The Aaron Deloney game

Vermont 78 Colgate 68

Aaron Deloney sparked the Cats with a career high 18 points off the bench as Vermont defeated Colgate to wrap up the non-conference portion of the season. The Vermont program has always hung their hat on the "next man up" mentality and that effect was on full display. With Robin Duncan sidelined with an injury and Kameron Gibson struggling to make an impact, it was Deloney who finally gave the Cats the scoring punch they have been looking for off the bench. It was another gutsy effort for Vermont against a very good, well coached Colgate team who was without their leading scorer. The 3-9 record is very deceiving as they have been dealing with injuries. This team was picked to win the Patriot League and dropped 100 points in a win over Syracuse earlier this season at full strength. They are one of the best three point shooting teams in the country and Vermont held them to 6-19 (31%). The perimeter defense was pesky once again, helmed by Ben Shungu and Justin Mazzulla. In a very similar fashion to the game at Brown this game highlighted the Cats heart. They were downright awful for the first 10 minutes of the second half. With Ryan Davis on the bench due to foul trouble the offense came to a screeching halt. The twelve point lead evaporated and Colgate took a two point lead at 50-48 with 9:20 to go. Then as he has done all year, Shungu calmly drained a three to regain the lead. Vermont didn't trail for the rest of the game and pulled away thanks to Isaiah Powell and Aaron Deloney knocking down some much needed perimeter shots. This team believes they are going to win. You can see the body language as they dig deep and will themselves to victory. 

Deloney was tremendous. Vermont has been waiting all year for someone to come in off the bench and make shots. Deloney made 3-4 from three and attacked the basket with lightning speed. This has to be one of the most out of nowhere performances in recent memory. Deloney had played a combined 13 minutes over the last 9 games (including 4 games where he did not play at all) before logging 18 today. Deloney has always had a feisty spirit but struggled to provide enough offense to offset how much opposing teams attack him on defense. Today he was able to make a huge impact and lead the Cats. It says a lot about the program that these bench guys are ready when their number is called. Also off the bench today Nick Fiorillo made a big impact as well. Colgate played two bigs for much of the game and Fiorillo was needed to bang down low. He played a season high 23 minutes and scored 5 points to go along with a team high 8 rebounds. Isaiah Powell continued his incredibly consistent play with 17 points and 6 rebounds. He hit two big threes during the late run and continues to impress with his physicality. Ryan Davis finished with 17 points as well and knocked down three more threes. Before his last two misses this afternoon Davis had made 9 consecutive threes. Pretty incredible. Shungu continues to start slow offensively but makes every one of his shots count in crunch time. He finished with 9 points, 7 rebounds, and 6 assists in another tone setting performance. His defense was superb in forcing the Colgate guards into tough shots all game. 

I am very excited for conference play to get going when the intensity gets ratcheted up another few notches as every game matters. Finishing the non-conference at 8-4 with the very tough schedule that Vermont played is impressive. The Cats have learned alot about their team and have been battle tested for sure. This team looks poised to make a run at the title. 

Back from vacation for a belated Brown game recap

Vermont 70 Brown 65

I have returned from a quick trip to Florida!

I did not watch the game live but was able to watch the replay of the game after the fact. It was a great back and forth battle between two well coached teams. My biggest takeaway from this game was about this Vermont team's identity. It is time to stop getting caught up in what this Vermont team doesn't do (shoot the ball well from three) and embrace this team for what is does do well (play tough defense, clean up the defensive glass, take care of the ball, AND show a ton a heart). I have been just as guilty as others in getting caught up in the three point shooting narrative. However, 11 games in and this team has found its identity. This team is not going to be a great three point shooting team. I think they will improve but will probably top out at serviceable. The thing is, that is fine. There are no perfect teams in college basketball every team has strengths and weaknesses and part of the coaching challenge is to find ways to play to strengths and overcome weaknesses. This Vermont team currently has two glaring weaknesses. They struggle from three and do not get very many offensive rebounds. There are going to be games where those weakness get exploited but this team is built to overcome both. The Cats play great defense and force other teams to shoot poorly to help offset their lack of perimeter shooting. Vermont is also one of the best teams in the country at preventing offensive rebounds to offset their lack of second chance points. Outside of all the nitty gritty statistics the other reason to embrace this group is their heart. The Brown game was a another example of how hard this team works and how much they want to win. After leading most of the game and dictating the tempo, Brown took their first lead with 50 seconds left. The Cats didn't quit, they didn't falter. They dug deep and won the game. This is a group that will do whatever it takes to win. 

Isaiah Powell was tremendous in this game. His physical defense really set the tone and he he came up with the big stop and rebound to seal the game. Finishing with 15 points and 8 rebounds, Powell has really become this team's lunchpail guy. Even keeled, physical, workmanlike. Powell plays within himself and epitomizes the win first attitude of this team. Ben Shungu led the Cats once again with 18 points in another solid effort. Ryan Davis rediscovered his stroke going 4-4 from three and finishing with 16 points. Going back to the Providence game that is six consecutive threes made by Davis.  A great sign heading into conference play next month. I could have also led with Justin Mazzulla as the star of this game as he has really come into his own since he entered the starting lineup. His defensive intensity in this game was one of the best individual defensive efforts I have seen. He was everywhere. Disrupting dribbles, tipping passes, diving for loose balls, and hitting the glass. Mazzulla finished with 11 points, 4 rebounds, 3 steals, a block and even knocked down two threes for good measure. He has the look of a guy in his last year of college basketball trying to squeeze every ounce out of the experience. 

Another great win for the road warrior Catamounts. They now head into a week off for exams before heading back out on the road against Northeastern on Sunday. That will be another very tough road game against a very tough, well coached Northeastern team. 

Vermont at Providence 12/7/21

Providence 68 Vermont 58

Nate Watson and AJ Reeves scorched the nets and led Providence to the victory over Vermont. Watson set the tone early on the inside and Reeves took care of everything from the perimeter for the Friars. Reeves made 6 threes was the only player on Providence to hit a three. Becker talked about Providence being the toughest test in the non-conference schedule prior to the game and the Friars played like it. Vermont was uncaraisticaly sloppy at the start of the game and dug themselves into a 10-0 hole. The Cats were rushing shots and passes and didn't show the poise that had been their trademark thus far this season. Then the defense dug in and kept them in the game well into the second half. Vermont did an excellent job limiting the offensive impact of the rest of the Friars but Reeves hit a couple big threes as the Cats were making a second half run. The 16 turnovers were easily a season high and many of them were unforced. Too many lackadaisical passes and letting Providence dictate the pace of play. The Friars defense was energized and they were attacking every passing lane. Despite the turnovers and some tough offensive stretches, overall Vermont battled hard. They held their own on the boards and were able to make runs each time it seemed like the Friars were going to blow it wide open. The defense continues to impress and I think the experience of the players on this years roster has the defense getting locked in ahead of schedule. 

In what has become a pattern this season Ben Shungu shook off a tough first half and finished with 20 points. It was another uneven effort from Shungu that included some point blank misses, but his ability to power through his difficulties, dig deep, and keep fighting has been impressive. Ryan Davis finished with 18 points for the Cats in what was a return to form. Davis was hyper efficient going 6-8 from the field, 2-2 from three, and 5-6 from the line. He looked like last years Davis and had a great drive and dunk. Isaiah Powell did not have a great shooting night but finished with 9 points, 8 rebounds, and 3 assists. His consistency on the glass has been huge for the Cats. Justin Mazzulla battled hard right until the last whistle and had one of those games where the box score doesn't do him justice. He finished with 7 rebounds and 3 assists but played great defense and had several key hustle plays. Finn Sullivan struggled mightily, particularly in the first few minutes of the game. He seemed too hyped up and was playing too fast. The bench struggled to make an impact as Becker tried to find the most effective lineup. 

A tough fight in a game where Vermont was not a their best. There were times where the Cats could have thrown in the towel but each time they battled back and there were some positives to take away. Up next is another game in the great state of Rhode Island against Brown on Friday night. I will be travelling for a family event and will not be able to watch the game. I might comment on the outcome after catching up on the game but otherwise I will be back in action for the Northeastern game on December 19th. 

Vermont vs Dartmouth 12/1/21

Vermont 83 Dartmouth 65

Home sweet home.

Vermont used a balanced scoring attack with six players in double figures to dominate Dartmouth. The Cats jumped out to a 10-0 lead and never looked back. The defense was locked in from the get go. The game plan was clearly to not let Brendan Berry get looks from three as the Vermont defenders were tenacious on the permeter. Vermont held Dartmouth to 39% shooting and on offense shot a blistering 56%. It was a relief to finally see some shots fall. The big story from tonights game was the change in the starting lineup. Finn Sullivan and Justin Mazzulla started in place of Robin Duncan and Kam Gibson. That change was inevitable as the slow starts that were plaguing the Cats were directly tied to Gibson and Robin's struggles offensively. In the games last week the gameflow changed every time Mazzulla and Sullivan entered the game. Early returns on the lineup changes are very good. Sullivan really got the Cats going early offensively and Mazzulla set the tone defensively on the perimeter against Barry. Once again Vermont was tremendous with 16 assists and only 7 turnovers. This might be the best passing team Vermont has ever put together. There are so many strong passers and the chemistry is very good. Tonight's game was an example of how good Vermont can be when they are hitting on all cylinders. 

