Vermont at Albany 2/22/24

Vermont 94 Albany 80

Vermont met little resistance from the Albany defense and shot 55% from the field in a big road win. The game was played at Albany's breakneck pace but the Cats were able to take advantage by getting to the rim, scoring 46 points in the paint. In the first half, Vermont shot the ball very well and attacked the Great Dane defense with a faster paced offensive attack. It looked like the Cats were going to run Albany out of the gym early but Tyler Bertram single handedly kept the Great Danes in the game with an impressive shooting display. In the second half, Albany kept punching back and looked to be swinging the momentum in their favor before Coach Becker switched to a zone defense, totally deflating the Albany offensive attack. The Cats continued to get shot after shot at the rim and hit a couple big threes to put the game away. It was great to see the offense take advantage of a good matchup and Vermont's incredible balance shined through. Six players in double figures and big contributions from the bench. Proving that they can win a more shootout style game is a good experience for this team as they head toward March. The defense had a few lapses but did a much better job overall in the second half. That was a game where you kind of tip your cap to Bertram as he hit some insane shots. 

Shamir Bogues led the way with 17 points, 7 assists, and 5 rebounds. He was masterful in all aspects tonight, particularly running the offense to near perfection. He did a great job striking a balance between attacking and setting up his teammates. TJ Long scored 15 points and did a nice job attacking the rim and finishing through contact. Aaron Deloney was the closer in this one, hitting big shots down the stretch to put the game away and finishing with 14 points. TJ Hurley chipped in 12 points, efficiently picking his spots on offense and playing tough physical defense. Ileri Ayo-Faleye had 12 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 blocks in a nice all around game. He played with force and also showed a little playmaking with some nice drive and dish moments. Nick Fiorillo scored 10 points and his putback tip in at the halftime buzzer was a big lift for the Cats. Matt Veretto finally found his shooting stroke, knocking down 3-6 from three for 9 points. His three from the corner with about 8 minutes to go really broke Albany's spirit. Sam Alamutu played some nice minutes and finished with 5 points and 5 rebounds. 

Now the big homestand against the other title contenders where Vermont will have a chance to clinch the regular season title. This is is the week where that all of the hard work and preparation gives the Cats an opportunity to check the first box on their season goals. First up is Bryant on Saturday in what should be a great game.

I will be travelling internationally over my February break and likely will not be able to watch or blog these two huge matchups. I will nonetheless be cheering from afar and spreading that Catamount pride around the world!

Vermont at Maine 2/17/24

Vermont 68 Maine 57

Vermont beat Maine in a workmanlike performance on the road with Coach Becker watching from the hotel, out with a sickness. Coach Schneider manned the sidelines for his first career win that saw the Cats continue their strong defensive performances. The game went like most of the Vermont/Maine matchups do, a physical, slow paced game that remains close throughout. In the first half the Cats finally came out and made some perimeter shots, taking an early lead. Maine was able to bounce back and take the lead thanks to beating the Cats on the boards. Vermont closed the half on an 11-1 run to regain the lead. Both teams came out cold in the second half as each team felt out the defensive adjustments. Ultimately, Vermont bounced back on the boards and had a response for every Maine run. The Cats shot the ball better and got to the free throw line where they took advantage with an 18-21 effort. The defense continues to shine, forcing Maine into tough shots and challenging everything at the rim. Maine helped the Cats out with an 11-21 performance from the line. Another game where the depth and defensive pressure of Vermont wore down their opponent in the second half. 

Shamir Bogues was great in the second half running the Robin Duncan/Dylan Penn post up and initiate the offense role, making big buckets to keep the Black Bears at bay and finishing with 21 points and 7 rebounds. He also led the Cats with 3 assists and zero turnovers, finding the right balance between attacking and playmaking. Ileri Ayo-Faleye came off the bench for the first time this season and responded with a big game. He finished with 14 points and did a nice job of getting out in transition. Nick Fiorillo got the Cats off to a hot start with two early threes and finished with 12 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 blocks. A strong performance in a return to his home state. Jace Roquemore came off the bench for 3 points and 5 rebounds. It was a great team win where seven different players hit a three pointer. 

