Iona 62 Vermont 59
Vermont blew a 15 point second half lead as Iona ratcheted up the pressure and handed the Cats their third consecutive loss. For the first 3/4ths of the game Vermont's defense was locked in and the offense was efficient. Then the dreaded scoring drought took hold and the Cats were reeling. Iona capitalized and imposed their will, pressuring the Cats and relentlessly attacking the basket. The coaching staff is struggling to find the right combinations and there were stretches where the lineups felt somewhat awkward. The inconsistent rotation is definitely affecting the offensive continuity. Once again the turnovers piled up and several came at crucial junctures in the second half. In the most shocking development, the Cats gave up 15 (!) offensive rebounds and were dominated on the boards 38-18. That is the most un-Vermont stat of the young season. The Vermont program has long been one of the best defensive rebounding teams in the country and it is absolutely shocking to see them in this predicament. This stretch is very reminiscent of the 22-23 season when the Cats started the season 1-6. Similarly, in that season Dylan Penn missed the preseason with a injury and struggled to get up to speed. They managed to right the ship that season and the home opener will be an opportunity to hit the reset button.
The TJ's continue to be a bright spot for Vermont. TJ Long led the Cats with 18 points on 4-8 shooting from three. He also made some nice defensive plays, finishing with 3 steals. TJ Hurley finished with 16 points on 3-5 shooting from three. Shamir Bogues continues to struggle with finishing at the rim and was in foul trouble for much of the night. He finished with 7 points, 5 assists, and 4 rebounds. He still doesn't seem like he has his burst back. Ileri Ayo-Faleye and Sam Alamutu finished with 3 blocks each but struggled to make an impact on the offensive end. The rest of the rotation is begging for someone to step up and seize control. The minutes are there for the taking and right now no one is distinguishing themselves.
It certainly has not been the start the Cats were looking for. The one positive from this game is the defense looks good and they are going have to lean heavily on that side of the ball while the kinks get worked out of the offense. Hopefully getting back into Patrick Gym will be the spark they need to get the season back on track.