Sullivan impressed in his first start. He is providing the three point shooting that the Cats are looking for with a 3-6 effort from distance tonight. Sullivan finished with 13 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, and zero turnovers. I mentioned when he committed that I thought he was a sneaky good addition to Vermont and he is showing why so far this season. He has tremendous versatility and is always turned up to eleven. The only negative is that intensity still gets him into trouble when he can't change gears and his emotions boil over. Yelling at the other team after a big play and demonstrative body language after getting called for a foul. The refs talked to him several times and there were four instances where he could easily have been called for a technical. I love the emotion he plays with and teams need a hype man but if he is going to continue to grow in his role he has to bottle that lightning. Ryan Davis was a beast in tonight's game. He led the Cats with 16 points and 8 rebounds. He got so many tough rebounds in traffic and finished through contact at the other end. His hands are tremendous and when he get the ball in the paint he is nearly automatic. It was great to see him have a better shooting game after a few tough efforts last week. Ben Shungu, Isaiah Powell, and Mazzulla finished with 13, 11, and 10 points respectively. Kam Gibson finally looked comfortable in his first time coming off the bench. With the second unit he was able to be the first or second option on offense and was able to excel in that role in the second half. Gibson finished with 10 points and as I have said before I am intrigued by his potential as a scorer off the bench. 

This is the type of team that I think this group of Cats is going to be. They are a team that will be the sum of their parts. They are going to have balanced scoring where different guys can be the star each night. For a long time that was a staple of the Vermont program and I see this group as a return to form. Everyone knows their role and executes. Now they have little break before a big game against Providence next Tuesday. A great win to get some momentum going in to what will be a very tough matchup. 

Vermont at UNCG 11/27/21

UNCG 54 Vermont 51

Kobe Langley scored 19 points off the bench as UNCG prevailed over Vermont. UNCG imposed their will from the opening tip and used a dominant rebounding effort and timely shooting to put the Cats away. The poor perimeter shooting finally caught up with Vermont as they finished 4-25 from three, missing several good looks down the stretch. They had used their defense to keep them in games during this cold stretch from the perimeter but losing the rebounding battle by such a wide margin was finally too much to overcome. With such a pronounced weakness for Vermont the other facets of the game have to be nearly perfect in order to make up the difference. Despite all of the shooting woes Vermont still had chances down the stretch and also missed crucial free throws in big spots. That game definitely had a "end of a long road trip" feel for sure. UNCG is a very strong team who is used to winning much like Vermont and they remained poised and executed down the stretch. The perimeter shooting is certainly painful to watch and is absolutely a glaring weakness but I think it is overshadowing some of the things this team does very well. They finished tonight with 17 assists and only 8 turnovers as they continue to take care of the ball at a high level. The defense has been elite as well and there are times when Vermont is a victim of their own success. Road wins are very hard to come by in college basketball and the Cats have won at an absurd pace over the past several seasons. This was a grueling stretch for Vermont and maybe they will continue to shoot this poorly all year but it feels like shots have to fall at some point, right?

Ryan Davis led the Cats with 17 points. He had some nice makes around the rim but missed two crucial free throws and shot 1-7 from three. I certainly expected some regression from distance after last season but the three has really deserted Davis so far. Ben Shungu had probably the worst game of his career after his heroism in the last game. Shungu finished 1-9 from the field and had 3 turnovers. The second half magic that had saved some of his other poor performances wasn't there and the consistency just wasn't there this past week. Finn Sullivan was the lone bright spot and he continues to be a difference maker. Sullivan finished with 12 points, 3 steals, and 2 blocks in another energetic performance. He also knocked down another 2 threes and has been the only Catamount who has shown any consistency from distance. His strong play continues to earn him more minutes and when he is on the court there is a noticeable difference in Vermont's energy. Justin Mazzulla is in a similar category as he is also impacting the game at both ends of the floor. 

A tough road loss against a tough team before Vermont finally gets to return home. They return with a game against neighbor Dartmouth on Wednesday night. Maybe those Patrick Gym rims will help the Cats right the ship on offense. 

Gulf Coast Showcase: Vermont vs Appalachian State 11/24/21

Vermont 65 Appalachian State 63

What. A. Shot.

Ben Shungu beat the buzzer with a step back jumper to lift Vermont over Appalachian State. The Cats leave Estero at 5-2 after taking 2 out of 3 in the Gulf Coast Showcase. The Cats fell behind 10-0 to start the game, were down 24-12 with eight minutes to go in the first half, and were down 7 with eight minutes to go in the second half. The grit and determination that Vermont showed battling back each time (in their third game in three days) says alot about the heart of this team. App St. was in control for most of this game and their star Adrian Delph couldn't miss in the second half. Slowly but surely the Cats tightened up the defense and Shungu scored 11 of his 17 points in the last ten minutes of action. Vermont certainly has some kinks to work out but this team has a heck of a lot of heart. This tourney provided them with great experiences in just about every type of game situation and it will only give them opportunities to grow and learn. 

Shungu made big play after big play down the stretch. Offensive rebounds, key buckets, tough defensive stands. He finished with 17 points to lead the Cats and left it all out on the floor. I am going to watch the highlight of that stepback about a million times. Buzzer beaters are the most exciting play in the sports world. Ryan Davis gutted through another off shooting night finishing with 14 points and 6 rebounds. The bench was hugh in this one scoring 22 points. Nick Fiorillo finally got a few threes to fall and jump started the Cats in the second half after Davis had to sit with three fouls. He finished with 7 points. Justin Mazzulla led the bench crew with 9 points, got two big putbacks on the offensive glass, and a huge steal on an App St. inbound.  Finn Sullivan once again impacted the game from every angle. He exudes energy on the court. Sullivan finished with 6 points and 5 rebounds. He also had a big time block and deflected many a pass and dribble. He is having a huge impact so far this season. 

Vermont gets a few days off to enjoy a good Thanksgiving feast before another tough road test at UNC Greensboro on Saturday. There is no better way to go into a mini break than after an exciting win like that. This is one to enjoy for sure. I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Gulf Coast Showcase: Vermont vs Evansville 11/23/21

Vermont 58 Evansville 49

Vermont used a smothering defensive effort and timely shot making in the second half to defeat Evansville. After struggling to make shots in the first half (0-8 from three) the Cats knocked down three consecutive three pointers over a three minute stretch in the second half to pull away. Lost in all of the offensive struggles is that the defense is performing at a high level. The players are really locked into their roles and they are getting after it on the boards. This team is playing like some of those teams from the early Becker years that had inconsistent offensive outputs but were extremely stingy on the defensive side of the ball. It is a good thing too because it will continue to give them a chance to win games while the offense sorts itself out. 

Isaiah Powell came off his one game suspension with a bang, leading the Cats with 17 points, 7 rebounds, and 2 steals in a team high 31 minutes. He continues to impress and has solidified himself as the Cats third scorer. Ben Shungu once again hit big shots when Vermont needed them most and finished with 12 points and 5 rebounds. Justin Mazzulla continued his strong play and Finn Sullivan continues to impact the game with his defense and rebounding. I jinxed Ryan Davis in my last post by saying that he had been Vermont's most consistent offensive player. Davis really struggled finishing 3-12 from the field, scoring 9 points and grabbing 6 rebounds. Kam Gibson broke the seal with the Cats first three pointer of the game and was able to be more impactful in this one, bouncing back from yesterday's rough outing. 

Winning two out of three in a tournament setting like this is a strong performance. Obviously the initial goal is to win the whole thing. The secondary goal is to bounce back from a loss with the quick turnaround and go out and get the next game. This type of format helps a team learn a lot about themselves win or lose and how Vermont responds tomorrow will be a big indicator of what kind of team this group is. I expect they will be ready for Appalachian State tomorrow at 1:30.

Gulf Coast Showcase: Vermont vs Oakland 11/22/21

Oakland 63 Vermont 61

Jalen Moore hit a three pointer with 10 seconds left to lift the Grizzlies over Vermont. The game began with the announcement that Aaron Deloney, Eric Beckett, Evan Guillory, and Isaiah Powell would each be serving a one game suspension for being late to a team function. That certainly set the tone for what would be a tough grind for the Cats. The game today was a perfect illustration of how the perimeter shooting affects Vermont's play. When Vermont was making threes they were able to make runs and each defensive stop during those runs was full of energy. When the shots aren't falling the defense gets tight as each possession takes on more and more value. Right now the offensive rhythm is completely dependent on the three. Vermont will continue to find themselves in tight games because they will struggle to pull away from teams. That keeps the games close and puts a lot of pressure on late game execution. The more close games played the more it becomes a law of averages situation. They executed well to beat Yale and made some key mistakes in this one. This one stings because they worked so hard to climb back in and made some great plays to take the lead, only to miss crucial free throws and land out of bounds on a crucial rebound. You do have to tip your cap to Jamal Cain and Jalen Moore. Cain was a beast on both sides of the ball and Moore made clutch plays. 

Vermont really needed Powell. His defense, rebounding, and playmaking in the midrange were sorely missed. Justin Mazzulla and Finn Sullivan played tough in his absence but were ultimately forced to play even further out of position without Powell. Sullivan is quite a rollercoaster ride as a player. He makes big plays and plays hard but it sometimes gets the best of him as his emotions boil over and he plays too fast. He finished with 13 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 assists while knocking down 4 threes. His steal that set up Ben Shungu's game tying three point play was incredible. Unfortunately he also had a bad turnover and landed out of bounds securing the rebound that would have given the Cats the ball up one with 20 seconds left. If he can harness that fire he will play a huge role on this team. Speaking of Shungu he struggled mightily for most of the game and hasn't looked the same since his career high in the Maryland game. He did however bring the Cats all the way back single handedly before he missed two shots at the end of the game. Even with the difficult start he finished with 10 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists, and zero turnovers. Teams are really keying on him and preventing him from getting to the rim. He is going to have to adjust to all the newfound defensive pressure. Ryan Davis led the way with 24 points and continues to be the Cats  most consistent offensive player. Kam Gibson really faceplanted in this one. After knocking down his first three of the game, he missed shot after shot and had a couple poorly timed turnovers. He is often playing too fast and is still feeling out his role. I still think he can provide a valuable offensive boost but wonder if he might be better suited as a sixth man coming in and providing scoring in short bursts. 

