for both this team and the fans watching the game.

I was blown away by the depth of talent on this team. The battle for playing time is going to be an interesting development throughout the year. Practices are certainly going to be competitive as no one's role on this team can be guaranteed. Dre Wills built on his strong Canadian trip performance by stuffing the box score yet again. Last year Wills was lost on offense and struggled to adjust to the college game. In a limited sample this year he has been driving hard to the basket and putting himself and teammates in a positive position to score. He is the best rebounder on this team by far so it will be important for him to stay on the floor. His defense is lockdown and with the addition of Trae Bell-Haynes, Vermont now has two very quick on the ball defenders who can bother opposing guards. Brandon Hatton and Cam Ward also looked good. Hatton made several nice offensive moves and adds to the offensive depth of this team. If he can improve his defense and get time on the court he will be a positive contributor. Ward is confident with the ball and gives Vermont great depth at the point guard position. Once he adds strength he will give Becker the ability to play with several different lineups. Drew U played well and will give much needed depth in the frontcourt. Steidl and Kilpatrick both struggled mightily, but it is only the exhibition. It was a little concerning to see Steidl enter Becker's Doghouse so many times over the course of the game.

Obviously this was a game against inferior competition and it is hard to get excited after only one game. However, looking at the overall talent of this team had to get Vermont fans excited. There will be tough games and this team will take their lumps as the freshman adjust to the college game. If they can build chemistry through the non conference this team has an opportunity to make some noise during conference play.

One more exhibition next week and then the season begins.

America East preview: How they will finish

The basketball season is upon us! This year in the America East is going to feature many new faces. Every team (except for Hartford) is replacing a significant portion of their starting lineup. This should add some intrigue to the league as there will be new players playing significant roles on each team. With the influx of freshman comes what should be a significant influx of talent. Many of the incoming freshman are hyped to be bringing a new level of basketball to the America East. It should make for an exciting season. Many of last year's stars will return but their supporting casts will look very different. With all of that in mind here is how I believe they will finish.

1. Stony Brook- With Jameel Warney returning as the reigning America East player of the year and Carson Puriefoy running the point, Stony Brook enters the season with high expectations. Playoff disappointments aside, Stony Brook has been a dominant regular season team for quite some time. This year will be no different. The Seawolves should breeze through the regular season with one or two losses. They will however be under intense pressure to prove they can win in the postseason. Last year's Vermont team can serve as a cautionary tale about the pressure of sustained success.

2. Albany- For a team that returns their top two players in Sam Rowley and Peter Hooley, and a team coming off back to back titles, there are many question marks. With nine new faces on the team, the supporting class is going to be in flux. There are some nice pieces coming in and as a result I believe they will hang on to the number two spot. However, it matters very little what they do in the regular season as they have been a mediocre regular season team in each of their championship seasons. You can bet on one thing: they will be playing their best basketball in March.

3. Hartford- Can they finally put it all together? By far the most experienced team in the league and the only team not replacing a large chunk of their rotation. If they can't pull it off with this group, they may not have another chance. I have them finishing in the three spot because I still do not believe that their style over the course of an entire season brings the consistency they need to put winning streaks together. They will be scrappy and competitive as always, I am just not sure they can sustain the shooting percentage they need to make a push to the top of the league.

4. Vermont- Replacing and entire team can be difficult but Vermont looks like they will be up to the task. With a much heralded freshman class and Brendan Kilpatrick returning from a medical redshirt, Vermont has the personnel to make a swift change. The offense will be faster and with more shooters for the first time in many years, Vermont will be relying on their offense to carry the team. There will be mistakes and growing pains but this Vermont team has the pieces to keep pace in the top half of the league.

5. Binghamton- Another team with a large freshman class, Binghamton will be heavy on athleticism and light on experience. Returning the all out, all league Jordan Reed will help the young players come along quickly. With what will likely be the most athletic team in the league, Binghamton will get up and down and put a ton of pressure on their opponents. The inexperience is the only reason they are this low and in a few years they may very well be competing for a title. The 4/5 battle between Binghamton and Vermont will likely be very close and could come down to the last game of the season.

6. New Hampshire- The next four spots are going to be far behind the first 5 in the league this year. This is where the talent level begins to drop off significantly. New Hampshire is going to be big on grit and will push teams to the brink. They just do not have enough talent to win the battles over a 40 minute game with any consistency. There are a few nice young players that may make New Hampshire competitive in a few years, but they are not close this season.

7. UMBC- Another team with some great young pieces. Rodney Elliot is a future star in this league but he will have very little around him. Last years group had several character issues and you hope that that is now behind this team and there will be no lingering affects. Not enough talent to compete with the top half of the league.

8. UMass Lowell- This team is well coached and surprised many people by finishing 8-8 last year. One of the other teams with a large freshman class, Lowell will need those newcomers to grow up very fast in order to compete. This will be the most difficult year of their D1 transition.

