Vermont vs Toledo 12/20/22

Toledo 84 Vermont 72

Toledo responded to every Vermont challenge with timely shot making and snapped Vermont's December win streak. Toledo has been a top 20 in the country offense in terms of efficiency, and they really showcased it today. Scoring threats at every position, depth, and incredible point guard play from RayJ Dennis. Every time the Cats tried to go on a run, a Toledo player responded with a big bucket at the offensive end. Despite the loss there are several signs that point to the improvements that Vermont has made over the past month. First off, they gave themselves a chance against another very strong mid major. In some of the earlier matchups against teams like Yale and Iona, the Cats got run out of the gym due to sloppy play and inconsistent effort. After shaking off some early rust, Vermont battled hard and didn't let the game get out of hand. Also, the Cats only turned the ball over 6 times and knocked down 11 three pointers. The low turnovers are big as that was a significant part of the early season struggles. Vermont is playing more together as a unit and they are definitely playing with more confidence. The lack of size and consistent post play is proving to be the most difficult nut to crack so far this season.

Dylan Penn led the Cats with 20 points. He knocked down a few threes which is a bonus and had some tough finishes around the rim. His defense is still lacking and the other teams know it as they are attacking him relentlessly at that end of the floor. However, after a delayed start to the season due to injury, it feels like he is starting to find more comfort on the court. Aaron Deloney chipped in 15 points, knocking down 4/6 from three. He is really on a hot streak from distance, making 13/25 (52%) over his last 4 games. Finn Sullivan chipped in 10 points but struggled from distance finishing 1/6 from three. Robin Duncan continued his strong play finishing with 10 points 7 rebounds, and 4 assists in a team high 38 minutes. He has found something on the offensive end and is making an impact on both ends of the floor. It is clear that this is his team and he is blossoming in his role as the engine of this team.

The Cats have made significant strides and are looking more and more ready for conference play. One more road game against a tough ACC opponent in Miami FL after the holidays and then right into the fire, opening conference play at UMBC and then back home against Bryant. I am hoping to use the holiday break to write a new conference preview now that there is a sizeable sample of games to give a more accurate look at each team before heading into conference play. Happy Holidays!!

Vermont at Colgate 12/10/22

Vermont 73 Colgate 72

It's happening. 

Vermont used a 10-0 run late in the first half to take control of the game and responded to every Colgate run in the second half en route to their fourth consecutive victory. This was a huge win for the Cats. Colgate is one of the other preseason conference number one picks on their schedule and gutting out a road win against another top mid major is big. Chemistry is building, roles are becoming defined, and tweaks by the coaching staff are paying off. The offense has shifted to more quick ball movement and more driving and cutting. That shift has allowed Vermont to get open shots from the perimeter and they are knocking them down. The perimeter defense has caught fire (ice?) since NVU-Lyndon made it rain from distance. Over the last three games opponents are shooting 11/55 (20%) from three. Talk about a point of emphasis. This team is showing some grit and mental toughness, playing with a chip on their shoulder, and putting those early season struggles behind them. Even though the interior defense is still a work in progress, they are back to keeping teams off the offensive glass and rebounding well in the trenches.  The most exciting sign from todays team win? 18 assists and only 8 turnovers. 

Robin Duncan put the team on his back this afternoon. One of the changes during the winning streak is putting the ball in Duncan's hand more to highlight his ability to get to the rim or pass out of the paint. He has thrived in that role and it all came together in this one. Duncan led Vermont with 15 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 steals in a team high 34 minutes. He is not getting enough credit for basically doubling his career per game rebounding average (3.5 to 6.6) and becoming an impact player on offense. His leadership, poise, and grit is defining this team. The other hero in this afternoon's game was Matt Veretto. He made timely threes down the stretch in the second half and came up with a huge offensive rebound and score with 27 seconds left. Veretto finished with 14 points (4-9 from three) and 6 rebounds. His ability to stretch the floor opens the paint up for drives by the Vermont guards. Aaron Deloney continued to be the spark off the bench with 13 points. TJ Hurley also provided 12 points off the bench on a perfect 5-5 shooting night. He scored at all three levels in this game and has scored in double figures in 4 straight games. Finn Sullivan also had a nice game with 8 points, 6 assists, 5 rebounds, and 2 steals. 

Vermont needed to turn the page going into December and have taken care of business. Now they have their first break of the year for finals week before the game that I personally have had circled all season, Toledo at home on December 20th. That should be another great battle between two strong mid-majors and those are the type of games you want at Patrick. 

Vermont at Dartmouth 12/6/22

Vermont 68 Dartmouth 52

It beginning to look at lot like Vermont basketball.

Vermont rode a scorching first half to their third straight win and put together the best 40 minutes of the season. Vermont dominated Dartmouth in every facet of the game and received contributions from everyone in a nice team win. The chemistry is starting to show with better defensive rotations and some beautiful interior passing on offense. Vermont played their trademark physical defense and made the Big Green work for every basket. After struggling to finish around the rim against Merrimack, Vermont attacked the rim relentlessly and got layup after layup, scoring most of their points in the paint. This three game stretch really demonstrated some mental toughness, surviving the marathon road trip and using the experience against tough physical opponents to come together as a team. Vermont has always used a tough non-conference schedule to prepare them for the shift to conference play and these last two games are demonstrating that even though the Cats experienced some low lows on the road trip, they had the belief and mental toughness to stay the course and trust the process. 