The Cats certainly had chances to win and the run to get back into the game was impressive. Not the result they wanted but no time to sit and stew. They are right back at it tomorrow at 11:00 against Evansville, where they will continue to search for more consistent offensive execution. 

Vermont vs Yale 11/19/21

Vermont 61 Yale 53

What a gutsy effort. 

Ryan Davis dominated down the stretch and led the Cats to a hard fought victory over Yale. Yale played tough physical defense from start to finish and for much of the game imposed their will on Vermont. Vermont matched Yale's intensity on the defensive side of the ball in what was another classic Bulldogs/Catamounts slugfest. Both were equally anemic on offense and it was going to come down to which team's stars shined down the stretch. Davis worked for every bucket and finally broke through with some tough finishes underneath and trips to the free throw line. He then knocked down his first three of the season to give Vermont the offensive lift they had been looking for. Azar Swain kept responding for the Bulldogs in an exciting back and forth between the two leading scorers. Ben Shungu shook off a very tough first half and knocked down a big three of his own down the stretch. Justin Mazzulla was also huge down the stretch going 6-6 from the line and adding another clutch bucket underneath. This was a big time gut check game for the Cats. There were not at their best and Yale was smelling blood in the water early in the second half. Vermont dug deep and dominated the boards down the stretch, eliminating Yale's second chance opportunities. This evening's game was a perfect example of the impact of having such a veteran laiden team. Only 5 turnovers for the game and tremendous execution down the stretch. 

Davis was just incredible tonight. I think this was the finest all around performance of his career. He finished with 18 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, and 4 blocks (all team highs). He really did it all. Big buckets and tough rebounds in traffic. The blocks tonight were huge as he played the role of one man defensive stopper. He has improved his ability to move laterally and is so patient when waiting for the right time to get the block without fouling. He also had a beautiful pass to a cutting Mazzulla for a clutch bucket. That was a player of the year game. Shungu settled for too many jumpers in the first half and really struggled against Yale's physical perimeter defense. He came through when it mattered most and that has always been a hallmark of Shungu's game. Mazzulla played big minutes down the stretch as Becker went with his best defensive lineup to close the game out. This was definitely a "if you don't play D you don't play" game from the coaching staff as Fiorillo/Gibson/Sullivan all sat down the stretch due to defensive mistakes. Evan Guillory was awarded minutes for this very reason and did a great job matching Yale's physicality. The coaching staff has a tough task in balancing lineups with offense and defense. The new/inexperienced guys will get up to speed as time wears on but tonights message was clear. Either play defense or sit. Unfortunately this brings up the perimeter shooting again. I am going to bang this drum all year because it will be the difference between a Catamount title run and an early exit. This team has so many good pieces but the perimeter shooting is painful to watch so far. Today's final tally was 4-24 from three and that includes a bank shot. If they can't find some level of consistency they are going to make it very hard for themselves and it will put too much pressure on their defense. 

This was a great win over the preseason favorite to win the Ivy league. Winning these type of tough grinders in the non-conference is helpful to build and learn from for those tough league games later in the year. It was also great to have the energy of a tight game back in Patrick Gym. Now it is off to Florida for the Gulf Coast Showcase. The three games in three days tournaments are always a fun test and make for an exciting basketball atmosphere. First up for the Cats is Oakland University (which is in Michigan). Should be a tough game against the very dangerous duo of Jamal Cain and Jalen Moore. 

Vermont vs WPI 11/16/21

Vermont 81 WPI 48

Vermont took care of business in their home opener against WPI. The down division game is always a little wonky to write about. The result is never in doubt and the play is inconsistent. It is good to get a look at some of the deeper parts of the rotation and get some run for the bench guys. Tonight Ryan Davis rightfully dominated against an overmatched WPI frontcourt. It was good to see Kam Gibson and Finn Sullivan knock down some threes as they are going to have be Vermont's threats form the perimeter. The overall shooting from distance remains a major concern. They are really missing that three point specialist as a steadying force. They have 2/3rds of the trifecta of a dominant team. They don't turn the ball over and play tough defense. Finding that consistent perimeter shooting is the missing piece. Just a short write up for this one. Although big shoutout to Georges Lefebvre for the highlight of the night with a monster dunk. It was great to be back at Patrick for some regular season basketball and I am beyond hyped for the big showdown with Yale on Friday. Yale is always a tough, physical game. There is not doubt there will be some good fan energy for that one. 

Vermont at Maryland 11/13/21

Maryland 68 Vermont 57

Ben Shungu pumped in a career high 27 points but Vermont faded down the stretch in their first loss of the season. Vermont came out agressive for the second straight game and dictated the pace of place from the tip. Much like the opener, offensively the Cats pushed the pace and used swarming double teams to keep the Terps off balance on defense. Shungu was phenomenal in the first half, scoring 20 points and dominating on both ends of the floor. In the second half Maryland turned up their defense and physicality, dominating Vermont on the boards, and forcing the Cats into tough contested shots. For 75% of the game Vermont was just as poised and in control as in the opener. The perimeter shooting really failed them down the stretch as they couldn't get the timely shots to fall as they did in the opener. However it was another impressive showing. To go at a ranked team on the road and continue to play with poise and dictate play was impressive. The Cats only turned the ball over seven times as the guard depth continues to initiate the offense effectively. They are still searching for that consistency from the rotation players to become threats from the permeter which is not surprising so early in the season. On the defensive end they are using their speed and length for aggressive double teams and jumping passing lanes. They have been able to neutralize the big men in two straight games with the small ball lineups. Watching a game against a tough ranked opponent on the road and starting to feel disappointed when they are not winning is a testament to how strong they looked as the Terps pulled away down the stretch. 

Shungu was just tremendous in this one. So much has already been said about his hard work and the transformation he has gone through. But somehow it still doesn't seem like enough. I have never seen a player systematically improve their game piece by piece from where Shungu started to where he is now. He scored from everywhere, slicing to the rim, knocking down big time threes, and even a gorgeous step back from the baseline. Everytime he has been challenge by the coaching staff to take on a new role for the Cats, he has exceeded expectations. This season they have asked him to be the guy for Vermont on the perimeter and if the first two games are any indication, he will continue to set the bar higher and higher. Isaiah Powell isn't far behind in his own transformation. There were times during his first couple seasons where it was nerve-wracking watching him dribble or shoot. All over the place and unsettled were some mild terms used to describe him early on. Now he is equally taking control and proving himself to be a threat from anywhere on the court. Powell finished with 14 points, 11 rebounds, and led the team with 3 assists. He is shooting from deep with confidence, driving hard to the rim, and finishing through contact. Today he had some beautiful looks to teammates for buckets and was really physical on the boards. He is going to have a big season. Ryan Davis looked a little worse for the wear coming off being sick and struggled to get anything going. Better days ahead for him. 

Now a couple of home games in the coming week with Worcester Polytechnic Institute on Tuesday and a tough Yale squad on Friday. I am really looking forward to the Yale matchup as it will be another great test for the Cats. It was a great road trip and I can't wait for the return of regular season basketball (with fans) to Patrick.

Vermont at Northern Iowa 11/11/21

Vermont 71 Northern Iowa 57

Just like they drew it up.

With Ryan Davis back at the hotel battling a non-COVID illness, Vermont exploded out of the gates taking control of the game from the opening tip and leading wire to wire in a impressive season opening win. The Cats put on a clinic in this one spreading out the Panthers defense with small ball lineups on the offensive end, and bringing a hard double team in the post and jumping passing lanes on defense. A perfectly executed gameplan to make up for the loss of Davis. Early on UNI's big man Austin Phyfe was feasting down low with Davis out. At the half Vermont committed to the small ball lineup and Phyfe played very little in the second half as a result. That relegated the UNI offensive attack to exclusively jump shots which they did not hit with any regularity. The Cats really pushed the tempo and longtime fans probably barely recognized Vermont zooming up and down the court attacking the basket early in the shot clock. Definitely a new wrinkle that really put the Panthers on their heels early. Vermont only committed 10 turnovers as the guard depth was on full display with crisp passing and a command of the ball in the open court. The perimeter shooting was inconsistent but timely. After the hot start the Cats really struggled to make perimeter shots, shooting only 4-16 from deep in the second half. However, each of those four shots was at a crucial moment when UNI was trying to make a run. Vermont imposed their will early and never took their foot of the gas. It was beautiful to watch. 

Ben Shungu led way with 19 points and 6 rebounds. He made big shots down the stretch and built off his super efficient preseason with another big game. Isaiah Powell got the Cats off to their hot start and was looking for his shot all night, finishing with 17 points and 5 rebounds. He is absolutely going to be the third scorer that Vermont is looking for. His offensive versatility has grown each year and he continues to impress at the defensive end. Robin Duncan was the biggest surprise in the game tonight. He got the start tonight and did not disappoint. He played a flawless game, orchestrating on offense and defense. Robin finished with 7 points, 11 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, and no turnovers in 28 minutes. The rebounding was a clinic in great box outs and sneaky crashing from the perimeter. Big time performance. Finn Sullivan also impressed, doing his best Bailey Patella impression bringing big energy and changing momentum. Sullivan finished with 8 points, 3 steals, and a big time block. He did get a technical foul after a big dunk but the energy was infectious. The "big block and then a three at the other end" sequence was a crucial piece of the second half dominance. Justin Mazzulla played a big time 26 minutes as the small ball big man and finished with 9 points. He played tough on both ends and his versatility is going to be huge for the Cats this season. Kam Gibson looked good in his debut as well. He has a very shifty offensive game and will have some big games for the Cats this season. 

