Summer Updates

This week I beat the heat and headed down to Patrick to watch the post Becker camp pick up. I was able to watch the new players twice this week and boy did it feel good to watch some live basketball. It is always exciting to see the new players for the first time and get a feel for the new roster. This year it will be a little bit more individual talent reactions because not all of the players were playing in the games so it is hard to get a gauge on how the full roster will fit together. Ben Michaels (Great Britain) and Lucas Mari (Spain) are off readying for the U20 EuroBasket tournament in July. TJ Long is in the final stages of recovery from last years injury and newcomers Trey Woodyard and Chris Kuzemka were out as well. On to the reactions! First reaction is that this group has a feel more like the days of old when high school recruiting was king and it was exciting to see all of the developmental potential without any context from previous college stops. I think about the summer Canadian tour in 2018 and seeing the Ryan Davis, Robin Duncan, Isaiah Powell crew for the first time. There is that type of potential on this roster. The coaching staff will be looking to unlock and develop the significant talent that is present on the roster. The Vermont program's fabled player development will be on full display as they tease out what previous programs missed. Gus Yalden's talent really popped, particularly his ability to run the offense out of the high post as a screener and a passer. He is a true back to the basket big man with good touch around the rim. He is a good example of a guy who has not put it together at previous stops and if the coaching staff can mold and shape that talent, he will make a significant impact. True freshman Momo Nkugwa has effortless bounce, finishing above the rim and flashing great speed. With a loaded roster he is more of a future impact player but he is already a tough defender and is well rounded offensively. Ben Wesson, much like last year in the camp pick up, is a lights out shooter from deep. He continues to look like a great fit in the future. David Simon's length really jumps out as he towers over everyone on the court. He has tremendous potential as a shot blocker and a rim runner while also showing off a nice stroke from deep. He is still developing offensively but has an incredibly high ceiling. Ben Johnson is every bit the shooter his career at Bellarmine would suggest and looked good making decisions with the ball in his hands. It was great to see Jackson Skipper back and he looked good running the offense and scoring from different spots on the court. Sean Blake looks stronger and more physical this year as he looks to compete for point guard minutes. Noah Barnett's hustle, tenacity, and physical play continue to put him in good spots and he is a major disruptive force at both ends. TJ Hurley looks ready to cap off a strong Catamount career as the quiet leader and longest tenured Catamount. Drew Bessette continues to impress physically and he looks more comfortable on the court. When all is said and done and this roster is fully put together, they are going to be a well rounded group and have more high major size across the board than any time in Vermont history. There are potential lineups where one of the TJ's will be the "smallest" guy on the floor. This group will be a work in progress defensively but after struggling offensively over the last few seasons, I think the coaching staff will welcome a new and different challenge. This team has offensive weapons and threats up and down the roster. With more shooting, driving lanes will open up and with more traditional post options, the offense will be more multi-dimensional. Looking at the talent that the coaching staff has to work with and thinking about how effectively they have been able to develop and get buy in from players, this team has major potential. I can't wait to see how different this group looks in the fall after getting acclimated to the system and working with the coaching staff on a development plan. Get ready Catamount country, this team is going to be fun to watch. 

P.S. Fun Fact! The Catamounts have two players (Noah Barnett and Ben Michaels) who were high school teammates of the second and third picks (Dylan Harper and VJ Edgecombe) in the NBA draft. 

Vermont lands Lucas Mari

WHOA

Vermont finished up their 25-26 roster with a bang today as they added 19 year old Spanish pro player Lucas Mari. It is hard to overstate how huge a moment this is for the Vermont program. This is Vermont's first foray into the international player waters, a practice that has been made possible by the new NIL landscape and is becoming increasingly popular. It reinforces Vermont's reputation as a destination for players who want to improve and win. Mari is 6'7” point guard who was being heavily recruited to the P5 level. I read an article from the beginning of May that had possible destinations listed as Arkansas, Kansas, Kentucky, Gonzaga and Arizona. Needless to say the potential and upside here is off the charts. Mari is a top prospect in the Spanish national team system and has been playing pro ball for the last few years. He played this last season at Le Horta and averaged 10.4 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 2.6 assists. He is a stat stuffing machine who will be a regular triple double threat. He played in the Adidas Eurocamp this past weekend and if you want to watch the type of potential he has been flashing check out this game where he finished with 9 points, 7 rebounds, and 9 assists (#31). He has major size and athleticism and uses it to get to the rim and see passing lanes all over the court. His court vision and mapping is particularly impressive and has great play-making instincts. He runs the offensive with a calm, commanding presence and is excellent at running the pick and roll. He has a nice off the dribble pull up game and has made improvements as a spot up shooter. Mari has great leadership intangibles and Spain's youth development program is widely considered one of the best in the world. Valenica, the team that currently holds his rights, is one of the top teams in one of the top leagues in the world. He gives the Cats a do-it-all player that will be able to play multiple positions and impact the game at several levels. The idea of Mari spraying the ball to all of the shooters that the Cats added this offseason is tantalizing. I am ready to start calling the Mari & Sean Blake PG duo thunder and lightning. The cultural adjustment and learning the defensive system will be big challenges, but this has the potential to have a monumental impact on the Vermont program. Making connections to international pro basketball is going to be crucial moving forward in the post amateurism world and demonstrating the ability to develop pro players is an incredible feather in the cap for any program. This is the cherry on top of an incredible offseason for Vermont and the Cats have the potential to be appointment television this season. 