Dylan Penn got Vermont off to a hot start with 10 of the first 12 Catamount points. He finished with 14 points and is giving Vermont the bursts of offense they were hoping for. Aaron Deloney led Vermont with 17 points, back in his 6th man role yet again. He really thrives providing Vermont with a quick hitting offensive spark. With Deloney leading the way the Vermont bench was the big story in this game. Sam Alamutu and Perry Smith Jr. provided big time contributions in their minutes off the bench. Sam Alamutu continues to get better with each game, finishing with 8 points and a team high 8 rebounds. His physicality is impressing on both ends of the floor and he has found his offensive fit as a cutter to the rim. Smith Jr had his best game as a Catamount finishing with 8 points and 5 rebounds. He had a nice stretch late in the second half with some big buckets to go along with physical rebounding and defense. It looks like he is starting to adjust to the speed of the college game and flashed his potential tonight. Robin Duncan passing out of the middle of the floor has been tremendous over the last few games. He is playing out of the high post against the zone and driving to the middle off the dribble before finding cutters for easy buckets. He finished with 4 points, 7 assists, and 6 rebounds in another gritty all around effort. 

Vermont took care of business against the lower tier teams on their non-conference schedule. Now it is back to the big boys with Colgate, Toledo, and Miami FL to finish up. Colgate is one of the best shooting, most efficient offensive teams in the country. Toledo and Miami FL are efficient offensively as well so Vermont's defense will be tested once again. Vermont has built up the momentum they needed to have confidence going into these matchups as underdogs ready to surprise. 

A few thoughts about the Merrimack game

I was able to watch the Merrimack game after the fact and thought I would share a few observations. Finn Sullivan looked rejuvenated after his one game absence. He looked more confident and was an absolute menace on the defensive side of the ball. He had a smile on his face and looked like he was having fun for maybe the first time all season. That is huge for the Cats as he is their spark plug. With the injury to Nick Fiorillo and Kam Gibson on the sidelines, Becker really had to go with the young guys in this game. TJ Hurley was a huge beneficiary and as I mentioned after the Lyndon game, he has to get more minutes. He is a sniper from downtown and can also break down the defense off the dribble. Vermont needs another scoring threat and Hurley is a perfect fit. When he is able to stay on the floor he often makes an impact. He has three straight games in double figures and has shot 9/19 (47%) from three over that same stretch. The breakout is on. Sam Alamutu has seen his role his grow the most due to Fiorillo's injury. Alamutu has been rebounding at a high rate, playing tough defense, and even knocked down his first career three pointer. His shot is still a work in progress but he has looked better each game. Jorge Ochoa has looked good in his first game action of the season. Pressed into duty after Fiorillo's injury he has popped in a few buckets and has a chance to seize this opportunity and earn more minutes. Overall the defense was strong in the Merrimack game and the offense had spurts of effectiveness. Without a strong post presence, the Cats are going to need to be a strong perimeter shooting team and the pieces are there despite the rough start. With these young players emerging, each game becomes an exciting opportunity to see who continues their rise.

Vermont vs NVU-Lyndon 12/1/22

Vermont 101 NVU-Lyndon 63

Vermont dominated NVU-Lyndon to get back into the win column. NVU-Lyndon showed incredible fight absolutely lighting it up from three led by Antonio Carlisle and Mondwell Bukle, who combined to go 11-16 from three. Takeaways from these games are always tough, but today was an opportunity for some things to go right for the Catamounts. In that department I would say it was an uneven result. The three point shooting is still lacking and the defensive rotations are not there yet. Becker is still in everyone's ear every time they come off the floor. It was great for everyone to score and get some minutes as Vermont is going to need all hands on deck. With Nick Fiorillo out for the foreseeable future, the Cats need some guys to step up. Dylan Penn tweaked something and Finn Sullivan was not at the game so the uncertainty continues to mount. Hopefully those things are minor but Vermont is going to need guys to step up big time. The young guys getting minutes and having some success regardless on the competition is necessary to hopefully kickstart and accelerate their growth. 

Robin Duncan led the way with 18 points, setting a new career high (his old career high was also against Lyndon). He has been aggressive in attacking the rim and the Cats need that aggressiveness on the offensive end. Sam Alamutu is making the most of his newfound opportunities and stuffed the stat sheet with 12 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, and 6 steals. He is slowly but surely coming along and it could be a huge lift if he can make an impact this season. It was nice to see Jorge Ochoa get into the game and get his first points in a Catamount uniform. I really hope TJ Hurley can figure things out on the defensive end because Vermont really needs his shooting ability on the floor. 

I will be traveling to NYC this weekend and will not be able to watch the game at Merrimack on Sunday. The next two games against Merrimack and Dartmouth are crucial for the Cats confidence as they are both winnable road games before finishing the non-conference with three very tough opponents.