Nassau Championship: Vermont vs Long Beach State

Long Beach State 78 Vermont 58

Did I say yesterday was rock bottom for offensive flow? I stand corrected. 

Vermont was dominated yet again as their marathon road trip finally comes to a close with a loss to Long Beach State. The Cats were never in this game scoring one basket in the first 7 minutes and never recovering. There are not many positives to take away from the road trip. The schedule was not constructed well, the team is struggling mightily to connect, and now Nick Fiorillo's injury hangs in the air as another roadblock to success. Things are tough for Vermont right now. At this point it is basically a complete do over. Back in their own beds and then an "exhibition" game against NVU-Lyndon to hit the reset button and start the season over. The offense is completely broken. Almost every possession is a scramble ending in one on one isolations. There is no post offense at all and even the sure handed veterans are turning the ball over at an alarming clip.  Vermont shot 35% from the field and committed 17 turnovers compared to only 9 assists. Back to the drawing board to find an offensive approach that fits the personnel on this team. The Vermont coaching staff has always done a great job of building their roster to fit the system they run. It feels like they misjudged or overreached to try and fill out the roster and are now struggling to make the pieces fit. This offseason certainly required more creativity than the coaching staff has ever had to do before, and as of right now, it doesn't look like it is going to be a traditional Vermont team. That doesn't mean they can't make it work, but the climb is much steeper. At the same time Bryant and UMass Lowell have burst out of the gates and are staking their claim to be the favorites going into conference play. If conference play started today, I am not even sure where to place Vermont based on how they have looked over the last two weeks. The month of December will be an opportunity to take a deep breath, reassess, and find a way to build some momentum. 

Nassau Championship: Vermont vs UNCW

UNCW 68 Vermont 66

UNCW forced 17 Vermont turnovers and rode a big second half to a victory over the Catamounts. Now that the sample size is big enough, it is clear that Vermont has some serious Jekyll and Hyde tendencies. There were stretches in tonight's game where Vermont look great on both sides of the ball and really demonstrated the potential that this team has. Unfortunately there were also stretches where they looked completely lost on the court. Vermont started slow but their defense kept them in the game. Robin Duncan dominated the first half and Vermont built a 10 point lead. Then they came out in the second half and looked as though they were going to run away with it, maintaining the 10 point lead through the first part of the half. Then Duncan went to the bench with foul trouble and Finn Sullivan lost control of his emotions getting a technical and giving the Seahawks a 4 point possession to take the lead. This was kind of a rock bottom game for the offensive flow. The Cats finished with 6 assists and 17 turnovers. Too much isolation and too many miscommunications. The big achilles heel on defense continues to be putting the opponent on the line over and over again. When teams have been going into attack mode, Vermont has struggled to get stops. UNCW had several stretches where they did not make a bucket from the field but were buoyed by getting freebies at the line. It is really too bad because for the middle part of the game Vermont was downright dominating the Seahawks. 

Robin Duncan was everywhere in the first half and finished with 13 points and 9 rebounds. He looked great getting to the rim and finishing. His rebounding has been huge for the Cats and it is not a surprise that when he was off the court due to foul trouble, Vermont struggled. Dylan Penn led the Cats with 21 points, showing his arsenal of finishes with both hands and knocking down his free throws. He is finally finding his footing. Aaron Deloney and Finn Sullivan chipped in 11 points apiece but also combined for 9 turnovers. Many of them were unforced bad passes. Finn also fouled out on the play where he got his technical and has to kind of hit the reset button. He had a nice stretch in the second half but is struggling to pick his spots and doesn't look confident out on the court. Nick Fiorillo went down in the first half with what looked like a knee injury and did not return. Hopefully it is nothing serious because the Cats would get a lot smaller if he were to miss time. 

Vermont is in a strange place right now. They have stretches where they look like the team they want to be and stretches that are unwatchable. They are searching for that consistency to play a full 40 minutes and that chemistry where everyone knows their role. Time to regroup and get the win in the third place game. 

Nassau Championship: Vermont vs Ball State

Vermont 78 Ball State 73

Vermont got back into the win column thanks to big games from Kam Gibson and Aaron Deloney in the first game of the Baha Mar Hoops Nassau Championship Tournament. The Cats found some space to operate on offense and knocked down shots. The lift in energy from finally seeing some shots go through the net was noticeable. The Cats had much more pep in their step and as a result got more loose balls and were more engaged and energetic. Vermont shot 53 percent from the field and outrebounded Ball State 34-30. It also finally felt like they got some bounces to go their way as Ball State missed 13 free throws. This was a huge win for Vermont's confidence and the first step in getting some positive momentum. Outside of a tough stretch of 6 consecutive turnovers at the end of the first half, Vermont took better care of the ball and you could see flashes of chemistry coming together. When they needed big plays and big shots in this game guys came through, When Ball State tied the game at 41 in the second half and then the Cats made three consecutive three pointers to retake the lead, that was the type of gritty, "rise to the moment" play that Vermont has been searching for. 