Vermont gets another big commitment

The offseason reload continues for Vermont with a commitment from San Diego transfer David Simon. He is a 6'11 F/C from Windsor, Canada who will have 3 years of eligibility remaining. This is a high upside commitment for the Cats who have completely remade their frontcourt this offseason. Simon was the Canadian player of the year in 2023 after a big senior season at Royal Crown Academy (same school that Sean Blake attended, different years). Simon had a medical redshirt year at San Diego before averaging 4.9 points last season. He is already an accomplished shotblocker and rim runner. With a 7'4" wingspan he makes a huge impact defensively and can be a big time lob threat at the rim. Last season he showed flashes of adding a perimeter element to his game, shooting 15/48 (31%) from three. Simon has incredible upside and potential and is a perfect compliment to frontcourt pieces that Vermont has already added. He is going to be an all court wrecker at Patrick and is a highlight waiting to happen. The coaching staff will be able to mix and match lineups and have possibly their most deep and versatile frontcourt. Vermont has hit on all cylinders this offseason, checking off the most significant team needs and then some. The fact that they were able to both rebuild their frontcourt AND reload with perimeter shooters is some serious portal work. This potential fit of the pieces that the coaching staff has assembled this offseason is huge. One more scholarship to go and I would imagine the only need left on the checklist is adding a point guard to compliment Sean Blake. This team has a chance to be electric. 

Two posts in an hour! Chris Kuzemka commits to the Cats

I am back so soon! Did you miss me?

Vermont gets their second commit of the last hour with Chris Kuzemka joining the Catamounts after four years at Loyola (MD). Kuzemka is a 6'0 guard who has had a challenging college career so far. He didn't play much as a freshman and then had a very strong sophomore year, averaging 6.5 points per game and knocking down 45 threes at a 39% clip. Since the 22-23 season he has only played in 17 total games as his junior year was cut short by injury and his senior year was cut short by illness. This commitment kind of reminds me of Matt Veretto where the coaching staff took a chance on a player who has only really had one full season of college basketball. Kuzemka has two years of eligibility remaining and will fit like a glove in the Vermont system. Crafty, quick, and moves well without the ball. A career 38% shooter from three, I can double down on what I wrote about  in the post about Ben Johnson's commitment and the Cats will certainly not lack shooters this season. During his sophomore and shortened junior season he rated as Loyola's best player by Evan Miya's metrics (evanmiya.com) and was their best defender both years as well. Getting two four year college players to join the Cats is a huge bonus in a year where teams are getting younger. 

*EDIT* Kuzemka is joining as a walk-on so still two more scholarships to go and it is time to get excited about next year's team!

Ben Johnson commits to the Catamounts

The 2025-2026 Catamounts continue to take shape with a commitment from Bellarmine transfer Ben Johnson. He is a 6'3 guard who has spent the last 4 years on the Knights roster. He was teammates with previous Bellarmine to Vermont transfer Dylan Penn during the 21-22 season (redshirt year). Since that redshirt year Johnson has put up some big numbers. He made the Atlantic Sun all freshman team in 22-23 and now sits at 937 career points and 175 made threes (at a 37% clip) in 77 career games.  This is after a prolific high school career in Kentucky where he was named Mr. Basketball in 2021. He is a flat out bucket. In the gym range and loves to play off two feet when he gets into the paint. A low turnover leader on the floor, Johnson will be able to give that Cats a big boost at both guard sports. He has also demonstrated a knack for clutch shots during his college career. Between Johnson and the TJ's, the Cats will have some lethal shooting options from deep. By the end of the season, the Cats will likely have three 1,000 point scorers at the guard position (Long: 1,070, 205 career threes at 36%, TJ Hurley: 877, 141 career threes at 38%, and Johnson). The message with this year's Catamount recruiting class is clear: the offense will be improved. This may come at the expense of some defense as that is not the strongest part of the new Catamounts' game, but the coaches are clearly prioritizing making improvements on that end of the floor. I think back to when this decade of dominance started and the quote from Becker was that he decided to "get offensive minded players and teach them how to play defense". The coaching staff is clearly leaning back into that strategy as they craft next season's roster. A really strong addition and the current roster is one that puts the Cats right back in the drivers seat for a run at a title. They still have two scholarships available and it will be interesting to see what the coaching staff does as the rotational minutes are looking pretty solid.

Jackson Skipper is back!!!!

In transfer portal terms, Vermont got a "Marfo" commitment today from Jackson Skipper. Skipper returns to Vermont after a year at Oral Roberts. I love Skipper's game and am very excited to see him back in the green and gold. He is one of those players who has a nose for the ball and plays with excitement and joy. At Oral Roberts, he averaged 4.9 points per game and shot 36% from three in 16 minutes a game (including 11 starts). He gives the Cats a versatile option as a player that knows the system and the program. His shooting ability will be a particularly nice addition. The Cats have really used the portal to add positional size and length. Skipper has two years remaining and continues the trend of Vermont signing players with multiple years remaining. This is a strong portal strategy as it serves two significant purposes. It gives the Cats a chance at continuity and a potential to retain players for more than one year. It also gives the players entering the program who are looking to increase their value and improve their earning potential motivation to buy in and work hard to expand their game. Goal 1a can be to develop and retain players and goal 1b can be to pitch prospective players on your developmental successes. It reflects strongly on the program for a player to return (particularly after they transferred to their hometown). So happy for Skipper to be back! Vermont has three more scholarships to fill and the last major need is at point guard with Sean Blake being the only true point guard on the roster. 

