Vermont vs NJIT 12/28/20

 NJIT 81 Vermont 80 2OT

What a game. What a heartbreaker.

With both teams trading blows in a hard fought game, San Antonio Brinson was able to corral an airball and put it up before the buzzer to give NJIT their first America East win. Vermont struggled to get stops down the stretch and their perimeter shooting disappeared again, making every possession a battle. Dylan O'Hearn exploded in the extra periods and finished with 26 points. Vermont just couldn't string any buckets together and survived as long as they could before succumbing to the Highlanders. Once again the perimeter shooting from Vermont's guards was non-existent. Vermont finished 5-21 from three and only made one three after halftime. Stef Smith made the only three for Vermont's perimeter players and for the second straight game, the big men provided the perimeter shooting. This is an area I keep harping on because it is going to be very difficult to have a consistent offensive flow if their guards continue to struggle from the perimeter. It is a small sample size but through the first four games, the combination of Bailey Patella, Justin Mazzulla, Robin Duncan, Ben Shungu, and Aaron Deloney are a combined 3-24 (12.5%) from three. Ouch. The loss unfortunately overshadowed another dominant effort from Ryan Davis. He finished with a new career high 27 points on 11-14 shooting from the field. Davis looks downright explosive around the rim and his touch has been incredible. He finished the weekend with 49 points in the two games and looks capable of putting this team on his back. Ben Shungu continued his strong play as well with 16 points, 6 rebounds, and 6 assists. His ability to post up underneath and finish around the rim is giving the Cats a nice dimension to their offense. Nick Fiorillo continued his strong play and is playing himself in a nice role in the rotation. Outside of those three the rest of the Cats really struggled and as a result they lacked the offensive balance they are accustomed to. Stef Smith had a great game yesterday and looked ready to find his footing. He took another step back today as he just doesn't look comfortable in the offense. He is now the focal point for opposing defenses and it is going to be an adjustment that takes time and has been made more challenging by the shortened season. The Vermont defense really struggled down the stretch and they allowed NJIT to stay in an offensive rhythm. The Highlanders shot 51% from the field and imposed their will on the Cats. You could see the minutes start to pile up and the rotations were a step slow. As I mentioned in my preview these back to backs going to produce some wild results. All of the games in the America East were tightly contested today and Vermont wasn't the only team to end up on the wrong side of the result reversal. Binghamton fought hard to get their first win of the season by snapping UMBC's seven game win streak. Now Vermont has four days to get ready for a big showdown with Albany at Patrick this weekend. One positive is now Vermont has experienced both versions of the back to back split and they will be able to use that experience as fuel and motivation to clean up the mistakes and build momentum to be playing their best basketball by the end of the season. 

Vermont vs NJIT 12/27/20

 Vermont 92 NJIT 78

Back at Patrick. Back on track. 

Vermont used an offensive explosion, courtesy of ten first half threes, to take control against NJIT and win their conference home opener. With Ryan Davis returning to the starting lineup, Vermont's offense did a 180 from last week. The Cats couldn't miss from the outside and found much more balance with their full team available. Stef Smith led the Cats with 27 points (5-7 from three) and 7 rebounds. He was in an offensive rhythm from the get go and looked much more comfortable within the offense. Davis looked fantastic in his return to the court, tying his career high with 22 points. He knocked down 2 threes and finished with an array of moves down low. When healthy Davis is one of the best big men in the league. It was an incredibly balanced effort as Vermont shot 56% from the field and had 21 assists on 33 made baskets. The big men really showed their floor stretching ability as Stef was the only guard to make a three. As I mentioned Davis had two, Isaiah Powell and Nick Fiorillo made two as well, and Tomas Murphy made one in his first action as a Catamount. A funny box score to say the least. Murphy only played 6 minutes but made the most of it, scoring 7 points in his first game action. He did not look 100% and it will be interesting to see how he and Davis respond to the back to back game schedule. The coaching staff did a nice job managing minutes as no one played more than 29. Once Vermont got up big in the first half there was a shift to having a foot in both games for sure. Vermont faces the opposite problem of last week's series as they now need to find a way to stay engaged and come out with the same energy after a blowout win. Today's game was a glimpse of the potential of this Cats team when they are fully healthy. They have offensive balance and are a threat to score from just about every position. This schedule really makes game two of the series an exciting chess match and I can't wait to see what the game looks like tomorrow. 

Vermont at UMass Lowell 12/22/20

Vermont 62 UMass Lowell 53

Vermont used a 20-1 run to take control of the game and bounced back to pick up their first win of the season. The game was equally as disjointed as last night's game as both teams struggled to find an offensive rhythm. Vermont was able to limit their mistakes and were much more engaged on the defensive end of the floor. This is a big win as the Cats are going to be in survival mode until they can get Ryan Davis or Tomas Murphy back. The grit and determination that are trademarks of Vermont teams were on full display in this one. Ben Shungu was an absolute warrior today. He played 37 minutes of tough, physical perimeter defense and led the Cats with 12 points (a perfect 8-8 effort from the line) and 6 rebounds. He really set the tone with his defense and the rest of the team responded. Justin Mazzulla followed Shungu's lead with tough physical defense of his own. Through two games it looks like Mazzulla is going to be a special player for the Cats. He is a ball hawk on defense and tenacious when attacking the rim. Mazzulla also played 37 minutes and added 9 points and 5 rebounds. Bailey Patella still isn't 100% but he battled hard and also chipped in 9 points and 5 rebounds. Stef Smith once again looked completely out of sync but was able to finish with 10 points. Nick Fiorillo impressed again in limited minutes. Fiorillo chipped in 7 points including knocking down one of Vermont's two threes. The fact that he is able to already be a positive contributor is nothing short of amazing for a walk on playing in his second ever college game. He is playing with confidence and taking advantage of his chance to contribute. Vermont took better care of the ball with only 11 turnovers while forcing 21 for Lowell. The three point shooting was once again atrocious as the Cats finished 2-17. This group doesn't have the shooters that Vermont has had over the post several seasons and it is going to take hard work to make themselves a real threat from the perimeter. Coming out of this weekend at 1-1 is big and now that the season is real hopefully the players can get after it this week in practice before hosting NJIT at Patrick on Sunday. The Cats showed some heart in getting a win when they were dealing with injuries and not playing their best basketball. Now it is time to lock in and execute. 

Vermont at UMass Lowell 12/21/20

UMass Lowell 73 Vermont 65

Basketball is back.

In their first game since March, Vermont struggled to find a rhythm and fell to UMass Lowell in the season opener. The game was as discombobulated and filled with mistakes as expected. At full strength this first game was going to be a difficult one as the Cats tried to shake off the rust. Being down two frountcourt starters made the task even harder. With the frontcourt thin, Vermont was forced to play small which fits right into the way UMass Lowell wants to play. As a result the Riverhawks were able to dictate the flow of the game. Obadiah Noel shook off a scoreless first half due to foul trouble and pumped in 17 second half points. He is going to have a very good season for Lowell and will absolutely be making a push for player of the year. The hero for Lowell tonight was Ron Mitchell. The sophomore guard came off the bench and made big shot after big shot on his was to a career high 24 points. Every time Vermont made a run, Mitchell had an answer. Lowell capitalized on the Cats mistakes and led the game wire to wire. Becker has been very honest in saying that the team is not where it needs to be and that was clear tonight. The Cats committed 16 turnovers, missed 10 free throws, and shot 8-26 (30.8%) from three. The defensive rotations were slow and there was a lot of confusion when players were switching. The three point shooting was something I highlighted in my preview and I think this game illustrated what could be an area of difficulty for the Cats. Outside of Smith there is no other "can't leave" shooter. Stef Smith led the Cats with 18 points but struggled to find a rhythm before fouling out. Justin Mazzulla was a big time bright spot for Vermont as he almost single-handedly brought the team back in the second half and finished with 17 points. He looked great getting to the rim and used his size and physicality to score through contact. He also tied for the team high with 6 rebounds and played hard on the defensive end. He is going to be a force for the Cats this season. Robin Duncan continued his typical production. He was a non-factor offensively while playing tough defense and leading Vermont with 6 rebounds and 5 assists. His shooting has just not progressed and he is going to continue to fill the Brian Voelkel type role. I thought Nick Fiorillo performed well in his limited minutes. He couldn't get a shot to fall from the perimeter but scored his first collegiate points and wasn't overmatched. If these injuries persist he may see his role grow. The injuries to Ryan Davis and Tomas Murphy are a big blow to the Cats and they are going to have to try and grind out games to survive until they can get to full strength. They just don't have a replacement for their scoring ability in the point. This series seemed like a split to me from the get go so tomorrow is the crucial game in my mind. The rust is off. The games are happening. Now it is time to see what kind of adjustments can be made. That is going to be the true test this year. Win or lose how do teams respond to the game the next day. 

Vermont Basketball season outlook

Is it really here? Can we finally get excited?

After nine months of waiting, Vermont basketball is back. 

Without the typical preseason to see the team and get comfortable figuring out player's roles and system tweaks, it is tougher than ever to know what the team is going to look like. After all this waiting, it is going to be like opening a present on Christmas morning. Sometimes it is the thing you have been wishing for all year and wanted most of all..... and sometimes it is a subscription to the jelly of the month club. I have never been more excited to finally see what kind of team Vermont is going to be. So lets dive in and put some of the puzzle pieces together. 

