Vermont 71 Stony Brook 64
Vermont locked down Stony Brook in the final minutes and won their 10th consecutive game to finish the first half of conference play at 8-0. It was certainly not pretty and Vermont played a particularly bad second half, but I will take the win on the road against the number two team in the conference. After seeing every team once I think Stony Brook may be the most dangerous challenger. They play tough defense and have an amazing ability to put big, momentum swinging runs together. Vermont was good on the defensive side of the ball but gave too many silly fouls that bailed Stony Brook out of poor possessions. The offense was very stagnant but luckily Ernie Duncan was on fire. Duncan led the way for the Cats with 22 points by virtue of 6-8 shooting from behind the three point line. He definitely likes shooting in that building and it was great to see him break out of his shooting slump. Anthony Lamb and Payton Henson made some tough shots in the paint but no one other than Duncan was able to get into an offensive rhythm. Trae Bell-Haynes was able to hit 1,000 points for his career, but it came in what was one of the most ineffective games of his career. He couldn't get anything going, turned the ball over, and went 2-6 from the free throw line. Hopefully getting over the 1,000 point barrier was messing with his head and now that he made it he will find his form. Vermont has to improve their free throw shooting in the second half of conference play. Too many easy points are being left off the board. Revenge tour part three complete and now it is time to embark on the second half of conference play. The second time around is most often a little different and it will be interesting to see what adjustments each team makes. Vermont has put themselves in a great position and now it is time to seal the deal with a strong finish.
I would like to take a moment to step away from UVM basketball and travel down Route 7. I went to the Middlebury College basketball game today to see Matt St. Amour play. He and I are both graduates of Missisquoi Valley Union High School in Swanton, VT (Go Thunderbirds). I have watched him play since he was in about 5th grade and he is easily one of my favorite basketball players to watch of all time. You may remember that he was being recruited by UVM as a walk on before ultimately deciding to go to Middlebury. He clearly made a great decision as Middlebury is ranked in the DIII top 25 and he is rewriting their record books. He is at 1,400 career points and 200 career three pointers and is just a joy to watch on the basketball court. I guarantee you that he will do at least one thing in every game that makes your jaw drop. There are some more records and milestones he has a chance to achieve down the stretch as Middlebury tries for back to back NESCAC championships. If you have time, check their schedule and get to one of their remaining home games or watch online because he and the Middlebury team are worth it.
Saturday, January 28, 2017
Wednesday, January 25, 2017
Vermont at Albany 1/25/17
Vermont 60 Albany 49
Finally.
Vermont used their best defensive effort of the season to win on the road at Albany. It is no secret that Albany has held a hex over Vermont for some time now with the Cats last win before tonight coming in 2014. Getting over that hump and getting this win is huge. Most of these rivalry games turn into a physical defensive battle and this game was no different. Both teams struggled to make shots and nothing came easy. Vermont's defense was unbelievable. They held Albany to 30% shooting from the field. In conference play Albany leads the conference at 54%. They completely took Albany out of their game and challenged everything at the rim. The Cats depth allows them to challenge shots hard because foul trouble is less of a concern. Anthony Lamb has turned a corner on the defensive side of the ball. He was held out of most of the first half due to foul trouble but returned for the second half and dominated underneath the hoop. He finished with 4 blocks including two where he didn't leave the floor and basically grabbed the ball out of the shooters hand. He also led the team with 6 rebounds and brought the physicality and toughness underneath that is needed to win against Albany. By my count Albany made 2 shots outside of 15 feet from the basket due to some very hard hedging by the Vermont defense. Another great team effort on the defensive side of the ball. Albany played good defense as well and Vermont struggled to shoot the ball from three finishing 3-18. Albany dares you to shoot threes and does a nice job making the slightly deep three seem oh so enticing. Trae Bell-Haynes led the way offensively for Vermont scoring 18 points and now sits just 4 points away from 1,000 for his career. He is coming up with big shot after big shot down the stretch of games this year. Other than Bell-Haynes, consistent offense was hard to come by but Kurt Steidl continues to knock down perimeter shots in an efficient fashion. The only concerning blemish during the 9 game win streak is Vermont's continued struggles from the free throw line. Vermont fished 13-20 (65%) tonight and needs to improve that percentage going forward. Revenge tour part two is complete and part three comes up on Saturday night at Stony Brook. The Seawolves are nipping at the Cats heels and Vermont will be looking to put away any remaining doubt about who the team to beat is in the America East.
Finally.