Trey Woodyard joins the Catamounts

Vermont added another piece to next season's roster by securing a commitment from Trey Woodyard, a 6'6" wing from London, OH. Catamount fans will be familiar with Woodyard as he played the last three seasons for New Hampshire. He spent his freshman season at Valparaiso before his time in Durham and has one season of eligibility remaining. Woodyard excelled in his junior season at UNH and was on his way to a strong senior season before suffering a season ending injury after just 6 games. Woodyard will be a great fit on the Catamounts as he bring versatility and experience. He is the ultimate glue guy who can do a little bit of everything. He is a creative and efficient finisher around the rim, using an array of fakes and footwork to get clean looks which has made him a career 57% shooter from two point range. He also has the ability to step out and knockdown open looks from three. Woodyard is a strong rebounder and has developed as a passer during his career. A solid and reliable player who can play any position and will provide the Cats with a versatile option off the bench, or in the case of last season, a spot starter due to injury. Woodyard will be taking the Sam Alamutu/Jace Roquemore role of the past two seasons. This is the type of addition that can really elevate a team as Woodyard brings a "do what the team needs to win" attitude along with experience and leadership that can be hard to come by for mid-majors during the portal era. The coaching staff continues to hit on the recruiting trail and is inching ever closer to the complete team they are looking to create for next season. This coming week will be a big one with visits, the portal closing, and teams beginning to take shape as the commitment dominoes start to fall. 

Vermont secures another commitment

The 25-26 Vermont frontcourt is taking shape. The Cats got a second commitment of the week from Ben Michaels, A 6'8" forward from Ipswich, UK who just completed his freshman year at Buffalo and has three years of eligibility remaining. Michaels had a strong freshman year which saw him average 8.1 points and 4 rebounds in 22.4 minutes per game, including 15 starts. This is another awesome addition to the Catamounts and already gives them a formidable core group. Michaels played his high school ball at Long Island Lutheran (NY) where he played with big time NBA prospect VJ Edgecombe, who just completed his freshman year at Baylor. Michaels freshman season culminated with a spot on the MAC all-conference freshman team. He has great size and athleticism and plays with a high motor. This past season he showed some strong shooting potential, knocking down 24 threes. There is room to grow, but Michaels has all the makings of a reliable stretch four. He also proved to be a disruptive defender, racking up 19 steals and 23 blocks. He was coached this past season by former Catamount assistant coach Hamlet Tibbs so you know the coaching staff was well informed while pursing Michaels. With Michaels and Yalden joining Noah Barnett, it has the potential to be a complete 180 from the difficulties in the post this past season. Time will tell, but this looks like a home run start to the offseason roster reload. 

Sunset, Sunrise

For the first time in a while the reflections of the season include a bit of uncertainty and goals that were left unachieved. This season was a true test for the Vermont program as adversity was plentiful and the forward progress was slowed. It is easy to look at the past season and pick apart the things that went wrong and the disappointments that were endured. The season was a roller coaster full of ups and downs and certainly puts more pressure on the offseason than in past years. However, the fact that the Vermont program has reached a point where a 21 win season that fell short of a championship is a "down year", should provide some solace for how strong this program has become. The grit and mental toughness that this group demonstrated down the stretch was incredibly fun to watch and inspiring.

I think back to the season opening win against UAB and that win maintained its worth the whole season through. It showed where Vermont could have been if they had been able to field a consistently healthy team throughout the season. Nobody wants to make excuses, but the fact is that the roster was ever changing and it made finding that classic Vermont program continuity and chemistry that much harder. Despite those challenges this team was still able to rattle off a 10 game win streak and was playing their best basketball of the season until the Shamir Bogues injury was one too many. In a weird way, this season was a herculean effort by the players and staff to take this group and overcome their flaws to put themselves in a position to compete for a title. 

The main culprit this season was the difficulty in finding consistent offense. It was the worst offensive performance by a Becker team after a somewhat difficult offensive year the season before. Roster building is always a complicated process and the new NIL/portal era of recruiting has thrown a major wrench in the offseason. Finding pieces that fit and filling team weaknesses has never been both easier and more complicated at the same time. There are more options available but more competition for available players. There will assuredly be a concerted effort this offseason to give the Cats more balanced offensive options in an effort to get back the offensive efficiency that started this run of success. 

I will miss the incredible defensive intensity and excitement that Shamir and Ileri brought to every game and it will be weird to see the team without Nick after a half dozen years at Vermont. It will be exciting to see the TJ and TJ show (health permitting) one more time. The America East has been decimated by graduation and the portal so far with I believe only TJ Hurley returning from the all conference teams. The rosters across the league are barren and the league will be wide open. Despite Vermont's own roster needs, they are the only team returning an all conference player and if TJ Long comes back healthy they would return two. 

On a personal note, as you know I stopped responding to the comments during this season. Don't worry!

Ultimately this was for a good reason as I have gone back to school part time to get my Masters degree in Sports and Performance Psychology. With the extra time devoted to school I had to make some time cuts somewhere and I wanted to make sure I could continue writing the blog. I think I will be able to return to answering comments over the summer as the recruiting picks up. I am very excited for the potential of a midlife career change and have been really enjoying the classes thus far. 

