Skyler Nash commits to Vermont

I told you I would be posting today!

Vermont finished out the 2017 recruiting class by getting a commitment from 6-5/210 shooting guard Skyler Nash. He is a player who has overcome a lot and taken a circuitous route to reach his goal of playing division one basketball. Nash is from Chicago, IL where he was being heavily recruited by Big 10 schools early in his high school career. He then got very sick and during the process of figuring out the cause, doctors discovered a carcinoid tumor. Nash had the tumor removed and the cancer has been in remission. The recovery took a long time and as a result Nash missed a substantial part of his high school career. He decided to go to Gould Academy, a prep school in Maine, to restart his basketball career. He was able to do so and now he has been able to reach his goal of playing college basketball. What an incredible story of perseverance and drive. Now on the basketball court Nash is going to bring athleticism and toughness. He has a strong body and can finish around the rim with authority. Has a nice looking outside shot and should be a very good rebounder for Vermont. Looks like one of those players who will be able to do a little bit of everything to help his team win. He has a chance to be a great player for Vermont and contribute from day one. His commitment completes what I think might be the best recruiting class Becker has put together. The big 2014 freshman class was very good and has proven to be a very strong class. This class is diverse, brings a high level of athleticism, and looks to be full of mentally strong players. Between Stefan Smith, Bailey Patella, Ra Kpedi, and now Nash, Vermont has another great group to help take the reins when this senior class departs. This group will have a chance to compete for minutes right away and learn from the tremendous upperclassmen currently on the roster. Vermont is going to incorporate eight new players next season between the four redshirts and the four recruits. That is a lot of new blood and energy that will be infused into an already strong roster. The trajectory the Vermont program is on right now is incredible and it is a credit to the family atmosphere and winning culture that the coaching staff has cultivated. Getting a recruit to visit the school, fall in love, and commit directly following the visit shows how easy it is to tell that playing at the University of Vermont is a special experience. There is going to be an incredible amount of excitement surrounding this program again next season and it would really reach a fever pitch if the new area plan is officially implemented. Go Cats Go!!

Ra Kpedi commits to Vermont

In the first recruiting news since the end of the season, Vermont received a commitment from Ra Kpedi a 6-9/220 PF from Lawrence North High School in Indiana. He is the recruit I have wanted the most to round out the 2017 recruiting class. I have been looking for Vermont to add a true big man to the roster as a complement to the stretch big men that are currently on the team. Kpedi fits that mold perfectly. His number one skill is rebounding. He is very strong on the offensive glass and plays with a high motor. I followed his senior season and he put up big numbers on a very good team. Kpedi averaged a double double and often came up big down the stretch. He will instantly give Vermont a boost on the boards. He is raw offensively but looks to have the ability to become a good finisher around the rim. In reading about Kpedi, he is young for his high school class and considered completing a post grad year. He had offers from other mid majors (IUPUI, Ball State, Northern Kentucky, Monmouth, New Orleans) so this is a big get for the Catamounts. He has the potential to develop into a great rebounder in the America East. The thing that is most exciting is the fit for the Catamounts. He is the perfect complement to the current roster and fills a need going forward. I am very high on Kpedi and think he is going to be a very good player for Vermont.

In other news Josh Hearlihy is transferring out of Vermont. This is really not much of a surprise as he had slipped out of the rotation late season and was going to be in a battle for minutes with all of the new additions to the Catamounts. Hearlihy never quite found his footing and although he showed flashes, was never able to find the consistency he needed. I wish him the best of luck on his future. With his scholarship opening up I think there will be more recruiting news in the near future. Skyler Nash, a recruit who Vermont had on campus this past weekend, is announcing his college decision tomorrow. I have a very strong feeling I will be posting again tomorrow regarding his college choice.

