Maine at Vermont 2/4/14

Vermont 93 Maine 65

Once again Vermont takes control of a game and never looks back. Now I understand that Maine is a very poor team and that mutes the excitement about a game like this. Ted Woodward has zero control over his team and they do not play any defense. Every player is going one on one and seems to be out for themselves. It is sad to see the state of that program and I sincerely hope the administration goes in a different direction for the sake of the conference, Now off my soapbox and back to the game. Sandro is back on track and completely controlled the game. It is clear that he was pressing leading up to his 1,000 point and now he looks much more relaxed on the court. Clancy Rugg also broke out of his slump and played a very complete game. I think the eight day layoff is going to be important for him as he was looking a little exhausted during this tough stretch of games. I say it after every game but Ethan O'Day is playing at a high level. His shot blocking has completely changed the complexion of the defense. It is his all out energy and hustle that allows him to block shots and run the floor, which he does as well as any big man I have seen. Candon Rusin has turned into a completely different player and it is definitely a good change. He is finally using his athleticism to go to the basket and make tough shots. It finally seems like he gets it and understands how to play to his strengths. I have to think some credit goes to the coaching staff or his teammates for convincing him to improve that aspect of his game. Obviously in a game where as a team you score 93 points and the opposing team is playing no defense there are many positives to discuss. Most everyone who played minutes in the game had a positive effect and heck even Josh Elbaum hit a three so clearly it was Vermont's night. I would like to highlight how ridiculously good Dre Wills looked in the game. Now he makes some freshman decisions and looks very lost on offense most of the time, which is why he struggles to get consistent playing time. However, as a defender he is absolutely amazing. I have never seen a player be able to block shots the way he does. He is able to block players while playing on the ball and that is a rare talent which he has been showcasing all year. In this game he stuffed the stat sheet with 4 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, and 4 blocks. Now that is affecting the game in every aspect. If he is able to learn the system and harness his energy he could be  a very disruptive force. I am going to go back to how amazing his shot blocking has been. He has 9 blocks in only 80 minutes this year. Remember that he is a 6-1 guard. Before this year Sandro never had more that 9 blocks in a season. He is fun to watch. I could go on and on but I will stop there. Now Vermont gets 8 days off to recoup and get ready for the stretch run.