Kam Gibson took advantage of his second consecutive start and really set the tone for Vermont. Gibson finished with 19 points, his highest total in a Catamount uniform and his most in a game since his freshman season at Western Carolina. Really happy for Kam as he has worked very hard to integrate himself in to the Vermont system and there have been little glimpses of the progress before finally putting it all together today. He knocked down 3/6 from three and had some beautiful drives to the rim. Aaron Deloney, back in his 6th man role, rediscovered his stroke and led the Cats with 20 points. He scrapped and battled for every bucket and had some highlight reel finishes at the rim. Deloney was also very engaged on the defensive end and actually led Vermont with 7 rebounds. Dylan Penn also reached double figures with 14 points and was finally able to showcase his go to righty hook in the lane move. Matt Veretto also added a nice scoring punch off the bench with 9 points and 4 rebounds. His perimeter shooting is going to be a real asset for Vermont this season. Robin Duncan struggled passing the ball but once again hit the boards hard and had two big offensive rebound putbacks.  He hasn't been as effective in his new role so far this season but battle hard in today's game. 

Vermont stepped up and won a game they had to have and set themselves up with a chance to advance to the championship game with a win against the winner of UNCW/Missouri State. Great way to end the losing streak and give themselves a chance to make noise in this tournament. 

Vermont at Yale 11/22/22

Yale 73 Vermont 44

Vermont fell apart in the second half and was dominated by their opponent for a second game in a row. The Cats rode a new starting lineup to a 30-27 halftime lead. Coming out of the break Vermont looked lost and discombobulated once again as Yale relentlessly attack the rim. Vermont only scored 14 second half points as the wheels came off completely on both sides of the ball. Woof. Through the California trip Vermont had some close losses and it looked like a few tweaks here or there could get them to their preseason expectations. After the last two games, it might be time to redefine those expectations. There is not much to draw from for positives over the past two games and this team currently is not demonstrating the intensity and toughness that has kept Vermont from experiencing blowouts like this over the course of Becker's tenure. Vermont teams have always found a way to compete by either getting stops or coming up with big buckets when needed. Right now the Cats can't seem to get anything to go right on either end. If feels like for the first time in a while the coaching staff struggled to construct a roster to fit the system that they run and are trying to change things on the fly with little success. The schedule has certainly been hard but over the last two games Vermont has not given themselves a fighting chance. Honestly it is incredible that the over the last decade Vermont has been so consistent and so dominant they have never really had a stretch like this. Most programs do have a stretch of poor games or a "rebuilding" season where things just don't come together like the coaching staff envisions. It is early in the season and there is time to fit everything together, but the last two games have been tough to watch. 

The lineup changes finally came in tonight's game with Robin Duncan and Aaron Deloney heading to the bench and Matt Veretto and Kam Gibson in the starting lineup. Initially it looked as though that change was going to pay off as Veretto and Gibson had solid first halves. Veretto was the lone bright spot for Vermont finishing with 12 points. The biggest challenge for Vermont right now is that they want to spread out the defense, drive to the hole and kick out for three, but don't have any reliable three point shooters to kick the ball to. After a 2-12 showing from three against Iona, the Cats were 4-22 in tonight's game. That is an ice cold 17.6%. Opposing defenses have been able to pack the paint and as a result Vermont is neither finishing at the rim or knocking down threes. Pretty tough to win basketball games with only one of those dimensions and impossible to win without either. Right now the pieces are just not fitting on either side of the ball. 

Now to finish with one sliver of hope. When I looked at the schedule at the beginning of the season at this point I thought they would be 2-4. I had the Fullerton game as a win and they were oh so close. So they are not that far off from a wins and losses perspective from where I thought they would be. Both Iona and Yale seemed like losses preseason and that has played out, albeit in a fashion I certainly never dreamed. Hopefully they can get a few to go their way down in the Bahamas and come back refreshed and ready to put the marathon road trip to begin the season behind them. 

Vermont vs Iona 11/18/22

Iona 71 Vermont 50

Ouch. 