Season Wrap, A look to the future, and Becker is special

After taking time for reflection, I still can't say enough good things about this past season. All of the records and winning games still feels incredible but the thing that I can get over is the mentality of the players in this program. The coaching staff is getting high level, high character players to buy into the system and believe that they can achieve their goals no matter how lofty. Under the pressure of being the overwhelming preseason favorite, the pressure of past failures, and the pressure of a long winning streak the Catamounts never wavered. Being mentally tough is one of the most difficult things about playing a sport. It is hard to know how players are going to react when confronted with pressure packed situations and it is difficult to build mental toughness. It is easy to teach someone a skill, put on muscle, or understand a play. It is very tough to teach someone how to be mentally tough. The fact that the Vermont coaching staff has been able to find players on the recruiting trail and identify their makeup beyond the game of basketball is tremendous. The way the Catamounts played this season may never be repeated. This was a once in a generation team and a once in a generation season. Definitely one for the history books and one that I will revisit as a fan quite often.

It is hard to single out players on this team because it truly was a team effort and this team in particular cared nothing for individual accomplishments and accolades. However, there are individual pieces that stand out from this season. First and foremost, watching Trae Bell-Haynes emerge as the leader of this team was spectacular. He has an incredible calm about him and brings this team with him wherever he goes on the court. I think that is reflected in his recognition as the player of the year. His basketball talent is clear but there were other players in the league who had great seasons. I think what put him over the top is the way he carries himself on the basketball court and how he is able to lead his team. The emergence and growth of Anthony Lamb this season was something I have never seen before. There have been many players that have made huge jumps from one year to the next. They get into the gym in the offseason and improve the holes in their game. I have rarely if ever seen a player make that jump so rapidly in the middle of a season. There was a stretch from December to January where Lamb could barely stay on the court due to foul trouble and getting lost on defense. He looked lost on the court and it looked like the freshman wall had been hit. He worked hard and by the end of the season was the driving force behind the Catamounts. It was even his defense that was coming up big for Vermont down the stretch. He is a future star and a player of the year in waiting. Anyone who watched that Purdue game, Vermont fan or not, could tell that he was another level player who is ready to push the Vermont program forward. Dre Wills, Darren Payen, and Kurt Steidl will be greatly missed. Payen found his niche and became an incredibly effective player who at various points during his two year career saved Vermont when they needed someone to step up. Wills provided the grit, determination, and attitude that is necessary when a team needs someone down in the trenches. He is the best on ball defender I have ever had the chance to watch at Vermont and his ability to finish in the lane will be missed. I can not put into words how incredible Steidl has been for the Vermont program. He played with determination and poise. From day one he was ready to do whatever his team needed him to do to win. If Vermont needed some threes, Steidl was there. Tough rebounds? check. Shutdown defense? check. Leadership? Integrity? check and check. He was everything you want in a college athlete. Replacing all of the things he did for this team will be the coaching staff's toughest task next season. He will be missed and I wish him the best of luck on his recovery. I have a soft spot for Wills and Steidl as well because they were freshman the first season I started writing this blog. Sometimes with this program it is hard to reflect on how great the season was because it is so easy to get excited about the next season. This team is once again going to be fun to watch. There will be a learning curve as they will be incorporating a lot of new faces. Even though the Cats are only losing three players, they are adding six new players with the possibility of a seventh. Three redshirts, two recruits, and a transfer will be added to the mix next season. It will be exciting how all of the new pieces fit into and complement the returning players. 

