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.