Iona blitzed Vermont out of the gates and never let their foot off the gas in a dominating performance. After looking more together and cohesive in the USC game, the Cats took a step back in this one looking disjointed and frustrated. As I mentioned in the season preview, this is a grueling non conference schedule where they play several other teams who have tournament aspirations and there are no cupcakes. The Cats were never in this one with too many turnovers and missed layups. Vermont is looking for an offensive identity. There are no go to offensive sets and too many possessions devolve into one on one improvisation. As I mentioned in the last post lineup changes were going to be coming and it only took until the second half of the game tonight. Becker benched three starters to begin the second half, sending a message that the quality of play needs to increase. This feels like a key moment in Vermont's season. They have now lost four in a row and did not even give themselves a chance in this game. Lots of soul searching after this one and it makes the Yale game a must win situation. It might seem early for that talk but with another long trip and a three games in three days tournament coming up, the Cats need some positive momentum.

Dylan Penn was the only Catamount in double figures with 10 points but he was one of the starters benched to start the second half. He is not engaged enough on the court and has too many lapses on both ends of the floor. He has had stretches where he is very impactful but they are often sandwiched between lackadaisical play. He has some major work to do to make the impact that was expected preseason. Aaron Deloney did not play at all in the second half. He struggled with the physicality of the Iona guards and did not score. Nick Fiorillo was the other starter on the bench to start the second half. His transition to be more of a traditional big man is not going well at the moment. He doesn't have a strong back to the basket game and is struggling with the physicality underneath. Sam Alamutu, Kam Gibson, and Perry Smith Jr were the replacement starters to begin the second half. Alamutu made some nice plays and gave them more size and strength on the perimeter. Smith Jr had some nice moments and some not so great moments. He finished with 8 points and 5 rebounds showcasing his size and strength underneath. He also turned the ball over several times and only shot 3-7 from the field. There were some growing pains for sure but he is going to be the answer for Vermont underneath. His ability to get up to speed and make an impact is going to be the deciding factor in Vermont's sucess this season. Finn Sullivan really struggled in this game. He got some tough offensive foul calls early and let his emotions get the best on him. Sullivan finished with 7 turnovers which is astronomical, particularly for someone who takes such good care of the ball. Robin Duncan also turned the ball over 4 times and was ineffective offensively. He grabbed 9 rebounds to lead Vermont again, which is why he plays a crucial role despite his offensive struggles. 

Vermont is in a tough spot. I very much think they can still fix the issues but the preseason expectations may have skewed the view of how this team would perform early. They are replacing a lot and have players shifting to roles they have never played before. With a schedule packed with so many good teams, getting wins while smoothing out the wrinkles is a tall task. How they play against Yale on Tuesday will answer a lot of questions about the resolve of this Vermont team. 

Vermont at USC 11/15/22

 USC 59 Vermont 57

Vermont battled hard in the final game of their West Coast swing before falling to USC. The game capped an 0-3 trip but the Cats looked more cohesive and pushed USC for a full 40 minutes. The defense was much better with quicker rotations, more court awareness, and the Cats kept the Trojans off the offensive glass. Despite playing a double overtime game just two days prior, the energy and intensity were there. The offensive movement was better and the Cats were able to get good shots. Unfortunately the shots just wouldn't go down. Vermont only shot 36% from the field and just couldn't seem to string baskets together.  Then down the stretch they had one too many fouls, putting USC on the line. It is easy to get caught up in the missed shots but this team looked the part tonight and got back to playing Vermont basketball. It was an exciting back and forth game and thank god for DVR because there was no way I was staying up that late. Nothing like a little early morning game watching.

Finn Sullivan led the charge with 17 points and 6 rebounds. He played a great game, making tough shots and coming up with big defensive plays. He has a tremendous opportunity for a big season as the Cats most versatile player. Dylan Penn chipped in 11 points and 5 rebounds. The box score doesn't really show it but he was much more engaged on defense and looked more comfortable in the offense. Nick Fiorillo had some nice buckets early but struggled from deep. Matt Veretto grabbed 5 rebounds but also struggled to knock down shots from the outside. Robin Duncan once again led the team with 7 rebounds in a scoreless effort. Aaron Deloney really struggled to get anything going after early foul trouble. Overall the Cats really passed the "eye test" in this game. The lineups looked more cohesive and the chemistry looked much better. I do wonder if we will start to see some lineup tweaks as the individual roles begin to take shape. 

