Vermont 86 Lipscomb 63
Vermont's offense exploded as they dominated Lipscomb to get back into the win column before going on holiday break. This was a great "get right" game for the Cats as they got contributions from everyone in a true team win. Stef Smith bounced back to lead Vermont with 20 points. Lamb fought through foul trouble and finished with 16 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 blocks. The real story of the game was Robin Duncan and Bailey Patella. Robin Duncan did his best Brian Voelkel impression finishing with 2 points, 11 rebounds, 7 assists, and a strong defensive effort. Robin's incredible passing was on display all game as he was in complete control of the offense. The Voelkel comparison is an apt one as he is able to make a huge impact without giving anything on the offensive end. Patella also played the best game of his career, flying all over the court with his usual hustle and elite athleticism. He finished with 7 points and 9 rebounds and was a disruptive force on the defensive end. It is his speed that really stands out as he consistently beats everyone to lose balls. Both Robin and Patella are potentially going to be looked to for more minutes as the only negative from last night is that Ben Shungu re-injured his hamstring. You got to feel for Shungu as he looked very discouraged on the sidelines after the injury. He was playing another great game before the injury and at this point is the most crucial player on Vermont besides Lamb. The toughness and leadership he brings is just incredible and if he is out for another extended period of time the other guys are really going to have to step up. With the offense finally clicking again it is worth mentioning that some of the offensive difficulty is that Vermont has played a very tough schedule. The teams they have played have been mostly strong defensive teams. I love the Kenpom rankings as the offensive and defensive efficiency numbers are very telling when it comes to assessing opponents. For what it is worth the Cats opponents thus far would combine to be the 50th most efficient defense in the country. Their offense hasn't had a lot of room to work and as a result the struggles at that end have been magnified. This stretch of games is against a slightly lower tier of opponent than the Cats have play thus far. It will be a good barometer to see how the offense performs against a different type of opponent. Happy Holidays everyone!!!
P.S. Anthony Lamb is now 25 points away from passing former teammate Trae Bell-Haynes for 8th on the all time scoring list.
Saturday, December 21, 2019
Wednesday, December 18, 2019
UNCG at Vermont 12/18/19
UNCG 54 Vermont 53
Vermont came up short in a great college basketball game against UNC Greensboro. The game lived up to its billing as two of the best mid-major programs in the country went toe to toe. Both teams were fighting tooth and nail and the lead never went above 6 points for either side. Both defenses were locked in and executed their game plan. UNCG was able to make the plays down the stretch in a game that could have gone either way, That was on of those games that it is a shame that someone had to lose because both teams played so hard. Anthony Lamb had his way in the paint and led the Cats with 23 points and 7 rebounds. He was fast and decisive underneath the hoop and just abused the single coverage with an array of moves. Unfortunately he is still struggling mightily from the perimeter and could not get a shot to fall down the stretch. Ben Shungu turned in another stellar performance, playing incredible defense on the preseason conference player of the year Isaiah Miller and holding him to 11 points. The Vermont defense is elite and continues to put the Cats in a position to win. Unfortunately the perimeter shooting continues to be an area of difficulty and in the second half completely disappeared for the Cats. A lot of that had to do with UNCG playing incredible defense. I can see why they are one of the elite defenses in the country and I actually thought that was the best defensive team the Cats have faced (and that includes Virginia). The fact that UNCG presses for the entire game really wears the opponent down. There are a lot of positives to take away from this game. Vermont played well in every aspect of the game except their perimeter shooting. They continue to show that they can play with anyone in the country and as long as they stay engaged on the defensive end, the ball will start to bounce their way. UNCG has had some tough luck this season, losing two games on halfcourt buzzer beaters, so they were due for one not to fall. Now Vermont has a quick turnaround before facing Lipscomb on Friday. They can build off this game and gear up to get back into the win column.
