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.
Both Kpedi and Smith demonstrated their potential as D1 players in the BU game. Smith for the obvious reasons; scoring, 0 turnovers. Kpedi for the demonstration of raw physical talent. Both need to continue to work on their games respectively. Kpedi needs to mature, find a way to keep his enthusiasm while staying on the floor and out of foul trouble, He also needs to slow down a bit on offense and present a better target for the perimeter players to feed into. Smith needs to improve his sense of flow on the court and not launch the 3 prematurely. The Lamb and Moll combo are impressive! I would also love to see Everett D. continue to play off of Moll more often on offense as they are a strong combo as well. Go Cats, and not the Kentucky version mind you!
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