Vermont used their best defensive effort of the season to win on the road at Albany. It is no secret that Albany has held a hex over Vermont for some time now with the Cats last win before tonight coming in 2014. Getting over that hump and getting this win is huge. Most of these rivalry games turn into a physical defensive battle and this game was no different. Both teams struggled to make shots and nothing came easy. Vermont's defense was unbelievable. They held Albany to 30% shooting from the field. In conference play Albany leads the conference at 54%. They completely took Albany out of their game and challenged everything at the rim. The Cats depth allows them to challenge shots hard because foul trouble is less of a concern. Anthony Lamb has turned a corner on the defensive side of the ball. He was held out of most of the first half due to foul trouble but returned for the second half and dominated underneath the hoop. He finished with 4 blocks including two where he didn't leave the floor and basically grabbed the ball out of the shooters hand. He also led the team with 6 rebounds and brought the physicality and toughness underneath that is needed to win against Albany. By my count Albany made 2 shots outside of 15 feet from the basket due to some very hard hedging by the Vermont defense. Another great team effort on the defensive side of the ball. Albany played good defense as well and Vermont struggled to shoot the ball from three finishing 3-18. Albany dares you to shoot threes and does a nice job making the slightly deep three seem oh so enticing. Trae Bell-Haynes led the way offensively for Vermont scoring 18 points and now sits just 4 points away from 1,000 for his career. He is coming up with big shot after big shot down the stretch of games this year. Other than Bell-Haynes, consistent offense was hard to come by but Kurt Steidl continues to knock down perimeter shots in an efficient fashion. The only concerning blemish during the 9 game win streak is Vermont's continued struggles from the free throw line. Vermont fished 13-20 (65%) tonight and needs to improve that percentage going forward. Revenge tour part two is complete and part three comes up on Saturday night at Stony Brook. The Seawolves are nipping at the Cats heels and Vermont will be looking to put away any remaining doubt about who the team to beat is in the America East.
Thursday, January 19, 2017
UMass Lowell at Vermont 1/19/17
Vermont 81 UMass Lowell 67
The bench mob showed up in a big way and Vermont ground down a depleted UMass Lowell squad to extend its win streak to eight games. Lowell lost their best and arguably the conference's best player in Jahad Thomas for the second half due to injury and was unable to recover. I would have liked to see him out there for a full game as he is a dynamic player to watch. Anthony Lamb was the game changer in this one. Thomas got out to a hot start for Lowell and then Lamb switched on to him at the defensive end. Lamb was able to slow him down just enough to disrupt the Lowell offense and allow Vermont to get their footing. Lamb finished with 14 points and 14 rebounds in one of his best all around games of the year. This game was a perfect illustration of how the Cats depth is such an effective weapon. Trae Bell- Haynes went out with foul trouble in the first half and Vermont looked sluggish and back on their heels. Enter Cam Ward who has struggled to find his game this year and he promptly led Vermont back into the game and finished with 17 points to lead the Cats. Unlike Lowell, Vermont can withstand the loss of a player in game and continue to attack. It is great to see Ward finally get going as he can be such a weapon off the bench when he is playing confidently. Kurt Steidl continued his hot shooting, scoring 12 points on 4-7 shooting from deep. Steidl threw in 4 rebounds, 3 blocks, and 2 steals for good measure. Another methodical effort from Vermont and round one of the "revenge tour" goes to the Cats. Now they have a nice break to get ready for two very tough road games. It will be interesting to see if Vermont can continue their momentum and focus through the long layoff.
The bench mob showed up in a big way and Vermont ground down a depleted UMass Lowell squad to extend its win streak to eight games. Lowell lost their best and arguably the conference's best player in Jahad Thomas for the second half due to injury and was unable to recover. I would have liked to see him out there for a full game as he is a dynamic player to watch. Anthony Lamb was the game changer in this one. Thomas got out to a hot start for Lowell and then Lamb switched on to him at the defensive end. Lamb was able to slow him down just enough to disrupt the Lowell offense and allow Vermont to get their footing. Lamb finished with 14 points and 14 rebounds in one of his best all around games of the year. This game was a perfect illustration of how the Cats depth is such an effective weapon. Trae Bell- Haynes went out with foul trouble in the first half and Vermont looked sluggish and back on their heels. Enter Cam Ward who has struggled to find his game this year and he promptly led Vermont back into the game and finished with 17 points to lead the Cats. Unlike Lowell, Vermont can withstand the loss of a player in game and continue to attack. It is great to see Ward finally get going as he can be such a weapon off the bench when he is playing confidently. Kurt Steidl continued his hot shooting, scoring 12 points on 4-7 shooting from deep. Steidl threw in 4 rebounds, 3 blocks, and 2 steals for good measure. Another methodical effort from Vermont and round one of the "revenge tour" goes to the Cats. Now they have a nice break to get ready for two very tough road games. It will be interesting to see if Vermont can continue their momentum and focus through the long layoff.
Monday, January 16, 2017
Vermont at New Hampshire 1/16/17
Vermont 71 UNH 59
Another big game for Vermont, another big game for Trae Bell-Haynes.