Vermont played loose and with energy tonight. This is one of those groups that is the sum of their parts. Very unselfish and everyone is ready when it is their time. Now they can carry that loose energy into a showdown with Maryland on Saturday afternoon. What a great was to kick off the season. 

Vermont season preview 2021-2022

Exhibition season is over and Vermont kicks off their 2021-2022 campaign on Thursday night against Northern Iowa. For the first time in a while the Cats were not picked to win the league in the preseason and are out to prove themselves contenders. So lets dig in and go through a few of the things I will be watching out for this season. 

Projected record: 21-10 (14-4) second place in the America East. I think they will finish just behind Stony Brook for the regular season title. The early conference slate is tough and while I expect the Cats to make a big run at the end of the season. I think ultimately they will drop a couple tough games early on in the conference schedule. From there anything can happen in the playoffs and I feel like they will be ready to make a run in the conference tournament. 

Keys to the season

Perimeter scoring

Last year Vermont struggled mightily to find consistent shooting from their guards. Then Stef Smith moved on to St. John's and left the Cats with very few proven perimeter shooters. The coaching staff addressed this through the transfer portal adding Kam Gibson and Finn Sullivan. Gibson has been a reliable threat from outside during his career and Sullivan has shown the ability to be a capable outside threat. With Aaron Deloney looking good in the preseason, it looks like by committee, Vermont should be a more capable outside shooting team. The Cats are going to need to be a consistent threat from deep because Ryan Davis is going to face more pressure and teams are going to scheme to stop him. In order to keep defenses honest, the guards will have to knock down their open shots on Davis kick outs. 

Frontcourt depth

With the departure of Tomas Murphy, Vermont has no proven post players after Isaiah Powell and Ryan Davis. Nick Fiorillo and Georges Lefebvre are young and inexperienced and Duncan Demuth can't seem to get healthy. The coaching staff is going to have to get creative with lineups and use their big guards to play the four at times this season. Much of the early non-conference schedule is going to be dedicated to finding the right combinations and experimenting with different looks. I don't think it will be to much of a detriment on the offensive end but the defensive end is where I think the effects will be seen. The inexperience shows up most often when trying to execute the defensive system that Vermont employs. The system demands a lot of the post defenders and that is often why Vermont's young post players take a few years of seasoning before they are able to have a big impact. 

Playing as the underdog

It has been a while since Vermont has been the hunter and not the hunted. Even though the coaching staff preaches approaching every game the same, the mentality is totally different when you are playing to exceed expectations versus meet them. Ultimately this team has a lot to prove after last season's semifinal loss. This group is going to be hungry to put last seasons struggles behind them and reclaim their place at the top of the league. The talent entering the league this season is a direct response to the success that Vermont has had. The Cats have raised the bar for the top half of the league and the league has responded. There are more teams with something to prove this season than in years past and it is going to create some fierce battles at the top.

Who makes the big jump?

Every year there is a player on Vermont who elevates their game with hard work in the offseason. Vermont knows what to expect out of players like Ben Shungu, Ryan Davis, and Isaiah Powell. They all made the jump last season and are building off of that success.  In order for the team to exceed expectations there will be a player who elevates their game beyond what was predicted. Someone from the Deloney/Sullivan/Gibson/Fiorillo/Guillory group will play a very key role in giving Vermont that wildcard they need to make a championship run. 

Vermont will be fun to watch this season with a great blend of returners and new faces. The most exciting part of college basketball is seeing which unheralded player is going to explode onto the scene and make a big impact. The Cats have some very intriguing pieces and seeing how the rotation shifts and changes throughout the season will be fun to follow. 

Exhibition: St. Anselm at Vermont 11/6/21

Vermont 94 St. Anselm 72

Ben Shungu and Ryan Davs led the Cats in their final tune-up before the season opener on Thursday. It was a good exhibition against a well coached St. Anselm team. The entire Shungu experience was on full display in this one. Shungu went 8-8 from the field , 3-3 from three, and finished with 19 points and 6 assists. He scored at every level and played his signature physical defense. His evolution into a threat from distance is incredible and he is poised to have a big super senior year. The other player that stood out in today’s game was Aaron Deloney. He has looked so good during this exhibition season as his shooting is finally coming around after two tough seasons. He plays with endless energy and plays tough. Today he looked in control of the team and brought a verteren presence while running the second unit. If he can translate this into the regular season he could give the Cats an important offensive minded presence off the bench. Nick Fiorillo returned and immediately knocked down a couple perimeter jumpers. After that his minutes were uneven, looking a step slow after the time missed. The backup post minutes are his for the taking and the coaching staff clearly see him as the post player off the bench on this team. It was also a cool moment for Coach Becker to get to coach against his nephew. Now Northern Iowa is up next on Thursday in what will be a tough early test. Northern Iowa is projected as a NCAA tournament team this season and boasts former Missouri Valley player of the year AJ Green. He missed all of last season with an injury but is back to lead UNI to compete for the MVC title. This will be a great early test for Vermont to see how they stack up against one of the best mid-major programs in the country. I will post my Vermont team preview sometime tomorrow and can’t believe the season is finally upon us!

Tomas Murphy leaves the team

For the second year in a row Vermont has lost a player right before the start of the season. Last season it was Bernie Andre and this year it is Tomas Murphy. This is a big blow to Vermont's already thin frontcourt as the hope was a healthy Murphy would give the Cats a potent one to punch in the post. The announcement was a lower leg injury and that would make three straight seasons (including his last at Northeastern) where Murphy was unable to overcome the injuries and get on the court. This puts some added pressure on Duncan Demuth and Nick Fiorillo to get healthy and provide some depth. I have written at length over the past few seasons about how much potential I see in Fiorillo and he is certainly going to have an opportunity to contribute. He has the unique distinction of being a third year freshman (redshirt year, COVID year) which has given him time to acclimate to the system. It also means that the Cats are going to experiment with some four guard lineups utilizing the size of their big guards, like Justin Mazzulla, to play the 4. Ultimately Vermont has the players to fill the role that Murphy was going to play and in some ways it helps define some players roles even further in a year where the roster is larger than usual. Can't wait for some more live basketball tomorrow at Patrick!

Exhibition: St. Michaels at Vermont 10/30/21

 Vermont 105 St. Michaels 60

What an incredible feeling to be back at Patrick. There is just nothing like the energy of the crowd and live basketball. 

The exhibition today was the first look at how the early season minutes might look. The starters were Ryan Davis, Ben Shungu, Kam Gibson, Isaiah Powell, and Robin Duncan. That is the lineup that makes the most sense balancing experience and offensive diversity. The rest of the first half rotation involved Finn Sullivan, Justin Mazzulla, Aaron Deloney, Bailey Patella, and Evan Guillory. That is a really strong veteran group with Guillory mixing in, looking like the most college ready of the young crew. This is the group that has the best handle on the defensive scheme. Isaiah Powell led the way with 19 points and 7 rebounds. With the Purple Knights playing zone, Powell had his midrange game on full display. He looked the part of the third scorer that Vermont is looking for after Shungu and Davis. Justin Mazzulla was once again all over, playing tough defense and hitting the boards hard. He finished with 10 rebounds and looks as though he will be playing a little more of a post player role in some of the Cats smaller lineups. Kam Gibson struggled to get his shot going but looks like he will provide a veteran presence in several facets of the game. Finn Sullivan had a *cough* eventful game, He led the Cats from distance, knocking down 3-6 from long range and showing some defensive versatility. He continued to play some PG, initiating the offense with the second unit. He also banged a three off the side of the backboard and got stuffed by the rim on a dunk attempt. I really like Sullivan's fit on this Cats team and his size a versatility are going to be crucial when Vermont is forced to play small. Speaking of playing small, with Duncan Demuth and Nick Fiorillo still on the sidelines and Tomas Murphy nowhere to be seen, Vermont is paper thin in the frontcourt. The Cats are going to need someone out of that group to play a big role on this team or they are going to really struggle against teams with a strong post presence. Evan Guillory really stood out amongst the young guys. He is a physical defender and a strong rebounder. He looks ready to contribute right away. Sam Alamutu and Georges Lefebvre looked a step behind and are still adjusting to the college game. It was a good first exhibition performance and the Cats showed some good signs from the perimeter. Already thinking about next Saturday. 

Happy Halloween!

America East Conference preview 21-22

We are only a few weeks away from the season and that means it is preview time. 

The America East conference experienced many changes this offseason. Lots of talent in, lots of talent out, three new coaches, Hartford's plan to drop to DIII, and a new commissioner to top it all off. Those factors have all combined to create what I think will be a unique season in conference history. Rarely has there been so much talent and experience across the entire conference. The extra COVID year and the new transfer rules have created a wealth of players who have played 100+ career games. Due to the wealth of talent available through transfers this season, teams were able to look at their weaknesses or roster needs and address them in a way they have never been able to before. As a result teams have put together more complete rosters that are not relying on young inexperienced players to immediately step in a fill out the rotation. This influx of talent is going to bring some exciting battles in the top half of the conference as teams try to maximize the opportunity this year presents. Without further ado this is how I think the regular season will play out. 

