Non-Conference Wrap Up

Vermont 77 Dartmouth 68

Vermont finished up the non-conference schedule with a hard fought win over Dartmouth. The Cats were able to overcome some uncharacteristic defensive struggles and executed down the stretch to put the game away. Robin Duncan continued his strong play with another great all around effort. He finished with 13 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, and 5 steals in a team high 38 minutes. He also broke out of his shooting slump from the free throw line, knocking down 7/8 from the charity stripe. Over his last three games Robin is averaging 8.3 points, 8 rebounds, 6.3 assists, and 2 steals per game while shooting 50% from the field and 75% from the line. He has taken control of the offense and is doing a little bit of everything for Vermont. Bailey Patella also stepped up in a big way, playing a career high 30 minutes. He is giving the Cats tremendous energy off the bench and is impacting both ends of the floor. He can do so many little things to help the Cats win and he makes electric plays that can really swing the momentum of a game. In past seasons he struggled to harness that energy and would take too many unnecessary chances, He has really found a balance and harnessed the chaos he can create on the court. Stef Smith was electric, leading the Cats with 24 points and has looked very explosive over the last few games. He has become so dangerous with the ball in his hands and has added some nifty moves and finishes to his arsenal. Smith is blossoming into a full blown star. The non-conference schedule was a huge success this season. Getting to 10 wins with a very difficult schedule is huge for the Cats. The "struggles" were really overblown due to what was ultimately one bad half of basketball against Rider. The other 4 losses were games in which they were either underdogs or the game was a toss up. The combined record of the teams that the Cats lost to is 47-18 (72%). Vermont absolutely lived up to expectations and is every bit as dangerous as everyone thought preseason. This is especially true considering they have not been at full strength all season. To be without a starter for most of the season and continue to win games is a testament to the winning mentality that this team possesses. The big question mark from the non-conference schedule is the Cats three point shooting. That is the fly in the ointment for Vermont and it will be interesting to see if they can find their stoke during the conference schedule. Now the real season begins. The America East conference landscape looks similar to the last several seasons with a few strong teams at the top and the rest of the league lagging behind. Vermont opens with Stony Brook at home in what will be a great measuring stick. Stony Brook looks to be the Vermont's most likely challenger for the top spot. The Cats actually have a "bye" for the first round of games so they get to watch everyone else open conference play this weekend. Conference play is a whole different animal where every team knows each other so well and the rankings and expectations get thrown out the window as teams fight to control their own destiny. This is what the season is all about and every game matters from here on out.