9. Maine- Woodward is finally gone and that gives Maine fans hope that they will be competitive again sometime in the near future. This will not be that year. New coach Bob Walsh will get Maine back to being competitive, but they will not have the players to do it this year. It will be a very trying year as it has been for several years. The difference is now there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

There you have it! I will be completing a Vermont season preview in the coming weeks.

Speidel to Vermont

Becker got his man.

Josh Speidel a 6’7 210lb PF from Indiana committed to Vermont today for the 2015 recruiting class. This is an important moment for Vermont basketball for several reasons. First and foremost, Speidel is going to be a great player in the America East. He is tough, versatile, and a winner. From highlight videos and articles I have read, they all agree that Speidel can hit shots from the perimeter and still bang down low. He has a nice touch around the rim and isn’t afraid to get physical. With the guard heavy freshman class on campus now, Speidel fits the need for a big man to balance out the roster. The second reason I believe this is an important signing is that Becker made Speidel his priority, traveled all over the country, and sold the Vermont program. This signals two things. One is that this is officially Becker’s program. He has a roster full of his guys who play the game the way he wants to play. The second and most important piece is that the Vermont program has begun to compete on a national scale for recruits. Becker now has the ability to sell the Vermont basketball program to kids that may not have heard of UVM. Gone are the days where the only players UVM could get were from the New England area. I have to take a moment to give Becker and round of applause for doing the hard work it took to build a program. It is going to be an exciting time in Catamount Country, which I am now officially nicknaming “Indiana North”.

Canadian trip wrap up

I thought I would just write down a few of my reactions and observations now that the Canadian trip is complete. First and foremost I think that this was a great experience and invaluable for this team in particular. This is another case where I believe Becker pushed the right button and continued to demonstrate his knack for player development. To have the opportunity to see these recruits in live action and see how all of the new pieces fit together is going to be necessary to expedite the cohesion of this team. Coach Becker went into the trip with a plan in place and executed it very well. As far as reactions to the play of the team, only time will tell. This tour was mostly about seeing the individual talents of each player and how they play together on a basketball court. It is very hard to make a judgement about the success of the team itself due to the unknown level of competition and inconsistent lineups. As far as the individual talent level on this Vermont team, it seems to be very high. It has been a long time since Vermont has had offensive threats at so many different positions. This Vermont team will be more fast paced and has more shooters that they have ever had at one time. The deciding factor will be how well will they play as a team and how quickly they mature and reduce the freshman mistakes. This team will most certainly take its lumps this season but has the look of a team that will improve as the season goes on.

The players that stood out were Trae Bell-Haynes, Dre Wills, Hector Harold, Kurt Steidl, Zach McRoberts, and Brendan Kilpatrick. Trae looked very strong, fast, and had a nice ability to finish around the rim. His play combined with what everyone thinks Ernie Duncan is going to bring to the table, makes the point guard spot seems like a strength for this team. Even though they are both freshman, they will bring a dynamic presence to this team. Trae turned the ball over a ton on the trip but that is to be expected as he gets used to the college game and his teammates. The player I was most intrigued by is Wills. His offensive game was so poor last year he could not stay on the court for extended periods of time. When he was on the court last year he dominated the game defensively and on the boards. I laughed when I read an article in the Burlington Free Press talking to Becker about the trip and he said that last year Wills was a "6-2 power forward". During the Canadian trip, Wills looked comfortable with the ball in his hands and was slightly more refined on the offensive end. The 16 point 12 rebound performance in the last game demonstrated just how dangerous he can be if he can stay on the court. He is a exceptional rebounder for a guard and can really disrupt play on the defensive end. I am interested to see if he has improved enough offensively to crack the rotation this year. Hector Harold looked more confident and focused on the court. Anyone who watched his good games last year could see the potential. His struggles last year were purely mental and when focused and hungry he was often the best player on the court. Last year he suffered from what will forever be "Candon Rusin syndrome(CRS)". The symptoms of CRS involve inconsistent play due in large part to what results a player's early touches produce. When Harold's first few touches resulted in baskets and positive plays he focused into the game and each positive moment seemed to build momentum. When his first touches resulted in turnovers and bad shots, he withdrew from the game and looked both lost and unfocused. If Harold can overcome his mental demons he can be the best player on this team. My main observation about Steidl is just how much stronger he looked. With the added strength he should be able to finish around the rim and if he is able to add that dimension to his game...watch out. I was very impressed with Zach McRoberts' attitude and poise on the court. He made great decisions with the ball and seemed to be one of those players who often finds themselves in the right place at the right time and does the little things to help his team win. He looks like a winner and a great teammate who will fill whatever role he needs to. Those players are invaluable to a young team. Last but not least was Brendan Kilpatrick. Now, he only played two games because of the injury bug (and that certainly is a major problem), however he looked very good when he was on the floor. He was aggressive and made tough shots while demonstrating the same athleticism and toughness he showed before his foot surgeries. If he can stay healthy, which is clearly a BIG if, he will help this team in all facets of the game.