Saturday, December 7, 2019
Towson at Vermont 12/7/19
Vermont 55 Towson 38
Back in the friendly confines of Patrick Gym, Vermont used a smothering defensive effort to get back into the win column. The Cats’ defense in this one was very impressive. They were all over the court, hustling and making everything difficult for Towson. In the second half Vermont held Towson without a hoop for 11 minutes. The Cats challenged everything at the rim and took control of the game with their physicality. That type of defensive effort will continue to win them games while their offense comes around. Everyone that stepped on the court for Vermont gave everything they had and won all of the 50/50 balls. That type of mental focus in exactly what this team needed to bring to the court to begin this homestand. It was no coincidence that Ben Shungu’s return sparked a strong defensive effort. He is an absolute warrior. He finished with 5 points, 7 rebounds, and a whole lot of heart. So physical and relentless. It was very clear tonight how much the Cats have missed his presence on the court. He is an elite defender and his ability to get to the rim really opens things up for the rest of the offense. Stef Smith benefited from having another playmaker on the court. He was electric in this one, leading the team with 23 points on 7/11 from the field including 5/8 from three. Despite all of the shooting woes for Vermont, Smith is actually shooting the highest three point percentage of his career at 42%. Anthony Lamb is really struggling offensively but never quits and still manages to push the Cats to victory. Despite another 4-19 shooting night Lamb finished with 15 points and 9 rebounds. He also played tough underneath including an electrifying blocked dunk. Daniel Giddens played really well in extended minutes due to Ryan Davis sitting out. He looks more comfortable on the court and is playing far more under control. Although Aaron Deloney continues to struggle to make shots, his tenacity and hustle are impressive. He never gives up on the play and impacted the game with his hustle plays tonight. Now the Cats get some much needed and well deserved rest. They don't play again until December 18th against UNC Greensboro. That will be a very tough game against a strong team with a pre-season conference player of the year in Isaiah Miller. This win was really important so the Cats can begin to build some momentum as they inch closer to conference play.
Tuesday, December 3, 2019
Vermont at Cincinnati 12/3/19
Cincinnati 82 Vermont 73
Vermont's comeback bid fell short in a hard fought game with the Cincinnati Bearcats. Vermont got down by 20 points early in the second half but chipped away and pulled within 7 late in the game. Cincinnati played a nearly perfect game knocking down 12/19 from three and 22/26 from the free throw line. Considering that the Bearcats played out of their minds,Vermont hung tough. There were some defensive lapses but for the most part Cincinnati just didn't miss. The fact that the Cats were able to remain in the game and fight back says a lot about the character of this team. With how the last few games have gone, it would have been easy to mail it in and get back home. Vermont never gave up and really dug deep during their second half run. Anthony Lamb recommitted to being an inside presence despite the fact that the Bearcats were running several defenders at him every time he touched the ball. As a result he had another tough shooting night but finished with 16 points, 11 rebounds, 7 assists, and 3 blocks. He was diving all over the floor and gave everything ounce of effort he had in his body. Stef Smith exploded out of slump late in the second half and finished with 18 points. He also played like a warrior battling through back spasms. Everett Duncan also played very will finishing with 13 points and 8 rebounds. It was really important for him to see a few shots go through the rim. As a whole the Cats knocked down 15/28 from three. Quite a turnaround from the past few games. Seven different players made threes as the stat correction came back all in one game. The shots had to start falling at some point for Vermont as they are not going to spend the whole season being one of the worst shooting teams in the country. There are a lot of positives to take away from this game. The Cats showed some life on offense and the team was more engaged in the game. Especially considering they were shorthanded, this was a much more complete game. Now they begin a long homestand where they will be home for the entire month of December. Perfect timing for a team that needs to get healthy and build some positive momentum. I am looking forward to seeing some games at Patrick.
Vermont's comeback bid fell short in a hard fought game with the Cincinnati Bearcats. Vermont got down by 20 points early in the second half but chipped away and pulled within 7 late in the game. Cincinnati played a nearly perfect game knocking down 12/19 from three and 22/26 from the free throw line. Considering that the Bearcats played out of their minds,Vermont hung tough. There were some defensive lapses but for the most part Cincinnati just didn't miss. The fact that the Cats were able to remain in the game and fight back says a lot about the character of this team. With how the last few games have gone, it would have been easy to mail it in and get back home. Vermont never gave up and really dug deep during their second half run. Anthony Lamb recommitted to being an inside presence despite the fact that the Bearcats were running several defenders at him every time he touched the ball. As a result he had another tough shooting night but finished with 16 points, 11 rebounds, 7 assists, and 3 blocks. He was diving all over the floor and gave everything ounce of effort he had in his body. Stef Smith exploded out of slump late in the second half and finished with 18 points. He also played like a warrior battling through back spasms. Everett Duncan also played very will finishing with 13 points and 8 rebounds. It was really important for him to see a few shots go through the rim. As a whole the Cats knocked down 15/28 from three. Quite a turnaround from the past few games. Seven different players made threes as the stat correction came back all in one game. The shots had to start falling at some point for Vermont as they are not going to spend the whole season being one of the worst shooting teams in the country. There are a lot of positives to take away from this game. The Cats showed some life on offense and the team was more engaged in the game. Especially considering they were shorthanded, this was a much more complete game. Now they begin a long homestand where they will be home for the entire month of December. Perfect timing for a team that needs to get healthy and build some positive momentum. I am looking forward to seeing some games at Patrick.
