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!!!
Friday, December 21, 2018
Tuesday, December 18, 2018
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.
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.
Sunday, December 16, 2018
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.
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.
Saturday, December 8, 2018
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.
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.
Monday, December 3, 2018
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 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.
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