Vermont at Lipscomb 12/21/18

Lipscomb 91 Vermont 66

The wheels fell off and Vermont's win streak came to a screeching halt. It is not surprising after the week of exciting hard fought victories and facing a difficult opponent on the road. It was surprising how easily they were handled. Lipscomb shot the lights out and Vermont looked tired and worn out coming off their double overtime victory. Lipscomb is a very good team. Besides Kansas, Lipscomb is the best team that Vermont has played. They run an incredibly efficient offensive system and ran it to perfection tonight. They play a very uptempo style and they imposed their will and were able to control the tempo for most of the game. That is a tough loss and they will be able to learn a lot. They really looked gassed at the end much to Anthony Lamb's chagrin as he tried to motivate his teammates. Becker didn't even play Ernie Duncan in the second half as he did not look right coming off the injury. The injuries have really piled up for Vermont and they need to get healthy as their lack of depth was very evident in this game. A loss like this before the extended break can really serve as something that the coaching staff can use to refocus the team.  One of the concerning trends is Isaiah Moll's offense continuing to disappear. He is really struggling to make shots as he always seems to be going too fast when he has the ball. His three point shot has completely deserted him as he is now shooting 6-38( 16%) from three.  He has some soul searching to do over the next week. Now with 12 days off before the next game hopefully Vermont can get healthy and get ready for the conference schedule. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!!

Anthony Lamb becomes a legend

Vermont 83 St. Bonaventure 76 in 2OT

An all time great game from an all time great player.

The three thousand or so Cats fans that attended tonight's game witnessed something special. That is a game that will forever come up in conversation as a "Were you there when......" moment. Anthony Lamb keeps raising his game to another level. Each time you think you have seen his best most unbelievable performance he goes out and takes it up another notch. He has reached the upper echelon of Vermont greats and is taking over games like a man named Coppenrath used to. He was an absolute warrior in this game. Kept the Cats in the game while everyone figured out what to do without Ernie Duncan. Made big shot after big shot and then, just when it seemed he might have nothing left in the tank, he hits the dagger to finish off the Bonnies. Lamb played 47 minutes scoring 42 points, grabbing 6 rebounds, swatting 3 shots, and ZERO turnovers. While doing all that he was keeping his teammates calm, telling them to take it one play at a time, firing up the crowd, and then celebrating the win. He does it all with poise and composure. Get to a game. He is in the midst of an all time great season. Stef Smith struggled in the first half. It looked like the pressure of trying to replace Ernie was getting to him and he was trying to do to much. He finally broke through and it was his big scoring run that got Vermont back into the game. He came alive and ignited the Cats and the crowd. Smith finished with 21 points and led the team with 7 rebounds in 42 minutes. What more is there to say about the tremendous maturity, poise, and determination that Robin Duncan plays with. He was everywhere in this game. Grabbing offensive rebounds including the play of the game when he corralled a Ben Shungu free throw miss and tied the game at the end of regulation. Robin finished with 11 points, 5 rebounds, and 6 assists in 40 minutes. Ben Shungu and Bailey Patella also gave the Cats great minutes. The offensive rebounding down the stretch was the thing that changed the game. Vermont was out hustling the Bonnies to every lose ball and particularly the Vermont guards were diving to the rim to get big rebounds. The adversity that the Cats overcame to get this win shows the kind of guts this team has. No Ernie. Everett goes down. Short bench. Terrible start. Big second half deficit. The list goes on and on. They never got rattled. They never stopped believing. These are the qualities of a winning team. To be 9-3 at this point with the Cats youth and the difficulty of their schedule is an incredible accomplishment. Now they have another quick turnaround as they make their way down to Tennessee to meet Lipscomb. With the heavy minutes this week it will be interesting to see who has anything left in the tank for Friday's game. That is all for me tonight as I know I can't truly do this game justice. What a night.

Northeastern at Vermont 12/16/18

Vermont 75 Northeastern 70

One streak broken and another extended.

Vermont won their fifth consecutive game by breaking a three year, three game losing streak against Northeastern. Another tremendous defensive effort led the way as Vermont overcame cold shooting and the loss of their senior leader Ernie Duncan to injury. Ernie went down with what looked like a ankle injury toward the end of the first half and did not return. Vermont dug deep and turned up the defensive pressure. The Cats really guarded hard on the perimeter and made it difficult for Northeastern to get into their offense. Samuel Dingba played a season high 18 minutes and put his fingerprints all over this game. Dingba pulled down two big offensive rebounds to open the second half and got two crucial steals as Vermont was trying to put the game away. He finished with 4 points and 5 rebounds in easily his best game in a Vermont uniform. He actually got the start as Becker continues to tinker with the lineups. Becker really coached his butt off in this game. He made great adjustments on both offense and defense and was finally able to get the balance and all around contributions that have been the hallmark of his Vermont teams. Players are finding their roles and Becker is putting them in position to be effective. Nothing was easy for Vermont offensively in this game. They were struggling to hit from three, missing layups, and missing free throws. They kept working and digging in on defense. In the second half Anthony Lamb was able to get his offense going and Stef Smith really stepped up with Ernie out. Lamb finished with game highs of 17 points and 8 rebounds. He worked hard for every single point. Smith finished with 13 points and 5 rebounds in an all around great effort. He played tough on defense, took care of the ball, and attacked the rim in the second half. He made some beautiful hesitation moves and scored big buckets when Vermont was taking control of the game. Everett Duncan chipped in with 13 points and is starting to find consistency after some early season struggles. Robin Duncan continues to impress with his poise and defensive effort. He consistently hounds opposing ball-handlers and is a steady hand initiating the offense. Ben Shungu also played a season high 26 minutes stepping in for Ernie. Shungu also plays tenacious defense and has made himself a threat on the offensive end of the floor. Big time win against a tough team that has had Vermont's number over the past few years. Now they have a quick turnaround before welcoming St. Bonaventure to Patrick on Tuesday night. That will be another fun one.

Harvard at Vermont 12/8/18

Vermont 71 Harvard 65

Anthony Lamb. Nuff Said.

Lamb took over the game in the second half and brought Vermont back from a 10 point deficit to defeat Harvard. After setting a career high with 34 against Yale a few weeks ago, Lamb one upped himself by scoring 37 points on 14-22 shooting in this one. Lamb out muscled the helpless Harvard defenders and scored from just about every spot on the floor. This was a gutsy performance by the Cats and Lamb was the leader. He is continuing to amaze and is working on a special season. The hard work he put in during the offseason is paying off as he has added significant quickness to his game. Harvard tried several different defenders and strategies to stop him but Lamb was just able to take what the defense gives him, take advantage, and score anyway. What an incredible performance. There have been enough games this season to say that this group has the mental toughness to win. They expect to win and when they are asked to dig deep they respond. The defensive performance by the Cats in the second half was incredible. They had Harvard back on their heels and completely locked up on the perimeter. Robin Duncan's length has provided the Cats with a versitile defender. In the first half when Harvard was knocking down perimeter shots at will and dominating Vermont on the boards, the Cats were hedging ball screens and attempting to recover. Becker made the adjustment at halftime to switch everything and it was very effective. Harvard finished the game with 21 turnovers to Vermont's 7. That was the difference in the game. Part of the effectiveness of the defense is the luxury of having a 6-5 point guard who can hold his own against bigger players. The defense game plan was executed beautifully and Vermont completely changed the momentum. Ernie Duncan was the other Catamount in double figures with 14. He had a big putback of his own miss at a crucial point late in the game. What was great about his game tonight was he scored the 14 without knocking down threes or making a ton of free throws. He was able to get rim and finish with an array of creative moves. This performance shows the maturation in his game. In the past if Ernie wasn't hitting threes he struggled to contribute offensively. Now he has rounded out his game and is a threat no matter what. Now the Cats have the week off for finals before a very tough Northeastern team comes to Patrick. I hope the gym will be as electric next Sunday as it was tonight because the atmosphere was incredible.

Vermont at George Mason 12/3/2018

Vermont 72 George Mason 67

Vermont capped of their three game road sweep with a victory over George Mason. Very impressive to see this young team bounce back from a tough loss and get three straight victories on the road. The Cats led wire to wire in this one and their defense kept George Mason in check for most of the game. The rotations and switches are coming together and they were able to control the tempo and make George Mason play in the half court. The defensive length that Vermont can put on the floor is really starting to give teams problems. Anthony Lamb led Vermont with a gutsy performance. Lamb is struggling with the added defensive attention which has led to an increase in turnovers. Part of that is due to him taking a physical beating game in and game out. Lamb toughed it out and led the Cats with 19 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3 blocks. He is finding his teammates out of the double team and isn't letting the tough sledding get him down. Ernie Duncan also had 19 points displaying an array of creative finishes around the basket. Due to his hot shooting from three, George Mason tried to get up on him on the perimeter. Ernie recognized that and took the ball to the rim relentlessly. You can see players getting more comfortable with their roles and groups starting to get more comfortable playing together. Now Vermont has the toughest stretch of the non-conference schedule. The next four teams are all going to be tough games. Harvard, Northeastern, St. Bonaventure, Lipscomb. Three of the four are picked to win their conference. The next three are at home which is a bonus but this is going to be another big test. Should be some good basketball of the next few weeks. It all starts with Harvard on Saturday night.