The schedule does not let up anytime soon. This non-conference schedule is grueling from start to finish and there will be no time to appreciate the gains the the Cats made in this game. Both Iona and Yale have looked good to start the season and then it is off to the Bahamas. Hopefully this game was a sign of the accelerated growth this team is going to go through while running this gauntlet. The Iona game on Friday should be a great battle between two premiere northeast mid major programs. 

Vermont at Cal State Fullerton 11/13/22

 Cal State Fullerton 94 Vermont 85 2OT

Vermont fell short in a back and forth affair with Cal State Fullerton. Both teams made big plays and at the same time neither could put the other away. It was a choppy game for both teams with lots of fouls and free throws. The live stats were not working so I won't be able to give exact numbers, but the Cats committed far to many fouls and many of them were a product of being a step behind and out of position on defense. What kept Vermont in the game was that for a while Fullerton was missing from the line at a high clip. The Cats came out of halftime on a big run a looked as though they were going to pull away. They couldn't put the Titans away and ended up in a tight game. Both teams struggled to capitalize and execute when given an opportunity to extend the lead until finally Fullerton pulled away in the second overtime. This one stings a little because there were so many opportunities for Vermont to win this game. 

Dylan Penn showed why he was such a prized transfer and how he is going to be a big part of Vermont's team this season. Penn had a big game, slicing to the rim and getting to the free throw line. He even knocked down a few threes and tied the game at the end of regulation with a beautiful drive to the rim. He is certainly shaking off the rust now and will continue to integrate himself into the offense. Nick Fiorillo played through foul trouble but was tough underneath. He battled all night but unfortunately missed the game winning free throw at the end of the first overtime. He and Aaron Deloney have incredible chemistry in the two man game and it would be good for the Vermont offense to see more of it. Speaking of Deloney, he struggled shooting the ball but gutted and gritted his way and came up with big shots and made plays for his teammates. Robin Duncan was again tough and physical on the boards. Unfortunately much of this play was overshadowed by the excessive fouling. Finn Sullivan fouled out at the end of regulation and the Cats could have really used his defense in the overtime periods. I believe Duncan, Gibson, and Fiorillo also fouled out as well. The defense continues to be a work in progress and Penn, by virtue of his crucial role in the offense, has a lot of catching up to do in order to tighten up the rotations. 

Fullerton was one of the more winnable games on this road trip and the Cats are certainly getting a season's worth of experience in a short time span. No rest for the road weary as they are right back at it against USC on Tuesday night. 

Vermont at St. Mary's 11/10/22

St. Mary's 79 Vermont 53

St. Mary's dominated Vermont on the boards and used their trademark smothering defense to hand Vermont their first loss. After a favorable matchup in the opener, the Cats were challenged by a St. Mary's team with a strong post presence and they struggled to play their small lineup effectively. Vermont tried to send double teams to compensate for their lack of size but the Gaels disciplined, unselfish offense picked apart the scrambling Vermont defense. Vermont also struggled to find any offensive rhythm against the vaunted St. Mary's defense. Once again the inexperience showed with too many turnovers, disjointed offensive possessions, and missed rotations on defense. Vermont struggled mightily on the boards and currently that is the weakness they need to address most urgently. St. Mary's is one of the most consistently strong mid-major programs in the country and they proved that tonight. This will serve as a starting point for the Cats to learn from and begin to grow and gel as a team. 

Robin Duncan had an offensive explosion scoring the first seven points for Vermont and finishing with a team high 14 points. It is the most points Duncan has scored since he scored 16 against Lyndon State in the third game of his career back in 2018 (that seems like another lifetime). He knocked down 2/2 from three as he looks to increase his role in the offense this season. Dylan Penn chipped in 13 points as the only other Catamount in double figures. It was an uneven game from Penn with some turnovers and defensive mistakes but he was finally able to find some space and get to the basket. Getting some rhythm and positive momentum after missing so much time is important for Penn. Finn Sullivan led Vermont with 7 rebounds and chipped in 8 points of his own. Aaron Deloney was the target of the St. Mary's defensive effort after his offensive explosion on Monday and struggled to find daylight, finishing with 7 points. Matt Veretto tweaked his foot in the first half and did not return. After having foot problems over the summer, I hope it is nothing too serious. 

Vermont really took it on the chin in this one and it will be interesting to see how they bounce back against Cal State Fullerton on Sunday night. With a young team learning about the rigors of college basketball it will be important to build some positive momentum with USC looming on Tuesday night. 