The lineup

Ben Shungu and Stef Smith are the two very clear and very predictable members of the starting lineup. No surprises here. I expect them both to be the tremendous players that they have been over the past few seasons. Smith is poised to have a monster season and lead this team in scoring. Hopefully Shungu has shaken off the injury limitations that he had to play through last season. He was incredibly effective at less than 100% and I am excited to see what he can do at full strength. I listened to the Catamount insider podcast this week and Becker provided some clarity about how the rest of the rotation is starting to take shape. He spoke very highly about Justin Mazzulla and praised him as the "alpha" on the team. A guy who will do it all, set the tone, and bring energy and toughness. Sounds like he is going to start at the three. I am excited about what Mazzulla will bring to the program this year and think he is ready to make a big impact on both ends of the floor. Becker was very high on the guard group as a whole saying that "all six guys could start". Aaron Deloney, Robin Duncan, and Bailey Patella will all have big roles as well. With the back to back schedule, the coaching staff is going to be looking to manage minutes even more carefully. Eric Beckett put in big time work in the offseason will also have a chance to contribute. As you might expect with the abnormal preseason, it sounds like there have been various injuries that have hampered Vermont's ability to play with lineups and have the whole team available at the same time. Becker specifically mentioned that Patella and Ryan Davis had been dealing with various injuries. That brings us to how the frontcourt is going to play out. This is the area with the most question marks and the play of the frontcourt will be the deciding factor in Vermont's success this season. Davis, if healthy, will be a cornerstone of the lineup and a big part of their offense. Injuries have really hampered his consistency and it is unfortunate to hear he hasn't quite shaken the injury bug. The positive news is it sounds like Tomas Murphy has looked excellent thus far and Becker went so far as to say "maybe the best big man they have had during his tenure". Wow. It sounds like this praise is due to his array of post moves and nice touch around the rim. Now that may be some coach speak, but if you have watched any of Murphy's highlights form his Northeastern days, he has incredible fundamentals, footwork, and feel around the rim. His success this season is going to hinge on his ability to be equally as effective on the defensive end. As every Vermont fan knows, no defense, no court time. It sounds like at full health, Becker would like to see if Vermont could roll out a lineup with Murphy and Davis rounding out the starting five. Due to injuries that has not happened yet so to begin the season I think Isaiah Powell will be a big part of the rotation and will get the start if Davis can't go. 

Filling in the frontcourt rotation

This is the biggest question mark for the Cats this season as I mentioned above. If they do indeed have injuries or run into foul trouble, who gets the minutes? Duncan Demuth really struggled in his first year as a Catamount but certainly has the talent to be a contributor. After that everything is up in the air. Georges Lefebvre has loads of talent and it is more a matter of when, rather than if, he will be able to contribute. This season really puts freshman behind the eight ball and it remains to be seen how quickly he will be able to make the adjustment to the college game. Nick Fiorillo has been getting a lot of buzz this offseason and Becker called him their "best frontcourt shooter". He will certainly have to improve in other areas and it might be alot to ask for him to be able to step in this year, but it looks as though he will absolutely be a contributor during his Catamount career. This rotation will likely be a source of game to game experimentation and the minutes distribution will be very matchup dependent. 

Style of play

After four years of running their offense through Anthony Lamb, this guard oriented team will likely play faster and look to get out in transition. Becker wants to take advantage of the size of Mazzulla, Duncan, and Patella to play smaller lineups where Vermont can pressure the ball and try to take advantage of their depth to run teams down. It will be very different than what Vermont teams have looked like in recent years as Vermont has the size, athleticism, and depth at the guard position to get up and down the court. That is not say that they won't still look for the best shot or grind it out on defense. I do think that where they will miss Everett Duncan and Lamb the most is on the defensive end. Offense is "easier" to replace than the defensive presence and experience those two players brought every game. This team might give up a few more points per game but will likely try to make up for it by forcing a few more turnovers. 

Key Questions

Where will the three point shooting come from?

Everett and Lamb accounted for 40% of both Vermont's makes and attempts from three last season. That is a big number. That is a lot to replace within the context of the offense. Stef will certainly fill in but he was already a huge part of the Cats success from three and already owns a high percentage of their perimeter offense. If you take out Lamb, Everett, and Stef from the three point statistics, the rest of the team shot 27% from three last season. Not great. Someone is going to have to make a big leap in their three point efficiency in order to make Vermont more than one dimensional from the perimeter. Mazzulla is a career 27% shooter from three and it is not a big part of his game. Deloney is the most likely candidate to make a big improvement as he is a much better shooter than he showed last season. I do however see him as very streaky and again that potentially leaves Stef as the only guy who is a "must guard" on the perimeter. Vermont has plenty of capable shooters that can keep teams honest but I could see teams daring guys to shoot from the perimeter, packing it in to stop penetration, and living with the results. This is where you might see Becker try to use Fiorillo in short bursts to try and stretch the defense. 

Can they really play an uptempo style?

Vermont always ranks in the back half of the pack in terms of tempo each year. Part of this is due to the defensive system that they run which forces other teams to slow their tempo as well. However, the Cats have always been very comfortable in their half court sets and always defer until they get the best shot possible. It would be a major departure from the Vermont teams of the past to try and push the tempo. I think this team has the makeup to do it and it will be interesting to see if they can execute a new vision. 

How will the mental aspect of the game play out?

I believe Vermont's greatest advantage over the years has been their mental toughness. The game preparation, goal setting, and winning culture has carried them through challenges every season. I am not questioning the players on this team's ability to continue the high level of mental focus displayed year in and year out. However, this is an unprecedented time in history and it would naive to think that all of the stress can be blocked out. This pandemic has affected everyone, no matter how strong their resolve. No fans, constant anxiety about will the games happen or not, family health and safety, etc. There is so much uncertainty and there is no way that it doesn't make its way on the court at points throughout the year. 

So what will the season look like?

How will they finish?

Vermont got a very good schedule draw as they will have 10 home games and 8 road games. They also got  Albany and Stony Brook at home. So far it looks as though homecourt advantage is a little less important than in past years but a slight advantage still exists. I think the back to back games will make it hard to have a 1-2 loss season that has been the norm over the past four years. I think Vermont will shake off the rust and finish at the top of the league. It will likely come down to the final series of the season at UMBC but I think Vermont finishes in first place at 13-5. The Cats have the talent and depth to continue to perform as one of the best mid-majors in the country. I think there will be some rust early on, but as long as the season plays out with a relatively predictable rhythm and players can stay healthy, Vermont will be playing at a high level by the end of the season.

Never been more excited for some basketball. 

America East Conference preview

Is it finally time for some basketball?

With the conference schedule set to begin this weekend, it is time to start talking basketball again. As with everything in 2020, it is hard to look ahead very far and even harder to know what the future will bring. This conference season will be unlike any other and as such will be equally as unpredictable. In a typical season every team has prepared for the season in roughly the same way. Preseason, scrimmages, exhibitions, and a non-conference schedule year in and year out. That makes predictions easier as you can for all intents and purposes compare apples to apples. This year all of that gets thrown out the window and now it is time to try and sift through the rubble. The list of factors that will make this college basketball season just as unpredictable as everything else this year would be enough to fill the pages of a book. Some are simple and don't need long explanations. Teams have had different amounts of practice time, different practice protocols, different amounts of games played, roster changes, etc. These are all pretty straight forward and will undoubtedly affect teams significantly. There are a few I would like to dive into in more detail. First off, the schedule. With a two game, home and home schedule structure, there was no way to make it "fair". Some teams have more home games than others. Not every team has to travel to every school. Also, playing back to back games is a whole different animal than rest days in between. All of this unbalance is going to lead to some wacky results. If a team is dealing with injuries or ineffective play in December, there is no return game late in the season to avenge an earlier loss. This season it is going to matter even more when you play which team. Also if you have followed back to back series so far this season it has led to some wild swings in results. Team A dominates night one, only to get blown out night two. It is going to lead to some interesting basketball and will absolutely test every teams resolve. And I don't even need to mention postponements, pauses, and further COVID disruptions that are bound to occur. I probably forgot about five other points I was going to make but that will have to do as I too have to try to get back into the swing of things. I am going to group the teams rather than try and predict an actual record because I feel like that is going to be more applicable for all the reasons mentioned above.  

The Contenders:

UMBC

UMBC has been a bright spot for the America East so far as they have gone 4-1 in the non-conference. They were picked to finish second way back when the poll came out and I think they have jumped Vermont as the favorite as of this moment. The Retrievers are a veteran team with guys who have won consistently and competed at a high level. They bring back much of last years team led by RJ Eytle-Rock and Brandon Horvath. The Retrievers have executed at both ends of the floor to begin this season. A healthy Daniel Akin gives them a big presence down low and he and Dimitri Spasojevic complement each other well. The biggest addition for UMBC is getting back a healthy Darnell Rogers who packs a lot of punch into his 5-2 frame. Throw in L.J Owens and Keonte Kennedey and you have a rotation that is strong at every position and versatile. The only real fly in the ointment is they got the short end of the scheduling stick. They have 10 road games and those road games are against the upper tier of the AE. They do host Vermont to close out the conference schedule at the end of February that will most likely have implications regarding the regular season title (I mean UMBC/Vermont has quickly become one of the best mid-major rivalries, love it).