Speaking of recruiting, NIL has finally come to the Green Mountain State! In honor of the late Barry Stone, a celebrated former player, alum, and Catamount superfan, the Cats now have an NIL fund that we the fans can directly contribute to. This will help Vermont Men's and Women's teams compete for players, particularly with other mid-major programs who have already dove in to the NIL deep end. With University resources being squeezed across the country, this is the best way that Catamount country can directly contribute to the success of the program. 

Here is the link if you would like to donate: Barry Stone Fund

Spread the word!

Once again thank you for reading and reaching out. This blog continues to be an amazing experience that has created community connections and given me a wonderful opportunity to share my love for basketball and Vermont. 

Vermont gets their big man

Hop on the Gus Bus!

The first portal commitment of the offseason for Vermont comes from Gus Yalden, a 6' 9", 260 lb forward from Appleton, WI. The Cats have been looking to add a big on the portal over the past few off-seasons and they have found their guy in Yalden, who has three years of eligibility left. Yalden has had quite a circuitous journey on his way to arriving at Vermont. Early in high school, he drew major power 5 interest and was rated as a 4 star prospect. He then went to IMG Academy (FL) where he struggled through foot injuries. Then after stops at the Asheville School (NC) and La Lumiere (IN), he committed to play basketball for his hometown Wisconsin Badgers. I remember following his recruitment at the time because he played for the Albany City Rocks AAU team and Vermont had expressed some interest. He red-shirted his freshman year at Wisconsin and ran into a few off-court issues. After the season he transferred to Seton Hall where he played 8 minutes a game across 26 games. Yalden comes to Vermont with a tremendous opportunity to step in a play a big role for the Catamounts. There were a few things I remember when following his recruitment. One was I thought the "Gus Bus" nickname was awesome and there was also a lot of "Baby Jokic" talk about his style of play. Being compared to the greatest basketball player of all time is a big swing but it gives an impression of how diversified his game is at his size. I love the fit at Vermont. Minutes are plentiful and he has a well rounded game. Watching interviews with Yalden, he describes himself as a "glue guy" who can do a bit of everything to help his team. He has a true back to the basket game, finishing with both hands around the hoop. He has a nice shooting touch on a little one-legged turn around and could develop into a good outside shooter. Yalden shines as a passer and is capable of playing off the dribble. He also plays with a ton of personality and fire. This is the type of post scorer the Vermont coaching staff has been searching for and Yalden gets a chance to prove himself at the college level. I think about how Ileri Ayo-Faleye had similarly red-shirted and not played much before coming to Vermont (also with 3 years remaining). The coaching staff was able to unlock his potential and he became a great player. This is a really good start to the offseason and gives the Cats some recruiting momentum as they reload. The America East will be more wide open than ever next season and adding Yalden to the returning group of guards is a great start. So excited to see the roster take shape!!

Shy Odom enters the portal

 Here we are again!

Another portal entry for the Catamounts, this time it is Shy Odom. It is unfortunate that his health never got right this season and he did not get the opportunity to showcase his skills. A healthy Odom would have been a fun player to watch in a Catamount uniform and I wish him well wherever he finds a home. This is going to be a crucial offseason for the Cats as they try to retool their roster to fill the departing defensive holes and get more dynamic on offense. To me the biggest portal needs are a post scorer and a player or two that can break the defense down off the dribble. The largest contributor to the choppy offense in my opinion was the difficulty in breaking defenses down off the dribble. If the Cats can find that more consistently, I think it will lift a lot of the other offensive areas as well. Losing Shamir Bogues, Ileri Ayo-Faleye, and Sam Alamutu leaves a pretty big hole on defense and they are going to have to address that this offseason as well. The entirety of the America East will be rebuilding this offseason as an insane amount of minutes across the league are leaving due to graduation or the portal. The league will be completely different next season.  Full disclosure, I LOVE portal season. I know that the system as it currently sits needs some tweaks and it is a crazy headache for coaching staffs, but it is really fun as a fan to see who teams are going after. The chase and search for information is addicting. I am sure I will be posting again soon!

Sam Alamutu enters the portal

Today the portal officially opened and Sam Alamutu became the second Catamount to enter the portal. Once Alamutu was recognized on Senior day, I thought this was a likely possibility. As I have said with previous grad transfers (Stef Smith, Aaron Deloney), after putting in four years and earning a degree is the perfect time to explore all of the options that might be out there. A normal process for a regular student and a great opportunity for Alamutu. During his time as a Catamount, Alamutu worked hard to carve out a role and became an indispensable player over the last two seasons. A Swiss army knife who's versatility allowed him to play and guard every position on the court. He is also a good example of the time it can take to adjust to the college game. Alamutu worked hard after his redshirt year to make the leap and remained patient when he did not crack the rotation right away. I wish him the best of luck at his next destination! With the portal officially opening today I would expect information to be coming fast and furious over the next month as teams restructure their rosters for next season. 