Onto Albany on Thursday in a game where it will test the Cats "one game at a time" mentality. With a big week of Bryant/Lowell (including senior night) at home looming, Vermont will have to be extra focused on the road against an explosive Albany offense. 

Deloney and Becker reach milestones together

Vermont 70 New Hampshire 54

Aaron Deloney exploded for 28 points including the 1,000th of his career to get Coach Becker his 300th career win. What a great night at Patrick and huge milestones for two guys who fought hard to reach unexpected dreams. The first half was back and forth with the offense again stuck in neutral for stretches. The defense was there from the get go and AD sent the Cats into the locker room with the lead with a late three. In the second half the Cats defense absolutely ground New Hampshire into a pulp while the shotmaking arrived and Vermont cruised to another 20 win season. The defense that this group is playing really is quite incredible. Ileri Ayo-Faleye and Shamir Bogues stonewalled the Wildcats high scoring duo of Clarence Daniels and Ahmad Robinson to the tune of a combined 6-19 shooting from the field. Daniels in particular has been getting player of the year type buzz and Ayo-Faleye took him completely out of the game. The ceiling of this defensive group is so high. 

Again AD was just masterful finishing 10-15 from the field and only 1 turnover. The AD lightning in a bottle games are some of my favorites to watch. The whole place is just buzzing when he gets hot. After that it was quite a balanced effort with everyone else that played more than a minute scoring but no one else in double figures. Ileri Ayo-Faleye finished with 7 points, 7 rebounds, 2 steals, and 3 blocks. He just absolutely smothers guys on defense. Shamir Bogues played great defense as well and finished with 6 points and 8 rebounds. Jace Roquemore continues to be huge off the bench with 5 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 assists. Nick Fiorillo earned the start and fought through some early struggles to finish with 6 points and 3 assists. TJ Hurley finished with 9 points and 4 rebounds and Sam Alamutu chipped in 5 rebounds and a nice dunk. TJ Long struggled mightily as New Hampshire worked to attack him on switches on the defensive end. Matt Veretto continues to struggle to break out of his shooting slump and isn't shooting with the same confidence. 

Now a very quick turnaround with one of the toughest road trips for an afternoon game on Saturday against Maine. Will be a very physical and hard fought game against a tough opponent. 

Bogues for the win!

Vermont 72 UMBC 70

Like a phoenix rising from the ashes, Vermont overcame a nightmare 0-15 start from the field and an early 20 point deficit to sneak out of UMBC with a win. In another show of tremendous resilience and heart, the Cats never put their heads down despite the Retrievers seemingly having every answer. In the first half it was another inexplicable offensive wasteland. Becker was just beside himself as the misses kept piling up. The Cats are getting the same open looks they have been getting all year, they just will not go down. I think that is what makes it so hard is it doesn't feel like anything is different besides shots not falling. Vermont was able to bounce back enough to cut it to an 8 point deficit at the half. In the second half there were many times where it felt like the Cats were gaining momentum. Each time UMBC had an answer with big time shotmaking. Opposing teams are really responding to the strong rim protection and tough defense from the Cats by playing mostly in isolation and relying more on jump shooting. Vermont just kept grinding and made enough plays to come out on top. Timely shooting, tough defense, and low turnovers. That is this team's bread and butter. It feels like at some point the shots are going to fall again. This was a must win game and the Cats found a way to get it done. It is very similar to how they pulled out the close victory over Brown following their tough loss at Miami (OH). This team could have called it a day and folded after the awful start but they never lost hope and showed the heart of a winner. 