There are other players and things that I saw but that would involve me writing a thesis length post and that is just to much to digest. The bottom line is Catamount fans can be excited about the upcoming season as this team certainly has the talent to again compete for the top spot in the America East. That is all for now.

Hopefully my next post is about landing Josh Speidel.

Coverage in Canada

BASKETBALL IS BACK!!!

After obsessively watching highlight videos for months it was great to see Vermont play some real (mostly) basketball. The first exhibition game against Queens college was a resounding success. Vermont dominated the game and cruised to a 95-53 victory. The score was not what really mattered in a game like this as it was an opportunity to get a first look at the talent and potential of this team and of this much heralded freshman class. They did not disappoint. Becker rapidly substituted throughout the game and asked each player to adjust on the fly and play whatever position he wanted them to. This meant that every player had equal opportunity to showcase their abilities. Here are a few things that stood out.

With Ernie Duncan nursing a sore back, Trae Bell-Haynes and Cam Ward split the point guard duties. Both players excelled throughout the game. Trae attacked the rim repeatedly and showed an ability to finish in traffic. With a quick first step, Trae was able to get by his defender and create open shots for teammates. Trae also played tremendous defense and came up with several steals. Cam was calm with the ball and also attacked the rim and finished in traffic with an array of circus like finishes. Kurt Steidl looked like a star. He looked stronger and more confident. Steidl can score from anywhere and looks poised for a breakout year. Hector Harold hit a few three pointers and looked confident out on the court. He certainly showed tremendous talent in flashes last year and it would be nice to see him execute more consistently this season. Dre Wills looked as though he was more comfortable on the court and displayed the tenacity and athleticism that was present in his minutes last year. His athleticism is just through the roof. Brendan Kilpatrick looked very strong and aggressive in his first action in quite some time. The athleticism it still there after his foot problems and he was in attack mode on the offensive end, making several tough shots. Brandon Hatton showed a smooth jumper and Zach McRoberts played very smart and under control. Zach also threw down a nice fastbreak dunk. Ethan O'Day did his thing and looked good doing it. Drew Urquhart had some nice moments and some tough moments. He showed a good offensive game but struggled on the defensive end, looking a step slow and lost on the court. Becker was unhappy with him several times for not knowing how to run the defense or the offense. Lastly Ryan Pierson.....looked much like last years version of Ryan Pierson. A step slow, in the wrong place at the wrong time. I just don't know if he is going to get it back.

This team has tremendous potential. The pieces are there and the talent is definitely there to compete for the top spot in the America East. However, there a long way to go before Vermont can reach that potential. The new offense is going to be exciting and fast paced which is a welcome change. There is definitely going to be a significant step back defensively, especially defending opposing post players. It will be weird to have a team without a dominant individual rebounder as Vermont has gone from Holm to Blakely to Voelkel over the past 9 years. That is a decade of rebounding dominance. There is not a rebounder like that on this team. The major issue this year will be inexperience (obviously). There will be many "freshman mistakes" and the hope is those will be fewer and fewer as the season goes on. Vermont has not had this many offensive play makers and shot makers on the same team in their history as far as I am concerned.

All in all a great experience and a fun way to get a very early preview of the makeup of this team. Sadly this is the only Canadian game I will be able to attend. It is a long wait until October. As a final thought, Is there any better name in college basketball than Hamlet Tibbs, the new assistant coach Vermont hired? Awesome.

Everett Duncan to Vermont

The first 2015 recruiting domino fell yesterday as 6-6 165 pound shooting guard Everett Duncan from Evansville, IN committed to the Vermont men's basketball team. Duncan is the younger brother of incoming freshman point guard Ernie Duncan. There are several reasons to get excited about this commitment. First and foremost Everett is a very good player. He plays hard and has a similar "it" factor that you can see when watching his brother. Watching his highlights and reading tidbits from scouts the takeaways are a player with a high basketball IQ and a lethal outside jumper. Everett doesn't have elite athleticism but he makes up for it with crafty hard nosed play. Once he adds strength he will be a force and is very similar in his game with current catamount Kurt Steidl. The coaching staff is making a commitment to getting  players that fit the style that Vermont wants to play. Off the court the coaching staff is continuing to create the sense of community that makes Vermont a special place to play. Becker and the rest of his staff clearly want shooters at every position and to me it seems like they are moving toward a faster paced, more offensive style of play. The other reason this signing is great for program is to continue the Indiana pipeline. Everyone knows that Indiana high school basketball is played at a high level and the more players that Vermont can get from there the better. It also doesn't hurt that my personal favorite 2015 target Josh Speidel is friends with both Everett and Ernie. There is a chance that having some of his buddies to play basketball with in college could get Speidel to come to Vermont. Regardless of how that will factor into his decision, Speidel will probably not commit anywhere until after the July recruiting period. He is garnering interest from a few Big 10 schools and as a result I am sure he wants to see if that interest materializes into formal offers. Incidentally if he does commit to Vermont I will officially be breaking out the term "Indiana North" for the 2015-2016 men's basketball team. To finish up the positives about the commitment, I am continually amazed at the success that Becker has had in building a true program. When the Becker basketball camp rolls around every year, players from past and present make it a point to be a part of the Vermont family. This sense of community and family is what I believe is the key to the continued success of the program. Most of the commitments Vermont has received over the last year have been immediately following the recruit's visit to campus. That demonstrates to me that the feel of the program is exactly where it needs to be. To achieve that level of cohesion in such a short time is nothing short of incredible and the entire staff at Vermont should be proud of that accomplishment. I think back to Becker's opening press conference when he took the job and it was his goal from the get go to build a complete program. A round of applause is due for step one of Becker's process and I can't wait to see it translate to continued success on the court.