Vermont at Towson 11/30/18

Vermont 70 Towson 64

Vermont picked up another road win with a strong second half against Towson. Ernie Duncan led the Cats, knocking down 6-9 from three on his way to 28 points. Ernie calmly knocked down shots all night and iced the game from the free throw line. Ernie has been on a hot streak over the past four games shooting at a 63% (15-24) clip from three. Isaiah Moll had his breakout game knocking down 3-4 from deep on his way to a career high 20 points. He also led the team with 7 rebounds and is looking more and more comfortable on the court. He is still often out of control and gets himself in bad situations, but the game is definitely starting to slow down. Once he harnesses his aggressiveness on the court he is going to be a force. Other than those two everyone else really struggled as Vermont is still trying to find some consistency. Again tonight the Vermont offense ran in streaks and alternately looked unstoppable and disorganized. Vermont's dependency on the three point shot will be an interesting storyline this season. When they are hitting from the perimeter their whole on court energy is lifted. When the shots are not falling they look lethargic and hesitant. As teams focus more and more on stopping Anthony Lamb, the three point shot is going to be a shot Vermont will be able to consistently get throughout a game. They are going to have to find a balance between taking what the defense gives them and not settling for jumpers. Now on to a much tougher matchup in George Mason on Monday night. Vermont is going to have to put together a full 40 minutes of good basketball to come away with a win.

Vermont at George Washington 11/28/18

Vermont 69 George Washington 53

Vermont used strong three point shooting to go on a 16-0 second half run and opened their three game road trip with a win. The three pointers were falling all night as Vermont finished 11-19 from three. The hot shooting came from some unexpected sources as Ben Shungu was 3-3 from deep on his way to a career high 13 points. Considering Shungu was 2-5 from three for his career before this game, I would call his production a nice surprise. Isaiah Moll was shooting 2-18 on the season before he knocked a big shot during that run. It was great to see Everett Duncan get some shots to fall as he had been struggling over the last few games. The big story was some significant lineup changes for this game. Robin Duncan and Ryan Davis started for Vermont and Ben Shungu saw significant minutes throughout the game. The rotations are very fluid at this point as Becker tries to get the most out of these young players. I though Becker again really struggled with substitution patterns when Vermont's offense was stalled out to start the second half. Robin is the key to the Vermont offense running smoothly. As soon as Robin came back into the lineup in the second half, the Cats went on their big run. He led the team with 6 assists and is quickly becoming Vermont's best facilitator. Anthony Lamb hit some big shots and led the Cats with 16 points, 9 rebounds, and 4 more blocks. He is fast becoming quite the rim protector. Stef Smith struggled with decision making in the second half but really got on the boards finishing with 9 rebounds to go along with his 10 points. This continues an encouraging trend of a big improvement in his rebounding this season. Vermont is still trying to find their identity and players are still figuring out what their roles will be. The defense looked better and looked more like Vermont basketball. This game was a great example of how explosive this offense has a chance to be. This group can put points up in a hurry and they can get even better. This was a good win to kick off the road trip but they have a quick turnaround before their game against Towson on Friday. Becker is going to have to continue to find creative ways to motivate and educate these players as they navigate the early part of this season.

Bucknell at Vermont 11/25/18

Bucknell 69 Vermont 61

The Cats came out flat in the second half and fell to Bucknell. After an impressive performance against Yale on Wednesday this was a pendulum swing in the other direction. This Vermont team is going to have wild swings to both extremes of effectiveness due to their youth and inexperience. Bucknell did a great job making second half adjustments and Becker really struggled to find the right combination of players. There were several times in the second half where Vermont's offense was stalling and it was partially due to some strange on court combinations and guys not really knowing their role. The team looked hesitant and back on their heels for most of the second half while Bucknell made all the right plays to win the game. Bucknell is another very well coached program with players who are accustomed to winning. They were the team that was able to execute down the stretch. After the best game of his career Anthony Lamb came crashing back down to earth. Lamb struggled mightily in this one shooting 2-14 from the field including not making a field goal in the second half. Combine that with Stef Smith shooting 3-10 and it is not hard to see how Vermont finished the game shooting only 32% from the field including 25% from three. The game was very physical and choppy and Vermont really struggled to get any sort of offensive flow. Ernie Duncan was the lone bright spot as we was able to hit the 20 point mark for the first time this season on 6-9 shooting from the field. With this group relying more on a few scorers rather than the balanced scoring of years past, games where the team leaders are struggling are harder to overcome. Vermont's bench play is a major work in progress and because of the inexperience, Becker is experimenting quite a bit to try and find out which players are going to be most effective in which situations. Now the Cats are on the road for the next three games. You learn a lot more about a team after a loss than you do after a win so it will be interesting to see how this group responds during this road trip.

Yale at Vermont 11/21/18

Vermont 79 Yale 70

Anthony Lamb exploded for a career high 34 points and led Vermont to a victory over Yale in the real home opener. Lamb was straight up dominant in this one. He did it all for the Cats. He shot 6-11 from three and single-handedly kept Vermont in the game in the first half. He finished with 4 blocks and 7 rebounds, physically dominating the paint in the second half. Vermont fans are seeing something special in Lamb's ascension this season. The other two big time game changers in the second half were Robin Duncan and Samuel Dingba. Dingba had his best minutes as a Catamount forcing a couple steals, two big blocks, and playing tough defense underneath. It was great to finally see Dingba make some positive plays. Becker switched his lineup coming out of half and inserted Robin instead of Everett. Robin responded by masterfully running the offense. He as able to get by Yale defenders and into the lane at will, which really opened up the perimeter during Vermont's big run. His length was on display at both ends of the floor as he bothered entry passes on the defensive end and was able to fit passes into tight windows on the offensive end. There is so much subtlety to his game and it is beautiful to watch. He has solidified his spot in the rotation. Isaiah Moll struggled mightily at the offensive end but it was nice to see him make big contributions in other aspects of the game. He played big minutes in the second half and played hard and was tough on the boards. If he can continue to grow the other parts of his game he will continue to earn big minutes. Stef Smith and Ernie Duncan continued their strong shooting from the perimeter. The shift in the style of Vermont basketball is becoming more evident with each game as Becker is letting the reins loose and allowing some quicker shots and more freedom for his offensive playmakers to create opportunities. What has been most amazing about the increased offensive freedom is that the Cats have been able to do such a great job limiting turnovers. They only committed 6 turnovers and have been valuing the ball nicely to start the season.  It is nice to see that the playing well in losses to good teams actually was an indicator that this team is starting to put things together. This group is coming together quickly and still has more room to grow. Sunday afternoon presents another big test with a tough Bucknell squad coming to Patrick. Going to be another fun one. One interesting tidbit is that Jimmy Sotos from Bucknell and Ryan Davis played on the same high school basketball team.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Vermont at Louisville 11/16/18

Louisville 86 Vermont 78

Vermont really struggled coming out of halftime and then got back into the game with a big second half run before falling to Louisville. This game was a perfect encapsulation of the wide variance with which this team can play. It is very jarring for Vermont fans because the teams of the last few years were such a consistent machine that seeing a team who has such large swings in performance is strange to watch. Vermont came out strong and then had some tough luck to end the half. Then they came out flat and got down big as their offense completely stalled with Anthony Lamb in foul trouble. When Lamb came back in at the 8 minute mark everything changed and the Cats were able to make it interesting. Lamb looks better and better every game. He did it all tonight even in his limited minutes. He is noticeably quicker and the work he put in in the offseason is paying off big time. Lamb finished with 25 points on 9-16 shooting. He is showcasing his entire offensive repertoire in the early going this season and is also becoming a strong leadership presence. Stef Smith has been an absolute revelation through the first part of the season. The thought process going into this season was that he would be able to provide another scoring option as a complementary player. Through the first part of the season he has looked like Vermont's' second best player next to Lamb. He has an effortless shooting stroke and has been an assassin from deep. He finished with a career high 24 points, knocking down 4-7 from three. That brings him up to 50% (11-22) from three on the season. He is lightening fast to the rim and has been knocking down his free throws, which was an area of difficulty last season. Everyone else really struggled in this one as there was no one else in double figures. A big part of that is a credit to Louisville's length on defense as they really guarded tight on the perimeter.  I liked the mental toughness of not just mailing it in down big in the second half and this young team taking their lumps and getting right back up. Becker played a lot of guys in this one and is trying to let them make their mistakes, talk to them, and get them back out there to try again. They can certainly take away a lot from this game and have a big two game homestand coming up. Yale and Bucknell come to Patrick and both are going to be tough matchups. Now that Vermont has got some big time mid majors to come to Patrick it is time to win these games at home. This will be a crucial week for this young team.

NVU Lyndon at Vermont 11/14/18

Vermont 122 NVU Lyndon 56

The Catamounts set a new single game scoring record in their home opener. It was nice to see the team stay engaged in the game throughout despite the clear difference in talent level. I have seen all different versions of the lower competition matchups over the years and it was nice to see one where Becker was able to keep the players motivated. The game never really got sloppy and it was fun to see everyone get a chance to play. Every player who saw time on the court scored for Vermont and the scoring record is really a credit to how deep this Vermont team is. It is tough to take away information from these games due to the disparity in level of basketball but there were a few things that stood out. It was nice to see some players get extended court time to work through inexperience and shake off rust. Robin Duncan is going to have to be worked into the rotation as his passing ability could be a huge cog in the Vermont offense. Robin almost recorded a triple double finishing with 16 points, 9 rebounds, and 10 assists. The subtlety to his game is incredible and as he gets more comfortable with the college game he is going to add a lot to this team. It was great to see Everett Duncan come out so aggressive and get engaged in the game early. I was also glad to see Skyler Nash get a chance to shake off the rust and start to work his way back. He has a long way to go as he tries to rediscover his game but it was good to see him get some extended time on the court. Also that Kevin Garrison step back three was sweet. The bigger story was what happened off the court as Ernie Duncan and Ryan Davis both sat out the game. Ernie may have been just getting rest as he has been taking a beating this season but Davis is a different story. He was wearing a walking boot so he is definitely dealing with some kind of injury. Hopefully neither is anything serious as they prepare for Louisville on Friday. That should be an interesting game at the end of a very busy week.