Shamir Bogues completely put the Cats on his back and willed them to victory at almost every stretch of the game. After having his toughest game as a Catamount on Thursday, he had his best this afternoon. Bogues finished with 23 points on 10-14 shooting and committed zero turnovers. In the first half when Vermont was down 25-5, he ignited the Cats with some electric scoring plays including a smooth step back three. In the game defining run Bogues chased down a UMBC fast break, scored inside, blocked a shot, hit a three, finished off a three point play, and hit the game winner. An incredible performance, especially considering there are still times during the game where you can see the foot injury crop up. What a gutsy performance. TJ Hurley powered through a physical game and an off shooting afternoon to finish with 11 points and 5 rebounds(4 offensive). He got several clutch rebounds today as Vermont did as great job on the offensive glass. TJ Long struggled for most of the game from the field but grabbed a career high 11 rebounds and of course hit big threes when Vermont needed them in the second half and finished with 7 points. Jace Roquemore had the lunch pail effort of the game finishing with 6 points, 7 rebounds, and 2 steals while allowing Becker to play lots of different lineups with his versatility. Nick Fiorillo finished with 6 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists in another nice all around effort. Sam Alamutu scored 6 points and hit two huge free throws down the stretch. Ileri Ayo-Faleye pushed through what Becker described as an illness and made some big defensive plays and finished with 7 points. Matt Veretto and Aaron Deloney struggled to knock down shots in a combined 2-13 shooting performance. 

You can see on the sidelines that Becker and the coaching staff are trying to solve the puzzle that is the Cats offensive struggles. Thankfully the defense continues to be strong and they were able to avoid a soul crushing two game skid. Now back home for a big showdown with pesky New Hampshire for Becker’s first shot at 300 career wins. 

Also now that NJIT also beat Lowell maybe the Highlanders are just hot right now!

The streak comes to an end

NJIT 63 Vermont 61

NJIT freshman Tariq Francis lit up the Catamounts for a career high 31 points and led the last place Highlanders to a huge win, snapping the Catamounts 23 game conference win streak. Vermont's shooting woes finally caught up with them, particularly at the free throw line where the Cats finished 11-20 (55%). For the second straight game the Cats got off to a very cold start and this time they struggled to get things going in the second half. NJIT played very tough on the defensive end, flying all over the court and contesting every shot. On the defensive side of the ball the Cats had no answer for Francis who made shots from all over the court. This is the type of let down or "trap game" that happens in every conference season. The players and coaching staff always talk about getting every team's best shot and tonight they got the Highlanders best shot for sure. How the Cats respond at UMBC will be a real test for this group after their first conference loss. 

TJ Long led the Cats with 18 points and was one of the few bright spots for the Cats. He made tough shots and kept the Cats in the game. Nick Fiorillo continue his strong play off the bench with 13 points and 6 rebounds but struggled at the line. Jace Rocquemore was also a nice spark off the bench finishing with 6 points and 8 rebounds. Ileri Ayo-Faleye finished with 9 points and 7 rebounds but finished 5-9 from the line and didn't have his usual defensive impact. Shamir Bogues had his toughest game in a Catamount uniform, struggling on the defensive end and making very little impact on offense. He has not been able to get the rim over this last stretch of games and hasn't been in double figures since the Lowell game. Matt Veretto and TJ Hurley struggled to knock down their open looks and Aaron Deloney struggled to make an impact before a late three. 

This is the type of loss that presents an opportunity for this team to demonstrate their resolve. These losses happen this time of year across college basketball in the grind of the conference season. Will this group galvanize around this adversity like they did after the tough loss to Miami (OH)? Or will the pressure and tension of being the hunted get to this new group of Catamounts? It won't take long to find out with UMBC right around the corner. 

AD appreciation post

Vermont 62 Binghamton 49

Vermont won a gritty, physical, ugly battle against Binghamton to move to 8-0 in conference play. The first half was played in a kind of slow motion with both squads struggling to find their offense and 12 total fouls called with only one total free throw taken. In the second half Binghamton threw everything but the kitchen sink at the Cats with big lineups, small lineups, and everything in between as they tried to find some way to break through the steely Vermont defense. The shotmaking showed up down the stretch and Vermont secured the victory. Once again the defense was the main event, absolutely smothering by making every possession long and every shot difficult. The Cats ended with only 5 turnovers and orchestrated the game with a calm power. The formula is there for the Cats: smothering defense, low turnovers, and timely shotmaking. The balance and depth of this team wears teams out and the unselfishness can render the opposing teams scout null and void as anyone and everyone is really to take the reins and lead the team at any given moment. 