Summer Updates

It may only be June but the future of Vermont basketball begins now. Many of the new players have already arrived and the rest will be arriving sometime later in the week. Timing the players arrival with the Becker basketball camp is a stroke of genius as the community/family feel to the program is on full display. Players from the past, present, and future all come together for the camp. It is a great opportunity to showcase the success and feel of the Vermont program. This week also marks the official visits for what I would consider Vermont's top 2015 targets. Josh Speidel and Everett Duncan will be on campus this week to see if Vermont is where they would like to continue their basketball careers. Duncan is the younger brother of incoming freshman Ernie Duncan and the chances of landing him seem solid. He is a nice player with great length and shooting ability. Speidel is the player that would be a coup for the program. He is garnering some interest from a few Big Ten schools and I believe he is the last piece to creating a new top tier team. Speidel is friends with both Ernie and Everett so there is a chance the family feel could be the selling point. While on the subject of the future, here are a few updates about what some of the incoming freshman have been up to since their high school careers ended.

Drew Urquhart made the Canadian junior national basketball team. This is an impressive accomplishment considering he missed his entire senior season of basketball. The Canadian scouts have raved about the 30 pounds of muscle that Drew put on this past year. The team is competing right now in the FIBA championships in Colorado Springs. Canada is undefeated thus far and will play in the gold medal game tonight against the USA. I have watched several of the games and Drew has played very well. He plays hard and has a great understanding of the game. His outside jumper has looked solid and he has demonstrated some impressive athleticism with a few nice dunks. In the semifinal Drew played the entire overtime period and hit a big three to put Canada ahead for good. The negatives thus far are that his free throw shooting has been poor and a few too many turnovers. The rust from the year off shows up with passes that are not quite where they need to be and being a little loose with the ball as he adjusts to the speed of the game. Watch the gold medal game here.

Zach McRoberts played on the Indiana senior all star team that played a series of games following the completion of the high school basketball season. McRoberts started every game and looked very impressive. He showed and improved outside shooting touch, especially beyond the three point line, and continued to play tough defense. The Indiana scouts rave about his ability to defend any position on the court and he seems to provide leadership on whatever team he is on.

That is all for now. I will provide some more updates as the summer moves on.

The final pieces to next years team

With the April recruiting period in full swing and the second letter of intent signing period beginning, next years Vermont team looks to be complete. Barring an unforeseen late departure (a la Four McGlynn) all the scholarships are now spoken for. Here are my thoughts on the final two members of next years team. 

Trae Bell-Haynes is a point guard from Canada who played his high school basketball at the Bill Crothers Secondary School. Trae is listed at 6-2 170 pounds and has just signed his letter of intent as of today. This makes him an official part of the Cats. There is not a wealth of info about him and when he committed it was definitely a surprise as there was no talk of him prior to his verbal commitment. It is hard to judge recruits by watching highlight videos and scouring the internet for articles. It is made even more difficult when it is a Canadian prospect. The Canadian scouts are fairly high on Trae. The attributes that have come up most in my research are high character and a tremendous work ethic. Trae is a very intelligent player who works diligently to improve every facet of his game. In the highlight video he displays good speed and court vision. His defensive instincts look solid and he plays tough. His offense game is a little raw and his jump shot needs work. It is an interesting choice by the coaching staff as that puts 6 guards on the team next year. It looks like that might signal a shift as to what style Becker wants to play going forward now that he will have a team full of his recruits. It certainly sets up a fierce competition for playing time as this freshman groups begins their career. 

Darren Payen is a transfer from Hofstra. Darren is a SF/PF listed at 6-8 210 who will have two years of eligibility left when he joins the team for the 2015-2016 season. Vermont recruited him out of high school before he chose Hofstra so he is familiar with the coaching staff. This looks to be a great fit for this team, as they need frontcourt players. Transfers are very difficult to judge because there are always multiple factors that go into the decision to transfer. Darren clearly is looking for more playing time as he struggled to crack the rotation at Hofstra. With so little playing time at Hofstra it is difficult to assess how successful Darren will be at the college level. He has tremendous athleticism and can finish above the rim. That will be a great addition to the Cats. This athleticism allows him to be an effect shot blocker on the defensive end and a crafty offensive rebounder. His offensive game is raw but the ability seems to be there. This team will clearly be playing at a much faster pace than the previous group and he will create a very athletic frontcourt with O'Day and McRoberts. Vermont's history with transfers has been a mixed bag so it will be interesting to see what he brings to the table. 