Sunday, December 1, 2019
Vermont at Yale 12/1/19
Yale 65 Vermont 52
Vermont struggled to find an offensive rhythm and dropped a tough road matchup with Yale. Yale was favored in this game so the loss itself is not surprising. Vermont has won three years in a row in some very tight battles and it was Yale's turn to execute. However the struggles of the Vermont offense are becoming a major concern. The offense just looks awful. Teams have figured out that the Cats struggle to make outside shots so they are collapsing into the paint and making driving to the rim very difficult. As a result the offense is choppy as the Cats players probe for driving lanes with little success and settle for outside jumpers. They need to really shake things up on offense in hopes that someone can get jump started. Stef Smith was completely ineffective today. He finished with zero points and turned the ball over 4 times. He is the key cog in the Vermont offense and his inconsistent play to start the season is a major reason for the teams struggles. Without him as a reliable secondary option, teams can focus all of their defensive attention on Anthony Lamb. Lamb is working hard to fight through the extra attention and willed himself to 18 points and 7 rebounds. However he is falling in love with the three pointer and it is greatly impacting his efficiency. His percentage has plummeted as his attempts have increased. He is shooting 2.5 more threes per game than last season but only making 23% of his attempts. The defense is focusing on stopping him from getting to the rim and Lamb is playing right into their hands by settling for jumpers. As a result he has been getting to the free throw line at a much lower rate. Drawing fouls and making free throws is a significant part of his game. He has to find a better balance between his perimeter game and his post game. His offensive imbalance is indicative of a trend for the Cats across the board. Over the first 4 games (all wins) Vermont averaged 24 attempts from three and 23 attempts from the free throw line per game. In the 5 games since, those numbers have changed to 30 attempts from three and 10 attempts from the free throw line per game. Getting to the free throw line is incredibly important and Vermont is making it easy for opponents to keep them off the free throw line by settling for long jumpers. The supporting cast is contributing positively in every other aspect of the game besides at the offensive end. They are hustling and playing tough defense but are just unable to make a consistent offensive impact. The road gets tougher as Ben Shungu's injury could keep him out for much longer and Daniel Giddens left today's game and did not return. He looked to be in a fair amount of pain. The Cats are going to have to band together and dig deep with Cincinnati on deck. That will be another tough game where they are going to have to show up and execute the game plan effectively.
Vermont struggled to find an offensive rhythm and dropped a tough road matchup with Yale. Yale was favored in this game so the loss itself is not surprising. Vermont has won three years in a row in some very tight battles and it was Yale's turn to execute. However the struggles of the Vermont offense are becoming a major concern. The offense just looks awful. Teams have figured out that the Cats struggle to make outside shots so they are collapsing into the paint and making driving to the rim very difficult. As a result the offense is choppy as the Cats players probe for driving lanes with little success and settle for outside jumpers. They need to really shake things up on offense in hopes that someone can get jump started. Stef Smith was completely ineffective today. He finished with zero points and turned the ball over 4 times. He is the key cog in the Vermont offense and his inconsistent play to start the season is a major reason for the teams struggles. Without him as a reliable secondary option, teams can focus all of their defensive attention on Anthony Lamb. Lamb is working hard to fight through the extra attention and willed himself to 18 points and 7 rebounds. However he is falling in love with the three pointer and it is greatly impacting his efficiency. His percentage has plummeted as his attempts have increased. He is shooting 2.5 more threes per game than last season but only making 23% of his attempts. The defense is focusing on stopping him from getting to the rim and Lamb is playing right into their hands by settling for jumpers. As a result he has been getting to the free throw line at a much lower rate. Drawing fouls and making free throws is a significant part of his game. He has to find a better balance between his perimeter game and his post game. His offensive imbalance is indicative of a trend for the Cats across the board. Over the first 4 games (all wins) Vermont averaged 24 attempts from three and 23 attempts from the free throw line per game. In the 5 games since, those numbers have changed to 30 attempts from three and 10 attempts from the free throw line per game. Getting to the free throw line is incredibly important and Vermont is making it easy for opponents to keep them off the free throw line by settling for long jumpers. The supporting cast is contributing positively in every other aspect of the game besides at the offensive end. They are hustling and playing tough defense but are just unable to make a consistent offensive impact. The road gets tougher as Ben Shungu's injury could keep him out for much longer and Daniel Giddens left today's game and did not return. He looked to be in a fair amount of pain. The Cats are going to have to band together and dig deep with Cincinnati on deck. That will be another tough game where they are going to have to show up and execute the game plan effectively.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)