Seth Joba enters the transfer portal

The offseason has officially begin with the first portal activity for Vermont. Seth Joba has entered the portal after two seasons with the Cats. Joba struggled to crack the rotation and it makes sense that he would be exploring his options. He is a talented player who I think could be productive with the right fit. I wish him well and hope he finds the program he is looking for. His decision to move on continues a portal era trend of Vermont struggling to consistently find and develop post players. In the portal era, the Cats have been kinda stuck in the middle, with portal big men almost always going to a higher level and high school big men not being quite ready to be big contributors. Due to graduation and the portal, it is going to be a new era across the America East and for Vermont. This is going to be a big year for the Cats on the recruiting trail with minutes and spots up for grabs. With the offensive struggles this season, Vermont is certainly going to focus on that side of the ball in the offseason. The portal officially opens on Monday and I can't wait to see what players end up where. 

America East Semifinal: Down and Out

Maine 57 Vermont 42

After winning three consecutive championships, overcoming injuries and adversity, winning 10 games in a row down the stretch, and if you can believe it for the first time since 2015 (again throwing out the COVID year), Vermont will not be in the title game. It is someone else's turn. I say it a lot and it bears repeating, Vermont has had an unprecedented and frankly mythical run of success and to expect to never lose or have another team rise up is unrealistic. This was a roller-coaster season full of twists and turns and going all the way back to Jayhlon Young's de-commitment in June, it felt like the basketball gods were signaling that this year was going to be one full of challenges. Losing Shamir Bogues was the straw that broke the camel's back and the Cats season came to a close. 

First and foremost, a tip of the cap to Maine, who beat Vermont for the first time since 2010 (that is quite a run). They absolutely dominated the game and executed on the defensive end like I haven't seen in a long time. The Cats had their struggles but most of the turnovers and missed shots were due to an insane defensive effort from Maine. Kellen Tynes played like a man possessed and dominated end to end. Maine came in and said "we are going to smother TJ Hurley and make someone else beat us" and boy did they execute that strategy. Hurley had no space and no time as Maine threw everything but the kitchen sink to stop him. The Black Bears were hungry. Vermont came out flat for the second straight game and this time they could not recover. Maine was all over them from the tip and forced the Cats into 17 turnovers which turned into 21 points for the Black Bears. Vermont was back on their heels and played very tentatively as it seemed like Maine defenders kept coming out of nowhere to get steals and swat shots. The Cats shot 25.9% from the field and 4-26 (15.4%) from three. The Cats defense was very good as well holding Maine to 38.6% shooting and 4-17 (23.5%) from three. They could not get anything to fall against the highly motivated and energetic Maine defense. 

One incredible highlight was Sam Alamutu pulled down an herculean 21 rebounds! He worked very hard to initiate the offense and finished with 8 points. Ileri Ayo-Faleye finished with 14 points and 6 rebounds but shot 4-15 from the field. Hurley finished 1-15 from the field as he fell victim to three time defensive player of the year Kellen Tynes. I look forward to the Hurley revenge tour next season. Jace Roquemore went out with a bang, delivering quite an impressive poster dunk. 

I will reflect and recap the season in the coming weeks but I wanted to thank to the team for another exciting season in Catamount country and now on to cheering for the Vermont Women's team on Friday!!

America East Quarterfinal: Just win baby!!

Vermont 64 New Hampshire 57

Vermont overcame a sluggish start with a gutsy second half and closed the game on a 10-0 run to advance to the semifinals. In the first half the Cats were a bit tentative and New Hampshire was ready and raring to go. The Wildcats exploded out of the gate and took the fight to Vermont. The action was pretty choppy on both sides of the ball, but New Hampshire rode hot shooting from three to an eight point halftime lead. In the second half the Cats defense really dug in and took away the Wildcats perimeter scoring. Eventually Vermont's own perimeter shots began to fall and they battled their way back to emerge victorious. The big storyline was the three point shooting. First half: UNH 7-15, Vermont 1-10 from three. Second half: UNH 1-11, Vermont 6-12 From three. Honestly that pretty much sums up the difference between the two halves. Vermont's defense was tough throughout, holding New Hampshire to 36.4% shooting, finishing with a 36-24 advantage on the boards , and blocking 8 shots.  New Hampshire was very physical on the defensive end and were determined to take TJ Hurley out of the game. The Wildcats played their hearts out and executed their game plan for much of the game. The difference in this game was Vermont's mental toughness and belief in themselves. All of the adversity faced this season challenged Vermont to be mentally tougher and learn how to win close games. 

Hurley was tremendous in the second half, scoring 14 of his 18 points. When Vermont needed a big play on offense, he was there. He opened the second half with a personal 7 point flurry. His offensive rebound and bucket gave Vermont their first lead of the night and he had a quick 5 point spurt to take the lead for good. Big time performance in the face of relentless defensive pressure. Ileri Ayo-Faleye also made clutch shot after clutch shot and finished with 14 points, 10 rebounds, and 3 blocks. In the second half, he switched on to New Hampshire's leading scorer Sam Pissis and kept him from scoring the rest of the game. Nick Fiorillo knocked down the dagger three to give the Cats a two possession lead and stuffed the stat sheet with 10 points (3-6 from three), 7 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 blocks. He has become the Cats physical enforcer in the post and isn't backing down from anyone. Sam Alamutu struggled at times with the defensive pressure but finished with a solid 8 point, 7 rebound performance. Sean Blake had some nice moments and injected energy in the Cats, but had some freshman mistakes down the stretch that allowed New Hampshire to creep back into the game. Jace Roquemore finished with 6 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 assists.

A gritty, gutsy performance to open the playoffs and now they await their opponent on Tuesday night. Playoff atmosphere at Patrick is the best. 

Nine in a row!