Now that the team is set it will be fun to see how all the players fit together in the fall. This will be an exciting year with so many new players to get to know. As it gets closer to the season I will have season previews and maybe even a few predictions. If the all state awards that most of this years recruits received are any indication there is a lot to be excited about in Catamount Country. 

Some Fun Facts

After another very good season in Catamount country, I thought I would post a few facts from the year that some may have overlooked. 

Along with becoming the all time leader in rebounds (1,168) and assists (679), Brian Voelkel broke his own single season assist record (184) with 190 assists this season. He now has the top 2 seasons of total assists in Vermont history. Voelkel also finished 4th all time in steals with 207.

Voelkel finished third all time in the America East for career rebounds and 5th in career assists.

Clancy Rugg finished 7th all time for Vermont in career free throws made with 386. Rugg also finished this season with 185 made free throws which is tied for the 5th most in a single season in Vermont history.

Sandro Carissimo finished number one at Vermont  in career three point percentage at .391%. That is one that I would not have guessed.  Sandro also finished tied  for 10th  in career free throw percentage at .807%. Sandro's three point shooting this season slotted him 3rd all time in single season three point percentage at .429%

Kurt Steidl's sharpshooting this season netted him the best single season three point percentage in Vermont history at .488%. Definitely makes me excited for the future.

Candon Rusin fished his career with 188 made three pointers, good for 8th all time.

The new 1,000 point scorers finished as follows on the Vermont career scoring list:

21. Sandro Carissimo 1,141

26. Candon Rusin       1,071

27. Luke Apfeld         1,048 (tied)

Sandro and Voelkel finished with 134 games played which is the most ever in a Vermont uniform. 

Looking at these career statistics really makes me appreciate how great this group was. Everyone knows how great Voelkel was but sometimes it is easy to overlook how great Sandro was as well. These numbers really demonstrate that Vermont fans witnessed some historically great players over the past four years and this past season included some impressive accomplishments as well. Between Steidl and the very good recruiting class coming in Vermont fans have a reason to be excited about the future. 

Another postseason disappoinment

Albany 67 Vermont 58

For the second year in a row Vermont's quest for the title ends at the hands of Albany. I would describe it as the "perfect storm" game. Albany was on their home floor coming off a dominating victory over UMBC. Vermont's sluggish starts had reared their ugly heads in the previous two games. In the early going the ball seemed to bounce Albany's way and a few calls went their way as well. While this was going on the Cats simply couldn't buy a basket and looked a step slower than Albany. By the time everything was sorted out, they were down by too large of a margin to stage a comeback. Will Brown is a brilliant coach and seems to have Becker's number at this point as far a game planning and executing. My hat is off to Brown and his team and I hope they beat Stony Brook on Saturday. I will say that I am happy to see the format change to campus sites next year because I think it gives the conference its best chance to put the best team in the tournament. Also selfishly I would like to see more games at home each year. There is really no more analysis needed as Vermont didn't show up and ran into a hot team. The only thing that even kept the Cats in the game was Clancy Rugg's sudden prowess from the three point line. It is unfortunate for this senior class to have their time in the America East end this way because they have meant a great deal to the Vermont program. This is one of the best overall senior classes of all time and many group and individual records have been broken. I personally loved this group of guys and will miss watching them play. The unfortunate fact however, is that post season disappointments are a substantial part of their legacy. As freshman they were the number one seed and were upset in the semifinals by Stony Brook. They then bounced back to win the title as sophomores. As juniors they were upset in the title game on their home floor by Albany. This years disappointment is still fresh in everyone's mind. Now the difficult part is they still made the post season and won 20 games every year. One might say that the price of being so good, so soon in their careers hurt them more than anything. When success seems to come so easily and so quickly, outsiders are left wanting more and more. I for one am focusing on the wealth of accomplishments that this group was able to achieve and gear up for a chance at a run in the NIT. This was an amazing ride and I look forward to one last race.