Vermont started fast and had an answer for every New Hampshire run on their way to a 5-0 start in conference play. Bell-Haynes led the Cats with 22 points on 8-10 shooting. Much like he did in the previous game against UMBC, Bell-Haynes attacked the basket relentlessly down the stretch to put the game away. Watching the transformation of Bell-Haynes into the team leader over the course of this season has been tremendous. Kurt Steidl also hit several big shots in the second half and finished with 12 points. With two three pointers against UNH, Steidl has now made multiple three pointers in six consecutive games. Anthony Lamb had the bounce back game he needed finishing with 13 points on 6-9 shooting. Vermont got the ball to Lamb early and often and it got him into a nice rhythm. It may not look it in the box score but Darren Payen had one of his most all around impactful games of the season. Payen finished with 4 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 blocks in 19 minutes. He played good defense and his blocked shots were down the stretch in crucial situations. With all of the different players and moving parts Vermont is playing like a complete team and systematically attacks the other team with different players and different lineups. The defense was strong again and Vermont continues to shoot the ball at a high clip, finishing at 54% for the game. That is a deadly combination to play against especially when you throw in the depth that Vermont posses. The 5-0 start is great way to begin conference play but now it is time for what I am going to call the "revenge tour". Vermont finished 1-6 against the next three opponents (UMass Lowell, Albany, Stony Brook) last season. The losses to UMass Lowell last season were especially disheartening and the Cats have to be ready for that game. Albany got back on track today crushing UMBC on the road. As I stated in my league preview Vermont has not beat Albany in three years so getting that monkey off their back would be a major accomplishment. Stony Brook is playing as good as anyone in the league and has ended the Cats America East postseason run two years in a row. Regardless of record or preseason acclaim, these are the three teams that Vermont wants to beat. This is going to be a season defining stretch for Vermont.
Another big game for Vermont, another big game for Trae Bell-Haynes.
Vermont started fast and had an answer for every New Hampshire run on their way to a 5-0 start in conference play. Bell-Haynes led the Cats with 22 points on 8-10 shooting. Much like he did in the previous game against UMBC, Bell-Haynes attacked the basket relentlessly down the stretch to put the game away. Watching the transformation of Bell-Haynes into the team leader over the course of this season has been tremendous. Kurt Steidl also hit several big shots in the second half and finished with 12 points. With two three pointers against UNH, Steidl has now made multiple three pointers in six consecutive games. Anthony Lamb had the bounce back game he needed finishing with 13 points on 6-9 shooting. Vermont got the ball to Lamb early and often and it got him into a nice rhythm. It may not look it in the box score but Darren Payen had one of his most all around impactful games of the season. Payen finished with 4 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 blocks in 19 minutes. He played good defense and his blocked shots were down the stretch in crucial situations. With all of the different players and moving parts Vermont is playing like a complete team and systematically attacks the other team with different players and different lineups. The defense was strong again and Vermont continues to shoot the ball at a high clip, finishing at 54% for the game. That is a deadly combination to play against especially when you throw in the depth that Vermont posses. The 5-0 start is great way to begin conference play but now it is time for what I am going to call the "revenge tour". Vermont finished 1-6 against the next three opponents (UMass Lowell, Albany, Stony Brook) last season. The losses to UMass Lowell last season were especially disheartening and the Cats have to be ready for that game. Albany got back on track today crushing UMBC on the road. As I stated in my league preview Vermont has not beat Albany in three years so getting that monkey off their back would be a major accomplishment. Stony Brook is playing as good as anyone in the league and has ended the Cats America East postseason run two years in a row. Regardless of record or preseason acclaim, these are the three teams that Vermont wants to beat. This is going to be a season defining stretch for Vermont.
Friday, January 13, 2017
UMBC at Vermont 1/13/17
Vermont 81 UMBC 72
Strange things happen on Friday the 13th.