Vermont at Kansas 11/12/18

Kansas 84  Vermont 68


Kansas pulled away form Vermont in the second half thanks to a career night from LaGerald Vick. Vermont played a tremendous first half before going cold in the second. However, the game was very well played by Vermont overall. It took a career night from Vick scoring 32 points and shooting 8-8 from three for Kansas to stretch their lead. Vermont played tough and never looked rattled. Another very encouraging effort and a sign that this team is already displaying the poise of a more experienced team. Anthony Lamb is a man on a mission. He made some ridiculous shots tonight and his spin move in the lane is borderline unguardable. Lamb finished with 24 points and is making a statement as the leader of this team. In the big games against the upper tier teams he has a knack for elevating his game. Ernie Duncan was hot in the first half and finished with 17 points. I really like his shift to point guard as he is sneaky good getting to the basket. Stef Smith looked very good again. I especially liked his work on the boards with 8 rebounds to go along with his 13 points. He looks like a different player from a year ago. Smith is playing with more confidence and has matured quite a bit over even that past few months. It is nice to see him recovered from the nagging injury he had been dealing with. Ben Shungu's play is going to continue to earn him playing time. He is showing some serious toughness on the court and gives the Cats a pesky defender off the bench. Shungu has worked hard on his offensive game and he certainly looks far more comfortable on the offensive end. I know Ryan Davis really threw up some clunkers in this game and maybe that will keep him in the doghouse, but I thought he played very tough against one of the toughest post matchups in the country in Udoka Azubuike. The shots will fall as he slows the game down. I think he is getting there ever so slowly. Ra Kpedi was very overmatched in this one and his offensive limitations really hurt the Cats. The battle for playing time between him and Davis will be one of the interesting story lines of the non-conference schedule. I would like to see Everett Duncan get more involved in the offense. He did not even attempt a shot tonight and has looked tentative through the first couple games. The Cats need his shooting to help space the floor. The performance in this game tells me that the Canadian trip really helped this team be a little ahead of schedule in becoming a cohesive team. They have things that they need to work on but the players finding their new roles are maturing rapidly and it is going to give Vermont a chance to steal some of their tough non-conference games against other good mid-majors. Now it is time for the obligatory non-D1 game before heading to Louisville on Friday. It is a busy week in Catamount country.

Vermont at Boston University 11/9/18

Vermont 78 BU 72

Vermont rallied back from a 10 point second half deficit to win their season opener in Boston. Big time victory to open the season in a back and forth game. I unfortunately could not watch the game (silly blackout restrictions) but listened to the game on the radio. Anthony Lamb certainly made a statement in leading the Cats to victory. He scored the two big buckets to give Vermont the late lead and came up with a huge block on BU's next possession. This was all part of a dominant 19 point, 14 rebound, 4 block, 3 steal performance. He was not going to let the Cats lose and willed them to victory with tough play down the stretch. Stef Smith shook off an injury plagued exhibition season and exploded with 22 points. He was quick and decisive while committing zero turnovers. What a performance and a statement game by Smith in his second career start. When Vermont needed a spark in the second half, Isaiah Moll was there. Just like he did during both exhibition games, Moll shook of first half nerves and went on a personal 7-0 run during a crucial stretch in the second half. Moll finished with 12 points and 4 rebounds in his collegiate debut. Ernie Duncan provided the perimeter threat and and was the steady hand facilitating the victory. Ernie played a team high 34 minutes, finishing with 18 points and 5 assists. Ra Kpedi had a very up and down 17 minutes. He got some big rebounds and had a crucial put back but also committed some very silly fouls on his way to fouling out. He still has a ways to go but he again showed some flashes. As a team the Cats only committed 7 turnovers and turned up the defensive pressure in the second half, holding BU to 36% shooting. For this young team, this was an absolutely crucial victory. With Kansas and Louisville on deck it was imperative to start off in the win column. To win the game by having to dig deep, overcome a large deficit, and execute at the end gives this group invaluable experience. These are the games where you see what guys are made of. This team showed some tremendous mental toughness in their first game of the season. Other than settling for a few too many three pointers this was a very well played game by Vermont. What a great way to start the season. Now it is off to Kansas for an incredible experience for the players to go up against the number one team in the country.

Vermont season preview 2018-2019

The season is upon us!

Time for some serious prognostication. I have decided not to write a separate America East preview this season. The league is going to be nearly impossible to predict. Every team is replacing significant portions of their rotation. Heck, Albany is even replacing its entire team. In my mind Hartford and Vermont are the clear contenders. They are the two teams returning significant pieces from a successful season. Albany, UMBC, and Stony Brook are going to be the spoilers. If there is any coach that can engineer a complete roster overhaul and still be competitive, it is Will Brown. UMBC and Stony Brook return enough to keep them pushing the top teams. The rest of the league is going to struggle. With so much talent exiting the league and a big influx of young players, game to game consistency is going to be a task for every team. So instead of writing a league preview I will stick to what I know, Vermont basketball. Here are some thoughts on how this season will unfold.

Record: 20-10 (13-3) 1st place finish, NCAA berth.

Despite what will be an up and down season, I think the talent will coalesce come conference schedule time and ultimately this team will be playing their best basketball in March. The talent level on this team remains very high. The three freshman are inexperienced but loaded with potential. They are going to be asked to play a significant role from day one and because of that are going to have the opportunity to work through their growing pains early. Vermont has a very difficult non-conference schedule with four teams picked to win their conference (Kansas, Harvard, Northeastern, Lipscomb) and a fifth in Bucknell that received the most first place votes but was picked to finish second. This makes the process of working out the kinks and creating chemistry even more difficult. When this team is on and playing as a unit they can play with just about anyone. When players are learning their roles and adjusting to the college game, this team is going to struggle. Due to the change in personnel, Becker is making some adjustments to the offensive game plan as well. It has been evident through the scrimmages that they are going to give Anthony Lamb touches on as many possessions as possible. The offense is going to come from inside out much more this season. This also means that for the first time in several years, the Cats will actually have a true leading scorer. Vermont will still have balanced scoring but Lamb is going to be up in the 16-17 ppg range. The Cats haven't had a player average over 15 ppg since Marqus Blakely averaged 17.3 ppg in the 2009-2010 season. That is a long stretch of a very balanced scoring system.

Starting five: Ernie Duncan, Stef Smith, Everett Duncan, Isaiah Moll, Anthony Lamb

I think the starting lineup is going to be a very fluid thing this season and will be very matchup dependent. Stef Smith and Robin Duncan each bring their own specialty and are going to be deployed based on the opponent. I could see Robin's defensive prowess earning him a lot of minutes.  Isaiah Moll's scoring ability is going to give the Cats so much offensive versatility. I do see Ra Kpedi and Ryan Davis playing more against teams with true big men. I think Davis is going to have the steepest learning curve of any of the newcomers. It is very hard to step into college basketball and Vermont's system in particular as a big man. The adjustment is different than that of a perimeter player. I think about how long it took Drew Urquhart to develop and how lost Lamb looked at times during the early part of his freshman year. Lamb was experiencing the same struggles that Davis is mired in right now. A step slow on the defensive rotations, getting called for a lot of ticky tack fouls, going for the big play instead of the simple one. I think Davis is going to take his lumps early on but if he can persevere, he will be a big part of the rotation during the conference schedule.

Keys to Success

The season hinges on three things in my mind: turnovers, rebounding, and defense. As with any inexperienced team, valuing the ball is of the utmost importance. Limiting turnovers is so crucial in controlling game flow and closing out opponents. Team chemistry is a significant factor in a team's ability to take care of the ball. However fast the Cats can progress in this area this season will be a huge determinant in their game to game consistency. Rebounding is another key in controlling the game flow as it, much like turnovers, limits the opponents opportunities to score. At its most basic level that is what a defense does. It limits offensive opportunities. Payton Henson and Urquhart were great on the boards last season and rebounding is much more difficult to replace than scoring. Last but not least the defense itself. Becker is excited about the defensive potential of this team with its length and athleticism. The potential is definitely there but the rotations still have a long way to go. The system that Becker runs is complicated and it relies on everyone being where they need to be as opposed to relying on individually strong defenders. The defensive rotations are the place where I see the youth and inexperience the most. If this group works through that inexperience quickly they can be a very good defensive team.

Overall outlook

This group has the potential again play for a championship. They have the talent and the drive to get back to the NCAA tournament. This team has the potential to rise up and steal a few of those tough non conference games, particularly the tough opponents that they get at home. I think they will again be an efficient offensive team that shoots a high percentage. I also see Ernie, Everett, and Lamb making big jumps in their production and really seizing control as the leaders of this team. The tempo that Vermont plays at will probably be a little faster than the last few seasons as they try to take advantage of their athleticism. I expect the team to be fun to watch and they will be playing with a chip on their shoulder from the disappointing end to last season. Friday cant come soon enough.

Aaron Deloney commits to Vermont

Vermont gets their second commitment of the week from Aaron Deloney, a 2019 PG from Portland, Oregon. Deloney had several D-I offers from schools like Eastern Washington, Portland State, and Houston Baptist. There was no mention of his recruitment until he visited Vermont this past weekend. After watching some highlights and reading up on Deloney, there is a lot to be excited about. He was named to the 6A Oregon first team after leading his high school to a state championship. He is rated as the #2 class of 2019 prospect in the state of Oregon.  Deloney put up some big numbers averaging 25 ppg while showcasing a lightening quick release from three and scoring at all three levels. Looking at his stats from the Nike EYBL circuit over the summer he puts up a lot of shots and can be a streaky shooter. He seems like the type of player that can get hot and carry his team. This is a different type of player than Vermont usually gets. It signals a continued commitment by the coaching staff to become more offensively dynamic. With each new recruiting class, there has been an emphasis on shooting and play making ability. Coach Becker has talked at length about his shift in philosophy when he started to get offensive minded players and teach them to play defense. It is exciting to get such a dynamic player to join the young core at Vermont. The coaching staff continues to expand their recruiting net and push the Vermont program forward.