Aaron Deloney does it again

Vermont 80 Brown 65

Aaron Deloney poured in a career high 32 points, leading Vermont to victory in the season opener. The Cats took control right from the opening tip and maintained a lead for the entire game. Early on Vermont set the tone with their defense in what was a very physical game throughout.  Then both teams found their footing on the offensive end and began to make shots. This was the perfect opponent for the Cats to open against because Brown similarly has a smaller team without a true back to the basket presence. That allowed Vermont to play mostly four guard lineups and still play tough defense and win the rebounding battle. The only real eyesore from the game was the 17 turnovers committed by the Cats. Early season jitters and guys being a little out of sync contributed for sure but often Vermont was a little careless with the ball. Overall a very strong start to the season and a great way to go into a very tough stretch of games on the road, beginning with the California trip.

Back to Deloney. What an incredible performance. Watching him throughout the offseason you could see a player who was ready to seize his opportunity and become more involved in the offense. With Dylan Penn missing time with his injury, Deloney was thrust into an even bigger role and he has seized it. He has been and was tonight the focal point of the Vermont offense. His teammates are looking for him and he has delivered. When he catches the ball he is immediately looking to make a play and is finishing in every way possible. Tonight he shot 11/14 from the field, 4/5 from three, and 6/6 from the line while also leading the team with 5 assists. Unreal start to his season. Finn Sullivan once again impacted the game in many ways. He chipped in 12 points and grabbed 7 rebounds. The area where he was just incredible was on the defensive end. He finished with 4 steals but must have tipped or deflected another 5-6 passes. His reaction time and hand eye coordination continue to impress. Robin Duncan once again demonstrated how to dominate a game without scoring by running the offense and playing tough defense while grabbing a team high 8 rebounds. One of the most exciting stretches of the game belonged to TJ Hurley. I have gushed about Hurley regularly this offseason and he did not disappoint in his Catamount debut. In the second half he threw down a dunk on a fastbreak for the loudest moment of the night and then followed it up with a big three. Big time buckets. Hurley finished with 11 points and continues to impress with his poise and knowledge of the game. Nick Fiorillo, Matt Veretto, and Perry Smith Jr all had nice moments made plays when they were called upon. Dylan Penn made his return after his hand injury and predictably was a little out of sorts after missing time. He drew Becker's ire throughout the night for missed assignments on defense and struggles to execute on offense. Chalk that one up to missed time and getting back up to game speed. Better days are ahead. 

What a great way to kick off the season. Now off to the west coast for some late nights. I am going do my best to watch every game but that 11pm start for the USC game next week brings tears to my eyes. Next up is a very good St. Mary's squad on Thursday night. That will be a very physical game with a whole lot of defense. So happy that college basketball is back. 

Vermont season preview 22-23

The regular season is finally here and now that Vermont has a few exhibition games under their belt, it is time to take a look at how this season might shape up. Expectations are high for the Cats this season as they look to continue their incredible run of success. There are more questions surrounding this team than in years past as Vermont will be relying on several newcomers to be significant contributors. With one of their most challenging non-conference slates on deck, this year’s Cats will be tested early and often as they prepare for the all important conference play. Here are a few thoughts before the season opener on Monday. 

Projected record: 20-11 (13-3). 1st in the America East. NCAA tourney berth. 

Projecting wins and losses is always tough but it is a good place to start. The potential of this team is clear. They have an immense pool of talent and a strong group of experienced guards. However, much of the excitement is really a testament to the Vermont program and how good their player development has been. They have a lot of new faces and after watching the exhibition games it is clear that the early part of this season is going to be about patience. This year's non-conference schedule is very tough and this group is being thrown into the fire. I believe that by the time conference play rolls around Vermont will have worked the kinks out because the coaching staff always finds a way to make the pieces fit. Last year they were able to incorporate the new pieces while relying on Ben Shungu and Ryan Davis to carry the team. This year the Cats don't have that luxury and will need contributions from the new players right away. 

Schedule:

This year’s non-conference schedule is a beast for a couple of reasons. The first is how much Vermont will be on the road. After the opener on Monday they have 8 consecutive games on the road. That is quite a challenge out of the gates. The caliber of opponent is another factor in this schedule. All but three of their opponents were picked to finish in the top half of their league, including playing three other preseason conference winners (Merrimack, Iona, Colgate) and two who were picked second (St. Mary’s, Toledo). That is a lot of talented and motivated squads who have championship aspirations. Having a challenging schedule like this has always helped Vermont down the line because they face so many different and challenging game situations early in the year. This has always accelerated their growth as a team and prepares them to win tough games in February and March. I do think that that will still happen this year but probably with a few more losses than in past years. The key will be how will the inexperienced players and the fans for that matter stay patient and believe in the potential of this team. We as fans have a mission this year to play the long game along with the team and not get bogged down in early results. Last year was a good test run for this when the team struggled so much from three in the early part of the non-conference before becoming a perimeter shooting machine as they moved into conference play. 