Vermont over came an 11 and a half minute scoring drought in the second half to win their sixth straight. Think about that. Vermont was able to score 81 points without making a shot from the field over the course of almost 12 minutes. That is one of the most odd things I have ever encountered in a basketball game. This game was almost exactly like the game last season against UMBC at Patrick. Last year the Cats held a six point halftime lead and won 79-72. This year Vermont held an eight point lead at the half and won 81-72....eerie. Jairus Lyles scored 32 points last year and scored 23 points this year....I digress. This was a good win for Vermont. UMBC is a good team who is going to be competitive in the league this season and Jairus Lyles is a very impressive player. The Retrievers were without their starting center and as a result they only played seven players. Their most effective stretches of the game were when they went with a small four guard lineup. That was the lineup that really disrupted Vermont's offense because they were able to ramp up the ball pressure. Vermont was able to weather the storm and step up when the game mattered most. These are the type of wins that help a team prepare for games in the playoffs. Vermont was able to limit UMBC's shots from three and forced them into 14 turnovers. Trae Bell-Haynes fought through foul trouble and saved the Cats by relentlessly driving to the hoop, knocking down free throws, and finally making a basket. His leadership and poise really showed in this victory. Other than Bell-Haynes it was another wonderfully balanced effort. Kurt Steidl hit the 200th three pointer of his career and finished with 11 points and 9 rebounds. His shot is finally back to form and he is playing with a ton of confidence. Drew Urquhart scored 12 points and got Vermont going early before missing 4 straight free throws during a crucial point in the second half. Payton Henson finished with 9 points but struggled to finish cleanly around the rim. Darren Payen and Josh Hearlihy added 8 points each. Payen scored almost all of his points in about a 2 minute stretch in the second half. It is incredible how quickly he puts points on the board as he only play 9 minutes tonight. Hearlihy is looking more and more confident and his shot is starting to round into form. Dre Wills played 29 minutes in this game finishing with a very Dre stat line of 6 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, and 2 blocks. This team looks focused and confident, taking the season one game at a time. The biggest question facing Vermont right now is how to get Anthony Lamb back on track. Lamb only played 7 minutes in tonight's game and this is after only playing 11 minutes on Wednesday. He is deep in Becker's doghouse and I wonder if he will be coming off the bench soon. He genuinely looks lost and confused on the court. After he makes a mistake on the court he is getting an earful from his teammates and looks as if he doesn't know what to do to fix his mistakes. The talent is there and he has shown flashes of the player he can be. He is cheering on his teammates from the bench and is talking to the coaches about what he is doing wrong so it seems like he is genuinely trying to work his way back. He definitely has soul searching to do as he tries to break through this freshman wall he seems to have hit. Now on to the main event Monday at New Hampshire. That is the game that will be the real test as I still see New Hampshire as the most significant threat to Vermont in the league. It is always a difficult road game and the Wildcats want to prove that they are the top challenger in the America East. A 1 o'clock MLK Jr. day matinee is an odd game time, but I will be watching.
Strange things happen on Friday the 13th.
Vermont over came an 11 and a half minute scoring drought in the second half to win their sixth straight. Think about that. Vermont was able to score 81 points without making a shot from the field over the course of almost 12 minutes. That is one of the most odd things I have ever encountered in a basketball game. This game was almost exactly like the game last season against UMBC at Patrick. Last year the Cats held a six point halftime lead and won 79-72. This year Vermont held an eight point lead at the half and won 81-72....eerie. Jairus Lyles scored 32 points last year and scored 23 points this year....I digress. This was a good win for Vermont. UMBC is a good team who is going to be competitive in the league this season and Jairus Lyles is a very impressive player. The Retrievers were without their starting center and as a result they only played seven players. Their most effective stretches of the game were when they went with a small four guard lineup. That was the lineup that really disrupted Vermont's offense because they were able to ramp up the ball pressure. Vermont was able to weather the storm and step up when the game mattered most. These are the type of wins that help a team prepare for games in the playoffs. Vermont was able to limit UMBC's shots from three and forced them into 14 turnovers. Trae Bell-Haynes fought through foul trouble and saved the Cats by relentlessly driving to the hoop, knocking down free throws, and finally making a basket. His leadership and poise really showed in this victory. Other than Bell-Haynes it was another wonderfully balanced effort. Kurt Steidl hit the 200th three pointer of his career and finished with 11 points and 9 rebounds. His shot is finally back to form and he is playing with a ton of confidence. Drew Urquhart scored 12 points and got Vermont going early before missing 4 straight free throws during a crucial point in the second half. Payton Henson finished with 9 points but struggled to finish cleanly around the rim. Darren Payen and Josh Hearlihy added 8 points each. Payen scored almost all of his points in about a 2 minute stretch in the second half. It is incredible how quickly he puts points on the board as he only play 9 minutes tonight. Hearlihy is looking more and more confident and his shot is starting to round into form. Dre Wills played 29 minutes in this game finishing with a very Dre stat line of 6 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, and 2 blocks. This team looks focused and confident, taking the season one game at a time. The biggest question facing Vermont right now is how to get Anthony Lamb back on track. Lamb only played 7 minutes in tonight's game and this is after only playing 11 minutes on Wednesday. He is deep in Becker's doghouse and I wonder if he will be coming off the bench soon. He genuinely looks lost and confused on the court. After he makes a mistake on the court he is getting an earful from his teammates and looks as if he doesn't know what to do to fix his mistakes. The talent is there and he has shown flashes of the player he can be. He is cheering on his teammates from the bench and is talking to the coaches about what he is doing wrong so it seems like he is genuinely trying to work his way back. He definitely has soul searching to do as he tries to break through this freshman wall he seems to have hit. Now on to the main event Monday at New Hampshire. That is the game that will be the real test as I still see New Hampshire as the most significant threat to Vermont in the league. It is always a difficult road game and the Wildcats want to prove that they are the top challenger in the America East. A 1 o'clock MLK Jr. day matinee is an odd game time, but I will be watching.