My final thoughts for this post are about Becker's final press conference today. If anyone after watching that press conference doesn't believe that John Becker is one of the best coaches in America, they need to get their head checked. That press conference was a tremendous example of why this program has reached the level it is at. Becker has a uncompromising drive to reach his goals and expects the same out of those around him. He loves the Vermont program and wants to be the guy that turns Vermont into a perennial mid-major power. I believe he has the chance to do that. He has already built a special program without the resources that many other school have. The pitch is to come to Vermont to win and be part of the family atmosphere. That is great and has worked thus far but as he said it can only work for so long. I am glad Becker stood up, spoke out, and basically demanded a new arena. This Vermont program has to upgrade their facilities or the momentum they have created will run out. UVM and the community at large has at times take the success of the men's basketball program for granted and doesn't quite seem to realize how hard it is to win consistently at the mid-major level. This Vermont program has an incredible coach who wants to stay at Vermont and move this program as far as it can go. That is a rare and special thing at this level of college basketball. The next step is a new arena and it needs to happen now. If the money isn't in hand and the construction doesn't begin, Becker is going to be far more likely to leave. His love for this program and his family's love for this area can only go so far. He needs to feel support for his vision. I hope that this season showed people in this community that Vermont has a real opportunity to be a nationally relevant basketball program. I will echo Becker's sentiment that the time is now to take the next step and give this incredible basketball program the arena it deserves. 

Game Recap: 13 Vermont vs 4 Purdue

Purdue 80 Vermont 70

I want a redo where Kurt Steidl doesn't get hurt.

Vermont fought through losing Steidl to a knee injury and pushed Pudue until the end before falling in the first round of the NCAA tourney. It was no accident that Vince Edwards went off for Purdue in the second half after Vermont lost one of their most important defenders. Steidl does so many things for Vermont and is the steady hand that guides the Cats. He has been such a great player over his years at Vermont and a wonderful representative of the university. It was hard to see his career end on such a devastating note. He is one of my favorite Catamounts. Vermont charged on without him and forced Purdue to pull out all of the stops to grab the victory. It was an exciting back and forth game and Vermont really showed how strong of a team they are. How good was Anthony Lamb? Gosh darn that kid can play basketball. Every game he gets better and better. He plays the game so hard and never seems intimidated by the situation. Lamb finished with 20 points on 8-12 shooting and added 9 rebounds and 3 steals.  His full arsenal was on display in this one and the consolation prize is being able to watch he and the other returning Cats next year. Trae Bell-Haynes was also great and controlled the game very nicely. Bell-Haynes finished with 15 points, 7 rebounds, and 6 assists. He only committed one turnover and ran the offense with incredible poise. Payton Henson and Ernie Duncan scored 13 and 11 points respectively in another balanced effort for the Cats. A tremendous and special season for Vermont and I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to witness it. I will post a season wrap up sometime in the next week. What a team, what a season.

Game Preview: 13 Vermont vs 4 Purdue

For the first time since I started my blog, the Vermont Catamounts have a NCAA Tournament game. I am very excited for the game tomorrow night and I thought I would give a few of my thoughts on the matchup.

I was really hoping that the Cats would sneak into the upset special 12v5 matchup. If ever there was a year they had a chance, this was it. I was a little disappointed that they didn't get there but a 13 seed it still great. The 13v4 games are also a very common place for an upset. Since 2000 the 13 seed as beaten the 4 seed 14 times. This includes 9 out of the last 11 tournaments where there has been at least one 13v4 upset, including two in the 2008 tournament.  Lower seed upsets are becoming more common and I believe it is due to a trickle down from the "one and done" rule. Most people focus on the high caliber players that would've have skipped college altogether and end up at Duke and Kentucky. Often people don't talk about how the players that would have ended up playing at those big schools without the rule, then disperse to other schools and the chain reaction continues on down. As a result mid-majors are more likely to secure a higher level of talent. Being a 13 seed puts Vermont squarely in the upset zone.

As a rule in order to pull off and upset, the favored team has to play below their usual level. If Purdue comes out tomorrow and plays at their best, Vermont's chances at an upset decrease greatly. For a lower seed to win there has to be the perfect combination of factors. The lower seed has to exceed their typical level of play while forcing the higher seed to play outside of their comfort zone. The other main ingredient is for the higher seed to then play poorly and make the game close as long into the game as possible. Sprinkle a little heroics and contributions from unexpected sources and voila, you have an upset. I have personally rewatched the Vermont over Syracuse (also a 13-4 game) in its entirety no less than 15 times. It was an ugly game where Syracuse and particularly Gerry Mcnamara played very poorly. Vermont also got an incredible out of nowhere career game from Germain Mopa Njila. Then the added heroics of T.J. Sorrentine's shot "from the parking lot" and the rest is history. In order to pull the upset over Purdue, Vermont will need all of the pieces to fall into place.