Exhibition: St. Michael's vs. Vermont 11/4/18

Vermont 90 St. Michael's 61

Vermont used a strong second half to finish off St. Michael's and the exhibition portion of their season. Now it is time for the real thing. This was a very choppy game and a chippy one too. Tons of fouls. Tons of emotion. Tons of turnovers. This game is a perfect preview of how the early part of this season is going to go for the Cats. In the first half, Vermont struggled to get into the flow and turned the ball over too much. They let St. Michael's dictate the game flow and were only up two points. Lots of freshman mistakes and miscommunications. Then in the second half, Vermont dictated the pace of play, tightened up their defense, and were a more cohesive team. This team is going to be far more volatile than the steady machine like team that Vermont has had over the last two years. They are going to play faster and they are going to make more mistakes. Especially in the non conference portion of the schedule. A great example of this is Isaiah Moll. In both games Moll has been uneven in the first half and absolutely dominant in the second half. He is a special player and is going to put up some big numbers for Vermont this season. Ernie Duncan has come into this year with a completely different mentality and is seizing his moment as the senior leader exactly as Vermont needs him to do. He is ready to be a scoring guard and attack the rim. He is going to be the leader on this team and is poised to showcase just how well rounded his game has become. The caveat to that is he has to be able to stay healthy as he has also been on the floor a ton, including a particularly hard fall in this one. It is time for some real basketball and I will be posting my season preview on Tuesday night. The opener against Boston University on Friday night can not come soon enough.

Vermont gets their first 2019 commitment

On Friday night Vermont got their 2019 class started with a commitment from Eric Beckett. Beckett is a 6-5 shooting guard from Ontario who attends the Tilton School in New Hampshire. This is another strong pickup for the Catamounts. While reading up on his game the big thing was consistently said about him is that he is versatile. Beckett is able to play well within the team and consistently makes his teammates better. The type of player that can do all of the little things to hep a team win and does not need to be the focal point to be successful. To get a player like that is perfect for this recruiting class because this team will return a lot of its minutes for the 2019-2020 season. Getting a player who is able to adapt this game to fit whatever role the teams needs is big. He fits into the Kurt Steidl, Everett Duncan mold that has been so successful for Vermont. The coaching staff is clearly making size a priority, even at the guard position. The Cats are going to be able to put big lineups on the floor and really use their length to enhance their defensive rotations. Vermont continues to get high basketball IQ players with strong work ethic to buy into their family atmosphere and winning tradition. With the new arena as a extra chip, these next few years of recruiting are going to be exciting.

Exhibition: Concordia at Vermont 10/27/18

Vermont 80 Concordia 43

The season is off and running with Vermont putting Concordia away with a strong second half in exhibition number one. The first half was pretty slow as everyone shook off rust and overcame first game jitters. The number one takeaway from this game was that Robin Duncan is a next level player. He played a team high 30 minutes and had the poise of a seasoned veteran. His is the best passer on the team by a wide margin and has an strong ability to get to the rim. It is going to be hard to keep him off the floor. He gives Vermont the dynamic pass first play maker they have been looking for.  There is a very good chance that all three Duncan brothers will be in the starting lineup. This is not a knock against Stef Smith who also looked good, but Duncan's ability to initiate the offense is too good to keep off the floor. He uses his body to shield the defender very well and because his is so tall at the point guard spot, he can see the whole floor. He has looked better and better every time I have watched him. Isaiah Moll led the Cats with 19 pts and 7 rbs. His quickness allows him to get a shot whenever he wants and is going to provide instant offense for the Cats. He showcased his entire arsenal scoring at all three levels. He plays a little fast and is sometimes going to force shots up, but he is going to have some monster games for the Cats this season. Ra Kpedi got the start and played well finishing 6-6 from the field on his way to 14 points. He looks much improved and is going to give the Cats good minutes this season. I was surprised to see Vermont struggle so much from the outside and they were atrocious from the free throw line but I will chalk that up to early season jitters. Learning to play together is going to be the biggest storyline early in the season. Last years team was a well oiled machine and as a result they were steady as a rock. This year team is going to be a little more unpredictable as each player figures out their role. The bigger news today was that the new arena is getting closer to being a reality. The Board of Trustees approved the project and as long as the money keeps rolling in, construction will begin this winter. That would put the Cats in the new arena for the 2020-2021 season. Just incredible news and will help keep this Vermont basketball program moving forward. It has been a long and arduous process to get to this point and it feels good that it is actually going to happen. Vermont also hosted Eric Beckett, a 6-5 2019 guard from the Tilton school via Canada for an official visit this weekend. He attended the game tonight so maybe he will kick off the 2019 class in the coming weeks. Every time I see this team play I get more excited for the season to start.

The Preview before the Preview

Hello all!

     Basketball is back and the Catamounts season is fast approaching. With Vermont having a scrimmage each of the past two weekends it was a great opportunity to get a sneak peak of what the team will look like this season. My first impression is that there is an incredible depth of talent on this team. Despite the losses of some major contributors, Vermont brings back some important pieces from last years team and adds a freshman class that is as instantly impactful as any Vermont has ever had. Lets start with the new guys. I have made it clear in a few other posts that I believe all three of the freshman could develop into all league caliber players. The more I see them play, better I feel about my prediction. All three of the freshman have a chance to make a significant impact on this years team. Robin Duncan is the very definition of a point guard. Head is always up, sees the whole court, and puts his teammates in a position to score. With Stef Smith dealing with a nagging injury, Duncan has stepped up and carved out a role on this years team. He is very long for a point guard at 6-5 and uses it to his advantage on both defense and offense. He uses his length to finish creatively around the rim and thread passes to teammates in tight windows. On the defensive side of the ball he gets into passing lanes and knows where to be. His stroke from three has looked very good so far as well and he is very much looking like the total package. There will be plenty of minutes this season where all three Duncan brothers are on the court at the same time. Isaiah Moll, a 6-7 freshman from Albany continues to impress with his quickness and a diverse offensive game. He is going to be able to score in bunches as he is explosive off the dribble. If there is a lane to the rim Moll can hit it like a running back and finish with authority. He is able to get himself open anytime and will be strong player to go to if the offense is sputtering. He is going to have some explosive scoring games this season. Ryan Davis is the other freshman who is going to be counted on for big minutes. The 6-8 250lb freshman from Illinois has a chance to start from day one. He is a true big man who has a soft touch underneath. Davis has great hands that allow him to catch tough passes and finish through contact. Add in the fact that he can shoot the three and he is also going to have some big games this season. He is probably going to take some lumps in the early part of  the season as he adjusts to the college game. Once conference play rolls around he has the chance to be a dominant force on the inside. One of the biggest results of Moll and Davis being so ready to contribute is it will be much harder to double team Anthony Lamb. With other big men capable of scoring on the inside teams are going have to scheme very hard to stop the Cats inside game. Especially because this Vermont team is absolutely loaded with three point shooters. The Cats are really going to be able to attack teams from inside and out this season. They are going to continue to be a very efficient offensive team who shoots a high percentage and takes care of the ball. As far as the returnees who impressed. Lamb looks ready to explode and provided good health that is exactly what he is going to do. He is ready to be a leader on this team and be the go to scorer. The same can be said for Ernie Duncan. Ernie has looked very aggressive on offense, driving to the rim and looking to score on every possession. He has a more diverse offensive repertoire that people think and now that he is going to be asked to initiate the offense more often, I think he will be looking to score in a variety of ways. Everett Duncan is going to take another big leap this season as he too is looking to score more. He has taken over the role of the player that is diving to the rim off the the ball. He is still lights out from three and is one of the more vocal players out on the court. When Stef Smith has been on the court he has looked great. Smooth offensively and also a great shooter from three. The nagging injury is definitely a concern so it will interesting to see if he can get healthy. Ra Kpedi, Bailey Patella, and Ben Shungu are all capable of making an impact in whatever minutes they will contribute this season. Skyler Nash is working his way back into the rotation and his shot looks ready to go. Like all the the young guys he is still getting comfortable with the defense but it is great to see him back on the court. I don't really know where Samuel Dingba fits into the rotation. He makes some good plays on defense but struggles to stay out of foul trouble and is not as impactful on the offensive end. All of this adds up to a team that is ready to compete for a conference title. The bottom half of the America East is going to be pretty weak this season and the middle tier has a lot of question marks to work out. Hartford looks very strong and they are going to give Vermont a challenger for the title. I am going to write my America East and Vermont previews closer to when the actual season begins. My closing thoughts are that this team may not be as consistently good as the teams of the past few season because of their youth. However, due to their length, athleticism, and shooting ability they might have an even higher ceiling. This is the type of team that could lose some clunkers, but when they put it all together they have the ability pull off some big wins. That is all for now! I cant wait for the first exhibition next weekend.

Canadian Exhibition tour wrap up

Game 1: Vermont 81 Ottawa 55
Game 2: Vermont 83 UQAM 62
Game 3: Vermont 77 McGill 57

Basketball in August? Yes please.