Defense and rebounding:

The area where inexperience affects Vermont the most is on the defensive side of the ball. Defense and rebounding are the hallmarks of the Vermont program. It is what has made them so consistently competitive over the years. The system they run is dependent on team continuity and each player trusting that everyone is where they need to be. It takes time to get all of the nuances and this year there are going to be several rotational players who currently only have a few months under their belt. During the preseason it was clear that finding the combination of players who can be relied on for stretches when the Cats need to ramp up the defense is going to take time. 

Young stars emerging:

While the veterans will make up the largest part of Vermont's rotations, the Cats will need contributions from their young guys. Each has shown flashes through the preseason but game action is a whole different animal. TJ Hurley has played his way into minutes with not just his shooting ability but with his knack for coming up big when the Cats need a bucket. He plays with a calm beyond his years and could provide the Vermont offense with a jolt off the bench this season, very similar to Aaron Deloney's role last season. Even with the guard depth the Cats have, I would expect Hurley to play his way into big minutes. Finding frontcourt depth is a huge storyline this season and this is where a young player absolutely has to emerge. Between Perry Smith Jr, Ileri Ayo-Faleye, and Jorge Ochoa, the Cats will need at least one of these players to play big minutes. I am sure they will all have an opportunity for minutes but I do think someone distinguishes themselves and takes a larger chunk of minutes. 

Extra year drive:

Robin Duncan, Finn Sullivan, Kam Gibson, and Dylan Penn are all using their extra season for one more shot at the NCAA tourney. It is well known that the driving force behind Penn’s decision to transfer was to go to a school who can make the tournament. Every year there is a player, like Shungu last season, who takes that final year motivation and turns it into a stellar season. Seeing these guys leave it all out on the floor is gonna be fun and will help set the tone for the younger players. Someone in this group is likely to have a career year and put the team on their back. 

Deloney and Fiorillo take the next step:

Throughout the offseason Aaron Deloney has looked nothing short of incredible, shooting at a high percentage from three and making plays off the dribble. He was incredible in bursts last season and looks ready to become an even bigger part of the rotation. His emergence was a huge part of their success in conference last season and if his preseason is any indication the breakout is going to continue. Nick Fiorillo is another player who really emerged last season and is poised to be handed all the minutes he can handle. His versatility at the top of the key either as a screener, passer, or shooter is gonna be a nice piece for the Cats this season. Fiorillo has one of the tougher tasks this season as the coaching staff is asking him to be more of a traditional big man, particularly on the defensive end. That is not a natural fit and his growth into that role will be an interesting storyline throughout the year. 

Becker coaching milestone:

It is crazy to think that Becker will become Vermont’s all time winningest coach sometime this season. When he took the job he was tasked with continuing the success that Vermont had built over the previous decade. He managed to do that and then fly past that expectation and put his own stamp on the program by raising the bar even higher. 

I could go on and on about this season and I think that is because more than in recent seasons, it is hard to tell what kind of team Vermont will be this season. There are so many variables to the Cats success this season and with so many new pieces it is going to be fun seeing how they all fit together. Monday night is going to be a ton of fun and should be a great atmosphere.

America East conference preview

The America East coaches poll has been released so I thought I would take a swing at how I think the team will finish this season. A new era begins in the league with the addition of Bryant and the departures of Hartford and Stony Brook. The addition of Bryant immediately brings a new challenger at the top of the league. While the transfer portal fueled Bryant's ascent to the top, it caused several teams in the bottom half of the league to scramble to complete a roster. Last season was a reminder about that the portal can yield equally unknown results as a freshman recruiting class. I remember writing my preview last year and lauding the talent up and down the league that was brought in through the portal. Many of the players that were highlighted ended up injured or ineffective. This year there is more of a balance between teams integrating young players and additions from the transfer portal. Now on to a few thoughts about each team and how they will finish. 