Vermont

What kind of team will Vermont be this season? They were already in for a big transition losing Anthony Lamb and Everett Duncan. Those two were solid as a rock over their careers and replacing them goes beyond the box score. The offseason has included two pauses for COVID, a cancelled non-conference schedule, and the Cats lost Bernie Andre before he ever stepped foot on the court. All of this adds up to the most uncertainty going into a Vermont season in quite a while. Stef Smith is poised to take the reins and lead the Cats. With Ben Shungu, Robin Duncan, Aaron Deloney and newcomer Justin Mazzulla, Vermont has depth and size at the guard position. Ryan Davis made a big jump last season but he will be counted on to climb even higher. After that Vermont has a lot of talent but a lot of questions marks as well. Will Duncan Demuth produce with year under his belt? Can Isaiah Powell find some consistency? How quickly will newcomers Tomas Murphy and Georges Lefebrve get up to speed? Vermont runs a complicated system and without a full offseason, will the Cats be able to play with the unity and chemistry that makes them so tough? I will dive more into the nitty gritty in my Vermont specific preview before their first game on Monday. 

The challengers:

Albany

For two years now the Great Danes have struggled mightily to live up to the standards that they have set with their years of success. They have the talent to compete with anyone in the league but have been missing that spark that they have had on their championship caliber teams. Too many mistakes and lackluster play. If this group can shake off the inconsistency they have a chance to push their way back to the top. They along with Vermont, Maine, and NJIT will enter conference play without any games under their belt. That could be a challenge for Will Brown as he often needs time to incorporate a slew of newcomers before settling on a rotation. Albany will attempt to incorporate several transfers and freshman into the mix to surround their returning core. Cameron Healy is one of the best players in the conference and along with Anthony Rizzuto, gives the Great Danes two of the best long range snipers in the league. Trey Hutcheson will try to build on a strong freshman season and Adam Lulka will look to stay healthy and give the Danes the tough physical presence they need. 

Hartford:

Oh what could have been. The Hawks were days away from playing in their first title game since 2008 before the cancellation. Is that unfinished business going to give the Hawks an extra boost as they enter this season? They will have to replace Malik Ellison which is no easy task. Moses Flowers has exploded to start the year and has become the Hawks go to player. Traci Carter and Hunter Marks return to build on last season. The big newcomer for the Hawks is Marist transfer Austin Williams who has started all five games this season for Hartford. The big questions for Hartford are the same as they have been every year under John Gallagher. Do they have enough of a presence down low to compete on the boards and can they consistently make shots. Time will tell. 

New Hampshire:

New Hampshire has quietly built themselves into a competitive team again. They play hard and tough on defense which keeps them in a lot of games. Their entire team is back and that continuity is going to be an advantage this season. Nick Guadarrama (the guy you want on your team but really bugs you as an opposing fan) is an all league caliber player and has improved every season. The Wildcats will get a boost with the blanket transfer wavier that was passed today as I believe they will now have Houston Baptist transfer Qon Murphy available to give them more depth at the guard position. New Hampshire is another team that that needs to find consistent shooting from the outside in order to make the leap.

UMass Lowell

Lowell has been knocking at the door since they come into the league. They play an exciting fast paced style of play that really stretches opposing defenses. Their offensive efficiency in a league that prides itself on defense has made for some very exciting games. Unfortunately the defense has not yet caught up to their offense leaving them on the outside looking in. Has this wacky year left the door open a crack? Lowell owns the most impressive AE win of the non-conference as they knocked off a strong San Francisco squad to open the season. The River Hawks have a player of the year candidate in Obadiah Noel and Wagner transfer Darion Jordan-Thomas has provided a nice spark in his first season with the team. We wont have to wait long to find out where the Riverhawks stand as Lowell host Vermont next Monday and Tuesday for what should be a very telling series for both teams.  

The question marks:

Stony Brook

The Seawolves had the strangest offseason of any team losing all five starters to transfers. The cupboard was bare and it remains to be seen exactly how well Geno Ford and his staff were able to fill it back up. Transfers Frankie Policelli, Tyeki Greene, and Jaden Sayles have led the charge thus far with JUCO product Juan Felix Rodriguez at the controls. Lone returner Mo Gueye has provided a spark as well as he looks to build off and up and down season. I expect them to be very competitive and push the teams at the top. This group could surprise some teams and may very well play the spoiler. 

NJIT

The conference newcomers were suppose to open conference play last weekend but that series with New Hampshire was postponed due to COVID. They are still waiting to play their first game as a member of the America East. They are an exciting addition to the conference and have all the pieces to immediately duke it out in the middle of the pack. Zach Cooks will likely compete for the scoring title and with fellow senior San Antonio Brinson,  they form a formidable 1-2 punch. Along with rising junior Souleymane Diakite the Highlanders are ready to bring their defensive minded team in to the America East.  

The rest:

Binghamton & Maine

These two teams are once again destined to fight it out at the bottom of the standings. Each program has struggled to find consistency and keep their good players in the program. Whether it be transfers, injuries, or just plain bad luck, these two programs have a ways to go before they are ready to put a competitive team out on the court night in and night out.

So that is where it stands as of today. Like everything else this year, things are subject to change, but at least very soon conference basketball will be back (hopefully). Stay Safe. 

Vermont gets 2021 commit number two

After landing a big time recruit last week Vermont makes another splash on the recruiting trail, landing Evan Guillory. Guillory is a 6'2 guard from Joplin, MO by way of  the New Hampton Prep school in NH. He is another big strong guard who likes to get to the rim and finish with authority. This is another classic Vermont player. A guy who play with intensity. poise, and gets after it on defense. Guillory is a capable shooter who will do the little things that will help Vermont win. Guillory can certainly step right into a Ben Shungu type role with his ability to play tough physical defense at multiple positions. This is the first recruit from the Vermont connection at New Hampton. Andrew Gale, who went to Vermont and worked on the Men's basketball staff for four years was named the head coach at New Hampton last season. The branches of the Becker coaching tree are beginning to bear fruit. Guillory will be able to step right in and provide a defensive spark off the bench. It remains to be seen how this season will play out and how many of the seniors will decide to come back next season. If everyone does decide to come back Vermont will be very crowded at the guard position. This gives Vermont some flexibility to fill some gaps depending on how the roster shakes out next season.  As with everything else in life this year, this recruiting cycle has been difficult on so may levels. Not getting to see guys play, not knowing what the roster makeup will be the following season. Despite the challenges Vermont continues to recruit at an incredibly high level and ensures that regardless of how this season pans out, they will continue to field a roster capable of winning a championship. 

Vermont gets first 2021 commitment

Yesterday Vermont received the first commitment in their 2021 class from Sam Alamutu, a 6'5 guard from Ajax, Ontario. Out of the players that Vermont had offered during this past recruiting cycle, Alamutu was the guy I wanted Vermont to land. He is poised to be the next star guard from Canada, following in the footsteps of Trae Bell-Haynes and Stef Smith. He will also be the third player from Ajax, Ontario on the roster, joining Stef Smith and Eric Beckett. Alamutu is a big strong guard capable of dominating the game on both ends of the floor. Like Bell-Haynes and Smith, Alamutu is incredibly driven to be the best, and dedicated to getting better. He traveled a long way to play his prep ball at the Rothesay Netherwood school in New Brunswick where he is a prefect (Harry Potter fans rejoice!) and his coaches rave about his leadership and intangibles. I have been watching his highlight video periodically for months and find myself daydreaming at what he could bring to the Catamounts. Alamutu is tenacious going to the hole and can finish above the rim. He also has a nice pull up jumper and looks to have the tools to be a strong outside shooter. He is also a strong rebounder from the guard position. Alamutu uses his size and strength to his advantage on the defensive end with the ability to guard multiple positions. He is the perfect fit in the system at Vermont where his size and strength at the guard position will continue to give the Cats the ability to be a lockdown defensive team. He is a future team leader and could develop into one of the best players in the league. This quote from North Pole Hoops perfectly sums up his potential:

"There’s been deep study on this type of talent and those before him from Canada who are now in the NBA. North Pole Hoops’ scouting team has evaluated Alamutu in every environment possible and he checks off all the vital boxes that make up a pro at the highest levels."

I am beyond excited about Alamutu's future with the Vermont program and despite what has to be the strangest and most difficult recruiting cycle the coaching staff has faced, the Cats continue to knock it out of the park. 

Where it all stands

With the announcement that Vermont would postpone the beginning of their winter season until December 18th, we are once again left in limbo. It is hard right now as the very hobbies and interests that we use to bring joy or distract ourselves during times of stress are also drenched in a layer of uncertainty. However, right now, health and safety are far more important. I would love to have a little normalcy back into my week by having the opportunity to cheer on my favorite team. Our routines and rituals help shape our lives and give them meaning. But now we all have a larger and more important purpose. To protect those far and wide who we love. In order to do that we have to err on the side of caution every time. Everyone wants to be playing games or watching games or seeing loved ones. The sacrifices we make now will make the future brighter. I want to be a part of making things better and I hope everyone else does to.Whether we get basketball back next month, two months or next fall I will be ready. 