Purdue won the Big 10 regular season title and did so with a combination of big men and three pointers. Caleb Swanigan is a national player of the year contender and generally an absolute beast. The double double machine can shoot it from the outside and dominate in the post. Purdue also has a giant in Isaac Haas to complement Swanigan in the post. Vermont will have to throw some double teams their way and hope that forces them into turnovers. Payton Henson and Anthony Lamb will also have to use their outside shooting to pull them out from under the basket and force Purdue to work harder on defense. As for the three pointers, the last time these two teams met that was the difference. Purdue hit a school record 18 three pointers in that game. Every time Vermont tried to claw back into the game, Purdue calmly knocked down a three. This Vermont team is worlds better at defending the three and that is really the key to the game. If Vermont can force Pudue into an off shooting night it will allow the Cats to hang in the game. The longer the game stays close, the better Vermont's chances of winning. So many tournament games are lost in the first 10 minutes when the nerves and adrenaline can combine for a slow start. Getting down big early against a favorite allows them to relax and makes the underdog have to work that much harder to win the game. How Vermont comes out and plays in the first 10 minutes will be very telling as to how the rest of the game is going to play out.

This is a tough matchup for Vermont but a game they have a chance to win. They played this Purdue team last season and many of the same players for both sides and back for this game. Vermont got to Milwaukee early and the players are on spring break so there are no classes to worry about. The pressure from the long win streak and the conference season has been lifted and the Cats can give it their all without fear. For Vermont to win they will need to force Purdue to have an off shooting night, force Swanigan and Haas to give the ball up, and in the process force some turnovers. On offense they should drive the ball at the rim and force Purdue to contest shots, maybe draw a few fouls in the process. Purdue is not a great shot blocking team and both Swanigan and Haas can be beat with quickness. The Cats also have to shoot well from three. The three has come and gone for Vermont this season but when they shoot well from three they are at their most dangerous. As I stated above the longer Vermont keeps the game close the more Purdue will feel the pressure. They lost in the first round last season so the pressure is all on them to change the result this year. I for one can't wait for this matchup and expect Vermont to play a very competitive game.

My Q&A with a Purdue fan

When the matchup was announced on Sunday night, the quest for information about the opposition began. Through this process Travis Miller, who runs the SB nation fan site for Purdue, stumbled onto my little blog and asked me to participate in a question and answer exchange. I was delighted to participate as I like nothing more than talking (and writing) about Vermont basketball. You can view my answers to his questions at hammerandrails.com (great name by the way). Here are his responses to my questions.

Lee: Purdue won the regular season title in the Big 10. What are their strengths and how were they able win the league?

Travis: This year Purdue was an extremely versatile team. When playing at its best, the offense could be unstoppable. It helps a lot to have the Big Ten Player of the Year and National Player of the Year candidate Caleb Swanigan. Caleb averaged a double-double, set the school single-season record for rebounds, and generally was a force on both ends of the floor. While his defense and turnovers are weaknesses in his game, he is a rebounding machine and relentless worker. Four times this season he had a game of at least 20 points and 20 rebounds. With one more double-double I believe he ties a national record for most in a season.

Down low with him we have 7’2” Isaac Haas, who is simply a physically overpowering presence. He has started at times, but he has done his best work off the bench. He is virtually unstoppable on the low block in most one-on-one situations.

What really made Purdue dangerous was its three-point shooting prowess. Swanigan can step out and hit the three (43.1%). Vince Edwards, Dakota Mathias, and Ryan Cline are all over 40% from long for the season and P.J. Thompson is just under it. Lately the threes haven’t been falling, but Purdue is due to get hot again. Purdue is at its best when ball movement around the perimeter finds the open shooter or when Haas and Swanigan are passing well out of the double-team to find the open man.