1. Vermont

        Picked to be the top finisher by the coaches and every other preseason rating system, the Cats are ready to compete for another title. They lost several major contributors due to graduation and are incorporating several new players into the program. They do however have an experienced core group of returnees who are ready to grow into new and expanded roles. Robin Duncan, Finn Sullivan, Nick Fiorillo and Aaron Deloney will all be asked to do a little bit more and expand their games in order to fill in the gaps. Expectations are high for Sullivan in particular, especially after he was named to the preseason all conference team. He showed flashes and stretches of dominating games last season and will be looking for more consistency this season. Dylan Penn is the most experienced of the new Cats and once he returns from injury will be the focal point of the Vermont offense. A preseason all conference performer as well, Penn is driven to make the NCAA tourney after losing out last season due to Bellarmine's DI transition status, making them ineligible last season. The rest of the rotation is a mystery with high potential players like Matt Veretto, Ileri Ayo-Faleye, Kam Gibson, TJ Hurley, Perry Smith Jr, and Sam Alamutu looking to make an impact. Getting the frontcourt rotation figured out will be the key to Vermont's success. 

2. Bryant

        A new challenger emerges as Bryant enters its first season in the America East with sky high expectations. Making huge additions through the transfer portal, the Bulldogs have positioned themselves as a team with a championship on their mind. Bryant also presents a foil to the traditional America East style of basketball. Slow paced and defensive minded has been the name of the game around the league for quite some time. The Bulldogs will look to buck that trend with their high flying up tempo offense and zone heavy defensive scheme. Charles Pride is Bryant's key returner who will likely lead the league in scoring and make a run at conference player of the year. Earl Timberlake highlights the group of transfers and joined Pride on the preseason all conference team. Timberlake was a projected first round NBA draft pick out of high school and is looking to stay healthy and capitalize on his tantalizing potential. A plethora of other transfers highlighted by Rhode Island transfer Antwan Walker and March Madness favorite Doug Edert will help fill out the Bulldogs rotation. They will challenge the Cats for sure and have the talent to make a run at the title. The biggest questions will be: Does their style translate to the America East? Will they play enough defense to win the tight games in February and March? The Bryant/Vermont instant rivalry will be the story of the season. 

3. UMass Lowell

        In a season with so much change, the River Hawks are the team bringing back the most experience and minutes. Max Brooks returns as an established defensive force and with a pre-season all conference nod under his belt, he will be looking to expand his game even further. Allin Blunt, Everette Hammond, and Ayinde Hikim give them a strong core of returning guards. Getting Connor Withers back from injury will be a huge lift. Withers broke out during the shortened COVID season and looked poised to establish himself as on of the league's best players before last season's injury. Lowell will be looking to transfers Yuri Covington, Mikey Watkins, and Abdoul Karim Coulibaly to get them over the hump and into the top half of the league. Coulibaly in particular will be crucial in bringing size to the River Hawks frontcourt. Always scrappy on defense and efficient on offense, Lowell has a tremendous opportunity this season to push the top teams. Last season the River Hawks had the unfortunate distinction of being the worst three point shooting team on offense and the worst team at defending the three. Improving even one of those areas will be key to winning. 

4. Binghamton

        For the first time in a while Binghamton comes in to the season with some positive momentum. The Bearcats were mostly competitive in the middle of the pack and return several key players. Jacob Falko was named preseason all-conference and along with John McGriff, Christian Hinckson, an Dan Petcash, the Bearcats have an experienced group of returnees. Binghamton made huge strides on the defensive end last season and are one of the bigger and more physical teams in the conference. With so much experience and a more defensive mindset, the Bearcats are set to surprise some people this season. The key will be pushing forward and not losing the momentum they built last season. They might not quite crack the top of the league but will be pushing to emerge from the middle of the pack and give themselves an opportunity to make noise in the conference tournament. 

5. UMBC

        In Jim Ferry's first season, the Retrievers were able to continue the programmatic momentum they built under Ryan Odom. Coming off a second place finish and a championship game appearance, Ferry and UMBC will use that experience to motivate and inspire a new group. Even though the Retrievers are one of the teams who had to recreate their entire team, I think they have put together an intriguing roster. Jacob Boonyasith, Yaw Obeng-Mensah, and Matteo Picarelli are the lone returners who played significant minutes. They did add some experience with the rare in conference transfer, adding Jarvis Doles from Albany. The Retrievers add Tra'Von Fagan from the transfer portal and are hoping for a healthy season from Anyang Garang to improve their rebounding and give them a more effective post presence. It UMBC can get more out of their big men this season, they will push the teams at the top of the league.