I would like to finish with a little humor and joy. By day I am a music teacher and I also have two young children so the movie soundtracks are in constant rotation. While listening tonight I was reminded of this little ditty and think it perfectly captures how everything feels right now. 

Enjoy! 

Everything's not awesome  

 

Bernie Andre leaves the Vermont Basketball Team

With the season only a few weeks away the Vermont team suffered their first loss. Bernie Andre, the grad transfer from Northern Arizona, left the team for personal reasons. Landing him from the transfer market was a big accomplishment for the Cats as he was a highly sought after grad transfer. I was very high on his role with the team and think he would have had a tremendous season for Vermont. The Vermont program was bound to be affected by these uncertain times at some point. This is going to put pressure on guys like Duncan Demuth and Isaiah Powell to make a leap from last season. I think Vermont is still the favorite in the league but the gap between them and UMBC has definitely shrunk. The season is going to have many moments of uncertainty still to come. Coronavirus cases are rising and the season is certainly going to be affected. Already one of Vermont's non-conference opponents, Seina, has paused their season due to positive tests within the staff and team. There are likely to be scheduling changes and postponements throughout the season. I have held off on writing a season preview because of the scheduling uncertainty and will probably continue to wait and see how many of the non-conference games actually come to fruition. I am still hopeful for some form of a season but it continues to be hard to go all in on the excitement of the season with so much up in the air. 

Some thoughts on the official first day of the season

Basketball is back. Today marks the official start of the 2020-2021 college basketball season. We still don't know what exactly that season looks like but pieces are starting to fall into place. As with everything in these uncertain times, it is hard to go all in without the fear of everything changing. However any sign of a return is something to be excited about. I have a few things rattling around in my brain that I thought I would post about as we move closer to the season. First off, another big piece of news today is that every winter sport athlete is going to receive an extra year of eligibility, similar to what has been done for spring and fall sport athletes. So this years team for Vermont could also be next years team. This is really going to throw a wrench into recruiting as the 2021-2022 recruiting class could potentially be zero if everyone decides to stay. It is an option that not all players across college basketball will take. It will certainly create a whole different vibe in recruiting as offers and commitments will all be conditional on who stays and who goes. This is also going to coincide with the new one time transfer rule that will potentially also go into effect for the 2021-2022 season. That will allow players to transfer one time during their careers without having to sit out for a year. As you might imagine this is all shaping up to be one of the most interesting off-seasons to follow one of the most interesting seasons in the history of college basketball. All of these rulings by the NCAA make sense and are the right decision but to have them happening in the same season is going to create quite a whirlwind. The next thing I have been thinking about is the schedule. After Vermont pulled out of the Gulf Coast Showcase I thought it was only a matter of time before it was announced that they would have a conference only schedule. Today I read that they have joined a Mohegan Sun pod that will include Iona and Buffalo (according to Jeff Goodman) from Nov. 30- Dec. 2. So it looks like they will have at least a few non-conference games.  As we have seen with other sports the tricky part is creating a schedule with enough room to shift games around should there be any positive tests causing postponements. The good thing for the AE is with the addition of NJIT they will be able to go with an 18 game conference schedule. The other thing that has been on my mind is the handling of the sexual assault case involving a Vermont men's basketball player. One of the themes in my blog is and has always been how much I believe in the integrity of the program and the values within which they operate. The athletic department is doing the program a disservice if they do not also operate within these values. The athletic department needs to provide transparency about the handling of this case. I hope they do so as we inch closer to the start of the season. That is all I have for now. I cant wait until I have actual basketball to write about!

Summer Updates

Hello Everyone!

I hope you are all staying safe and healthy. I had the privilege today of sitting in on a Zoom meeting with Coach Becker, AD Schulman, various other members of Vermont athletics, alumni, donors, former players, coachers, and others. I am so appreciative of receiving the invite because when I started writing this blog to keep a few of my friends up to date about Vermont basketball (and partially to protect those same friends from having to hear me talk about it non-stop), I never thought that 7 years later I would be in a meeting like that. Pretty cool. Thanks to everyone who keeps coming back and reading. It was great to hear that the team is back on campus and going through individual workouts. As expected there are many things about the season that are still up in the air. They are still trying to fill out the non conference schedule in hopes of a full season so I can't wait to see what that looks like. It was nice to hear that the program as a whole has continued to support each other throughout this difficult time. Whether we have basketball sooner or later the meeting was another reminder of what makes the Vermont program so unique and special. There is so much that Coach Becker and the athletic department do to support the student athletes in the program outside of basketball and help them become the best version of themselves. I am so thankful that in our little state we have the opportunity to watch high quality basketball with high quality people who want to build a community as much as they want to win. Stay safe everyone!

NJIT joins the America East

Conference realignment comes to the America East.

On Friday afternoon the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) was announced at the 10th member of the America East. They will officially join the conference on July 1st and will compete in the conference this season. It is rare to join a conference so quickly after the announcement but but nothing about the time we are currently living in is normal. This is one of the few situations in life that truly feels like a win for all parties involved. The America East gets back to 10 members for the first time in 15 years. That is a much better number for scheduling purposes and as the conference tries to raise its profile adding another institution is important. I thought the America East should have added NJIT when they added UMass Lowell but better late than never. For NJIT this is huge. They are the biggest beneficiaries of this move as they have been conference nomads since they made the transition to Division I athletics. The were in the Big West conference before it folded, then an independent, and have been in the Atlantic Sun conference since. Neither of the previous conferences made geographic sense at all and the travel costs for their athletic programs were enormous. One reason for this move being made so suddenly is that they needed to reduce travel distance and cost for the upcoming season due to the current global pandemic. They are a perfect fit geographically in the American East. Specifically for basketball it is also a very good move. For Vermont fans this recent stretch of dominance has been fun but it has covered for a conference that has struggled to be competitive top to bottom. In order to continue to push the program forward a competitive conference would be much better.  Many Vermont fans are clamoring for a conference switch but that may not be in the cards anytime soon (particularly with the current financial situation) so the next best thing is to improve their current conference. NJIT immediately does that. 

Here is the average KenPom finish for the America East men's basketball teams (including NJIT) over the last 5 years:

    1.     Vermont               88

    2.     Stony Brook       178

    3.     Albany               192

    4.     UMBC               237

    5.     Hartford              242

    6.     (NJIT)                 244

    7.     UNH                   258

    8.     UMass Lowell    286

    9.     Binghamton        320

    10.   Maine                 333

As you can see NJIT would immediately be in the middle of the pack. Their success is comparable to that of the teams that have been able to push the top teams and UMBC and Hartford have made the last three championships games. NJIT has been in the same bracket so to speak as those two teams over the last 5 years. The bottom of the league has been pretty abysmal over the last few seasons and that needs to improve. UMass Lowell has not provided the boost that the conference was hoping so now it is NJIT's turn. The Highlanders (yes that is their nickname and it is awesome) also have a new arena (which makes me very jealous, sour grapes about the Tarrant Center delay) and are only one year removed from a 22 win season. I am assuming this would push the conference schedule to 18 games which would also be fun, particularly with the uncertainty around the beginning of next season. This is very exciting and adds intrigue to what is already going to be a very different season.

We March Together

I have written and rewritten this post several times. How do you put into words what is going on in this country right now? How can we continue to pretend that race is no longer an issue and continue to make excuses? I am disgusted by what is happening and has been happening to the Black community. The time for action is now. I am white. This is not a privilege that I have earned. I was born with it. I have never had to truly consider what it means to be a white person in America. It means that I can go about my life without the fear that assumptions will be made. Assumptions that could change my life forever. Living that way should not be a privilege, it should be a right. The Black community in America does not have the privilege of living this way. That is wrong. A wrong that needs to be righted. Equality is equal. There are no caveats. There are no excuses. We can’t continue to explain away racial issues.  The time to take real action and make real change passed long ago and we missed it. America pretended it was fixed. Pretended that change had really happened. But instead racism was left to grow and fester throughout society. However it is not to late. It is time to admit we were wrong. That we are the problem. Racism exists. It is time to say out loud that systemic racism exists. We didn’t fix it. We made people forget that it was a problem in the first place. It is time to band together, hand in hand, and march towards the light. You may ask what can I do? Acknowledge that racism exists. Stop making excuses. Talk to your friends and neighbors. Learn and grow. Educate yourself and the community. Vote. Call out injustice when you see it. Have compassion for your fellow human beings. Have even more compassion for those around you who may not have the privileges you do. We all need to do what is right. We march together.