Vermont 79 Albany 71

Vermont exploded offensively in the second half and secured their ninth straight victory to close out the regular season. The Cats also reached the 20 win mark once again which Coach Becker and staff have achieved every full season of his tenure (COVID season doesn't count). An incredible turnaround and a huge credit to the players and the staff who really put in the hard work this season to overcome adversity. With the two seed locked up the Cats can look forward to hopefully two more games in Patrick and with an upset maybe a third. What a great way to send off this group of seniors who have given so much to the Catamount program. 

The first half was a bit choppy and very physical. Albany stayed in the game thanks to red hot shooting from three, which was good because they only shot 3-19 from inside the arc. Thanks to a late three the Cats went into halftime with a one point lead. Out of halftime both offenses exploded with shots falling all over the gym and both teams trading runs. The Cats were able to execute down the stretch and come away with a win. The Cats finished the game shooting a scorching 58.3 % from the field and made 11 three pointers. They dominated the paint, outscoring the Great Danes 34-24 and also blocked 9 shots. After uncharacteristically giving up several offensive rebounds and second chance points in the first half, the Cats dug in and evened up the rebounding battle. This was a significant win because it marks the first game this season where you can say that Vermont won with their offense. This is the type of game the Cats were losing for much of the year. When an opponent was hot, the Cats struggled to keep up. In tonight's game they responded to every challenge with shotmaking and team offense. This will give the Cats a big confidence boost going into the playoffs knowing they have become a more complete team. Not much more you can ask for than going into the playoffs as the hottest team in the conference. 

TJ Hurley led the way with 24 points on 6-8 shooting from three. That is 17 made threes over his last 4 games at a 51.5 % clip. Scorching. Albany threw their best defender at him from the start and in the first half it limited his opportunities. Right out of the gate, the Cats made a concerted effort to get Hurley the ball and his three to open the half was a sign of things to come. Tough shot after tough shot and each one responded to a big shot made by Albany at the other end. Sam Alamutu also remained red hot with his third double double in the last four games. Alamutu finished with 16 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3 blocks all while playing point guard. Stepping up big in in the absence of Shamir Bogues. It has really all come together for Alamutu down the stretch as his offense has grown leaps and bounds over the last few weeks. Jace Roquemore continued his strong play, also stepping up without Bogues. He finished with 12 points and 5 rebounds and did a nice job being disruptive on the defensive end. Nick Fiorillo played with tremendous energy on his senior night, stuffing the stat sheet and battling hard in the post. Fiorillo finished with 10 points, 4 rebounds, 5 assists, and 3 blocks. His blocks were particularly impressive (Must be getting tips from Ileri). Also, his three at the end of the first half was huge. What a great way to cap off six regular seasons at Patrick. Speaking of Ayo-Faleye, he finished with 10 points 4 rebounds, and 2 blocks of his own. Noah Barnett had 5 points, 2 rebounds, and 2 assists in 18 minutes. Both of his baskets were at big moments in the second half and swung the momentum in the Cats favor. His hustle continues to pay dividends for Vermont. Sean Blake scored a bucket in his 14 minutes of the bench as every Catamount who played scored. 

Playoff time is here and Vermont is playing their best basketball at the right time. Can't wait to kick things off on Saturday!!

Reflections on the week

I am back!!!

After an amazing week with my family at Disney World, I have caught up by watching all three games this morning. Just an dominant run by this group, showing incredible heart and resilience. Whatever happens the rest of the way, the response to adversity by this group has been nothing short of amazing. The fact that a perceived "down year" has resulted in a top two seed and a team playing their best basketball down the stretch is something to be admired. They have done it through the tried and true Vermont way with incredible defense and rebounding. Since the calendar turned to 2025 the Cats have been the 3rd best team in the country in defensive rebounding percentage (per barttorvik.com). This is a statistic that Vermont has finished in the top 25 of for the last eight straight seasons. Incredible consistency. Also, since giving up 80 and 75 points in back to back losses before the winning streak, the Cats have given up 59.6 points per game. They have been absolutely locked in on that end of the floor and are dictating and controlling the tempo with incredible poise. The offensive movement in the UMBC game was the best it has been all season. A big shout out to the bench which has been inconsistent all season, for scoring 19 points in the UMBC game as well. That is going to become more important now as Cats fans wait for word on the injury to Shamir Bogues. It did not look good at all (I am no doctor but there was no contact and he was in a lot of pain). That is the only downer at this point and Catamount country is collectively sending healing thoughts his way. 

As far a individual performances, Sam Alamutu was a real standout this week. He averaged 11.3 points, 9.3 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and only 3 total turnovers in 31.6 minutes over the three games. All while playing a ton of point guard and initiating the offense. Alamutu has really come on strong during conference play and in particular his rebounding and hustle have been game changing. He is incredibly disruptive underneath and creates a ton of second chance opportunities for Vermont. Staying on the theme of winning the games in the paint, Ileri Ayo-Faleye and Nick Fiorillo have become quite the dominant duo underneath. They are playing very physical basketball and are walling opponents up and dominating the defensive glass. Ayo-Faleye averaged 12 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 4 blocks (!) in 34 minutes over the three games. Fiorillo finished the three games with averages of 11 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 2.3 assists in 33 minutes. Vermont has been grinding opponents down with their physicality and size. TJ Hurley sandwiched a tough night against NJIT with two huge performances. He is hitting tough shots night after night and finished the three game week shooting 44% (11-25) from three. Jace Roquemore has been the steadying force on the bench and averaged 7 points and 3.3 rebounds in 20.6 minutes over the three games. He will be needed even more if Bogues has to miss any time. The wild card if Bogues has to miss time is Sean Blake. He has looked very good in spurts and in both games where Bogues went down he performed very well in tough road environments. In those two games Blake averaged 8 points, 5 assists, 3 rebounds, and only turned the ball over 3 times in 27 minutes per game. 