Tournament Preview

Vermont enters the America East tournament as the number one seed and on the heels of the most dominant conference season in history. The question remains: Can they win the tournament? Every year conference tournaments provide a exciting prequel to March Madness. There are always multiple upsets and teams clawing to get that automatic bid. I for one would like to see the tournament expand so that the regular season and conference champions both get automatic bids. Conference tournaments are great and it would certainly take some of the drama out of them. However, every year some of the best mid major teams in the country are left out because they slip up in the tournament. It would be great for college basketball to get more of the better mid majors into the tournament. This is the task that lies in front of the Catamounts. They certainly do not have an easy road. With the tournament being held at Albany one last time before the america East moves to a conference sites format, Vermont ended up on the Albany side of the bracket. It is an unfortunate result of the format that a team can finish fourth place in conference and still get to possibly play a home game in the semifinals. Especially when Albany was 7-1 at home in conference, versus 2-6 on the road. However, Vermont has to win three games regardless of the opponent. This dominant stretch all comes down to executing when the pressure is at its highest. There is no better situation than having a senior laden team that has been there before. Nothing will rattle the Cats and they will certainly leave it all on the floor. If they do face Albany in the semifinals it will be a great battle and will give the seniors a shot at revenge for the loss last year at Patrick Gym. Will Brown is a excellent coach and it is his ability to coach in pressure situations that has allowed Albany to have so much postseason success. Number one seeds have not fared well lately in the America East and Vermont has actually won 4 out of its 5 championships out of the number two slot. The fact is if Vermont executes the way it has all season they should win the title. However, one bad half of basketball in the postseason can lose a game and in a one and done format that is all it takes. I think Vermont will be prepared and hungry to go out champions.

Vermont at Binghamton 3/2/14

Vermont 92 Binghamton 82 OT

Vermont survived to complete a 15-1 America East regular season. The Cats did not play particularly well but there was a reason for that. This was a terribly officiated game. I am talking about a game where there was literally a foul every other possession. There were 65(33 BU, 32 UVM) total fouls in this game. Neither team was allowed to play any semblance of defense because anytime anyone was close to an opposing player, a foul was called. It was bad both ways and most of the time all you ask for is consistency. In this case it did not make a difference. This was a free throw shooting contest and no one pays money to see a free throw shooting contest. The teams shot a combined 76-95(40-49 BU, 36-46 UVM) from the line. Officiating like what took place in this game infuriates me and is inexcusable. It only happens with officials who think that they above the game. They try to impose their will on the game instead of letting teams play. Officials are there to respond to the game and keep it from getting out of hand. They are not there to dictate the style of play. Binghamton played their hearts out and out muscled Vermont for the entire game. The officials fouled out 5 Binghamton players, including Jordan Reed, forcing them to play with a very small lineup. Reed was phenomenal in this game, getting to the rim at will and knocking down his free throws.  He was flying all over the court, getting steals and rebounds while dominating the game all by himself. He fouled out on a ticky tack call 25 feet from the basket in overtime. That is inexcusable for an official to make a call like that. Once Reed fouled out Binghamton was finished as he was their whole offense and they were forced to play the end of their bench. It was sad to see their game end that way. Due to the constant whistle blowing there was absolutely no offensive flow and neither team could get a stop because every other trip down the floor resulted in free throws. There is no reason for an officiating crew to call a game the way it was called today. Let them play.

Now that I have vented I will talk about what Vermont did to win the game. As ugly as this game was, there is some value to gutting out a win. Vermont has been in almost no close game in conference and has also not had to play from behind very often. Playing in both of those situations today and pulling out the win are important. Playing in a game where as a team you need to overcome obstacles that are out of your control (i.e. terrible officiating) has great value as well. When entering the postseason it is crucial to have experience playing several different types of games and coming out on top. Vermont was able to make plays when it counted (except for a terrible final possession in regulation). Steidl, Carissimo, and Rusin all made big threes when the Cats needed a bucket. Rugg and Voelkel both made tough shots and were a combined 28-31 from the line. Voelkel's 15 points were crucial as every bucket counted in this one and his scoring was much needed for once. Clancy Rugg's free throw shooting has been a thing of beauty over the last few games. After going 19-21 in this game, Rugg is 45-49 over his last 5 games. That is amazing production. With those free throws, Rugg has now made the sixth most free throws (176) in a single season in UVM history. Also a shout out goes to Hector Harold who was 3-3 from behind the arc in this game, showing that he has officially broken out of his shooting slump. Also Josh Elbaum played extremely well today with 4 points and 5 assists in what was one of the best games I have ever seem him play. Voelkel is also now only 10 assists away from breaking his own single season record. That is enough about the individual accomplishments. What matters now is taking care of business in the tournament. I will post a preview mid week but I would like to say that I am glad the America East is moving to a campus sites format. Vermont clinches the number one seed, dominates the regular season like no one else has .........and is rewarded with a possible true road game in the semifinals. That to me is just ridiculous. Stony Brook knows exactly how difficult it is to beat Albany at their place. Vermont has had the same experience and it certainly gives them the toughest road to the championship. But Vermont has to win three games regardless of the opponent. Now it is time to go out and execute.