Bernie Andre commits to Vermont

Vermont made a huge splash on the transfer market yesterday getting a commitment from Bernie Andre a 6-6 G/F from North Miami Beach, FL who played his last two seasons at Northern Arizona University. Andre is a graduate transfer and will be immediately eligible this season. This is new territory for the Vermont program. Andre is the most accomplished transfer that Vermont has landed in my lifetime and maybe ever. Typically Vermont has landed transfers who were role players on their previous team looking for an opportunity to win and expand their game. Andre is much more than that. In the 2018-2019 season, his first with NAU, Andre led the Lumberjacks in both scoring (13.8) and rebounding (8.5), was named third team all conference, and Big Sky newcomer of the year. He followed that up last season by averaging 11.2 points and 6.5 rebounds per game. Vermont is getting a player who was viewed as one of the top players in his conference for two seasons. Andre scored 763 points in his two seasons at NAU and was a very highly sought after graduate transfer. He had offers from several major conference schools and chose the Catamounts. This addition immediately solidifies Vermont as the America East frontrunner and keeps them in the realm of best mid-majors in the country. Andre slots right into Everett Duncan's minutes and brings a major scoring and rebounding punch to the Cats. Andre uses his length and strength to get to the rim and finish in traffic. His rebounding numbers are really what jumps off the page. Andre is a tenacious rebounder on both the offensive and defensive glass. Over the last two seasons the Vermont coaching staff has dipped heavily into the transfer market which is an interesting shift. The Cats have always grabbed a transfer here and there to augment their homegrown players. Last season they filled an immediate need and now this season they are adding talent that will immediately step into the rotation. It signifies a shift into a very win now, maximize each season strategy. I would imagine that some of that shift this offseason is due to the recruiting season being shut down making it hard to get out and evaluate any unsigned young talent. Andre has had quite a circuitous journey during his basketball career. He played high school basketball in Florida, prepped in North Carolina, redshirted at DII Mercy College in NY, played one year of JUCO at Wallace State in Alabama, two seasons at NAU, and will suit up for Vermont next season. What a treat to have his final season be in Catamount Country!

Vermont lands Northeastern transfer Tomas Murphy

Hello again!

Vermont kicked off the recruiting cycle by making a splash on the transfer market. The Cats received a commitment from Tomas Murphy a 6-8 forward from Wakefield, RI. He chose Northeastern over Butler, Pittsburgh, and Georgia and he was rated as a 3 or 4 star recruit. His family has an impressive basketball lineage as his dad played at Boston College and then the NBA and his brothers played at Florida and Duke. He is immediately eligible because he missed all but four games this past season due to a serious ankle injury. He also most likely has two seasons of eligibility left as he will get a medical waiver for the lost season. Murphy prepped at Northfield Mount Hermon where Vermont has many connections. Feels like a home run for the coaching staff as Murphy had an effective first two seasons and looked to be making a jump early this season prior to injury. Murphy has an old school post game full of up and unders and soft hooks. Smooth under the hoop with an ability to keep defenders honest from the perimeter. He will give the Cats another option to help replace all the minutes that they are losing in the post. After the disappointment of the impact of last seasons transfers there is going to be some hesitation when projecting his success this season. As I said in my previous post getting up to speed in the Vermont defensive system takes time (especially for post players) and it will be that end of the floor that defines Murphy's impact. I think Murphy can be immediately impactful on the offensive end giving the Cats an experienced back to the basket scorer. Unlike the transfers that joined the team last season Murphy has already made an impact in the college game and has scored 504 career points. It is pretty mouthwatering to think of he and Ryan Davis teaming up to give the Cats a 1-2 punch in the post. It still feels too soon to be looking to next season but as that is all we have right now it is time to dive in headfirst. Vermont is positioning itself to continue this run of dominance.

A look back at the 2019-2020 season

Before I begin, I hope everyone is staying safe out there. I started to write this post so many times and couldn't finish it because life has been coming at everyone so fast. The COVID-19 pandemic has affected every layer of everyday life and my heart goes out to everyone at this difficult time. I want to thank everyone who reads my posts and talks to me about the Cats. It is a welcome distraction from everything else going on right now.

What a season it was and what a season it could have been. The season started with incredible expectations and ended with so many unanswered questions. Before looking back and taking stock of this season lets look into the crystal ball and see how the games might have played out.

Vermont vs Hartford for the title:
The atmosphere would have been electric as Vermont looked to punch their ticket to the dance. The game would have played out like many of the battles that these two teams have had over the years. Hard-nosed physical defense from both teams. I believe Vermont would have emerged victorious due to a few factors. Hartford's defense is predicated on stopping the three. They actually finished as the best team in the country against the three, holding teams to 27% shooting.  Vermont won many a games this year when shooting poorly from the three. Vermont is finished top five in the country in defending inside the arc and Hartford's offense is focused on the mid-range and in. Hartford really struggled to find consistency on offense this season. Additionally Vermont was significantly better on the boards this season. The last and possibly most significant factor is the difference in depth. Vermont had consistent production from the bench while Hartford did not. While Hartford defended Anthony Lamb better than anyone this season, I think the third time would have been the charm and he would have found a way to be more effective. All in all I think it would have been a very back and forth game with the score finishing around 64-56.

NCAA tournament:
This is where predictions get crazy as trying to guess match-ups at this point is nearly impossible. If Vermont had punched their ticket, I believe they would have been a 13 seed once again. The loss to UMBC killed their chances for a 12 seed barring some of the teams around their seed line getting upset in their conference tournament. Several of the mock brackets had them playing Louisville. That would have been a tough match up as they have a lot of length and three point shooting which are two things that make any upset difficult. Also they played Louisville last season so the Cats would lose some of the surprise factor. There are several Big Ten teams on the 4-5 line and some of those match ups would have been more favorable. A match up against Illinois or Wisconsin would have a little more upset buzz because both of those teams have some weakness that Vermont could exploit and they play at a slow tempo just like the Cats. As I have stated many times in the past, upsets are completely match up dependent. The last two Vermont teams were more than capable of the big upset but ended up with brutal match ups. This years 4-5 line would have been more ripe for upsets so I would say that I really think they would have had their best chance to pull off the first round upset. Predicting anything more than that is tough but I do think it would be very tough to win two games against the 4-5 line. If the other half of their pod also had a big upset than maybe but beating a 4 and then a 5 would have been unlikely.

It was another great season in Catamount Country. Vermont got the big upset they had been looking for in the non-conference and once again dominated the America East. They pushed through the weight of expectation and became a complete team down the stretch. Becker always talks about the program "continuing to move forward" and I believe that Vermont did that this season. They competed at a high level in big games and dominated a league that was better than in years past. They continue to get players to step up when their number is called and make progress year to year. Seeing Bailey Patella and Ben Shungu progress into such crucial roles is exactly why the Vermont program has been able to win with such consistency. Most programs can get the big time player now and then but what sets Vermont apart is the progress their players make during their careers. The run that Everett Duncan went on to complete his career is another example. Both Shungu and Everett used a redshirt year to mold themselves into effective college basketball players. In the case of Shungu all the way to defensive player of the year. It is easy to forget that Shungu missed basically the entire non-conference schedule due to injury. If he had been healthy I believe they would have won a few of the games they dropped. Ryan Davis and Stef Smith also made huge leaps this season. If Davis can stay healthy he has all the makings of a cornerstone player. Stef Smith took his shooting ability to a new level and led the league in three point accuracy. All of those jumps made up for the fact that Anthony Lamb really struggled with his shot-making. In every other aspect of Lamb's game I thought he matured and progressed. He provided tremendous leadership as he finished up one of the finest careers in Vermont history. He placed himself in the Coppenrath/Sorrentine pantheon. Aaron Deloney's progress throughout the year was impressive and he looked like a future star toward the end of the season. It was so devastating to see the end of the season get yanked out from under all these players but how many guys get to win their last college game? Everett went out after the best game of his college career. That is a special silver lining.

Now that is not to say that everything came up roses. The transfer additions did not give the Cats the boost they were looking for. Daniel Giddens struggled to get comfortable in the Cats system and never really found any consistency. He had some nice moments but didn't provide the post dominance they were looking for. Duncan Demuth struggled to stay healthy and also looked as though he needed more time to get comfortable with the system. The ripple effect was that the coaching staff wanted to redshirt Isaiah Powell. That decision was retracted mid season as they desperately needed another post player who was comfortable in the defensive system. That is the third season in a row where redshirting/player development was disrupted by injury and need. Some things are hard to plan for but it is something that the Vermont coaching staff has had to grapple with in recent seasons. What this season really demonstrated was that having an immediate impact as a transfer without the redshirt year to get ready is a lot to ask. It speaks to both how complicated the system is and how well Vermont does at using the redshirt year to prepare players.

The future is bright despite losing so much experience and production. There is no replacing Lamb and Everett brought so many different things to the team. The most significant thing to address will be outside shooting. The Cats struggled this season from the perimeter and are losing 2 of their top 3 three point shooters. I would expect to see the coaching staff try to address this with some of their available scholarships. Davis will be the key to the season. They have depth at the guard position and Smith is ready to become the go to scorer. Davis becoming a go to guy in the post will be what defines the Cats success. Justin Mazzulla will join the team as a transfer  and Georges Lefebvre is the only freshman currently in the 2020 recruiting class. Lefebvre is oozing with talent but big men in the Vermont system often struggle to get up to speed with the defensive system in their first year. He might need some time, but he is going to be an impact player before long. I am also interested in Nick Fiorillo's development. He showed some flashes in the preseason scrimmages and he is another player who could make an impact maybe not next season but in seasons to come. I will reference what said earlier about Vermont's success with using the redshirt season. Next season might be the last one in Patrick gym which will give it another layer of emotion. The buzz around the program will still be there as the progress on the Tarrant Center begins to take shape.