Wednesday, January 11, 2017
Vermont at Binghamton 1/11/17
Vermont 67 Binghamton 50
Any win in Vestal is a good win in my books.
Vermont overcame a sloppy game to win their 5th straight and set up a showdown with UMBC on Friday. The offense was choppy and the Cats committed too many unforced errors. This is often how the games at Binghamton go and Vermont methodically worked through the rough patches and came out on top. This was another team win demonstrating the incredible depth and balance of Vermont. No one player played an exceptional game but everyone played their role. The win was due in large part to a strong defensive effort. Vermont forced Binghamton into tough shots and never let them get comfortable running their offense. The rebounding was a sore spot for Vermont for the second consecutive game and that is something they will need to clean up going forward. Having Payton Henson back is huge for Vermont as he has picked up right where he left off. Henson led the Cats with 12 points and 6 boards. His versatility stretched Binghamton's defense and opened up shots for his teammates. Josh Hearlihy's minutes were once again uneven but he had another very productive game. Hearlihy scored 7 points and pulled down 5 rebounds in 17 minutes. He is giving Vermont exactly what they need from him. The balanced scoring was tremendous as Henson was the only player in double figures but their were six other players with between 7 and 9 points. The Cats picked their spots from three and took a patient, methodical approach on offense. Now Vermont has a quick turnaround before the showdown with UMBC at home on Friday. UMBC is also 3-0 in conference and is playing well right now. The Retrievers are going to be hungry as they want to prove that they are ready to compete for a title. Vermont is going to have to continue the defensive momentum they have built over the last two games as UMBC is very efficient offensively and has the best scorer in the conference in Jairus Lyles. The Cats have to protect their home court if they want to win the regular season title. Friday's game will be the first of many big games ahead for Vermont.
Any win in Vestal is a good win in my books.
Vermont overcame a sloppy game to win their 5th straight and set up a showdown with UMBC on Friday. The offense was choppy and the Cats committed too many unforced errors. This is often how the games at Binghamton go and Vermont methodically worked through the rough patches and came out on top. This was another team win demonstrating the incredible depth and balance of Vermont. No one player played an exceptional game but everyone played their role. The win was due in large part to a strong defensive effort. Vermont forced Binghamton into tough shots and never let them get comfortable running their offense. The rebounding was a sore spot for Vermont for the second consecutive game and that is something they will need to clean up going forward. Having Payton Henson back is huge for Vermont as he has picked up right where he left off. Henson led the Cats with 12 points and 6 boards. His versatility stretched Binghamton's defense and opened up shots for his teammates. Josh Hearlihy's minutes were once again uneven but he had another very productive game. Hearlihy scored 7 points and pulled down 5 rebounds in 17 minutes. He is giving Vermont exactly what they need from him. The balanced scoring was tremendous as Henson was the only player in double figures but their were six other players with between 7 and 9 points. The Cats picked their spots from three and took a patient, methodical approach on offense. Now Vermont has a quick turnaround before the showdown with UMBC at home on Friday. UMBC is also 3-0 in conference and is playing well right now. The Retrievers are going to be hungry as they want to prove that they are ready to compete for a title. Vermont is going to have to continue the defensive momentum they have built over the last two games as UMBC is very efficient offensively and has the best scorer in the conference in Jairus Lyles. The Cats have to protect their home court if they want to win the regular season title. Friday's game will be the first of many big games ahead for Vermont.
