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.
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