The offseason will be very different as recruiting has also been shut down and the coaching carousel will likely be quieter as schools will be more hesitant to move on after a strange end to the season. With sporting events shut down for the foreseeable future the recruiting season is going to be shortened and coaching staffs are going to be scrambling to make up for lost time. As I am finally finishing up this post Vermont received a commitment from an immediately eligible transfer from Northeastern. I will be writing another post directly after this one. Enjoy the offseason and stay safe.

The end of the season, the end of an era

When I envisioned my 300th blog post never in my wildest dreams did I think it would be during a time when the sports world as we know it came to a standstill. Yet here we are at a moment in history. It has been a roller coaster of emotions over the last 48 hours for fans, players, coaches, and other personnel involved with making game days happen. I certainly have felt sad, angry, frustrated, scared, disappointed and so much more since the dominoes began to fall yesterday. It still doesn't seem real to be living in a time without so many of the group activities that we hold so near and dear. My heart goes out to all those involved and to those who are affected by the decision. It is never easy to get something you love taken away but as we have found out many times this season, some things are bigger than sports. Life throws curveballs when you least expect it. Though difficult this is the right decision to stop the spread of a virus that could take away so much more than a few games. What can't be taken away are the games that were already played and in time we all will be able to reflect on this season. I am going to take a few days to process everything that has happened since that incredible game on Tuesday night before I begin to reflect on the season. Everett, Anthony, Daniel, and Josh will always be champions in our hearts.

America East Semifinal: UMBC at Vermont 3/10/20

Vermont 81 UMBC 74

EVERETT DUNCAN.

Everett Duncan put the Cats on his back and carried them to the finals. Everett continued his hot streak, setting a new career high with 26 points. Down the stretch it seemed like he got every big rebound, and made every big play. What a performance. With the rest of the Cats struggling from the perimeter, Everett knocked down 4-7 from three. He also drove hard to the hole and elevated his game to a different level in tonight. A Senior seizing his moment. In another great game in the rivalry with UMBC, the Cats had an answer for every run by the Retrievers. Even though they gave up 74 points their defense was engaged and forced UMBC into a lot of tough shots. Anthony Lamb led the charge with physicality on the defense end. Lamb had an edge to his game and worked hard at the rim all night. He finished with 19 points and set the tone with his focus and energy. Stef Smith shook off another tough night from the perimeter and finished with 20 points and 8 rebounds. He made some incredible drives to the rim and blew the top off of Patrick with a fastbreak dunk. The big three carried Vermont offensively but Ben Shungu, Bailey Patella, and Daniel Giddens provided toughness on the defensive end.  The crowd was as engaged and loud as they have been all season. Late in the second half the crowd was absolutely deafening as the Cats forced a shot clock violation. Also the power outage during the game was pretty surreal. Now onto the championship game against Hartford. The Cats will be playing in their 5th straight final and are hungry to go dancing. Hartford plays tough defense and has held Lamb to single digits in both games. It is going to be a battle. Hopefully Ryan Davis will be available for that game as he battles a leg injury. He brings a whole different dimension to the Cats offense and provides them with so much flexibility off the bench. Two down. One to go.

America East Quarterfinal: Maine at Vermont 3/7/20

Vermont 61 Maine 50

Everett Duncan saves the day.

Survive and advance.

Vermont shook off a sluggish second half and defeated Maine to advance to the America East semifinal on Tuesday versus UMBC. In the first half Maine came out hot, starting 4/4 from three. Vermont weathered the storm thanks to a strong first half from Anthony Lamb. To start the second half the wheels kinda fell off Vermont's offense and Maine was able to climb back into the game. Ryan Davis hit a clutch three to give the Cats some breathing room before Everett Duncan's late game heroics. Everett finished with 19 points (4-8 from three), 7 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals. He came up with big play after big play and made an impact all over the floor. Lamb finished with 19 points and 6 rebounds on the strength of the big first half. Ryan Davis was big on the boards and finished with 8 points and 8 rebounds. He really struggled to finish at the rim against Maine's interior defense. The rest of the team really struggled on offense especially Stef Smith and Ben Shungu. Smith finished 4-15 from the field and Shungu didn't score at all and looked out of sorts on offense. On the defensive side of the ball Shungu was great and the Vermont defense locked in when they needed it. They really played Maine tough down the stretch. The offensive struggles were concerning considering the situation. There were times where they just couldn't generate open shots. Vermont finished shooting only 36% from the field. Considering the offensive struggles the Cats had the last time they played UMBC, they are going to have to spend some time over the next few days working out the kinks. Survive and advance is the tournament tagline and that is exactly what Vermont did. The Cats definitely want another shot at UMBC so they will be fired up for that one. Tuesday night is gonna be rocking.

A special night at Patrick Gym

Vermont 85 Albany 62

What a special night at Patrick Gym. 

The senior class locked up their record 107th win with incredible performance. Josh Speidel scored the first bucket of the game and of his career to a lengthy standing ovation. What a journey he has had and the perseverance and hard work that it took to get to stepping on the court for that shot was unbelievable. Josh has inspired so many during his time at Vermont and will continue to inspire as he steps into the next chapter in his life.  Another wonderful bigger than basketball moment and one of the best moments in Vermont history. Not to be outdone, the other seniors all stepped up and seized their moment as well. Anthony Lamb spent the first half making sure that everyone else got their moment. These are the games when you are reminded how special of a player Lamb is and how much he cares for his teammates. Then in the second half he made sure to make his senior night special. Lamb sliced and diced the Albany defense on his way to 15 points. He only needs 5 more to hit the 1900 point plateau. Daniel Giddens came out ready to rock and threw down three big time dunks and added a massive block for good measure. Everett was not be to outdone by his longtime friend Josh and shook off a wave of emotions to start the game, pouring in a career high 22 points including a perfect 6-6 from three. Everett got to assist on Josh Speidel’s hoop in a wonderful moment for two longtime teammates. It is rare that every senior gets to have their moment but tonight it felt like the seniors had every moment. The most impressive non-senior performance was Aaron Deloney. He has come alive in the two games without Robin Duncan and seized control of the point guard position. Deloney was in complete control running the offense and finished with 10 points and 8 assists. He is fearless at the rim had some creative finishes. His court vision and play-making ability are at a very high level for a freshman and it was on full display tonight. Stef Smith rounded out the double digit scorers with 14 points and 7 rebounds. A great win to finish out the regular season. Another night of upsets in the America East to lead into what will be the most wide open playoffs that I can remember. But that is for the future. Tonight is all about the seniors and about reaching goals. Five years ago it seemed like this moment was out of reach for Josh. Through hard work and belief he was able to start in a college basketball game. What a moment.

Vermont at UMass Lowell 2/29/20

Vermont 94 UMass Lowell 77

Vermont used a hot shooting first half to complete the road portion of the conference slate undefeated. It is actually the third time in the last four seasons that Vermont has been undefeated on the road in conference play. All told their conference road record over the last four seasons is 31-1. That is an incredible testament how the program as a whole prepares for and executes to overcome gameday adversity. This game was all about the bench mob. With Robin Duncan sitting out, Aaron Deloney stepped in and led the way. Deloney was electric, knocking down perimeter shots, finishing creatively around the rim, and displaying excellent court vision as a playmaker. He finished with a career high 17 points and looked completely in control on the court. Ryan Davis added 16 points and Bailey Patella chipped in 8 points and 5 rebounds. With several players in foul trouble and down an important rotation player, it was as impressive of a bench performance as Vermont has had this season. The bench is THE key for Vermont as their depth is what sets them apart from the rest of the league. As for the starters, Anthony Lamb led the way with 20 points and 11 rebounds while passing Marqus Blakely on the all time scoring list. Lamb now sits 20 points away from 1900 for his career. Stef Smith scored the first 11 points of the game and finished with 17 points of his own. It was a nice bounce back performance by the Cats. Senior night on Tuesday is going to be a special affair. Honoring one of the best to ever put on the Vermont uniform, honoring Everett and all he has brought to this program, and the extra special moment honoring Josh Speidel. The journey that Josh has made is nothing short of miraculous and it is going to be an incredible moment to see him step on the court.