It should be an incredible senior night on Tuesday, recognizing a large group of players who have meant so much to the Vermont program. 

Battle Royale: CATS FROM THE TOP ROPE

Vermont 59 Bryant 55

In an incredible championship atmosphere, Vermont battled Bryant to the final buzzer and came out with with their fifth straight win. The game was an all out war, with both teams leaving it all out on the floor. This time it was Bryant that got off to a hot start before Vermont responded with a 13-0 run to retake the lead. From there the game was back and forth with each team responding and counter-punching. Both teams were flying all over the court on defense. In the second half the pace slowed even more and the play became extra physical. Tensions began to rise and player's resolve was tested. Vermont made plays on both sides on the ball and emerged victorious. Vermont's defense was incredible, holding Bryant to 35% shooting including 4-21 from three. The Cats held the Connor Withers and Rafael Pinzon duo to 7-28 shooting from the field including 1-14 from three. The Cats held their own on the boards and dominated the paint, outscoring Bryant 34-20. The energy felt like it was bouncing back and forth between the players and the crowd. In the first meeting, the Cats struggled mightily with turnovers and they did a complete 180 in tonight's game. The Cats only committed 7 turnovers and controlled the tempo of the game throughout. A monster win that really showcased the toughness of this team. They have been through the fire this season and all of that adversity has really galvanized the team during this win streak. They have that mental toughness and belief that has made Vermont teams so tough. 

To begin with tonight, Noah Barnett was phenomenal. With Sam Alamutu sidelined in the second half, Barnett stepped up and seized his opportunity. He was all over the court, diving for loose balls, playing tough defense, and dominating the paint. Barnett finished with 5 points and 9 rebounds in 21 minutes and made numerous winning plays down the stretch. He has a nose for the ball and his hustle is contagious. What a clutch performance. TJ Hurley was not to be denied a second time by Bryant and led the Cats with 17 points. He was money down the stretch and fought through a very tough Bulldog defense intent on stopping him. He also played great defense on Withers. Ileri Ayo-Faleye sparked the Cats in the first half with back to back threes and finished with 15 points and 3 blocks. His defense was incredible, switching onto everyone, and really frustrating Bryant star Earl Timberlake. Shamir Bogues shook off his injury from last game and played a team high 38 minutes. Bogues finished with 11 points, 4 assists, 3 rebounds, and 2 steals in an all out performance. He was a big reason for Pinzon's struggles. Nick Fiorillo finished with 9 points and 9 rebounds in a big time performance in the paint. Alamutu pulled down 8 rebounds before sitting out down the stretch. 

Vermont is gaining steam at the right time and will look to continue the momentum against Lowell on Saturday. I will be travelling to Disney World with the family so I will not be posting for that game. I will be cheering from afar!!

P.S. At some point the league really needs to step in and hold Bryant to a higher standard of behavior. The constant technical fouls and tough guy routine has gotten old. Keyshawn Mitchell, for the at least the second time this year, had to be physically restrained and escorted off the court at the end of the game by a Bryant staff member as he continually tried to return to the court to fight. Instead of wearing "Spread Respect" t-shirts, it is time to hold the America East member institutions to a higher standard. 

P.P.S. That was an incredibly weak and ineffective crew of referees. So many times they did not make calls with confidence. The one thing a referee crew needs to be is strong, in control, and confident in what they see. 

BIG WIN

Vermont 65 Maine 61

Vermont vaulted themselves into second place in the America East with their fourth straight win. The road game in Orono is always a tough one and this year it had the added flair of being a battle for second place in the conference standings. Once again Vermont got off to a hot start. The excitement came to a halt when Shamir Bogues went down with what looked like a knee injury. Sending positive vibes and hoping he is okay. There was a lull for the Cats after the injury and you could see a bit of "here we go again" creeping in. The Cats burst out of halftime with incredible team basketball and built up a 16 point lead. Maine punched right back and the game seesawed like that for the rest of the action. With timely shot-making and smothering defense, Vermont was able to pick up an absolutely huge win in a tough road environment. Vermont had 19 assists on 23 made baskets and the player and ball movement on offense was really sharp. When factoring in the loss of Bogues so early on, this win is even more impressive. Check another box off the "Catamounts we know and love" list as that "next man up" mentality has led them to many victories over the years despite losing key players. That is the type of game they were losing earlier in the season and serves as a great marker of how well they have been playing during this stretch. 

TJ Hurley was awesome this afternoon. What a smooth and efficient offensive performance. He finished with 24 points on 7-13 (4-7 from three) shooting from the field. He played with an extra ferocity, going for a big dunk and silencing the crown with a huge logo three. The pull up three in the corner with two time defensive player of the year Kellen Tynes in his grill was a particular favorite of mine. What a performance. Sam Alamutu continued his inspired play with another new career high in rebounds and a Robin Duncanesque stat stuffing performance. He finished with 9 points, 7 assists, 13 rebounds, and 2 steals. He looks so much more confident and sure of his role than even a few weeks ago. Ileri Ayo-Faleye finished with 12 points and 3 blocks in a great two way performance. Sean Blake blew the game open to start the second half and finished with 8 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists in 28 minutes of action. He stepped right in for Bogues and looked as calm and in control as he has all season. Nick Fiorillo also had a strong all around game with 7 points, 5 assists, and 7 rebounds. A true team effort. 