1. Stony Brook

        The Seawolves were picked first by the narrowest of margins in the coaches poll and I too feel that they are set up to make a run at the regular season championship. They were already returning a strong core and then added the strongest group of transfers in the league. Elijah Olaniyi returns to the Seawolves after a year in the ACC with Miami. Olaniyi was a two time all AE performer in his previous stint in the league and held his own in the ACC last season. He will immediately step back into a role as one of the top players in the league. Jahlil Jenkins comes to the Seawolves after completing a stellar four year career at Fairleigh Dickinson. Jenkins is a two time all NEC performer who has scored 1700 career points. Between Jenkins and Juan Felix Rodriguez the Seawolves have the best PG duo in the conference. Stony Brook also grabbed Anthony Roberts from St. Bonaventure. He didn't make the impact there he was hoping but during his time at Kent State he was on the MAC all freshman team and averaged 12 points per game as a sophomore. Put these guys together will key returners Tykei Green, Jaden Sayles, Omar Habwe, Tyler Stephenson-Moore, and Frankie Policelli and the Seawolves are brimming with talent. They are big, physical, experienced and two deep at every position. Getting all of this talent and new personnel to gel on the court will be the key. If they take this talent and turn it into on court execution they will be the regular season champs. 

2. Vermont

        The Catamounts are in unfamiliar territory after five consecutive years as the preseason favorites. They to return a strong core including reigning player of the year Ryan Davis. He enters the season as the best big man in the league and will have every opportunity to continue his role as the best player in the league. With Ben Shungu, Bailey Patella, and Justin Mazzulla returning for their bonus year, Vermont also boasts an experienced roster. The loss of Stef Smith creates a void that the Catamounts will try to fill by committee. They added transfers Kam Gibson and Finn Sullivan who will help be a part of that guard group replacing Smith's production. The two question marks that are keeping the Cats a notch below Stony Brook in the preseason is the frontcourt depth and perimeter shooting. Health has kept Vermont's frontcourt depth thin and that is going to be a theme throughout the season. When healthy Vermont has the frontcourt depth to hang with anyone but the margins are thin. Last year the Cats struggled from the perimeter and with Smith's departure they are even more unproven from deep. They have some candidates to fill in but it remains to be seen how consistent they can be. The calling card of Vermont teams is that they are better than the rest of league when it comes to playing as a unit. A full non-conference schedule this season will be key to building that chemistry and unity for a championship run.  I will post a more in depth Vermont specific preview after the exhibition games over the next few weeks. 

3. Hartford

        Never has a defending champ been in such a strange situation. With the announcement that Hartford is moving to DIII, they are a team that is fighting for their very existence instead of trying to build off the previous season's success. There is no coach in the league who is better at taking whatever circumstances his team is in and using it as motivation than John Gallagher. They are going to be hungry to prove they are no flash in the pan and that they deserve to remain a DI program. Traci Carter is gone but Hartford quickly found a replacement in Dejaun Clayton. Clayton comes to the Hawks after completing a four year career at Coppin State. He is a three time all MEAC performer who brings the same high energy all out style that made the Cater/Hartford paring so tough. They also add big man Jared Kimbrough from La Salle and DII transfer David Shriver. Austin Williams leads the returners and was named to the preseason all conference team. Hunter Marks and DJ Mitchell are back as well and the Hawks also get Moses Flowers back from last seasons injury. Hartford has really found its identity over the past few seasons and is out to prove that they have staying power. 

4. New Hampshire

        The Wildcats have been kind of an enigma over the past few seasons. Wild swings in performance from game to game as they have struggled to find consistency. They have shown the ability to compete with the top teams only to lose some headscratchers to the bottom half of the league. They have some of the top returning players in the league in Jayden Martinez, Nick Guadarrama, and reigning America East rookie of the year Nick Johnson. They also get Josh Hopkins back after being injured last season. They addressed their inconsistent shooting thought the transfer portal by adding Sloan Seymour and DII transfer Marco Foster. Much like the other top teams the Wildcats will rely on their physical defense to set the tone. The battles in this top group are going to be intense and for the Wildcats to take the next step they will have to find a way to improve their game to game consistency. 

5. UMBC

        Our first team with a coaching change. Ryan Odom, Brandon Horvath, and RJ Eytle-Rock are all at Utah State as the Retrievers enter a new era. They enter this era will Jim Ferry at the helm, an experienced coach with varying degrees of success at his other head coaching stops. He inherits a roster in flux but with several pieces that will keep them in contention. Keondre Kennedy, LJ Owens, Darnell Rogers, Dimitrije Spasojevic, and Jacob Boonyasith all return to reprise their roles from last years regular season championship team. To round out this years roster UMBC added Hakim Byrd, Anyang Garang, Yaw Obeng-Mensah, and Ray Salnave through the transfer portal. Salnave in particular is a nice addition as he is an all MAAC performer with 1200+ career points. It is hard to know how all of these pieces will fit together and Ferry's teams have often struggled at the defensive end, but there is no doubt that the Retrievers have some intriguing pieces that will make them a pesky out in the middle of the conference. 

6. Albany

        Will Brown is gone after 20 years at the helm and the Great Danes only coach as a full DI member. The end of an era for sure. Love him or hate him he was the best coach in the league when it came to in game adjustments. Dwayne Killings takes over in his first year as a head coach. Albany hit the transfer portal hard grabbing De'vondre Perry, Gerald Drumgoole, Paul Newman, and DII all conference player Matt Cerruti. They are also one of the few teams with a strong freshman class adding impact players Justin Neely, Ny'mire Little, and Aaron Reddish, the younger brother of NBA player Cam Reddish. They also return Jarvis Doles, Chuck Champion, and Trey Hutcheson to fill out a roster that has some nice pieces. The Great Danes are going to play hard and look like they are building to a bright future, but look a step below the upper half of the league. They are carrying the crown of the best of the rebuilding programs. 

7. NJIT

        The leaders of last years team Zach Cooks and San Antonio Brinson are gone as the Highlanders look to rebuild their roster. Matt Faw comes in as a transfer bringing versatility and experience. They still have Dylan O'Hearn, Souleymane Diakite, and Antwuan Butler as key returnees who played significant roles on last seasons squad. They also add a very buzzy freshman from Sweden in 6'8" guard Jacob Mansson. NJIT lacks depth and is one of the more inexperienced squads in the league. They might flash here and there but are going to struggle to consistently challenge the top of the conference. 

8. UMass Lowell

        The River Hawks made a surprise run to the title game last season riding the white hot duo of Connor Withers and Obadiah Noel. Noel has moved on and leaves a big hole in the Lowell roster. He was their engine and set the tone in everything they did. Withers is back and looks to build on his hot finish to last season. The River Hawks return musch of their team but several of those returnees are young and inexperienced outside of last season. They add Ayinde Hikim, Everette Hammond, and John Hall through the transfer portal to round out their roster. This is a team searching for a new identity and one that is going to have to build strong chemistry quickly to climb out of the bottom half of the league. 

9. Binghamton

        The Tommy Dempsey era ends with a whimper as the Bearcats struggled to keep their young stars from transferring out. Levell Sanders will try his hand at building some semblance of programmatic continuity. Last season Binghamton was wholly dependent on letting it fly from three and Tyler Bertram, Bryce Beamer, and Dan Petcash are back to let it fly once more. The Bearcats add John McGriff and Jacob Falko from the transfer portal and are looking for any positive momentum they can muster. Climbing out of the bottom nationwide is step one for this program as the Bearcats have a long road ahead this season. 

10. Maine

        Richard Barron gets his guys to play hard, believe in the process, and they are often pesky despite not having the talent that the rest of league can put on the floor. Once again they are going to have to rely on that fighting spirit as it looks like another long season in Orono. Lechaun Duhart and Ja'shonte Wright-McLeish are back to lead the scoring while Stephane Ingo and transfer Chris Efretuei bring the defense. The two big men will provide what will be the most intimidating shot blocking duo in the conference but Maine is going to struggle to score the ball consistently. Like Binghamton, the Black Bears have struggled to build any year to year continuity and this season it looks like more of the same. 

Well there you have it. A few thoughts on how things are going to play out this season. I will be writing up the Cats exhibition games and a Vermont team preview in the coming weeks. 

Live basketball at the Aud

First off, what a wonderful feeling being in a gym and watching live basketball again. There is just nothing like it. Also I would like to say thank you to all the people who come up and say hello and talk to me about the blog. I really appreciate the community that this blog has built and love connecting with other Vermont fans.

Now onto the scrimmage.

The game ended in a 61-61 tie with a pretty exciting last 5 minutes of big time shot making by both teams. 

The thing that stood out to me the most from today was the size, strength, and physicality of this years team. The group of guards that Vermont has is bigger and stronger than any group they have had before. The players went hard today and I was blown away by their physicality. Vermont has always prided itself on defense and this years team has a chance to be very special on that end of the floor. 

Let us start with the players who look ready to reprise their roles on the team. Ryan Davis looked every bit the centerpiece he was last season. Ben Shungu is poised to cap off his career with another strong season and will be locked in as the Cats number two scorer. Isaiah Powell looked great doing his normal dirty work down low and will continue to see his role grow. Robin Duncan continues to bring his steady presence running the offense and the defense. Justin Mazzulla spent the whole practice coaching on the court, off the court, and to anyone who would listen. He made some nice plays and continues to provide a very versatile presence. 