Sunday, January 8, 2017
Hartford at Vermont 1/8/17
Vermont 85 Hartford 54
Vermont dominated Hartford from start to finish to win their conference home opener. The Cats finally had the good offense/good defense game I have been waiting for. That is the type of team Vermont can be. When they focus on both sides of the ball they can take the other team completely out of the game. Darren Payen continued his unbelievable hot streak with another 18 points to lead Vermont. He is so decisive around the rim and the most positive outcome of Payton Henson's injury is that it woke Payen up. Henson returned to the court after his 5 game absence and looked like he didn't miss a beat. Henson finished with 11 points, 5 rebounds and 2 assists in 16 minutes. If he can remain healthy he will only add to a Cats team that is putting it all together. Another great team win where just about every player contributed positively. The only player who was off was Anthony Lamb, who struggled with making quick decisions with the ball and put himself in some really tough spots. He looked a little uncomfortable on the court as if he is afraid of making the wrong play and still trying to find his role (this coming right after I write that he is "quietly becoming a consistent player" pfff... what do I know). Dre Wills finished with 7 rebounds and 4 blocks, continuing his renaissance on the defensive side of the ball. The depth of Vermont is continuing to be showcased and if there is one factor that I can clearly say Vermont has that no other team in the league has, it is a very deep bench. Other teams have a couple good, key players on their bench. Vermont has basically an entire second team that is able to be interspersed throughout the game very effectively. Josh Hearlihy played a season high 20 minutes and they were still a little uneven, but I thought it was his most effective stretch of the season. His ball handling ability gives Vermont a weapon against full court pressure and he is slowly but surely shaking off the rust. His offense is very limited but he is a versatile piece for Becker to use to change the look of Vermont's lineup. The only concerning stat from this game was how Hartford really took it to the Cats on the boards. Hartford is a very poor rebounding team and they pulled down 15 offensive rebounds and were basically even on the glass. That has not been an area of struggle thus far this season so hopefully it is a blip on the radar. The next two games on the schedule will be very interesting for Vermont. The Binghamton road trip is always a difficult one and there are very short turnarounds this week with a Sunday-Wednesday-Friday game schedule. In the Friday game Vermont plays host to UMBC who has been playing extremely well all season and looks to be a legitimate threat. That game will go a long way to seeing how the standings will shake out this season. The topsy turvy America East continued on day two with Stony Brook moving to 2-0 in conference dropping Albany to 0-2 by virtue of a 21-0 run to finish the game. Every game matters and the bottom half of the league is clearly much better than in years past. This is the type of dominating win Vermont needed to announce that they intend to do everything they can to take the reins of the league.
Vermont dominated Hartford from start to finish to win their conference home opener. The Cats finally had the good offense/good defense game I have been waiting for. That is the type of team Vermont can be. When they focus on both sides of the ball they can take the other team completely out of the game. Darren Payen continued his unbelievable hot streak with another 18 points to lead Vermont. He is so decisive around the rim and the most positive outcome of Payton Henson's injury is that it woke Payen up. Henson returned to the court after his 5 game absence and looked like he didn't miss a beat. Henson finished with 11 points, 5 rebounds and 2 assists in 16 minutes. If he can remain healthy he will only add to a Cats team that is putting it all together. Another great team win where just about every player contributed positively. The only player who was off was Anthony Lamb, who struggled with making quick decisions with the ball and put himself in some really tough spots. He looked a little uncomfortable on the court as if he is afraid of making the wrong play and still trying to find his role (this coming right after I write that he is "quietly becoming a consistent player" pfff... what do I know). Dre Wills finished with 7 rebounds and 4 blocks, continuing his renaissance on the defensive side of the ball. The depth of Vermont is continuing to be showcased and if there is one factor that I can clearly say Vermont has that no other team in the league has, it is a very deep bench. Other teams have a couple good, key players on their bench. Vermont has basically an entire second team that is able to be interspersed throughout the game very effectively. Josh Hearlihy played a season high 20 minutes and they were still a little uneven, but I thought it was his most effective stretch of the season. His ball handling ability gives Vermont a weapon against full court pressure and he is slowly but surely shaking off the rust. His offense is very limited but he is a versatile piece for Becker to use to change the look of Vermont's lineup. The only concerning stat from this game was how Hartford really took it to the Cats on the boards. Hartford is a very poor rebounding team and they pulled down 15 offensive rebounds and were basically even on the glass. That has not been an area of struggle thus far this season so hopefully it is a blip on the radar. The next two games on the schedule will be very interesting for Vermont. The Binghamton road trip is always a difficult one and there are very short turnarounds this week with a Sunday-Wednesday-Friday game schedule. In the Friday game Vermont plays host to UMBC who has been playing extremely well all season and looks to be a legitimate threat. That game will go a long way to seeing how the standings will shake out this season. The topsy turvy America East continued on day two with Stony Brook moving to 2-0 in conference dropping Albany to 0-2 by virtue of a 21-0 run to finish the game. Every game matters and the bottom half of the league is clearly much better than in years past. This is the type of dominating win Vermont needed to announce that they intend to do everything they can to take the reins of the league.