Catamount fans were able to get a glimpse into the future this weekend with Vermont playing three exhibition games in Montreal. With all the games in the same general location and only a little over an hour from my house, it was an opportunity I could not pass up. I attended all three games and it was great to get to see what kind of team Vermont will have for the upcoming season. Vermont won each game handily by pulling away in the second half. As with any exhibition tour the level of competition was varied but what a great way to get the young inexperienced players some game action. The number one takeaway from the weekend was that Anthony Lamb is back. He has clearly put in a lot of work in the offseason, looking quicker and stronger. He was the best player on the floor in each game and is poised for a big time season. I would put him at the top of the conversation for preseason conference player of the year. All predictions are health permitting but a healthy Lamb is going to put up big numbers this season. Even in Vermont's balanced system I could see him averaging somewhere in the vicinity of 17 points per game. He has such an array of offensive moves and has a relentless drive when he gets underneath the hoop. He is poised to be the man of this years team and looks to be taking on more of a leadership role as well. Everett Duncan is the other elder statesmen and he was more assertive on the offensive end. It looked like he has made a commitment to expand his game and work on putting the ball on the floor a bit more when he is getting closed out hard at the three point line. He completely changed the complexion of game two with a big second half. The young guys as a group demonstrated  loads of potential to impact this years team in a big way. Ryan Davis exploded in game one and led the team with 19 points. He is a different type of big man than Vermont typically gets. He has a big strong frame and tremendous hands. He scored in double figures in all three games with a combination of outside shooting and creative finishes around the hoop. I see him with a big role this season, giving Vermont the pieces to run a lot of high low sets with some big to big passing out of the high post. Isaiah Moll also made an immediate impact and is going to be a very versatile player. He is the only player on Vermont who went through both the perimeter player and post player pre-game warm up routine. That gives an indication of how the coaching staff views his versatility. He has great quickness and can create his own shot as good as anyone on Vermont. There were times where he played too fast but he gives them another player to go to when the offense is stagnating. Robin Duncan looked every bit the point guard of the future. Calm with the ball and smart decision making. At 6-5 he is very big for a point guard and he uses his length very well. It took him a few games to assert himself, but he knocked down 4 threes in the last game and had a few nice finishes around the rim. After watching the freshman it only confirmed my beliefs that all three of them have a chance to grow into all league caliber players. Ra Kpedi had some good moments on the trip. He still struggles with fluidity and has yet to really add an offensive game. He had a productive final game and can be a very good offensive rebounder as he continues to get more comfortable with the college game. He has also proved to be a good free throw shooter which will help him greatly as he draws a lot of fouls. He still has some work to do with his offensive game but has gotten stronger over the summer. Bailey Patella had a very impressive weekend. Defensively he has a chance to be great. He blocked about 7 shots over the three games and is freakishly athletic. He gets up off the floor in a hurry and has a great nose for the ball. He was deflecting passes and getting tough rebounds in every game. He knocked down a few shots as well and has a chance to be a very impactful player off the bench. Ben Shungu was all over the court. He played tough defense, rebounded well, make some nice passes, and handled himself very well at the point guard position. His shot still has a long way to go but he will also be able to have an impact off the bench. Stef Smith played in two out of the three games as he was battling a nagging injury. He has so much potential to be a big part of this years team. His combination of quickness and shooting ability is very good. The young guys struggled to rotate on defense and that is going to be the deciding factor on who wins the playing time battles. Whoever is best able to understand and execute the defensive scheme will be on the court. The potential is there for Vermont to have another strong season. Lamb has the ability to carry this team for long stretches. There will be some growing pains and they will definitely take some lumps in the non-conference schedule. There will be a lot of turnovers early on and mental lapses. However, the overall potential is incredibly exciting. The depth of talent in the post that this team has is a luxury that not a lot of mid-majors have. The offense is going to run through the post quite a bit this season and teams are going to have to double Lamb which is going to create opportunities for everyone else. That last interesting piece from the weekend was that Ernie Duncan and Samuel Dingba were not with the team. I am fairly certain that Dingba has had some passport issues in the past, so that is a possible explanation for his absence. Duncan on the other hand is a mystery. It is awfully strange for the top returning senior to miss a trip entirely. It was great to get a taste of college basketball as the countdown begins until the season opener.

Summertime Sunshine

Hello loyal readers! I haven't posted in about four months (yikes!) but I am back in action. There has been very little action on the Vermont news and recruiting front. So today I though it would be a good time to catch up on a few tidbits from the offseason so far. Two walk-ons have joined the Catamount program since the end of the season. Burlington High School star and Burlington Free Press athlete of the year Kevin Garrison switched his commitment from St. Michael's to Vermont. He cited an excitement about the opportunity and the comparative lower cost of attending UVM in the Free Press article where he made the announcement. Garrison is a tough 6-1 guard with a tremendous competitive drive. The multi-sport star is also an exceptional football player who made highlight reel plays the norm on the gridiron. He is exactly the type of player a team wants in practice and in the locker room. Becker has praised the contributions of his walk-ons in the past and I do think they play a very underrated role. Practice is where great teams are made and getting tough hard nosed competitors to give the rotation players a run has great value. Garrison is the exact type of player who could be a great walk-on. A mulit-sport player with a chip on his shoulder and a never quit attitude isn't going to back down from anyone. Just yesterday Verbal Commits announced that Jake Lorenzo a 7ft, 215lb big man from Englishtown, NJ will also be walking on to the Catamounts. With a walk-on there is not very much info as they are typically not being heavily recruited. He does have a page on HUDL with a few highlights. He certainly gives the Cats a big body to toss around in practice. Becker and his coaching staff have a strong track record with walk-ons and helping them develop and grow. Obliviously they are often long shots but Clancy Rugg, Nate Rohrer, and Ben Shungu all became strong contributors. Some like David Urso make it all four years as a practice player and some leave after one season like Troy Davine or Nassir Williams. Who knows what their contributions will be but it is great that student athletes want to be a part of the program at Vermont. There is so much excitement around this upcoming season as it is going to be exciting to see which teams rise to the top. With graduation and the exodus in Albany, the league is as wide open as I can remember. There should be a lot of exciting new players and there really is no cut and dry favorite like Vermont has been over the past two seasons. This league makeup should make for some exciting basketball. I think Vermont has a chance to be very good again as they incorporate some new pieces. This freshman group coming in is very exciting and with players getting new opportunities it is going to be fun to see who makes the big leap a la Drew Urquhart this past season. That is all for now but with the July recruiting period in full swing maybe there will be some 2019 recruiting information starting to surface. Enjoy the sunshine.

Season Wrap

It was another tremendous season in Catamount country. This group of seniors was special and I am not sure if we will ever see a run of success like the one Vermont just had. For a state with only one Division I university and and team with out of date facilities and a minuscule budget, this program was on the map as a top mid-major program for two years. A dream that seemed far off when Becker took the reins of this program 7 years ago. This season did not end the way everyone wanted to and that was very difficult. However, I think some of the Vermont fanbase has been spoiled by all of the success that this team has had over the years. Having each teams success judged solely by winning a championship is honestly an unreasonable expectation. Enjoying the entire season, its ups and downs, and getting to watch great basketball right in our own backyard is incredible. The young people in this state seeing that working hard no matter the hurdles is important. These are the things that make this Vermont program so special. There are very few programs that can maintain the type of momentum that Vermont has built. The fact that they are doing it solely based on the actual basketball product itself is an even greater success. If we as fans look to far ahead we will miss what is right in front of us. Blink and this success could be gone in a flash. We as a fanbase cannot be so arrogant as to assume that this type of success is garunteed.

I will miss these seniors so much. Trae Bell-Haynes, Drew Urquhart, Cam Ward, Payton Henson, Nate Rohrer, and David Urso all left Catamount country a better place. Trae Bell-Haynes developed into one of the best players in Vermont history. Drew Urquhart and Cam Ward worked hard, overcame difficulties, and proved that all of that pays off in the end. Payton Henson found a home to finish his basketball career and get to the NCAA tournament. Nate Rohrer saved Vermont in a season when they needed him and was always ready to play when his number was called. David Urso pushed the guys in practice every year. All of them represented themselves as ambassadors of not only the Vermont program but the university at large. Great basketball players, even better people. That is the type of player that the Vermont program is founded on and the type of player that will continue to bring success.

I am very excited about next season but I am holding back until the coaching searches finish up. Becker's name always comes up this time of year and this year there are some jobs that I think he would consider. The one that scares me the most is if Danny Hurley leaves Rhode Island, I have to think he would be on their shortlist. I know Becker wants to be at Vermont but as I said last year, the new arena needs to happen. There has been some progress but with no concrete plan in place Vermont is rolling the dice. At some point the money that other schools can offer is going to be too much to turn down. If Becker stays Vermont is once again set up to be in the title hunt. It will not be the dominant run of the past few season and there will be many more ups and downs, but the pieces are going to be there. The current 2018 recruits (Isaiah Moll, Ryan Davis, Robin Duncan) are a incredible class. I believe that each of them has the potential to be future all league caliber players. Combine that with the returning Duncans, a healthy Lamb, and some exciting young players, and Vermont has the pieces to be a dangerous team by the end of the season. Roster continuity is the key for any mid-major to maintain success but this off season it is even more crucial because of what Vermont is already replacing due to graduation. The next few weeks will go a long way to understanding what next year will bring.

NIT Preview and a little rant

It is time to get right back to it.