6. Albany

        The Great Danes are a very young team brimming with talent but probably still a year away from pushing the teams at the top. Freshman of the year winner Justin Neely is joined by Aaron Reddish, and Ny'Mire Little to form a formidable sophomore class. Jonathan Beagle should be one of the best freshman in the league and looks to make an instant impact. To balance the young core Albany added Mailk Edmead, Sarju Patel, Da'Kquan Davis, and Japannah Kellogg from the transfer portal. This is the team that is hardest to project. I truly feel like they could finish several spots higher but there are too many question marks at this point in the season. The biggest area in need of improvement is finding more offensive continuity. The Great Danes offense was choppy at best and featured too much isolation. If Albany can get better ball movement and get more open looks, they could exceed their preseason expectations. 

7. NJIT

        The Highlanders fell apart down the stretch last year, losing 5 straight including a 39 point loss to Vermont in the quarterfinals to end their season. Another team that suffered from an isolation heavy offense that caused them to be the worst shooting team in the conference. They will be looking to find more team cohesion and get themselves back to the middle of the league. Miles Coleman and Souleymane Diakite were effective in spurts and bring experience to a young group. Keeshawn Mason and Mekhi Gray showed flashes last season and will look to make a jump this season. The Highlanders made a huge splash on the recruiting trail landing guard Paul McMillan IV, their highest rated recruit ever. Transfer Raheim Sullivan will try to ease the load early but McMillan will need to make a significant instant impact if the Highlanders are going to stay out of the basement. 

8.    New Hampshire

        No team had more work to do to fill their roster this offseason than the Wildcats. Nick Johnson is the only player to return who played significant minutes. One Player. Period. That is really all you need to know about the Wildcats season outlook. They managed to fill a roster but they need everything to go right to be competitive this season. Maybe they found some diamonds in the rough but it might be a long season in Durham. 

9.     Maine

        All that needs to be said about the Maine basketball program is that even with the offseason turmoil that New Hampshire experienced, the Black Bears are still picked to finish last. I really like the Chris Markwood hire and if anyone can get momentum there, it is an alum with coaching experience at two great New England programs. They do return more than New Hampshire but it has been a long time since Maine had any success no matter what the makeup of their team was. Just climbing out of the Division I basement would be an improvement. 

        

Exhibition: Vermont vs Middlebury 11/2/22

Vermont 79 Middlebury 62

TJ Hurley caught fire in the second half to lift Vermont to a victory over Middlebury. He was a bright spot in what was otherwise a tough go for the Catamounts. Middlebury played hard and Alex Sobel dominated Vermont down low. Becker was yanking guys in and out and emptied the bench in an attempt to light a fire in the Cats. In similar fashion to the St. Mike's game, Vermont was out physicaled underneath and struggled to rebound the basketball. Strong rebounding, particularly on the defensive glass has been a hallmark of the Vermont program over the years. This years team has quite a hill to climb in order to bring their performance up to that level. The inexperience in the frontcourt was very apparent during the two exhibition games. Teams with a strong low post presence are going to give Vermont fits early in the season. With a very difficult non-conference slate ahead of the Cats, they could be taking some pretty big lumps as the coaches try to get froncourt rotation figured out. 

Much like he did on the Canadian tour, Hurley scored with a burst in the second half. He finished with 21 points on 8-13 shooting (4-8 from three). His ability to score is going to be a huge asset to the Cats this season and I would expect him to have some big games. Finn Sullivan continued to stuff the staff sheet and might be the most integral cog for Vermont on both sides of the ball. Perry Smith Jr had some nice moments finishing with 10 points and 5 rebounds. He still needs more time to learn the system and get up to game speed but the Cats need his rebounding ability so he is going to be challenged to accelerate his timeline. Sam Alamutu is also earning minutes due to his defense and rebounding ability as he too tries to accelerate his growth. Nick Fiorillo and Matt Veretto struggle mightily, getting out physicaled underneath and struggling to rebound effectively. Neither is a tradition low post big man and are going to be asked to be physical post defenders this season. 

Vermont struggled more during this exhibition slate than I have seen in quite some time. The inexperience is clear and the chemistry and integration of new players is coming along slowly. It is certainly not surprising with so many new faces and losing a centerpiece player in Dylan Penn to injury. Penn returning will certainly help the offense but the frontcourt is a work in progress. Rarely has so much been needed so quickly out of a young frontcourt and their development will be crucial to Vermont's success. 

I will post my America East conference preview tomorrow and then my Vermont season preview on Saturday evening or Sunday morning. Then it is on to the regular season. Thanks to all the readers who I have gotten a chance to connect with throughout this offseason, whether that be through the comments or in person. I truly love getting to chat about Vermont basketball and appreciate all of the kind words.