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!
