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.
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