Aaron Deloney was great in the scrimmage, finally showing off the shooting touch Vermont fans have been waiting for. He has always been tough and unafraid to do the little things and if his shot can find some consistency he will be able to provide some of the shooting Vermont is looking for. Georges Lefebvre made some nice plays and flashed some potential. He hit the boards hard and had a beautiful highlight reel drive and dunk. He certainly has all the pieces to be impactful but still needs some more reps to get into the speed of the game. Eric Beckett and Bailey Patella played limited minutes. Duncan Demuth, Tomas Murphy, and Nick Fiorillo were on the sidelines for this one.

The moment we have all been waiting for. Our first look at the new Catamounts. Kam Gibson looked solid. No glaring mistakes and knocked down several threes. Should be able to provide an experienced presence and outside shooting. Finn Sullivan looked very good. He is going to be a very nice piece for the Cats. He played all over the court including lots of point guard in the second half. Strong, versatile, and showcased good court vision. He had several great finds for threes. He has a nice ability to get his own shot, even if a few times he dribbled himself into some bad spots. Evan Guillory is big, physical, and a very strong defender. He will get minutes this season as a defensive stopper while his offense catches up. Sam Alamutu is equally as big and strong. Tremendous size at the guard position between these two freshman. Alamutu showed flashes of his tremendous athleticism and potential. He is going to be a tenacious rebounder. He is a little further behind in his adjustment to the college game and might need to get to conference play before he finds consistency. Michel Ndayishimiye got in the game, hit a three and didn't back down from anybody as he begins his redshirt season. 

Overall the Cats looked very good. The defense will be there this season and Davis will continue to give them a dynamic inside out presence. I also think they will be tough to press because they have so many ball handling options. The three point shooting will be the wild card. They have added some shooting but the key will be finding consistency. With the guys sitting out today the thin frontcourt rotation was glaring. After Powell and Davis they have no experienced proven frontcourt players. Murphy continues to have difficulty getting on the court and Vermont is going to have to play small often without him. In conference that is a little less of a concern but throughout the non-conference they are going to need one of the young guys to step up and take on the role of back up big man. 

I can't wait to see the exhibition games and see how the rotation plays out. There are a lot of minutes up in the air and some very interesting lineup combinations that Vermont can use. The Catamounts look like a team that has the pieces to make a run at another title. 

Scrimmage at the Aud

It is time for the annual Barre Auditorium scrimmage to return! On October 16th the Cats will be at the Aud for an intrasquad scrimmage. I love this new partnership and it is one of my favorite events of the year. The Barre Auditorium is an amazing place to watch a basketball game. It is a must for every local basketball fan. I have been going to the high school championships there for close to twenty years now and when local star Ross Demasi, played for the Frost Heaves I never missed a game. There is just an incredible feel in the building and my favorite feature has to be the corner press box balconies at each end. On the online Auditorium schedule the place is booked from 1-4. That would put the game beginning at 1:30. It is a fun time because it is a real game with referees and everything so the players really get after it. Also on the online schedule the women's hoop team is going to be at the Aud this saturday October 2nd from 11-2. Check them out as well. Get a group and get to the Auditorium. The only bummer this year is that my favorite restaurant Soup n' Greens, where I always go when I am at the Aud, closed last month. Guess I will be looking for a new spot for a bite to eat. 

Schedule Release/New Assistant

Two for one!

I was planning on posting about the non-conference schedule and then today the Cats announced their new assistant coach so lets get to it!

First and foremost, man is it going to feel good to be back in Patrick Gym this season. I have missed watching live college basketball dearly and will probably shed a tear when I walk back in. I like the non-conference schedule that Vermont put together this season. It has a great mix of teams. Tough northeast teams like Yale and Northeastern I love the opener against Northern Iowa and getting Colgate on the schedule. Maryland and Providence are good buy games and going back to the gulf coast showcase will be fun. All in all a strong schedule that will give the Cats the tests that they sorely missed before conference play last season. 

Now on to Part two.

Today Vermont announced former Catamount Chris Santo as their new assistant coach. Die hard Cats fans will remember Santo for his few appearances as a freshman during the 2011-2012 season. After that year he transferred to St. Anselm where he had a very strong career. Santo joined the Catamounts just as I was getting into following the recruiting and researching the new players as much as I could so I very distinctly remember getting excited for him to join the Cats. Pretty cool to see it come full circle for him and as an added bonus Vermont actually plays St. Anselm as their second exhibition game this season.  I like this hire for Vermont. Santo has most recently been working with the Knicks coaching staff with game-planning and video analysis. I like the idea of having a guy on the staff with a little NBA experience as the program continues to move forward. Also working with a guy like Tom Thibodeau who is such a strong X's and O's guy will be very helpful as the team continues to add new wrinkles into their gameplan. It will be exciting to watch this new coaching develop their identity along with the team. October 30th can't come soon enough.

Roster finally updated

The 2021-2022 Vermont roster was officially updated on the athletics website and the newcomers were officially announced. It is finally time to get excited and I couldn't resist the chance to share some thoughts. First off the roster stands at 17 with the departure of walk-ons Kevin Garrison and Deng Adiang. Four year walk-ons are few and far between so those departures are no surprise. Second both Nick Fiorillo and Finn Sullivan are listed as the same number so I guess they have to enter the octagon to decide the real number 15. 

Now to the real stuff. 

Sam Alamutu is listed at 6'2" instead of the 6'4" he had been listed as during the recruiting process. Doesn't change his potential, just a surprisingly significant difference. Along with the roster update Becker provided a few words on each newcomer. Becker confirmed what Vermont fans have been salivating over since his commitment. Sam Alamutu is a special player and has all the makings of the next great Vermont guard. I am beyond excited to see what he can do. Becker also said that Alamutu and Evan Guillory are the future of the Vermont program. That is high praise. I am very excited to see Guillory as well. The comparisons to Dre Wills are very intriguing. Both freshman guards are big, physical, unselfish, and hard working. Kam Gibson and Finn Sullivan also received praise from Becker as offensive weapons and big parts of this years team. Particularly as dynamic offensive weapons. I feel like Sullivan might be the best under the radar addition in the league. He fits so well in the Vermont system, does all the little things well, and is set up to have a big time impact. I am so excited to watch this team play this season. There is so much intrigue with the new additions and the new roles for returning players. One of the most interesting story lines is how the coaching staff manages balancing the old and the new. Alamutu and Guillory sound like they are ready to contribute early on but with the transfers and returning COVID year guards, there is going to be a fierce competition for minutes. The ebb and flow of the playing time at the guard position and the creative lineups that Becker employs will be exciting to follow. 

Kyle Cieplicki leaves Vermont for Pitt

In my last post I mentioned that it was rumored that Kyle Cieplicki had left Vermont to take a job at Pitt. Today that move was made official as Cieplicki was announced as the Chief of Staff for the Pitt basketball program. It sounds like he will be responsible for coordinating and overseeing much of the recruiting process at Pitt. At Vermont he had developed a strong reputation as a recruiter so it is no surprise to see him remaining in that role. The coaching staff has seen significant turnover this offseason and it will certainly be a a new look program when the season begins. The Vermont staff had been together for a very long time and the turnover is both a reflection of the current job climate around the country and one of the results of a difficult time for the Vermont program. Between COVID, the sexual assault scandal, budgets cuts, and the arena getting delayed once again, the trajectory of the Vermont program has definitely stagnated. The last time the coaching staff experienced this much turnover it coincided with Vermont going after a different level of player and reshaping its roster to begin the recent run of success. There is often a geographic shift in recruiting as each assistant coach brings with them their own connections. Whoever the replacement ends up being they will have a steep learning curve with the move being made so close to the beginning of the season. This season feels more and more like the beginning of a new era in Catamount country. 

Vermont adds a new assistant

A few days ago Vermont officially announced that Bryson Johnson joined the staff as an assistant coach. I have been waiting for this announcement for SO long as Jeff Goodman tweeted mid June that he had replaced Hamlet Tibbs. Johnson is a great addition to the Vermont program and has experience working with well respected coaches and was a very successful and high character player at Bucknell. He led the Bisons winningest senior class in history to two NCAA tournaments, finishing as the 11th all time scorer and also served as two time captain. He was a leader on the court and in the classroom as he also received numerous academic awards. A perfect fit for the type of player that Vermont typically recruits. He has worked on the staffs at George Mason and Brown after playing professionally overseas for a few years. The only real information Catamount fans need is when I retweeted that he had joined the staff TJ Sorrentine gave his stamp of approval as "one of the best". Enough said. I waited for confirmation on this move as I try to avoid reporting on information where I can't find official word or corroborating sources. I am going to break this rule right now however as this hire carries a greater importance with HoopDirt.com reporting that Kyle Cieplicki has left the program to take a job at Pitt. Ari Shapiro-Miller has also left to take a position at Johns Hopkins. That is significant turnover for a staff that had been stable and unchanged for 7 years. Getting an experienced and well respected coach like Johnson to join the staff will help this transition to an new era. 

I also wanted to mention a few thoughts after the release of the America East conference schedule. Vermont got the most odd and lopsided schedule of any team. Whether that is a good or bad thing I don't know but their schedule ended up very front loaded with tough games. They are going to have to come out of the non-conference firing on all cylinders as they play Hartford and Stony Brook back to back twice within the first eight games of the schedule. They don't play Maine or Binghamton once until the second half of the conference slate. Interesting to say the least. Most other teams have a far more balanced schedule with more of a mix of upper half and lower half teams throughout. As I said there are both positives and negatives to having the schedule constructed like this, it is just something I have never really seen before. I am definitely chomping at the bit for the non-conference schedule and it finally feels like the season is right around the corner. 