Lee: I noticed that despite Purdue's size they are not a strong shot blocking team. Why are their shot blocking numbers so low? Are they able to protect the rim on a consistent basis?

Travis: Our best rim protector, A.J. Hammons, graduated last season as the Big Ten’s Defensive Player of the Year. Haas just does not have the natural shot blocking instincts as he did. Swanigan is getting better, but he is not quite as quick as he needs to be. Purdue more tends to play stingy man-to-man defense on the perimeter and influence shots more than block them.

Lee: Michigan is a team that has given Purdue difficulties this season. How has Michigan been able to beat them and what is it about the Wolverines that make them a difficult matchup?

Travis: Mo Wagner and D.J. Wilson were bigs that could draw Haas and Swanigan away from the basket. Haas is not a perimeter defender, and since Wilson and Wagner are good three-point shooters they took full advantage by pulling him away from the basket. That opened a lot of things up offensively. Wagner went off in the game in Ann Arbor, while it was Wilson that did most of the damage in the Big Ten Tournament. Even then, Purdue had adjusted well for Wagner and was leading by two with 18 seconds left in regulation. Had PJ Thompson just knocked down his free throws (he missed the front end of a 1 and 1 with 18 seconds left) Purdue likely wins the game.

Lee: When Purdue is playing well and up to their potential what do they do well? Conversely, when they struggle where do they typically go wrong?

Travis: As mentioned above, when Purdue is hitting threes it opens things up for Swanigan and Haas to go one-on-one, which are battles they are going to win. At that point you have to pick what is going to hurt you: a rain of threes or Haas and Swanigan pounding it inside.

When Purdue is not hitting well, it is turning it over in the post against the double-team, or guards can exploit our defense with quickness we are in trouble. Swanigan and Haas will turn the ball over against the double team, and sometimes it can make the offense go completely stagnant.

Lee: Now that you have seen the bracket, how far do you think this Purdue team can go in the tourney?

Travis: The goal has always been the Final Four and I think it can be done. I think Villanova is the best team in the country and we were a missed three-pointer at the buzzer from taking them to overtime in the second game of the season. This team has proven it can play with anyone in America and when it is on, the offense can be ruthlessly efficient. I would love a second chance at Louisville too, because overall, that might have been Purdue’s worst game of the year. We still made it competitive in the final minutes despite playing like absolute crap for 35 minutes.

That said, if the shots aren’t falling, turnovers become an issue, and we keep giving up offensive rebounds like we have in the last few games, we might not make it past Thursday night. There is also our history at stake. I have seen a lot of Purdue teams underachieve in March compared to what they showed the rest of the year. Our last three Tournament games (2016 Little Rock, 2015 Cincinnati, and 2012 Kansas) we have had the lead and the basketball inside the last minute with a chance to put it away. We lost all three. We have won some tight games this year. At Maryland was our best example of stealing one. We have also blown it late, and we get tight at the end of tournament games.

Lee: There has been a lot of talk about how this was a down year for the Big 10. Do you think that point of view is valid or is it a result of a marquee program like Michigan State having a down year?

Travis: I think it is a little of both. The league did not fare well outside of the conference with only Purdue (over Notre Dame), Michigan State (over Wichita State), and Indiana (over North Carolina and Kansas) beating teams that finished in the top 25. Indiana completely imploded in conference play and Wisconsin had an awful second half of the Big Ten season. I do think the bottom of the league got better though and it was more even than anything. Purdue dropped a game at Nebraska, who had the worst overall record. Rutgers was even feisty. In the end, there were 10 teams that had semi-legitimate at large chances a week ago at this time. There wasn’t a list of titans at the top like in 2013, but overall he league was very competitive. 