Aaron Deloney is flat out an incredible player. His career arc should be the blueprint for any young player who has their eye on a successful college career. Through his first two seasons he was averaging 2.6 points in 11 minutes per game and shooting 23% from three. AD never hung his head, waited his turn, put in the work, and made an impact from the bench when it was his time. He then put in even more work and earned his chance to get out there and lead the team as a starter. When adversity hit he was honest with himself, his coaches and teammates were supportive of him, and he knew that he could be everything he wanted to be in his role off the bench. Now his team is in first place and he is only 25 points away from 1,000. A tenacious competitor, tremendous leader, and an absolute baller. Six straight games in double figures. In conference play, 34 assists and only 6 turnovers. In today's game he was masterful, finishing with 16 points on 4-8 shooting from three and 5 assists. Becker said at the beginning of the year this was AD's team and it is safe to say he was right. TJ Long was the other Catamount in double figures with 14 points. He continues to attack the hard closeouts with physical drives to the rim. Matt Veretto got the Cats off to a hot start and finished with 8 points and 4 rebounds. Nick Fiorillo has just been exploding off the bench and impacting the game all over the place. Big rebounds, gorgeous passes, and clutch buckets. He finished with 8 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists and showcased some nimble footwork around the rim with some crafty finishes. Jace Roquemore has become the swiss army knife off the bench, moving around on both sides of the ball and showcasing his versatility. Roquemore finished with 7 points this afternoon. Ileri Ayo-Faleye and Shamir Bogues struggled offensively, combining for just 4 points but once again were smothering on the defensive end. They both use their wingspans and quickness so well and can seemingly simultaneously threaten a double team and cover their own man. 

Halfway through conference play and Vermont is ready to continue the march with a road swing down the coast next week. 

Vermont vs Albany 2/1/24

Vermont 81 Albany 59

The Cats dominated from start to finish and continued their hot start to conference play with a win over Albany.  Once again the defense set the tone and is what is setting Vermont apart in the America East this season. I mentioned the change in styles in an earlier post and having seeing all but one team play it is very clear that the Cats defense is a major advantage. It has always been a hallmark of the Vermont program but this team has an extra gear that can cover up mistakes and change the momentum in a big way. Particularly the Cats ability to challenge shots at the rim and their physicality on drives to rim. The passing and ball movement is also coming together in a big way. Even though tonight the Cats were uncharacteristically sloppy with the ball, they finished with 19 assists and shredded the Albany defense with precision passing. That is a testament to the unselfishness of this team and their ever improving chemistry. 

Nick Fiorillo led the Cats with 15 points to go along with 4 assists. He continues to impress with passing out of the high post and has tremendous chemistry with Aaron Deloney. What a luxury to have those two coming off the bench and the frontcourt has really turned into a strength over the past few weeks. Speaking of Deloney, he was masterful tonight finishing with 13 points and 6 assists. His feel is all the way back and he has been tremendous orchestrating the offense over the last few weeks. TJ Long chipped in 14 points and 7 rebounds, attacking the basket as he looks to get his perimeter shot back on track. Ileri Ayo-Faleye dominated with another double double, finishing with 12 points and 10 rebounds. He legitimately ripped the basket away from its mounts on a dunk in this one. An absolute beast. Shamir Bogues finished with 7 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 blocks and wreaked havoc wherever he went. He is so disruptive on defense, seemingly always ending up around the ball. TJ Hurley has become the master of the four point play with another one tonight and finished with 8 points and 3 assists. 

I will finish tonight with a big shout out to the Vermont women's team for a big win on the road at Albany, ending the Great Danes 14 game win streak. Another Cats squad playing incredible defense and on a 6 game win streak of their own. GO CATS GO!!!