Roster information

Today on Twitter, UVM men's basketball tweeted a season preview from collegesportsmadness.com where they picked Vermont #112 in the country and #2 in the America East. A fair assessment on both counts. Nothing to post about. However as part of the preview there was a rundown of the newcomers to the Catamounts roster. On the list of newcomers was Finn Sullivan, a 6-4 senior guard transferring from the University of San Diego. It was a name I recognized because early on after Sullivan had entered the portal, I read that Vermont had been in contact. Since that point there is Zero (and I mean ZERO) information online about the rest of Sullivan's transfer process. Now here is a the funny part of the story. I was at the Five Guys on Shelburne Road about a month ago and I saw new Catamount Kameron Gibson grabbing some lunch with another guy. I was racking my brain but didn't know who it was at the time. All of a sudden while revisiting information on Sullivan today, I realized that is who Gibson was with. So with the preview and my fast food encounter, I feel that despite the lack of info, Sullivan has indeed joined the team. This is a great under the radar addition to the Vermont program. Sullivan is a versatile guard with good size and length. He dealt with injuries during his sophomore season and last season as a junior his season (like everyone elses) was disrupted by COVID. He is an intense player who wants to win and one of his goals in the portal was to find a winning program. Sullivan has shown flashes of potential but has struggled to find consistency. Over the course of his 74 career games he has averaged 6 ppg. His numbers have steadily improved each year and he shot 37% from deep last season while averaging a career high 2.7 assists. His shooting efficiency is an area of weakness but one that should improve with the system at Vermont. This is the type of player that Vermont has shown the ability to maximize their effectiveness by deploying them in short bursts and mixing and matching lineups where they will be most effective. Filling a 3 and D role off the bench with the added bonus of being a good passer will really help Vermont fill in some of the gaps in their rotation. This year's team is going to be a team where they function more as a collective unit 1-10 rather than relying on a few superstars. Another good piece for Vermont. Just one more reason why Five Guys is great. 

Some random thoughts and NIL stuff

Hello all! I am sure like me you are clamouring for some Catamount related information. It has been a incredibly quiet offseason thus far. With no basketball camps the program is quietly going about getting ready for the upcoming season. On the recruiting front the lack of information is somewhat due to how the extra COVID year  of eligibility is affecting roster construction. Next year's roster (including walk-ons) is at 18 players. 14 or 15 of those players are on scholarship. That leaves no wiggle room to offer scholarships for recruits in the 2022 class. After this COVID year teams will have to go back to only 16 total players and 13 scholarship players. So this year's recruiting trail is going to be pretty quiet. Also recruiting has fundamentally changed with the one time transfer rule. The April-May transfer period is going to be equally as significant for roster construction with players moving freely between teams. All in all there is probably not going to be a lot of news. 

The big news right now is how the new Name, Image, Likeness (NIL) guidelines will affect college athletics. It is an absolutely a welcome and necessary change that has been a long time coming in college athletics. The amateurism model has been archaic for some time and it is about time it was modernised. This discussion around NIL gets very lopsided as attention gets focused on big deals for the most famous and high profile athletes and there will certainly be some big time money thrown around. However many of the students that are going to benefit from this are the ones with YouTube channels, big followings on Tik Tok or Instagram, and other tech/social media savvy athletes. Also sports like track where product endorsement is big, will greatly benefit athletes. For Vermont athletes specifically there will be ample opportunities to partner with local business as there will be no competition from pro sports or other colleges. It will be a very interesting part of being a fan this year as there will be many interesting stories of the creative and different was on which athletes choose to make money. 

That is all for. Enjoy the Summer!

Hartford announces a move to Division III

On Thursday it was announced that Hartford University was moving forward with a plan to move all of its athletic programs to Division III. The timing of this move is shocking as the Hartford Men's basketball team is currently in its most successful stretch on the court. A few months ago there were rumblings that the University was looking into the financial ramifications of the move as an exploratory exercise. Things have obviously accelerated since then as it now seems to be a done deal. As with any transition the timeline is long with Hartford's full transition date set for the fall of 2025. For the upcoming season they will still be a full Division one member before slowly phasing out athletic scholarships. The reason for the move to DIII versus down to DII is that in DII athletic scholarships are at 80% of cost versus no athletic scholarships at the DIII level. The University line thus far is that the move is about "creating a better experience" versus financially driven but money was very much part of the decision. How did this happen? There are many factors that go into these types of decisions including the whims of a president or administration, but there are a few I would like to mention more in depth. One big factor in all college athletics is football. Conference realignment is often driven by football and athletic budgets are often driven by football. Colleges and Universities that don't have the safety net that football provides are behind the eight ball. Hartford does not have football. Another factor is what kind of fanbase the sports teams have. I can't speak to any sport other than men's basketball but for Hartford the numbers aren't good. I looked at the home attendance numbers in the America East for men's basketball since the 13-14 season when UMass Lowell entered the league (excluding last season for obvious reasons). Overall around the league attendance peaked in the 15-16 season with an average of 1,857 fans per home game across the league. The 19-20 season was actually the lowest of the seven year period with only 1,603 fans per home game. The highest average home attendance over the seven year period is Albany with 2,657 fans per home game and the lowest is New Hampshire with 596 (!!!!) fans per home game. (A quick aside in the discussion is how depressing the attendance numbers for UNH are. High school basketball games in Vermont are more well attended than that. Ouch.) Vermont has averaged 2,443 fans per home game during this stretch. Hartford sits in 5th place with an average of 1,355 fans per home game. Attendance overall has been dropping over the seven year period with only Vermont and UMBC seeing more fans in the 19-20 season than their seven year average. That would make sense as both programs have experienced an increase in on court success over that time. Albany has seen the biggest drop in attendance which also makes sense as they have seen a decrease in success. Hartford is an interesting outlier. As they have seen more on court success, their home attendance has dwindled. During the 13-14 season Hartford averaged 1,830 fans per home game. Respectable. During the 19-20 season, a season which saw the Hawks make the championship, they averaged 948 fans per home game. That is a huge drop. During the 18-19 season the number was 849 fans per home game. They are the only team in the America East that seemingly lost fans as they became more competitive. I know that was a long attendance diatribe, but I think it is relevant to how sports are perceived by the university and the community. It is sad to see Hartford on their way out. So where does the America East go from here? It will be interesting to see if they try and add a team or go back to the nine member format they had until last season. This inevitably starts the should Vermont leave the conference debate which is silly. If anything it should remind fans that many athletic departments are running on a shoestring budget and Vermont is no different. Vermont also does not have football and is not in a large metro area so taking for granted how they have managed to do so much with so little can't be overlooked. Vermont doesn't have the financial stability to move to a conference like the A10 and the A10 isn't interested in a team with no major TV market to cash in on. That just leaves moving to another one bid league which doesn't make much sense as they are already in a one bid league makes the most sense geographically This is a big blow to the America East as they finally got to the 10 team threshold and were building toward a stronger league. It will be interesting to see how the process plays out and what the league looks like on the other side. 

Supporting the victims

I have been writing and rewriting this post all week. Seeing the failure in a system you so strongly believed in brings about so much anger and disappointment. I feel ill equipped to articulate my feelings on the many layers in the attitudes towards sexual assault in our culture. The long history of devaluing the experiences of women and excusing the actions of men speaks for itself. In my most optimistic times I have hope that through the courage of those who have survived and are no longer afraid to have their voices heard, we will move forward as a society. In between I see the same lip service and promises that are always made when the underbelly of a corrupt institution is exposed. Accountability is a two sided issue. Moving forward from past mistakes with programs, initiatives, and a promise to protect and support the victims of sexual assault is necessary to create change. However, the other side of accountability in the acknowledgement of past mistakes. Without that, the push for change feels hollow. Many actions by individuals at Vermont were damaging, hurtful, and fundamentally wrong. From those committing the sexual assaults to those who failed to support the victims after the fact, there needs to be accountability. Thus far there has been no accountability or acknowledgement of the damage from past actions. I am not confident that there will be. Conversations about this are far from over and it is my hope that through these difficult conversations, through the bravery of survivors, real societal change will happen. 

Kameron Gibson joins the REAL Catamounts

Vermont landed Western Carolina (also the Catamounts) transfer Kameron Gibson. Gibson is a 6-3 guard from Cincinnati, OH. Due to the COVID year I believe Gibson will have 2 years of eligibility remaining. For Vermont this transfer is about one thing and one thing only...... three point shooting. Gibson is a career 39% shooter from three and somewhat of a specialist as 54% of his career field goal makes and 59% of his career field goal attempts are from beyond the arc. The Cats desperately needed to add shooting for next season and Gibson fits the bill nicely. Gibson is looking to jump start his career after two difficult seasons. His 2019-2020 season was cut short due to a knee injury and last season...well we all know how difficult last season was. When Gibson was a freshman in the 2018-2019 season he came out of the gates hot. In just his third career game he poured in 34 points on 8-11 shooting from beyond the arc. Gibson would go on to start 31 out of 32 games and made the Southern Conference all freshman team after averaging 13.6 points per game. One caveat to those numbers is that Western Carolina really struggled that year to the tune of a 7-25 record. This transfer seems like a good fit for both sides. Gibson is looking for an environment where he can win and recapture some of that magic from his freshman year and Vermont is desperate for some proven outside shooting at the guard position. This does make Vermont incredibly guard heavy but I envision the coaching staff going to three guard lineups while utilizing the bigger guards at the small forward position. This was an important addition as based on the way rosters are shaping up, the America East is going to see a significant influx of talent. With several teams adding experienced, all league caliber players, there is going to be fierce competition in the top half of the league. This will be the first year where in the preseason there will not be a clear preseason favorite. What an exciting way to kick off the recruiting cycle. 