Vermont clinches the regular season title

Vermont 69 Stony Brook 53

In front of a sellout crowd at Patrick Gym, Vermont clinched the America East regular season title in convincing fashion. Against number two Stony Brook Vermont took an early lead and never looked back, dominating the Seawolves. After Sony Brook hit their first shot Vermont went on a 14-0 run and maintained a double digit lead for the rest of the game. Much like the Cats have done to every other team in the conference, they controlled the game both offensively and defensively and never allowed Stony Brook to get back into the game. During the conference schedule Vermont has allowed teams to score less than 50 points per game. This defensive intensity has set the tone for each and every game. Vermont forced Stony brook in to tough shots early and created a few turnovers as well. The most impressive aspect of the start to this game was the fact that Stony Brook did not get their first rebound of the game until about 5 minutes in. Stony Brook has been a very good rebounding team and for the Cats to assert themselves on the boards the way the did really made a statement. Now Stony Brook is definitely not the team they were at the beginning of the year. It looks to me like there are some locker room issues and the fact that Pikell had been having Warney come off the bench is strange as well. Warney is also dealing with some injury issues but Vermont just flat out took him out of the game. Warney has been everyone's pick as the best player in the conference and in this game he had 7 points and 1 rebound. ONE REBOUND!!! Are you kidding me? That is just unacceptable for a player of his caliber and to me it speaks to a lack of intensity. Vermont also made Warney shoot 3 for 10 from the field which is impressive considering he leads the nation in field goal percentage. Anyway enough about Stony Brook. This was a total team effort on the Cats part and everyone contributed in true Vermont fashion. Brian Voelkel gave his starting spot to his best friend Josh Elbaum which really tells you what kind of person he is. Vermont didn't skip a beat and embraced the moment by executing their game play perfectly. Luke Apfeld had his second consecutive strong game and looks like he is going to go all out now that the end is in sight. All of the rest that the coaching staff has provided him looks to have helped Apfeld stay healthy and energized. It was great to see him get his 1,000th point on senior night and in such an important game. The three point barrage to start the game opened things up for Vermont to attack inside in the second half. Ethan O'Day is playing at a high level much like the end of last year. His midrange jumper is a great weapon and it feels like it is going in every time he takes it. It is hard to write enough words about how great of a player Brian Voelkel is. He again stuffed the stat sheet and controlled the game on both the offensive and defensive end. He finished with 7 points, 8 rebounds, and 8 assists while locking down Stony Brook on the defensive end. The performance in this game solidified Voelkel's position in my eyes as the player of the year in the conference. An award like that would speak to the effect he has on the game without scoring. Clinching the title is the first piece of the puzzle for this group and the next game at Binghamton is very important. It is easy to breathe a sigh of relief and start to believe in your own hype. This group has been able to avoid that phenomenon thus far but it can creep up at anytime. Anyone is watching college basketball right now has seen many teams stumble at this point in the year. For example, last night Saint Louis, who had reached number 10 in the country lost at home to a very poor Duquesne team. This is what makes Vermont's dominance thus far such an amazing and historic accomplishment. The task now is to not let up and keep pushing all the way to the title. This group has the maturity to do so and it all starts with Binghamton on Sunday. One game at time.

Hartford at Vermont 2/23/14

Vermont 72 Hartford 47

With a dominating second half Vermont cruised to victory against Hartford.  The Cats can now clinch the regular season title with a win against Stony Brook on Thursday night. Candon Rusin scored all 17 of his points in the second half. The most important aspect of his big second half was that he was able to bounce back from a disastrous first half. Rusin missed his first few shots and then played tentative for the rest of the first half. It is a trend that I have seen before. Rusin was mentally out of the game and in the past he would have remained out of the game. In this game he kept pushing and hit big shot after big shot in the second half. It just continues to speak to his new found maturity as a player. Luke Apfeld had his best game of the season with 14 points and 8 rebounds. It was nice to see Apfeld look more like the player from the last few years and he is now 2 points away from 1,000 for his career. He is a near lock to reach that milestone on senior night. Sandro Carissimo took the game over following Rusin's hot streak and was responsible for stretching the Cats lead. Carissimo was decisive and aggressive while hitting tough shots from all over the floor. Hector Harold broke his o'fer streak and finally hit a shot from the field. That has to be a big monkey off his back. It was very evident that Vermont missed Kurt Steidl as he was in street clothes reportedly recovering from the flu. I certainly hope he is ready a raring to go for Stony Brook. Vermont needs his outside shooting to create space for the Bigs to go to work underneath. This was another game where Vermont's defense wore a team down. Hartford shot 24% in the second half including 1-11 from three. That is the formula to beat Hartford and the Cats were able to make adjustments and execute in the second half. I personally cannot wait for the match up against Sony Brook. It should be a great game.

There were three recruits in the stands for today's game. They are all 2014 recruits and I am fairly certain that Vermont only has 1 open scholarship available. The number of recruits is interesting and maybe the coaching staff has a plan to try and land all three but either way I guess it is good exposure for the program. The three recruits were: Willem Brandwijk from the Netherlands by way of the Holderness school in New Hampshire. He is a 6-9 power forward who can shoot and is already physically college ready. Elijah Bryant is a 6-4 shooting guard from Georgia who is an exceptional athlete and a lockdown defender. The last recruit at the game was Jeff Spellman, a 6-1 point guard from Boston who has a great basketball sense and skill set. I don't know how they all fit into Vermont's plans but they were taking in the game today.