Thursday, January 5, 2017
Kurt Steidl scores his 1,000th point
Vermont 90 Maine 77
Kurt Steidl scored the 1,000th point of his career as part of a monster game to lead Vermont to victory. Steidl finished with a stat stuffing line of 20 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 blocks, 2 steals, and no turnovers. He was good in every facet of the game and is hitting his stride at the right time. He has put together a great career and has been a great leader for the Vermont program. He has a chance to become the first Vermont player with 1,000 career points, 500 career rebounds, and 200 career three pointers. His accomplishments represent how a player can impact a team in so many different ways. Steidl has always found a way to help the team even when one part of his game may not be working. Congratulations to him and I can't wait to see what the rest of the season brings. As for the rest of the game, Darren Payen continues to provide a tremendous offensive spark. He is in quite a groove right now. Anthony Lamb really asserted himself in the second half and is quietly becoming a very consistent player. Ernie Duncan hit some big shots when the Cats needed offense late in the second half, and Trae Bell-Haynes bounced back from some offensive difficulties over the past few games. Maine played a very strong game and pushed Vermont hard. The Cats are still struggling with second half lulls and that is something they are going to have to fix before the end of the season. The high offense/no defense style Maine plays is much like the way several other teams in the America East play. This is the type of game Vermont is going to have to win as several of the second tier teams have great individual shooters/scorers like Wes Myers from Maine. In fact Vermont's next opponent Hartford plays a very similar style of basketball. A good win on the road to start conference play for Vermont. The early results from the other games around the league confirm what I had already thought after the non-conference schedule. The league is wide open and there is really no dominant team this year. Vermont has a chance to be that dominant team if they fix some of the things that they struggled with in tonight's game. Stony Brook beat New Hampshire on the road and Albany lost at UMass Lowell. Stony Brook has been playing better since a difficult start to the season and I am always afraid of UMass Lowell. They are such and interesting team and they are so efficient offensively that it forces the opposition to play perfectly to win. UMBC beat Binghamton to continue their hot start as they look to prove that they are the real deal. They are another efficient offensive team who are going to give teams difficulties. Vermont is going to have to really commit to the defensive side of the ball, much like they did down the stretch last year in order to get wins against these efficient offensive teams. I really think it is going to be a topsy turvy year in the America East where anything can happen. Vermont will have to carry momentum and maintain their focus game in and game out.
Kurt Steidl scored the 1,000th point of his career as part of a monster game to lead Vermont to victory. Steidl finished with a stat stuffing line of 20 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 blocks, 2 steals, and no turnovers. He was good in every facet of the game and is hitting his stride at the right time. He has put together a great career and has been a great leader for the Vermont program. He has a chance to become the first Vermont player with 1,000 career points, 500 career rebounds, and 200 career three pointers. His accomplishments represent how a player can impact a team in so many different ways. Steidl has always found a way to help the team even when one part of his game may not be working. Congratulations to him and I can't wait to see what the rest of the season brings. As for the rest of the game, Darren Payen continues to provide a tremendous offensive spark. He is in quite a groove right now. Anthony Lamb really asserted himself in the second half and is quietly becoming a very consistent player. Ernie Duncan hit some big shots when the Cats needed offense late in the second half, and Trae Bell-Haynes bounced back from some offensive difficulties over the past few games. Maine played a very strong game and pushed Vermont hard. The Cats are still struggling with second half lulls and that is something they are going to have to fix before the end of the season. The high offense/no defense style Maine plays is much like the way several other teams in the America East play. This is the type of game Vermont is going to have to win as several of the second tier teams have great individual shooters/scorers like Wes Myers from Maine. In fact Vermont's next opponent Hartford plays a very similar style of basketball. A good win on the road to start conference play for Vermont. The early results from the other games around the league confirm what I had already thought after the non-conference schedule. The league is wide open and there is really no dominant team this year. Vermont has a chance to be that dominant team if they fix some of the things that they struggled with in tonight's game. Stony Brook beat New Hampshire on the road and Albany lost at UMass Lowell. Stony Brook has been playing better since a difficult start to the season and I am always afraid of UMass Lowell. They are such and interesting team and they are so efficient offensively that it forces the opposition to play perfectly to win. UMBC beat Binghamton to continue their hot start as they look to prove that they are the real deal. They are another efficient offensive team who are going to give teams difficulties. Vermont is going to have to really commit to the defensive side of the ball, much like they did down the stretch last year in order to get wins against these efficient offensive teams. I really think it is going to be a topsy turvy year in the America East where anything can happen. Vermont will have to carry momentum and maintain their focus game in and game out.
Monday, January 2, 2017
Harvard at Vermont 1/2/17
Vermont 82 Harvard 71
2017 started out right.