Another hometown star walks on to the Catamounts

Vermont snagged  a two time Vermont Mr. Basketball from Rice as a preferred walk-on.

Sound Familiar?

Following Ben Shungu's path to the Catamounts,  Rice star Michel Ndayishimiye committed to Vermont as a walk-on with a path to a scholarship. The 5-10 guard dominated Vermont high school basketball over the last two seasons and now has an opportunity to continue his basketball career close to home. The Vermont program has established a path to success for walk-ons in recent years and with Shungu's incredible transformation, a blueprint for the top Vermont talent to achieve their goal of playing DI basketball. This partnership the Cats have developed is a win for everyone involved as the local players and fans get to take pride in their local heroes and the Vermont program has opportunities to find overlooked talent and develop them into contributors. Low risk, high reward. Ndayishimiye has the foundation of a player that could develop into a contributor in the future. He is lightning quick in every sense of the word. In the open court, first step, off the dribble, slicing to the rim, etc. His quickness and speed translate anywhere on the court and is an elite skill. He is a capable shooter and as a smaller player already has the stop on a dime pull up that will allow him to get his shot off at the college level. In the past few seasons the America East has seen several undersized guards make a huge impact and if Ndayishimiye woks hard and improves as many of the other walks-ons have, there is absolutely a path to success. At the very least he brings another dedicated, hard working, high character player to practice that will push everyone on the team and push the level of competitiveness. Practice during the upcoming season will be interesting in that the team is going to bigger than a normal year. The returning seniors do not count against the scholarship limit so the roster will be slightly larger than in a normal year. That is going to create quite a competitive atmosphere as players push to make themselves and their teammates better. I would expect another addition from the transfer portal in the coming weeks as Vermont tries to position themselves to compete for a title. With so much available talent and several coaching changes in the America East, there is going to be just as much talent entering the league as exiting. Stony Brook in particular has already put together and impressive roster through the transfer market and it will be interesting to see how some of the teams with new coaching staffs are able to shape their rosters in their first year with a transfer pool that is larger than usual and immediately eligible. The NCAA finally approved the one-time transfer exception. This will allow all student athletes the opportunity to transfer one time during their career without sitting out. A much needed change for the players. The player movement thus far has been exciting to follow and I can't wait to see how the rest of the spring plays out. 

The Seniors return

This week it was announced that Ben Shungu, Bailey Patella, Justin Mazzulla, and Tomas Murphy will all be remaining with the Catamounts for next season. This is a big boost for Vermont and will keep them competing at the top of the league. I am very excited to see what each of these players will do with a full offseason. They all showed growth and flashes during this strange season and will likely build on their success. It was also announced that Murphy will have two more seasons of eligibility as he must have received his injury waiver to gain back the season he lost. If he can get healthy and with more time in the Vermont program, Murphy is going to be a very good player. There will very likely be more and more player movement over the next month but Vermont's roster is taking shape. With two scholarships remaining I would expect the Cats to add some three point shooting. The player they really missed this past season was the Kurt Steidl/Everett Duncan 6-6 small forward who can play tough defense and hit the three. Having a player that doesn't need the ball in their hands to score is a crucial piece to any team and a piece that the Cats were missing last season. That type of player would be their ideal target but I would also expect them to explore any shooters who are available. With the enormous amount of talent in the transfer portal this season and immediate eligibility to be approved next month, most teams will be able to fill out their rosters in whatever way they would like. 

P.S. With Stef Smith committing to St. Johns its time to be a Red Storm fan as well!!

Hamlet Tibbs heads home

Vermont assistant Hamlet Tibbs has left the Vermont team to join new Albany coach Dwayne Killings' staff. It is a return home for Tibbs as he went to Troy high and has deep ties to the Albany area. Albany and Vermont were two of the handful of teams in college basketball who had kept the same staff together for the past 7 seasons and now each is dealing with change. It is a great opportunity for Tibbs and will help keep the rivalry going despite the departure of longtime coach Will Brown. Catamount country will always be eternally grateful to Tibbs for his Albany connection landing Anthony Lamb in a Vermont uniform. Mostly I am sad to lose on of the best names in college basketball. Best of luck to Tibbs who was a great representative of the program and an integral part of this incredible run of success. It will be interesting to see where Vermont turns for a replacement. They will definitely want to find someone with good recruiting connections that differ from Kyle Ceplicki's Midwest area and Ryan Schneider's Canadian connection. 

Season Wrap

For the second year in a row I am faced with the same question, How to sum up a strange season? 

Much like last season the year feels unfinished. So many what ifs and unanswered questions. After reflecting over the past week I have ultimately been left with appreciation for the basketball that was played and excited for the future when I can set foot in Patrick gym once again. 

Vermont faced challenges right from the start with the cancellation of the non-conference schedule and the departure of Bernie Andre. Ultimately the lack of practice time and cohesiveness that this program has hung their hat on, never had a chance to grow. With the second pause in January the season took on the feel of a preseason that just wouldn't end. This year having a season was the real goal and they were able to get that far. Seeing Ryan Davis emerge as the heart of the team was fun to watch and dials up the excitement for next season. Davis went from great player in the America East territory to mid-major player to watch territory faster than even the most faithful of fans saw coming. Stef Smith had an up and down final season in Catamount country but will always be up there with some of the best players to wear the white, green, and gold. Now Smith has a great and unique opportunity to take his extra year of eligibility and see how far he can take his game as he entered the transfer portal this week. It is a just reward for every player that worked through the hardships of this season and is going to make the landscape of college basketball very exciting next season. One of the best stories from this season was Ben Shungu taking his game to a new level. To go from a walk-on to an all-conference player is a testament to his hard work and dedication. Steady, consistent, and always there to make the right play, Shungu was the glue that held the team together. Maybe he will be back for one more season? One definite point of excitement for next season is Sam Alamutu arriving in Catamount country. He has all the makings of the next great Catamount.

Uncertainty will be the name of the game this offseason as coaching changes and player movement ramp up. Becker's name has and will continue to come up as the coaching carousel turns. With the transfer rules shifting to a one-time transfer without sitting out and the extra year of eligibility, there will be more player movement than in a typical year as well. It is going to be near impossible to predict what the roster will look like next season and it will probably be awhile before it is set in stone. 

The big thing that the coaching staff will need to do this offseason is to develop some outside shooting. Having a regular offseason program should work out the defensive kinks and the depth issues that popped up down the stretch. However the perimeter shooting struggles are going to need to be a point of emphasis over the course of the offseason. Too many time teams were able to sag in the lane and cut off drives to the basket because they were not worried about the Cats getting hot from three. Over the last 10 years or so Vermont had has at least one and often two "all time great" three point shooters on the floor. This has been a incredible luxury and is why the Cats offense has improved so much during that time. 

Also congrats to Hartford for making the tournament for the first time. Second chances are a rare commodity and the Hawks made sure to not let theirs slip away. There is nothing better as a fan than when your team finally wins a title. The Catamounts will be back to reclaim the crown next season. 

Lastly, I want to thank all the readers for making this blog a fun extension of being a fan. I love having the opportunity to share my thoughts and observations. The countdown 'til next season begins.

America East Semifinal 03/06/21

 Hartford 71 Vermont 65

There will be a new champion in the America East after Hartford rode hot shooting into their second consecutive final. With Lowell picking off UMBC, the Hawks will host the title game next weekend. Traci Carter and Austin Williams dominated the game from start to finish with their energy and aggressiveness. Williams finished with 24 and 9 rebounds and Traci Carter dominated the second half, finishing with 23 points. Hartford executed their game plan perfectly and made all the tough shots. The Hawks shot 63% for the game and made 10-19 (53%) from three. They played tough perimeter defense and Vermont went 1-9 from three in the second half. The Hartford players were laser focused and didn't even do any crazy celebration after the game as if they expected to get back to the finals. Guess the universe is balancing the ledger so to speak after the Hawks worked so hard to get a shot at the tourney last year before having it ripped away. Vermont struggled to get into a rhythm on offense and their defensive rotations got out of whack several times. Ryan Davis scored 16 to lead the Cats and Ben Shungu added 14 points and 6 assists. Stef Smith really struggled, finishing  4-15 from the floor and 1-8 from three. The struggles from the perimeter reared their ugly head and Vermont went through stretches where Hartford just out worked them. Maybe it was the layoff or maybe it was the stress of a long season but the Cats just didn't have the spark in today's game. No postseason for the first time in a long time and Vermont heads into the offseason on a tough note after a challenging season. This is going to be a interesting offseason. Extra years of eligibility and changing transfer rules are going to make the recruiting landscape completely different. Also, now is the time that the stress of the season and the sacrifices are really going to set in. Players and coaches across the country experienced a season like no other and reflecting on that is going to be tough. It is also Becker watch time in Catamount country as the coaching carousel around the country will be in full swing. I will wrap up the season in more detail sometime next week but want to take this opportunity to thank the Vermont program for their hard work and sacrifice this season. I can't imagine some of the hardships they had to endure to make this season happen. As a fan I got to enjoy the fruits of the hard labor and am incredibly proud of what this team was able to accomplish this season. It wasn't the result anyone wanted but I am thankful for the basketball that was able to be played this year. Everyone should be proud of this Catamount team. Overcoming the pandemic and staying safe and healthy while playing the game they love is victory enough. Thank you.