UMBC at Vermont 2/22/20

UMBC 66 Vermont 64

UMBC shot 70% in the first half and executed down the stretch to end Vermont's 12 game win streak. The Retrievers continue to be a thorn in the Cats side as they put together their best game of the season. Coming into the game UMBC was one of the worst shooting teams in the country. On paper with Vermont being one of the best defensive teams in the country it looked like offense would be hard to come by. With 10 threes combined in the first 8 minutes that was clearly not the case. It was a strange game from start to finish with UMBC only taking 39 total shots in the game (to Vermont's 55). Thirty- nine shots is a crazy low number of attempts. Since Ryan Odom has taken over UMBC is the king of finding strange and different ways to win games. All around college basketball streaks ended left and right. Baylor, San Diego State, and Gonzaga also saw their long win streaks come to an end. These are the dog days of the conference season and it often leads to odd results. Vermont definitely looked like they had the "we just got a big win" hangover. UMBC had more at stake as they fight to climb the standings and the Cats didn't play with a sense of urgency.  This was the first game in a while where Vermont's bench mob didn't have much of an impact on the game. Ryan Odom is an excellent coach and is able to get his players to execute their game plan effectively and play loose as the underdog. Looking around the America East over the last few games, there have been many upsets with the bottom half of the league fighting for playoff positioning. Vermont had escaped a few close calls on the road to avoid the "bad loss" in conference play. The crazy amount of winning over the last 4 years has made Vermont feel invincible or impervious to the "bad loss". That is honestly an unreasonable expectation. Sometimes is isn't going to be Vermont's night and last night was an example of that. That certainly doesn't excuse the lackluster play but is serves as some perspective for just how hard it is to play at a high level game in and game out over the long college basketball season. Vermont historically responds very well after losses and these late season losses can be galvanizing as the team is reminded about the little things that need to be executed in order to win games. This loss is going to be more about how the next two games go. Is this a blip on the screen and serves as a reminder about never losing focus? Or is it indicative of something larger? The Cats have a week to find out as they prepare for their second chance to win the regular season title Saturday night at UMass Lowell.

Vermont at Stony Brook 2/21/20

Vermont 63 Stony Brook 54

Vermont still runs on Duncan.

Everett and Robin Duncan teamed up on offense and defense to lift Vermont to victory over Stony Brook. Vermont struggled to find any offensive rhythm for the entire game until Everett put the team on his back and made three shots from distance down the stretch. At the same time Robin locked up Makale Foreman on defense forcing two big turnovers as the Vermont defense again flummoxed their opponent. Everett finished with a big time 11 point, 10 rebound double double and Robin led the team with 6 assists. The player that kept Vermont in the game from start to finish was Ben Shungu. In a grind it out game, Mr. Grind himself came to play. Shungu out-muscled Stony Brook all night and finished with a career high 16 points and pulled down 9 rebounds, 4 of which were on the offensive end. His quickness and body control underneath the basket has been incredible during this win streak. The offensive boards he pulled down tonight were huge and he was his usual relentless self on the defensive end. He also knocked down a big three during the defining end of game run. Ryan Davis also continued his strong play with a 9 point, 9 rebound performance. If you haven't read between the lines this game was won on the boards. Vermont dominated the glass, out-rebounding the Seawolves 45-33. Isaiah Powell joined the fun as well knocking down his first two threes of the season and finishing with 9 points. It was truly another team win with Stef Smith contributing 9 of his own to the balanced scoring effort. All of this on a night where Anthony Lamb played probablly the worst offensive game of his career. Lamb finished 1-9 from the field for 3 points. He did pull down 6 rebounds and dish out 4 assists but never got anything going on the offensive end. He did provide incredible leadership as this team really showed mental toughness by winning another tough road game in a hostile environment. This team is coming together at the right time and the drive and determination is on display each game. Now they can clinch the regular season title with a win against a surging UMBC squad. That will be no easy game as the Retrievers are playing their best basketball of the season. The Cats are going to have to dig deep and avoid the letdown that sometimes comes after a big win. The first box on the championship task list can be checked by securing the regular season title on Saturday night.

Binghamton at Vermont 2/15/20

Vermont 76 Binghamton 48

Another game. Another dominating team effort.

Vermont won their 11th straight game in style, defeating Binghamton in front of a sellout crowd. This team is really coming together. The roles are becoming defined and each player is building confidence on the court. Becker has been able to play long stretches with interesting lineups. This has built Vermont's depth up to the point where they have a significant advantage over the other teams in the conference when they go to their bench. The best stat to illustrate this cohesion up and down the bench is the fact that Vermont only turned the ball over 4 times in this afternoons game. The Cats can grind their opponents down and throw so many different looks on both offense and defense. During this streak the defense is something to to behold. The on the ball defense from Vermont's perimeter players is some of the best I have ever seen. There is just no room to work and they can both close out the three and stop the drive. Getting good shots against the Vermont defense is a monumental task. Bailey Patella was once again the spark for the Cats as he had a huge putback slam followed by an off balance one handed three pointer at the first half buzzer. He finished with 7 points and 10 rebounds and once again wreaked havoc all over the court. Patella's bench mob cohort Ryan Davis again provided instant offense and finished with 13 points and 6 rebounds. Robin Duncan had the best non-Patella highlight of the night when he flipped the ball behind his head to Davis for an easy two. Ben Shungu continues to out physical opponents each game and is doing all the little things to help the Cats win. Anthony Lamb and Stef Smith provided the big scoring outputs with 19 and 18 respectively. Both knocked down three from three and Lamb added 8 rebounds for good measure. Now the stage is set for the Stony Brook game on Thursday night. The Cats will be motivated to come out and turn the tables on the Seawolves home court.

UNH at Vermont 2/12/20

Vermont 74 UNH 50

Another all out team effort by Vermont as they notched their 10th straight victory. Once again the Cats absorbed the initial frenzy of energy from the opposing team and wore down the Wildcats in the second half. Ryan Davis led the way with 16 points. He continues to finish with incredible touch and is fast becoming Vermont's most crucial offensive player. He is a matchup nightmare for opposing defenders and creates so much space on the court for his teammates to work with. He has also worked hard on improving his defense and he is starting to show major progress in that area as well. Bailey Patella found himself in the middle of another huge momentum swing with back to back dunks that electrified the crowd. He is a menace in passing lanes and is always fingertips away from about 5 steals a game. My favorite sequence of the night was a long defensive possession for the Cats full of loose balls and players diving to the floor. Then when Vermont finally secured the ball they pushed it ahead to Aaron Deloney who splashed in a three from the wing. That is a championship sequence from the Cats. Just laying it all on the line. Deloney is finding his footing out on the court and his perimeter shots are starting to fall. He is another all out hustle guy off the bench. Ben Shungu continued his strong physical play, chipping in with 12 points and 6 rebounds. He has really been finishing through contact over the last few games. Anthony Lamb struggled through some ineffectiveness, turned the ball over six times, and was visibly frustrated several times during the game. Something hasn’t looked quite right over the last two games but Lamb is persevering like he always does. He used every ounce of his will to finish with 12 points, 3 blocks, and a game high 13 rebounds. He has really been setting the tone around the rim on defense. Vermont is top 10 in the country at defending the two point shot and Lamb is a huge part of that. Another programmatic milestone for Vermont as they win 20 games for the 12th year in a row. That kind of continuity of success at a school like Vermont is honestly unprecedented. The work that the players, coaching staff, athletic department, and the University at largehave put in has really put Vermont in an unique and special position. Saturday should be another great one at Patrick.

Vermont at Hartford 2/8/20

Vermont 69 Hartford 68

Ryan Davis was left wide open on the final possession and converted a lay in to lift the Catamounts to their 9 straight victory. The final play capped off another strong performance by Davis. With Lamb in foul trouble Davis was able to man the middle and keep the Vermont offense rolling. He fished with 16 points and 7 rebounds, including 5 offensive boards. That gives him 13 offensive boards over the last three games. He has blossomed into the best true big man in the conference over these last few games and gives Vermont a different dimension on offense. Everett Duncan is back in a big way. He scorched the nets scoring 18 points on 7-10 shooting including 4-7 from three. Finally shooting with confidence he has looked like the Everett of old over these last two games. Stef Smith kept the Cats in the game in the first half with his own hot shooting performance. Smith chipped in 15 points including 3-6 from three. Ben Shungu had an up and down game but gutted it out and finished with 11 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists. Isaiah Powell played over 20 minutes for the second consecutive game and did a great job defensively with Lamb out in the first half. Both teams struggled with execution down the stretch and it looked like a miscue was going to be the difference in the game. That turned out to be true as Ryan Davis' defender left him completely alone on the final possession. That was a good tough road win and it was good to play a close game after a string of games playing with big leads. Now Vermont has a two game homestand before the big road game against Stony Brook.

Maine at Vermont 2/5/20

Vermont 77 Maine 52

Vermont dominated a shorthanded Maine team to win their eighth in a row. Maine was without Andrew Fleming and was overmatched for the entire game. Vermont was clicking on all cylinders and again showed how dominant they can be. Everett Duncan finally got some threes to fall, knocking down 3-6 from deep and finishing with 12 points and 5 rebounds. His struggles from three this year have made him the missing piece offensively for the Cats. If he can bounce back down the stretch and recapture his elite shooting the Vermont offense becomes even more dangerous. Anthony Lamb led the Cats with 19 points mostly due to another 10-10 performance from the foul line. He is really reasserting himself and now sits five points shy of 1800 for his career. He will be just the sixth Catamount to reach that mark. Ryan Davis impressed once again and is making the transition to big time player status. His footwork and ability to make himself available for a pass underneath have been incredible. He finished with 13 points and 8 rebounds. Davis pulled down four more offensive boards and he has made himself into one of the most dangerous offensive rebounders in the conference. Stef Smith stayed hot, knocking down 4-7 from three on his way to 14 points. He also chipped in 5 assists for good measure. Smith is shooting an astronomical 14-19 (74%) from three over the last 4 games. Isaiah Powell got extended minutes due to Daniel Giddens injury and started to shake off some of the rust. He played great on the defensive side of the ball and pulled down 7 boards. His all out energy will certainly be needed down the stretch. Speaking of all out energy, Bailey Patella continues to be the unsung hero of the Vermont rotation. He picked up another 3 steals in this one but much of his impact isn't reflected in the box score. He is a disruptive force on the floor and is often the center of big momentum swings. The Cats continue to head in the right direction with their play and are ready for a big showdown with Hartford on Saturday night. The players know they can control their own destiny as long as they take it one game at a time and take care of business.