Vermont played their best 40 minutes of basketball this season and wrapped up their non-conference slate with a big win over Harvard. The win brings their non conference record to 10-5 which is their best start under Coach Becker. The Catamounts played a tough schedule and look ready to begin conference play. The maturation of this team thus far this season has been great. This team wants to win and is leaving it all out on the floor. The tenacity and drive that they are currently playing with is that of a team that has a clear goal in mind. In tonight's game, the Cats got every loose ball, played tough physical defense, and dominated the offensive glass. Those are all "will" categories. That is the dirty work that is the mark of a winning team. Vermont finished with 15 offensive rebounds and were +13 on the glass. They out worked Harvard on every possession and attacked the rim relentlessly. Darren Payen led the team in scoring again, putting up a career high 21 points. Payen added 6 rebounds and 2 blocks in an incredible all around performance. He was unstoppable around the hoop scoring with an array of creative finishes. His turnaround this season has been nothing short of miraculous. He is playing with tremendous confidence and looks ready to finish his college career with a bang. Kurt Steidl also returned to form finishing with 17 points including 3-4 from three. Steidl scored in a variety of ways and hit big shot after big shot. He is now seven points away from 1,000 which is a testament to his reliability and consistent play over the course of his career. To continue a theme of the seniors stepping up, Dre Wills completely changed the game with his defense. Harvard's leading scorer Bryce Aiken put up 14 points on 6-6 shooting in the first half and looked unstoppable. Wills completely shut him down in the second half with incredible on ball defense. It looked like the Wills from two years ago and was fun to watch. Having the seniors step up and pull the team along with them is a great sign going into their final conference season. For the second straight game it was a great all around team win. Vermont only turned the ball over 7 times and each player contributed positively during their minutes. The improvement by Vermont on defense has been incredible. Harvard shot a very high percentage in this game but Vermont shut down some of their key offensive weapons and kept them from getting second chance points. Guys like Steidl and Ernie Duncan don't always get recognition for their defense but the two of them are solid defenders who stay between their man and the hoop. This team has bought into the system and is ready to make the push to March. Anything can happen in conference play but Vermont could not be more ready to take control. They played the toughest schedule in the conference and it has prepared them to face the grind of the conference season. The opener at Maine will be telling as to how they can maintain focus on what is a tough road trip to an opponent who is not as strong as many of the teams they have played. Overlooking a team can be dangerous and winning teams know how to take care of business one game at a time. It is hard not to be excited about the potential of this Vermont team.
P.S. If anyone is superstitious or believes in strange coincidences, in each of the three full years I have blogged, I have written exactly 43 posts per year. That is freaky... maybe I should play the lottery....
2017 started out right.
Vermont played their best 40 minutes of basketball this season and wrapped up their non-conference slate with a big win over Harvard. The win brings their non conference record to 10-5 which is their best start under Coach Becker. The Catamounts played a tough schedule and look ready to begin conference play. The maturation of this team thus far this season has been great. This team wants to win and is leaving it all out on the floor. The tenacity and drive that they are currently playing with is that of a team that has a clear goal in mind. In tonight's game, the Cats got every loose ball, played tough physical defense, and dominated the offensive glass. Those are all "will" categories. That is the dirty work that is the mark of a winning team. Vermont finished with 15 offensive rebounds and were +13 on the glass. They out worked Harvard on every possession and attacked the rim relentlessly. Darren Payen led the team in scoring again, putting up a career high 21 points. Payen added 6 rebounds and 2 blocks in an incredible all around performance. He was unstoppable around the hoop scoring with an array of creative finishes. His turnaround this season has been nothing short of miraculous. He is playing with tremendous confidence and looks ready to finish his college career with a bang. Kurt Steidl also returned to form finishing with 17 points including 3-4 from three. Steidl scored in a variety of ways and hit big shot after big shot. He is now seven points away from 1,000 which is a testament to his reliability and consistent play over the course of his career. To continue a theme of the seniors stepping up, Dre Wills completely changed the game with his defense. Harvard's leading scorer Bryce Aiken put up 14 points on 6-6 shooting in the first half and looked unstoppable. Wills completely shut him down in the second half with incredible on ball defense. It looked like the Wills from two years ago and was fun to watch. Having the seniors step up and pull the team along with them is a great sign going into their final conference season. For the second straight game it was a great all around team win. Vermont only turned the ball over 7 times and each player contributed positively during their minutes. The improvement by Vermont on defense has been incredible. Harvard shot a very high percentage in this game but Vermont shut down some of their key offensive weapons and kept them from getting second chance points. Guys like Steidl and Ernie Duncan don't always get recognition for their defense but the two of them are solid defenders who stay between their man and the hoop. This team has bought into the system and is ready to make the push to March. Anything can happen in conference play but Vermont could not be more ready to take control. They played the toughest schedule in the conference and it has prepared them to face the grind of the conference season. The opener at Maine will be telling as to how they can maintain focus on what is a tough road trip to an opponent who is not as strong as many of the teams they have played. Overlooking a team can be dangerous and winning teams know how to take care of business one game at a time. It is hard not to be excited about the potential of this Vermont team.
P.S. If anyone is superstitious or believes in strange coincidences, in each of the three full years I have blogged, I have written exactly 43 posts per year. That is freaky... maybe I should play the lottery....
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