Vermont clinches their 6th regular season title

Vermont 62 Albany 50

17 in a row, 25-5, America East regular season champs.

Vermont fought off a determined Albany squad to secure the America East regular season title. The first leg of the race for a championship has been completed. Securing home court throughout the playoffs is huge, especially with the tremendous fan support right now. This is also an opportunity to sit back and enjoy just how good this team has been. It is a treat to watch the Cats poise on the court. They play with such steady confidence and trust each other completely. What a time to be a Vermont fan. Continuing to win in conference against the teams you play twice a year, every year is no small task. Look around at the other conferences and you will see some very good teams have dropped conference games. Vermont's ability to take this season one game at a time and focus on the here and now despite all of the hype surrounding this program is incredible. Payton Henson was great tonight and showed the athleticism and shot making ability that he showcased at the beginning of the year before his injury. He scored in a variety of ways and was a key component of the run that secured the victory. His steal and layup to push the lead to 10 was a display of the athleticism he possesses. Henson finished with 18 points and 6 rebounds and was a perfect 6-6 from the line. Ernie Duncan hit a big three that pushed the lead to 8 right before Henson's steal. Duncan finished with 13 points on 5-8 shooting (3-5 from three) and it seemed like every one of the shots he hit was at a crucial point in the game. It was another balanced effort for the Cats but once again Dre Wills provided a tremendous spark off the bench with tenacious defense and scoring around the rim. His dunk in the second half was the turning point in the game. Vermont outscored Albany 28-11 after the Wills slam. He brings so much energy and fight off the bench. Vermont only turned the ball over 4 times and outscored Albany 20-2 in points off turnovers. Next up for Vermont is a showdown with Stony Brook to close out the regular season. It is senior day for Dre Wills, Kurt Steidl, and Darren Payen. It will be wonderful to celebrate those three players and their tremendous contributions to the Vermont program. It will also be fun for the Cats to have a chance at closing out the undefeated regular season. The sold out atmosphere will be incredible once again and that will likely be the norm the rest of the way as Vermont continues its quest for the America East title.