The Cats face off with Middle Tennessee in a battle of top mid-major programs. It should be a really fun game and a great consolation prize after Saturday's heartbreak. But before we get into game I have to talk a little bit about the inequity that currently exists in the NCAA tournament selection process as both of the teams in this matchup were affected by it. There is no way for a mid-major program to realistically get an at large bid. The NCAA tells mid-majors they need to "schedule strong" and that will solve all of their problems. That is easier said than done and both of these teams found that out. Vermont struggled to find teams to play them and Middle Tennessee even played Florida Gulf Coast twice just to get some good games on their schedule. The real challenge is that it is impossible to get the so called "good teams" to play at a mid-major. This means there are no chances for teams like Vermont or Middle Tennessee to get quality home wins. Syracuse on the other hand is able to make an entire non-conference schedule where they scarcely leave the state of New York. That inherent inequity in scheduling was never clearer than this season when Middle Tennessee had the 13th toughest non-conference schedule (according to KenPom) in the country and then went 16-2 in their conference but was not deserving of an at large bid. What a joke. The Power 5 schools are able to play virtually no one in the non-conference, have mediocre to poor conference records, and still get in. There is no solution. Middle Tennessee did exactly what the committee told mid-majors to do and was still not rewarded. Go ahead and look at some of the major conference at large teams on KenPom and check out the non-conference strength of schedule (Virginia Tech 344 out of 351? please). Now the consequence of this is that mid-major programs are basically being asked to schedule hard and then never lose. That is an impossible amount of pressure. Power 5 teams are allowed to have off nights or take bad losses with very little consequence. Teams like Vermont schedule hard and are asked never to have an off night, never run into a hot team. Vermont had an incredible two year run, clinched a spot in the NIT, played one bad game and it feels like their entire world has come crashing down. That is unfair to the players. It takes the fun out of the game if everything is nitpicked and over analyzed. Life is not perfect. Sometimes things don't go your way and learning to recover from that is part of why playing sports is so rewarding. Losing is part of the game and that is why it feels so good to win.  It great for a program to win a regular season title. Playing in the NIT is a great honor that only 32 teams each season get to do. Kansas has won at least a share of the regular season title for 14 straight seasons. They have lost 3 out of the last 5 conference tourneys. Imagine if their NCAA participation was dependent on winning the conference tourney each season? The complexion of their program would change significantly. This is further exacerbated by the fact that mid-major programs can't maintain the kind of coaching continuity that all of the great programs across the country have. Most of the widely respected, big time programs have had incredible consistency at their head coaching position. The solution for all of this is not to get rid of the conference tournament as so many people seem to suggest. I love conference tournaments and it keeps every team engaged until the final buzzer because everyone still has a shot no matter how tough your season may have been. For me as a fan this year it was heartbreaking but that doesn't mean I don't love conference tournaments. I watched some incredible and exciting tournament games this past week. Four out of Vermont's six NCAA tournament berths came as the 2nd seed. Anyway, I could go on and on and I already said more then I wanted to. For Vermont, the bottom line is that there is nothing to hang their heads about. They are an incredible team and they earned their spot in the NIT. One bad game does not erase years of progress and excitement. This group has meant so much to this program on and off the court. Playing basketball is fun and that shouldn't be crushed under the weight of expectations. Life is bigger than one game and Vermont has a chance to go out there are play another exciting opponent. I think this game is going to be all kinds of fun. Middle Tennessee is another strong mid-major program. This game is a great time to showcase two strong programs who go out and schedule tough road games year in and year out. There are some exciting rule changes that are being tested out in the NIT as well. A list of those changes can be found here. I love the quarters and am very excited to see how the wider lane opens things up for drives to the rim. It will be nice for the Cats to play as underdogs again and to get to watch this team play again is a treat. Watch tomorrow night at 8 o'clock on ESPNU.

America East Final: UMBC at Vermont 3/10/18

UMBC 65 Vermont 62

On to the NIT.

Jairus Lyles hit a three pointer with .6 seconds left to win the America East championship for UMBC.
Lyles capped off an impressive 27 point effort, willing the Retrievers to victory. Another crushing postseason disappointment for this Vermont class. I absolutely love this group of players and it stinks that this is the way the great two year conference run had to end. The story of this game was about what Vermont did not do. They did not take shots. The Cats only took 38 shots in this game. Compare that to 56 for UMBC. That is a significant disparity and it included Vermont attempting only 2 three pointers in the second half. Two. That is just insane for a team who shoots such a strong percentage from three. Vermont's offense came to a screeching halt and it looked like no one wanted to take "the shot" down the stretch. The offense became one dimensional and UMBC defended it well. It was very strange to see this Vermont team get so far away from what they had been doing all season. Strong three point shooting was something that this group has hung their hat on all season. They took themselves out of the game by not giving their offense chances to score. UMBC executed their game plan very well and every time it looked like Vermont was going to pull away they had a response. The tension on the Vermont side was clear down the stretch. The Duncan brothers even had a very heated exchange which was very out of character. The pressure of all the expectations seemed to kind of creep up on the Cats down the stretch of the season as they were trying to finish off this historic run. They overcame so much this season and the pressure of their own sustained success finally caught up with them. While this loss hurts hopefully this group will be able to pull themselves off the mat and try to pull off an upset in the NIT. It is not the result that anyone wanted but I want this group to have another opportunity. It has been a joy to watch this group of players grow over their careers and they have brought this program to another level during their time. They play the game with an incredible passion and drive that we as fans might never see in another group of players. They have pushed the program forward and can continue to do so with an opportunity to go win a game in the NIT.

America East Semifinal: Stony Brook at Vermont 3/6/18

Vermont 70 Stony Brook 51

Two down. One to go.

Vermont put together a strong 40 minutes of basketball and used a smothering defense to advance to their third straight title game. From the opening tip, the mental focus and energy was there. Shots weren't falling early for either team as both teams jockeyed for control of the game. Vermont settled in and executed the game plan. Drew Urquhart led the Cats with 19 points and 8 rebounds. After being saddled with foul trouble in the first half, Drew U keyed Vermont's offensive surge in the second half. At the beginning of the season it was hard to imagine that Drew would be the key cog that keeps the Cats offense running. However, here we are during the most crucial stretch of the season and he has become Vermont's most important player. He attacked the rim in a variety of different ways and worked through contact to draw a high number of fouls. Payton Henson also continued his late season surge as he knocked down 3/4 four from deep and finished with 13 points and 5 rebounds. Cam Ward played his best game of the season sparking the offense in the first half and finishing with 12 points. Ward is giving max effort on every play and is playing with such poise and energy. Everett Duncan had another lunch pail night with 8 points and 8 rebounds. His toughness this year has really added a whole new dimension to the Vermont lineup. Now it is on to the finals for the third straight season. UMBC will always present a tough challenge because their style of play is so different than any other team the Cats play. The first two matchups were convincing wins for Vermont as they took advantage of their strong post play. I would expect Vermont to continue to take advantage down low in the title game. UMBC is dangerous if they can force turnovers, get out in transition, and when they are hitting threes. Vermont has done a nice job in both games limiting those opportunities. It is going to be a whole different game on Saturday and the first two matchups can really be thrown out as it is now a one game season. The atmosphere will be electric and the Cats will be ready.

America East Quarterfinal: Maine at Vermont 3/3/18

Vermont 75 Maine 60

One down. Two to go.

Vermont took care of business with a big second half and advanced to the semifinal on Tuesday night with a win over Maine. It was a back and forth first half as has been the pattern late in the season. Vermont dug deep and took control on the defensive end, stifling Maine's offense. Trae Bell-Haynes and Payton Henson led the offense with 21 points apiece. Bell-Haynes kept the Cats in it with his three point shooting in the first half and relentlessly drove to the rim in the second half. Henson took advantage of Maine's small lineup, getting easy buckets in the paint. Drew Urquhart finished with 10 points and 12 rebounds leading Vermont's big second half advantage on the glass. Everett Duncan finished with 6 points and 9 rebounds in another tough, hard nosed effort. The outside shots were not falling for the Cats but they were able to pound it inside for a big advantage in points in the paint. The mental focus was there for Vermont and the crowd was rocking. Now it is time for Stony Brook on Tuesday night. The Seawolves pulled the road upset of Albany. Stony Brook is a very athletic team and both games this year have been very physical. There are no easy match ups in the playoffs so it is hard to get to excited about not having to play Albany. Stony Brook presents a different challenge than Albany and much like the rest of the games down the stretch, they are going come in to Patrick with nothing to lose. Teams are coming out hot every game right now as they are all ready to be the one to knock off Vermont. Tonight's effort by the Cats was more indicative of the team they have been throughout this season. They keys to the game on Tuesday will be to limit turnovers and keep Stony Brook off the offensive glass. If Vermont can do that they will put themselves in the drivers seat. Anthony Lamb is progressing exactly how you would hope in his return from injury. He looked better in tonight's game and looks to be gaining strength and confidence. I expect him to get even more involved in the next game. Tuesday can't come fast enough.

Vermont at Maine 2/27/18

Vermont 74 Maine 62

 Vermont closed out the regular season with a win against their quarterfinal opponent, the Maine Black Bears. It is strange to play a team twice in a row and this game definitely looked like the first in a series. Neither team really asserted themselves, and there was very little energy from either side. It had the feel of a game where the players were going through the motions and as a result is was quite choppy. Trae Bell-Haynes rebounded from a very poor first 75% of the game and finished with a flurry. Bell-Haynes led the Cats with 16 points and added 7 rebounds. Ernie Duncan and Drew Urquhart followed with 14 points each. Payton Henson continued his strong play with 12 points and 9 rebounds. Ernie Duncan hit the 224th three pointer of his career to move into a tie for 6th all time in made threes with former teammate Kurt Steidl. The big news out of the game was the return of Anthony Lamb. Lamb had 5 points and 3 rebounds in 11 minutes. It was good to get him back out there now to work out the kinks before he is asked to play a much larger role in the postseason. Now it is time to win three straight at home to secure the crown. The bracket gives the Cats a tough road with a possible Albany matchup looming in the semifinal. Patrick should be rocking on Saturday and there is nothing better in sports than college basketball in March.

