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!!!!!!!!!!