Vermont at Albany 2/1/20

Vermont 86 Albany 75

Well that was a fun one.

In a wild game where shots were falling from everywhere, Anthony Lamb poured in a season high 33 points to lead the Cats to their seventh straight victory. The game seesawed back and forth as both teams scorched the nets. In the first half Lamb and Cameron Healy traded big shot after big shot. At the end of the first half Vermont and Albany traded three point buckets and it looked like the Great Danes were going to go into halftime with a one point lead. Stef Smith didn't like the sound of that so he dropped in a three-quarters court heave to give Vermont a two point halftime lead. Vermont came out in the second half and capitalized on that momentum, ballooning the lead to 21 points. Then Albany came roaring back thanks to some electric three point shooting by Antonio Rizzuto. After all that offense what ended up sealing the game was Vermont's toughness on the glass. Robin Duncan grabbed three offensive rebounds on one possession as Vermont dominated the glass over the last 4+ minutes. Lamb was electric in this game scoring from everywhere and looking like the Lamb of last season. Over the last few games he has seen less double teams and the results speak for themselves. This game was a perfect example of the conundrum facing opposing defenses. In the first half Albany did not double Lamb and he scored 20 points. The Great Danes came out in the second half and began doubling. The rest of the Cats caught fire and the lead grew without Lamb's scoring. Stef Smith was a sniper in this game knocking down 4-5 from three on his way to 14 points. Smith also led the team with 6 assists. Ryan Davis was forced into an even larger role with Daniel Giddens going down with what looked like a potentially serious injury. Davis responded yet again and dominated the paint with 13 points and 6 boards. His offensive rebounding has been particularly impressive, pulling down tough rebounds in traffic and getting the ball back up at the rim quickly. Ben Shungu rounded out the double digit scorers with 10. Another great team win on the road in a tough environment. Albany was riding the energy of the crowd for much of the game and the Cats were able to respond each time. Through he first half of the conference season the Cats sit at 7-1, alone in first place. They have reestablished themselves as the team to beat and are making progress with each game. The second half of the conference season begins with Maine at Patrick on Wednesday night.

Vermont at New Hampshire 1/29/20

Vermont 56 UNH 43

Vermont used another stifling defensive performance on the way to their sixth straight victory. The defense was dug in from the get go as the Cats held UNH to 26% shooting from the field. Once again the energy was great and the Cats were flying all over the court. Anthony Lamb led the way with 20 points. With UNH electing to go with single coverage, Lamb gave a vintage performance. Strong underneath the rim and setting the tone with his physicality. It was great to see him get as fired up about diving on a loose ball or getting a big defensive stop as he was when he made a three. That is the type of leadership that Lamb brings to this team.  Lamb and the rest of his teammates are playing with incredible fire and energy on both ends of the court. Stef Smith chipped in 11 points, knocking down 3/4 from three. Ben Shungu was a monster on the boards, pulling down a career high 10 rebounds. Ryan Davis again gave Vermont the offensive boost they needed under the rim. Daniel Giddens began the game with the worst four minutes of his Vermont career but was able to bounce back with some very nice alley-oop finishes. The Stony Brook game was quite a wake up call for Vermont, particularly on the defensive end. Since giving up 81 points to Stony Brook, Vermont has allowed 54 points per game. With their bench performing at such a high level the defensive energy from all the Cats has increased exponentially. Now the big showdown in Albany on Saturday to finish off the first half of the conference schedule. The atmosphere is going to be electric for that one.

UMass Lowell at Vermont 1/25/20

Vermont 92 UMass Lowell 62

Vermont dominated both sides of the ball in an absolute shellacking of UMass Lowell to take sole possession of first place in the America East. In one of their most complete performances of the season the Cats shot 55% from the field and swarmed Lowell on the defensive end. Guys were flying all over the court and won just about every 50/50 ball throughout the entire game. In the first half Vermont dominated with their defense. They held Lowell without a field goal for about 10 minutes in the first half. In the second half Lowell began to get some easy buckets and cut the lead to 9 at one point. Vermont responded in a big way and stretched the lead out to 30 in the blink of an eye. There was a renewed energy and focus from the Cats tonight. With Albany’s loss earlier in the day Vermont had the chance to reassert itself at the top of the conference and they did not disappoint. Anthony Lamb broke out of his mini-slump and led the Cats with 20 points and 9 rebounds. Lamb knocked down 4 threes and took advantage of Lowell electing not to send an aggressive double team. Ryan Davis impressed again with 16 points and 7 rebounds. At times during the preseason when Lamb was out, Davis looked like the best player on the team. He has battled ineffectiveness and defensive lapses throughout the season but right now he might be the most crucial player in the Vermont rotation. His offensive ability opens up the whole court for the Vermont offense and his ability on the offensive glass gets Vermont second chances. Davis had some jaw dropping highlights in this one including an incredible spin move on a cut from the baseline and a beautiful drive from the top of the key. He has played his way into more minutes and hopefully he can continue to take advantage. Bailey Patella continues to bring boundless energy to the court and he contributed in all aspects in tonight's game. Patella finished with 10 points and had several big momentum swinging plays. Tonight demonstrated what this team can do when they are playing as one unit. Now that the bench is producing Becker is able to go entire stretches with the second unit. The ability to mix and match lineups is when Vermont is at their best.  The next two games are going to really test Vermont. Two games on the road against a much improved New Hampshire team and then the bitter rivalry game against Albany. This is the stretch where Vermont can separate themselves from the rest of the league by winning two tough road games.

Vermont at Maine 1/22/20

Vermont 59 Maine 57

Well that was brutal.

Vermont survived a determined Maine team and picked up their fourth straight victory. The Cats played uninspired basketball for much on the game. Maine kept Vermont off balance with changing defenses and physical play. The lone bright spot for the Cats was Ryan Davis who set a career high with 22 points. He also led the team with 7 rebounds while single-handedly keeping Vermont in the game. He has started to break out of his slump and his play down the stretch will be crucial as an offensive threat to relieve some pressure off Anthony Lamb in the post. The rest of the Cats struggled to find any kind of rhythm as the poor perimeter shooting once again reared its ugly head. Vermont finished 4-20 from downtown and it is time to wonder if they are going to be able to get it going from deep down the stretch. What was most disappointing about this game was that Vermont had taken some significant steps forward after the loss to Stony Brook. This game feels representative of the how the season has progressed. Each time the Cats start to put it together, they come out and take a step back. However, they did pull out the win on the road and if you look at some of the other scores from around the America East tonight, there was something in the water. Previously winless UMBC went on the road and defeated Hartford while Binghamton went out and beat Stony Brook on the road. A topsy-turvey night in the league and Vermont was able to pull out the win. The results form around the league tonight speak to how important it is to show up for every game as conference play offers no easy matchups. Now the Cats come home to a high flying UMass Lowell team that has always played Vermont very tough. Patrick should be rocking on Saturday night.

Hartford at Vermont 1/18/20

Vermont 74 Hartford 57

Vermont used another balanced attack to wear down the Hawks on the way to their third victory in a row. Another true team win and the stat that jumps out at me is 18 assists on 30 made baskets. That is an incredible ratio and a tremendous example of how this team has responded to their conference opening loss. The Cats know that teams are selling out to take Anthony Lamb out of the game and now they are ready for it. For three games in a row Vermont has been able to pull away from teams by remaining patient and working to get open shots and the best shot on as many possessions as they can. With Lamb as a facilitator they are forcing teams to think twice and that hesitation is creating openings for the other Cats. Lamb finished with 8 points and on the surface it may look like he had an off game but that is far from reality. Lamb controlled the game despite the fact that he only took five shots and focused more on staying tough on the defensive end and facilitating to get his teammates open looks. He added 8 rebounds and 4 assists while playing a team high 32 minutes. His willingness to do whatever it takes for the team to win has put Vermont in a perfect position. They are winning games where they do not have to rely on him to take over. If the rest of the Cats can continue to produce, opposing defenses are going to be forced to second guess the double and triple teams. When that happens.......watch out because Lamb will make them pay. Speaking of facilitators, Robin Duncan continues to raise his level of play. He led Vermont with 11 points and chipped in 4 rebounds and 4 assists. He is creating match-up nightmares for opposing guards and is setting the tone on both ends of the floor. Another player who is showing tremendous growth is Bailey Patella. He continues to be a spark-plug on both ends of the floor and really shined in this afternoon's game. Patella finished with 8 points, 7 rebounds, 2 blocks, and was again a disruptive force on defense. Ryan Davis and Aaron Deloney also played great as the Vermont bench poured in 35 points. Also a shot out has to go to Daniel Giddens for finally getting some feel good plays. He threw down three big dunks that electrified the sellout crowd and it was nice to see some positive energy go his way. The Cats play continues to trend in the right direction as they prepare for Maine on Wednesday night.