Vermont at Stony Brook 2/24/18

Vermont 69 Stony Brook 60

Payton Henson scored the 1,000th point of his career, finishing with 17 points and 9 rebounds. Henson hit big shots for Vermont in the second half and led a dominant Vermont effort on the boards. The Cats out rebounded Stony Brook 37-22 in a very physical game on both sides.  Trae Bell-Haynes led the way with 19 points, 5 rebounds, and 6 assists. Drew Urquhart chipped in 16 points and 6 rebounds, bouncing back after sitting most of the first half with foul trouble. Nate Rohrer really stepped up due to foul trouble and played some big minutes in tonight's game. It was another uneven effort for Vermont as they turned the ball over 17 times. This continues a concerning trend recently for the Cats. They have looked very careless with the ball and many of the turnovers are just plain old mental mistakes. It is so uncharacteristic to see this group struggle with taking care of the ball. That is the single most important area that the Cats need to tighten up for the playoff run. The defensive effort continues to be strong and they are still getting quality, high percentage shots on offense. They have one more regular season game to make the necessary tweaks before playoff time. One of the tweaks will be how to reintegrate Anthony Lamb into the rotation. I would imagine it is unlikely that the coaching staff will change the starting lineup at this point with Drew U's emergence. This means finding a way the best utilize Lamb without disrupting the chemistry that this team has formed during his absence. Coming off a long term injury can be tough so it will be interesting to see if Lamb is able to step right back into it. I am excited to see him back on the floor and what a luxury it will be to add him to this team. Time to lock in.

Senior night

My attendance at Patrick was thwarted yet again by flooding on the Missisquoi river. I was unable to watch the game and was super bummed to miss senior night for this group. This was the first recruiting class I blogged about and the first group who I have blogged their entire career. My fandom and relationship with the Vermont program has changed and grown kind of parallel to this senior class. What a senior class they are. The Vermont program was in a good place when they arrived but they have taken it to another level. When this class arrived on campus I felt as though it was a program changing group. The more widespread recruiting net was being cast and the excitement around the program was incredible. This group managed to lived up to and exceed the expectations that were placed on them as freshman. That is a rare feat and has been so fun to be a part of this journey. This group has accomplished so much and checked off  the first box for their senior campaign. The Cats secured home court in the America East playoffs to ensure that the title will go through Patrick for the second consecutive year. As far as last nights game is concerned, a big congratulations to Ernie Duncan (an honorary member of this senior class) for scoring the 1,000 point of his career. He was really dialed in and has hopefully recovered from his concussion. Payton Henson rebounded from a tough stretch of games and filled up the stat sheet with 15 points, 5 rebounds, and a career high 7 assists. Drew Urquhart had his second straight double double with 18 points and 10 rebounds. As I said in a earlier post he has been the Cats most consistent player during the conference season and has been the best big man in the America East since the conference schedule began. An incredible transformation from Drew U since Anthony Lamb went down. Now it is time to tighten things up and get momentum going into the playoffs. Stony Brook is always tough at home and they are coming off a big win over UMBC. I think we are going to learn a lot about this teams mindset coming off their first loss in a while by how they play in the game on Saturday night. Payton Henson is next up on the 1,000 point watch as he needs 14 points to reach that milestone.

The streak comes to an end

Hartford 69 Vermont 68

Vermont lost it first conference game in over two years, falling to Hartford at home. The Hawks were motivated and executed well down the stretch thanks to an incredible game by Jason Dunne. Vermont started slow again and this time they were unable to turn up the heat in the second half. You could kind of see a loss coming over the last few games. Despite the exciting, Herculean efforts that the Cats had been using to win, they have been struggling to execute for a few games now. Each time they had been able to turn it on in the second half and grind down their opponents. Today the sluggish body language and poor execution continued all the way to the final buzzer. If you have read my blog in the past I often talk about how losses can have some value. I don't like the term "good loss" cause that doesn't even make any sense but sometimes a team needs to lose to reignite their fire. I truly believe that the Cats needed a extra motivator. Whether the team talked about it or not the streak was starting to be a bigger storyline than their championship drive and I think it will be a relief to go out and just try to win a championship. As long as Vermont can right the ship, this loss doesn't change anything. They still control their own destiny for the conference championship and they are still the team to beat come playoff time. Time to let the steam valve open a little and snap the focus back on winning that championship. The streak was wonderful and great and hopefully after the season it will be great to look back on it and how much fun it was. It is also interesting that every team across college basketball with a long winning streak lost this week. This week began with 6 teams that were undefeated in their conference and now there are none. Some of those team even lost multiple games this week. These are the dog days of the college basketball season and wins are not easy to come by. Hartford is actually a good team and if you dive into the statistics they rate out as the second best team in the conference as they are very well rounded. They rank very highly in both offensive and defensive statistics and have shown a strong ability to play well on the road. The projections gave Hartford very little chance of winning but if you look at the conference only statistics they are a team that can beat anyone on any given night. I was quite concerned about this game because of the way Vermont had been coming out in the first half lately. Senior night is on Wednesday and this a group that deserves to be honored for their tremendous accomplishments and contributions to the Vermont program. This group wont dwell on this loss and I think they will be playing with a special fire the rest of the way.

The incredible drive of this Vermont team

I am little late for the game recap but wanted to comment on last nights game anyway. I enjoyed that win more than probably any win this season. It was fun to watch because it was amazing to see how everyone stepped up and it was the most team win of the season. Cam Ward was an absolute beast. With Trae Bell-Haynes in foul trouble Ward was the one who refused to lose and put the team on his back. He was all over the boards, making tough plays on defense, and sacrificing his body to keep Vermont in that game. So great to see him seizing his opportunity and playing with a tremendous amount of guts. It was an incredible team rebounding effort. UNH is a very strong rebounding team and Vermont dominated them on the boards. What made the rebounding effort special was that it wasn't just one guy. Seven different players grabbed at least four rebounds and the guards combined for 18 rebounds. What a team effort. Ben Shungu looked tremendous playing with strength and quickness for the second straight game. Ra Kpedi is certainly still a very raw player, but his effort and energy have been a great spark for the Cats. Stef Smith had a nice game as well as Vermont didn't skip a beat with Trae Bell-Haynes only playing 20 minutes. Drew Urquhart put up another strong 13 point, 8 rebound performance and he has quietly become one of the Cats most consistent players. This is a time of year where wins are not easy to come by. Everyone is tired. Teams are dealing with injuries and many teams are playing a conference foe for the second time. You are seeing upsets all across college basketball as the regular season begins to wind down. What this Vermont team has been able to do, despite dealing with their own adversity is a once in a lifetime kind of run. I cant wait to get back out to Patrick on Sunday afternoon.

UMass Lowell at Vermont 2/11/18

Vermont 81 UMass Lowell 69

Another game. More adversity. Next man up. 14 in a row.

Vermont battled through more injuries and a slow start to defeat UMass Lowell. Ernie Duncan was no where to be found dealing with concussion symptoms. Vermont got off to a slow start without him and then Trae Bell-Haynes went down with a scary looking injury on a play that drew the ire of Coach Becker. Lowell couldn't miss from three and the Cats fell behind by 14. As this group has done all year, they never wavered, took the opposing teams best shot, and battled back. Bell-Haynes returned from under the bleachers and powered the Cats to victory. He finished with 27 points, 4 assists, and 3 steals, willing Vermont to victory yet again. In the process he scored his 1,500th career point and passed the great Kevin Roberson to move into 8th on the career scoring list. Congratulations to him on another incredible game and another great career milestone. Cam Ward jumped into Ernie's starting spot and delivered a strong effort. Ward finished with 13 points and tied for the team lead with 6 rebounds. He also got three steals in an impressive all around performance. Ward made crucial plays on both ends of the floor and steadied the ship when Bell-Haynes was out. Everett Duncan supplied the three point shooting going 4-5 from three and finishing with 13 points. Ben Shungu played the best minutes of his young career scoring 4 points in 15 minutes. He also provided tough defense and showcased his strength and speed. Drew Urquhart finished with 13 points on 6-6 shooting while grabbing 6 rebounds and adding 3 blocks. Until he got into foul trouble he played strong defense on Jahad Thomas and continues to get better with each game. He has scored in double figures in 5 straight games and during those five games is shooting 74% (32/43) from the field. The only major blemish in today's game was the uncharacteristic 18 turnovers by the Cats. Vermont does need to clean up their first half play after falling behind big in their last two first halves. You can see that opposing teams are coming in fired up and playing with nothing to lose. The Cats return to action against New Hampshire on Thursday night so we will see if Ernie is recovered by then. It is so great to finally get a homestand after watching so many games on television this season.

Vermont at Albany 2/8/18

Vermont 72 Albany 67

A few day after thoughts on last nights big win.

First and foremost, for the one millionth time I can not get over the mental fortitude of this team. They have the same demeanor up 15 or down 15. The same demeanor against the last place team as their bitter rival. They just come out and will themselves to victory. It is something to appreciate because a group like this rare. If you need anymore evidence just look at the 20/20 effort from the free throw line. Shooting from the line is such a mental process and to be perfect on the road in a hostile environment against your bitter rival is nothing short of spectacular. That is absolutely what won them the game. Also what a time to reflect on the decade on success they are currently in. To win 20 games in college basketball is a really nice benchmark of success. For Vermont to have won 20 games for 10 seasons in a row is a level of consistency not always seen at the mid-major level. Just more reinforcement for the incredible atmosphere this program has created by recruiting players who are more about winning than any individual accolade. I am going to appreciate this homestand because watching this team play is so rewarding and I want to soak up every last second of this group's career. On the individual side of things how incredible is Drew Urquhart's meteoric rise this season. He looks like a completely different player. His passing has just been incredible. To see Drew U put up a 19 point, 8 rebound, 5 assist, 2 block night is a demonstration of the maturity and growth he has experienced this season. He is the poster child for not chasing minutes and looking for better pastures. He put in the hard work and is being rewarded by seizing the opportunity he has been given. Trae-Bell Haynes is continues to raise his level of play as the season goes on. Another 20 point performance. More incredible leadership, drive, and determination. He is a flat out warrior on the court. Bell-Haynes is only 16 points away from 1,500 for his career. He will be the 9th Catamount to reach that level. Payton Henson grabbed the 500th rebound of his career and became the 29th member of the 500 point/500 rebound club for the Catamounts. And last but not least Ernie Duncan is closing in on 1,000 career points. He needs 23 to get into quadruple digits. It is going to be exciting to watch this team push toward their goal and great to finally have an extended homestand. I can't wait to be at Patrick on Sunday.