I hope everyone enjoyed this little Q& A and I want to thank Travis for the opportunity. I will post my game preview sometime tomorrow. 

Vermont returns to the top of the America East

Vermont 56 Albany 53

What a day, what a game.

Vermont fought and clawed their way to win their 6th America East crown and return to the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2012. Yesterday was the first America East championship that I attended in person and what an environment it was. There were many emotional highs and lows and I spent a fair amount of the second half in stunned silence, but Vermont never stopped believing and willed themselves to victory. What an incredibly tough minded performance that cemented this Vermont team as the most mentally tough group I have had the pleasure to watch. Now that they clinched the tournament birth it is truly time to relax, look back, and enjoy the incredible season that Vermont just completed. They put themselves in the conversation for best America East and Vermont season of all time going 29-5, 19-0 against conference foes, rattling off 21 wins in a row, and winning every type of game imaginable over the course of the season. The expectations were high coming into the season and Vermont managed to exceed even the most optimistic of predictions. For Vermont to mentally weather the pressure of the high expectations is no small feat. I think it speaks to the incredible and diverse adversity that this group of guys has had to deal with during their time in Catamount Country. Injuries, tragedies, transfers, suspensions, thrilling victories, crushing defeats, inspirational recoveries, exceeding expectations, falling short. This team has experienced it all and I believe that each one of those experiences was in preparation for this moment. Seeing how emotional Becker was post-game yesterday gives you an idea of the intense emotions that this group has experienced over the last few years and how satisfying it is to finally reach their goal. The game itself was exactly what Albany-Vermont looks like in the playoffs. Physical, gritty, intense. Both teams were incredibly tough and as a result the game was not exactly a beautiful basketball game. It was like a boxing match where each team kept getting knocked down, peeled themselves off the mat, and came back for more. Vermont was on the ropes in the second half when Albany took a nine point lead and the Cats could not make a shot of any kind. Then with 8 minutes to go Anthony Lamb came up with a big block which led to a run out and a Kurt Steidl three in transition. That cut the lead to 47-41 and gave Vermont some much needed life. Vermont continued to fight and get stops. Trae Bell-Haynes then found Kurt Steidl in the corner for another three that tied the game at 48. More back and forth action followed with Lamb cooling knocking down free throws. Lamb also grabbed a key steal, ripping the ball away from David Nichols on a baseline drive. Then the big play was Bell-Haynes finding Payton Henson slashing to the hoop for two and the foul. Henson then drew a charge on the next play to all but seal the victory. Vermont then frustratingly fouled Nichols on a three with .9 seconds on the clock when they shouldn't have been anywhere near anyone. This created a confusing scene and delayed the celebration but ultimately proved inconsequential as the party began after the formalities. Henson led the Cats with 17 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 blocks in a team high 37 minutes. He was an absolute workhorse and came through in big spots throughout the game. Lamb struggled mightily from the field but came up big in other ways and knocked down his free throws when the pressure was on. Lamb finished with 12 points on 2-12 shooting, pulled down 10 rebounds, and added 3 blocks. He was named the most outstanding player of the tournament with averages of 19.7 points per game on 58% (21-36) shooting from the field. That shooting performance included a scorching 9-14 (64%) from three and he also shot 8-10 from the line. Throw in 7 rebounds per game, 1.3 steals per game, and 2.3 blocks per game and you have the first freshman ever to win the award. Lamb was just incredible, influencing the game in so many different ways. Once again each player played their role and contributed to the victory. Steidl hit big shots and played shutdown defense on Joe Cremo. Dre Wills played incredible defense on Nichols forcing him into a 6-25 shooting night. Bell-Haynes shook off uncharacteristic 2-11 shooting and led the team with 4 assists and zero turnovers. I could go on and on about how much I love this team as this team gave me as a fan the greatest season that I ever could have imagined. The Catamount program truly is a family and this victory and the post game interviews and celebrations put that on display. Now it is on the NCAA tourney where depending on the matchup, Vermont will be a popular upset pick. With the right set of circumstances the Cats can certainly pull off an upset. I would really like to see them get a 12 seed and be right in that upset zone. Either way it is going to be great to see them in the tournament again. I will post a preview of their match sometime this week once their opponent is announced.