New Hampshire Recap/Hartford Preview

Vermont 79 New Hampshire 44

On Wednesday night Vermont made another statement to the conference that they are the team to beat right now. Vermont absolutely manhandled New Hampshire in their own gym and won their 7th consecutive game. Now with that said, New Hampshire is not a good team. They at one point this season lost 13 games in a row and struggle to get to 50 points night in and night out. So normally this game would just be another blowout against a bad team. However, New Hampshire had just taken Hartford down to the wire and the game before that beat Stony Brook on their home floor. Again, New Hampshire beat Stony Brook at Pritchard gymnasium, the most significant home court advantage in the league. So in summation New Hampshire was playing their best basketball of the season and demonstrated they could play with the top teams in the league. By running them out of their own gym, Vermont again asserted themselves as a team that will impose their will no matter the opponent. As far as individual take aways from the game, Clancy Rugg looked good for the second consecutive game. He is getting back to the free throw line and it looks like he is getting his confidence back. Luke Apfeld played some great minutes as well and knocked down several beautiful jumpers. Hats off to Candon Rusin for scoring the 1,000th point of his career. Rusin is playing the best basketball of his career and looks like a completely different player since beginning the conference schedule. He is a big reason the Cats are on such a hot streak. In the random stats file, since scoring 17 points against Stony Brook, Hector Harold has played in every game during the 7 game win streak. He has shot 0-23 from the field in that time period. I repeat he has not hit a shot from the field in 7 games. Ouch. Every time he shoots you can tell he is just praying for it to go in. It is hard to watch him look so discouraged out there, especially when you have seen the moments where he could be an impact player. I hope he is able to break out soon.

Hartford comes to town on Sunday in a match up of the two hottest teams in the conference. Vermont has won 7 straight and 14 of 15 overall. Hartford comes in with a 4 game win streak. Last year Hartford came to Patrick gym and beat Vermont on a last second three by Nate Sikma. Hartford is always a dangerous team because of their three point shooting and relentless physical defensive style. The games are never pretty and often frustrating. This year Hartford has been a little more consistent and maybe now that the bulk of their players are upperclassmen, they are becoming a more dangerous team. The big advantage for Vermont is that Hartford is far and away the worst rebounding team in the conference. In the games where the Cats have had success against Hartford, it is when they dominated both the offensive and defensive glass. I would imagine that these seniors would like to erase the memory of the loss last year and make another statement leading into the senior night showdown with Stony Brook. This could be a "trap" game but the seniors have something to prove against Hartford. If they can hold serve at home on Sunday, it sets up a dream match up on Thursday night with Stony Brook. Not only can Vermont avenge their only loss up to this point in conference play, they can beat their biggest rival, the seniors can finish off their regular season careers at Patrick with a big win, and oh yeah, clinch the America East regular season title. If that isn't enough to get you pumped for a game, you should probably check your pulse.

UMBC at Vermont 2/15/14

Vermont 76 UMBC 52

Another big win at home for Vermont. Clancy Rugg returned to form and led the Cats with 19 points. Rugg played like he did earlier in the year, taking it hard to the hole and drawing fouls. It would be great if he could get back into rhythm as he has been fairly non existent for much of this winning streak. Ethan O'Day continued his strong play with a 12 point 10 rebound performance. It wasn't his most efficient performance but he hustled all over the court and made things happen. Vermont again asserted themselves early in the game and as a result the bench got extended minutes for the third consecutive game. Part of me wonders if the starters remember what it is like to play a full game. Dre Wills continues to impress as he finished with 8 rebounds in only 12 minutes. In this game he made more mistakes that in his previous two games but he is really showing that he can contribute when called upon. Contributions like the crowd pleasing alley oop he threw to Ethan O'Day in the second half. Hector Harold continues to be a complete enigma for the Cats. I have actually seen him do a lot of little things well over the last few games. Things like boxing out on a rebound or getting a nice assist. Unfortunately for him at the same time he is doing the little things well, he has completely lost confidence in his offensive game. Harold looks tentative on offense and his free throws were atrocious in this game. It is just unfortunate because he has the talent to be a solid piece of the rotation. Brian Voelkel moved into third place all time for rebounding in the America East. Just another great accomplishment for Voelkel. He is actually also on pace to break his own single season assist record. There are almost too many good things that you could write about Voelkel. With his 7 points today Candon Rusin also moved within 9 points of 1,000. After a very successful homestand, it is time to take the show on the road. Vermont better dig deep and avoid a let down because New Hampshire is a different team than the one they played earlier in the year. As long as Vermont avoids falling behind early, I think they can take care of business. With four games left in the regular season I know that the players can see the title is within their reach. I hope they are able to take it one game at a time and continue to play at a high level.