Vermont at UMBC 2/3/18

Vermont 81 UMBC 53

Vermont put themselves squarely in the drivers seat for the regular season title by dominating UMBC on the road. Today's game was the first game played in UMBC's new events center and I think that might have worked to the Retrievers disadvantage. UMBC was undefeated at home this season and this big showdown basically became a neutral court game. Vermont came out firing in the first half scoring 15 unanswered points after UMBC went up 4-0. The Retrievers made a run and it was a see-saw first half from there. In the second half Vermont wore the Retrievers down with an aggressive zone defense. It was the most they played zone this season and it worked to perfection. After putting UMBC on the line too much in the first half, the Retrievers did not make a foul shot in the second half. Vermont was 14-19 (74%) from the field in the second half in a master class of offensive efficiency. A big win against the team that was keeping pace with them in the race for first place. Vermont now has a three game cushion in the loss column and they are playing better basketball each game. The defense has come alive and the team is coming together as a unit. Drew Urquhart and Payton Henson dominated the game for the Cats. Drew U finished with 18 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 assists. Henson just about mirrored Drew U's game with 16 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 assists. As the season has wore on Vermont has been running much more high low action with the bigs facilitating at the top of the key. Drew U's passing has improved exponentially and along with Henson and Rohrer the post guys accounted for 10 assists in today's game. A nice wrinkle to the offense and it has helped mitigate some of the struggles they were experiencing against the zone at the beginning of the season. Cam Ward and Stef Smith played well in extended minutes due to significant foul trouble. A big shout out to Iron Man Cam for breaking the consecutive games played record with his 130th straight game today. That is an incredible accomplishment and it speaks to Ward's toughness. Vermont now takes their 12 game win streak to SEFCU arena for a showdown with Albany on Thursday night. The game at Albany is the toughest of the conference schedule each season. It will be another great battle in the best rivalry in the America East.

Vermont at Binghamton 1/31/18

Vermont 68 Binghamton 54

Trae Bell-Haynes led Vermont to victory with another dominating performance. Bell-Haynes stuffed the stat sheet with 21 points, 8 rebounds, and 6 assists. What more can you say about how great of a player he is? Night in and night out he relentlessly attacks opposing defenses. There are not enough superlatives to describe how globally he is able to affect the game. Drew Urquhart had a strong first half and finished with 15 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 blocks. His passing out of the high post is becoming one of the Cats go to moves. Everett Duncan continued his strong play with 8 points and another 9 rebounds. He is becoming so much more involved in the flow of the game and is giving Vermont some great physicality. Payton Henson shook off a very slow start and finished with 12 points and 6 rebounds. Ernie Duncan continued his strong defense getting 4 steals and chipping in 10 points. Once again Ra Kpedi's energy on the glass sparked the Cats. He continues to impress and is going to be an asset off the bench. Vermont's defense came through on a night that they struggled to make shots. To offset the poor shooting the Cats were able to grab 18 offensive rebounds. Another nice road win and  the Cats finished off an 8-0 start to conference play. The second time through begins with a big game at UMBC on Saturday. UMBC is undefeated at home this season. The game on Saturday is the first game in their spectacular new events center so it will be an incredible atmosphere. The Retrievers have kept pace with Vermont sporting a 7-2 conference mark ahead of the matchup. It is going to be a battle and Vermont is going to have to come out sharper than they did in the game tonight. UMBC is going to be jazzed for this game as it is their opportunity to stay in the mix for the top spot in the conference. Should be an electric matchup between the top two teams in the conference.

Albany at Vermont 1/24/18

Vermont 61 Albany 50

Well that was a strange game.

Vermont overcame a medical emergency in the stands (the person is okay), several stoppages of play, a sloppy second half, and their rival Albany to win their 10th in a row. The game was uneven and physical as every Vermont/Albany matchup seems to be. It is interesting that the Cats offense is effective against almost any other team they play but is awful against Albany. Trae Bell-Haynes continued his tear with another strong performance. Bell-Haynes finished with 21 points and played strong defense against David Nichols. The poor foul shooting has been tough to take but he sure does keep coming up big otherwise. Everett Duncan finished with 10 points and 11 rebounds for his first career double double. Seven of his rebounds were at the offensive end and he played a team high 39 minutes. It was probably the strangest double double I have ever seen as he was absolutely dominant in the first half grabbing 10 of his 11 rebounds. He then all but disappeared in the second half. I have been pumping up Duncan's rebounding all season on this blog and tonight he validated my excitement. Ernie Duncan made the shot of the night, hitting a desperation three at the shot clock buzzer to give the Cats some life in the second half. He had a quite night otherwise but that was mostly due to the energy he was expending playing great defense on Joe Cremo. In a surprising turn of events Duncan has asserted himself as Vermont's defensive stopper. He is consistently drawing tough defensive assignments and has made himself into a very strong defender. Ra Kpedi ignited the Cats in his first half minutes with his hustle and strength on the boards. The inexperience showed after that but he could really provide a spark down the stretch as he continues to get up to speed. The defense was very strong for the Cats as they held Albany to only one made three. The way that the Cats have grown over the course of this winning streak without Anthony Lamb is fun to watch. It is a reminder about the strength of the program and a testament to the players and coaches. To be able to look forward and be ready to overcome any obstacle is a rare attitude to find in a group of players. Now the Cats have a week to prepare for their difficult three game road trip. Beginning next Wednesday Vermont plays at Binghamton, at UMBC, and at Albany. That is going to be a tough road and it is strange for the Albany games to be so close together. Time to rest up and get ready for the road.

P.S. Tonight is my 200th post. I never thought when I started to write this blog that it would grow into what it is today. Thanks for reading!

Vermont at Hartford 1/21/18

Vermont 76 Hartford 53

Vermont played their best 40 minutes of basketball this season and dominated Hartford at both ends of the floor on the way to their 9th straight victory. Payton Henson led the way with 18 points and 5 rebounds. He knocked down 3/5 from behind the arc and made great decisions with the basketball. Trae Bell-Haynes was right behind him with 17 points. Bell-Haynes threw in 6 rebounds and 4 assists. He played under control and took great care of the ball despite Hartford's ball hawking perimeter defense. Everett Duncan was the sharpshooter today knocking down 4/5 from three for 12 points. It was nice to see him make a few shots as he had been struggling over the last few games. Ra Kpedi played 14 minutes in his second career game and has the potential to be a contributor down the stretch. Kpedi had 6 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 blocks. He is still getting up to speed with the college game but he is a very good rebounder and shot blocker. He is certainly going to be able to provide the Cats similar minutes to what Samuel Dingba was giving the team before his injury. I have been very high on Kpedi since his commitment and today I saw glimpses of exactly what could make him a good player for Vermont. Now 6-0 on conference, Vermont is ready for their big showdown with Albany and the toughest stretch of their season. The fact that the Cats continue to not only win but improve despite the injuries, has been the most incredible part of this streak. The game against Albany at Patrick on Wednesday will be a great battle and a big test for Vermont.

Vermont at New Hampshire 1/18/18

Vermont 67 New Hampshire 56

Vermont won their 8th straight game by grinding out a victory over New Hampshire. Overcoming a poor first half the Cats were able to find their offensive rhythm due to the play of their guards. Cam Ward, Ernie Duncan, and Trae Bell-Haynes combined for 33 of Vermont's 42 second half points. Bell-Haynes led they way with 18 of his 20 points in the second half. New Hampshire denied Bell-Haynes the ball every chance they could and bodied him up on the perimeter. The Wildcats were able to force him into 7 turnovers but each time Bell-Haynes bounced back with tough physical finishes at the rim. The toughness sequence of the night was Bell-Haynes blocking a three pointer, tracking the ball down, and laying it in to seal the game. He is on quite the run with 18 plus points in four straight. Ernie Duncan bounced back from a tough game on Monday night, knocking down 4/7 from three en route to 17 points. It was his offense midway through the second half that tilted the game in Vermont's favor. His maturation as a player has been key to this winning streak. He has worked hard and made himself a threat to score off the dribble. This allows Vermont to switch up their late shot clock situations and run different sets to keep the defense on its toes. Cam Ward  continued his rise as he looks like the Ward from his first two seasons in a Catamount uniform. The swagger is back and he is knocking down big shots. Ward is up over 40% from three and has hit double figures in 3 of his last 4 games. Drew Urquhart was huge on the boards and had several beautiful blocked shots. He finished with 9 rebounds against one of the best rebounding teams in the country. This game was a perfect example of Vermont's ability to prevent rebounds. New Hampshire pulls down 41 rebounds per game and boasts a +9.6 rebounding margin. Vermont ended up even in rebounding allowing New Hampshire to grab only 28 rebounds.  The Cats offensive and defensive efficiency really shines through when you look at their ability to keep teams off the glass. This win comes with the news of another Vermont player dealing with an injury. Samuel Dingba suffered a groin injury, just when he was becoming a contributor off the bench, and is out indefinitely. Another blow to the Cats depth and as a result Ra Kpedi is now activated from his redshirt season. He played five minutes in tonight's game and scored the first points of his Vermont career on a couple of free throws. This season has become the epitome of the Cats' "next man up" mantra. It is unfortunate that Bailey Patella and Kpedi have had to sacrifice their redshirt seasons but exciting that they have an opportunity to contribute during this conference run. Now it is on to Sunday's game on the road against the surprising Hartford Hawks. They still shoot the three and have a post game to go with it this season which has led to a stretch of big wins. Every road game in conference is a battle and it will be no different on Sunday afternoon.