LETS GO CATS!!!!!!!!!!

ANTHONY LAMB

Vermont 74 New Hampshire 41

Something amazing is happening in Catamount Country.

Anthony Lamb continued his late season domination with a transcendent performance in the America East semifinal. Lamb was everywhere and did everything finishing with 24pts/6rbs/2blks/3stls. He was 6-9 from the three point line and single-handedly woke up the Vermont offense. He is another level player who Vermont is blessed and lucky to have. I have to take a second and thank Anthony Lamb for believing in the Vermont program and buying into the culture. We as Catamount fans are able to see something special every night and he is a big part of it. Lamb has matured both defensively and offensively the blink of an eye. He has a chance to be one of the best players to ever put on a Vermont uniform. Vermont has now won 20 games in a row and returns to the final to face Albany on Saturday. More on that matchup later. It is time to appreciate just haw good Vermont is playing right now. Their defense has risen to a level I have never seen before. Opposing teams are struggling to even get a shot off, much less make a shot. The Cats are hedging hard and recovering underneath with more fire than I have ever seen. New Hampshire is a good team and Vermont just completely dominated them from start to finish. The mental focus of this team is what sets them apart. They play hard and execute no matter the opponent, no matter the game situation. They have been able to block out all of the noise and buzz surrounding this program and have focused on the one goal that is important to them, the championship. Payton Henson and Dre Wills were also great tonight as everyone contributed and played their role. Henson forced Tanner Leissner (first team all conference) into a 2-15 shooting night. Kurt Steidl followed Daniel Dion (conference leader in three pointers made) around all night and Dion did not make a single three. I said before the season started that it would be interesting to see how the "winning is all that matters" attitude played out as the season progressed. I think it is safe to say that this team was 100% serious about that before the season started and each individual has bought into doing whatever is necessary to win each and every game. Now on Saturday they have a a chance to seal the deal and capture the NCAA tournament berth and America East championship. It is fitting that in order to do so they will have to dispatch Albany. The Albany program has long been the thorn in Vermont's side come playoff time. Vermont is 1-5 all time against Albany in the playoffs. The one win was in 2003, meaning they have lost 5 straight playoff games to the Great Danes over the course of the last 14 years. This is the way it has to be. Vermont has to come out and break through against their bitter rivals. If Vermont can continue to bring the defensive intensity that they have shown over the last several games they will put themselves in position to cap off this historic season with a victory.

America East Quarterfinal vs Maine

Vermont 86 Maine 41

Cats keep rolling.

Behind a perfect Anthony Lamb Vermont dominated Maine to move on to the America East semifinals on Monday when they play host to New Hampshire. Now Maine is dealing with several suspensions stemming from from a locker room fight and as a result they are playing with half a team, so a blowout was expected. However it was the way Vermont dominated the game that continues to shine a light on the focus and mental toughness of this team. How many times does a team play down to an inferior opponent? Or get lackadaisical with a big lead? This happens to even the best teams. But not tonight. Vermont came out and played the game like they would against any opponent and never wavered. They executed the game plan and took care of business. This team is playing with one goal in mind and it shows on and off the court. The Cats dominated as they should and are ready to take on New Hampshire. It will be a tough game as it always is against the Wildcats. If Vermont continues the defensive intensity that they have shown over the last few games, they will put themselves in a great position to win the game. Their defense has risen to another level down the stretch as the Cats are allowing only 47 points per game over their last three games with two of those games coming against other America East semifinalists (Stony Brook, Albany). Lamb has also raised his level of play and is playing his best basketball of the season. The game on Monday night will be another sellout and if the crowd can match their intensity from the last time these two teams played, Patrick will be rocking.