Now the big showdown against Bryant on Thursday in what should be an electric atmosphere in Patrick. It is going to be a blast!

Vermont vs New Hampshire 2/13/25

Vermont 79 New Hampshire 59

Vermont led wire to wire int their most well rounded game of the season. The Cats took control early, never relented, and wore down UNH. In the first half Vermont once again got off to a hot start. It has gotten lost a bit becasue the hot starts have not translated as consistently to winning as one would think, but the Cats have really been opening games with a bang all conference play. Tonight they did not take their foot off the gas and kept up the intensity for 40 minutes. It was also great to see them look comfortable attacking a zone defense. Vermont dominated almost every facet of the game, winning the rebounding battle and making 11 three pointers. They also finished with 17 assists and only 7 turnovers while making every shot tough for the Wildcats. It continues to impress the level of discipline in their defense as they only committed 7 fouls for the entire game. They forced two shot clock violations where UNH didn't even attempt a shot. Great to see that machine-like Catamount efficiency that we have come to know and love bubbling up for the stretch run. 

Sam Alamutu played a second strong game in a row, finishing with a double double of 10 points and a career high 12 rebounds. He also added 2 steals and 2 blocks in a great all around performance. He has looked more engaged and aggressive over the last two games. Ileri Ayo-Faleye led the Cats with 16 points while adding 4 rebounds and 5 assists. He has been attacking closeouts really well and is creating off the drive not just for himself but for teammates as well. When he is attacking space off the dribble, it unlocks a different level of the Catamount offense. Shamir Bogues is all the way back and he announced it with a simple, stroll in park, big time dunk. He was his old electric self and continued his rapid rise during conference play. Bogues absolutely dominated with 15 points (6-7 shooting) 8 rebounds, 6 assists, and 3 steals. For his career Bogues now sits at 253 steals (including his time at Tarleton State). That ties the all time Catamount career steals record held by Howard Hudson. Congratulations to Bogues on a big time accomplishment. Nick Fiorillo finished with 14 points and 4 rebounds. TJ Hurley fought through an off night, finishing with 13 points. The fact that Vermont scored 79 points in a game where Hurley struggled is the best indicator of how far this group has come. Noah Barnett, Jace Roquemore, and Sean Blake all gave good minutes off the bench as the Cats continue to search for that second unit spark. 

Now the stretch that will have huge seeding ramifications as the Cats have fought tooth and nail to give themselves some control over their destiny. They take the loooooooong road trip to Maine on Saturday before hosting Bryant next Thursday. The two teams they are chasing in the standings, right there, waiting for battle. This is what conference play is all about. 

Vermont at Albany 2/8/25

Vermont 68 Albany 62

Vermont battled it out on the road and emerged victorious over Albany. It was really a vintage Cats performance with timely shot making and lockdown defense. Once again, the Cats got off to a hot start only to see the opposing team come roaring back. The Cats stayed calm and battled the Great Danes in a very exciting and well played first half. The first half was played at Albany's pace, and Vermont went into the break with a 37-36 lead. In the second half Vermont controlled the tempo and dug in on the defensive side of the ball. Back and forth the teams went and with the score tied at 57, the Vermont coaching staff drew up a great play out of the time out to give the Cats the lead for good. A big key for the Cats was winning the battle on the boards and in the paint. Vermont only committed 7 turnovers and took advantage of their chances at the foul line (despite the crazy sequence at the end). A great road win against a team that was riding high after taking down undefeated Bryant. 

TJ Hurley led the way with a big second half and finished with 21 points on an efficient 6-10 shooting night from the field. He was tremendous in the second half, hitting tough shots and knocked down the go ahead three with the score tied at 57. Nick Fiorillo dominated the first half, scoring all of his 17 points before the break. He knocked down 4-7 from three and was the spark to get things started in a tough road game. Shamir Bogues continued his hot streak with 15 points and his trademark tough defense as he continues to look more like himself. Ileri Ayo-Faleye struggled shooting the ball but had two huge dunks and finished with 9 points and 10 rebounds. He was a large part of the Cats big night on the boards. Sam Alamutu finished with 4 points, 8 rebounds, and came up with several big defensive plays down the stretch. This was a starters game for sure as Becker really shortened his bench in the second half. 

A great win as the Cats look to build momentum. 

On the ropes, the Cats punch Back!!

Vermont 54 Maine 49

Gutsy.

In a must win game, Vermont dug deep and clawed their way to a huge win, snapping Maine's 6 game win streak. The Maine/Vermont matchups have always been physical, defensive battles and this one lived up to the billing. In the first half, both teams were locked in on defense and relied on timely three point shooting on offense. Every inch of space, every drive to the basket, and every shot was earned through hard work and guts. In the second half, the defenses remained locked in as each team tried to move the chess pieces around the board to unlock the offense. Vermont shrunk down to a six man rotation and went long stretches with almost no substitutions, pushing themselves to the limit to secure the win. After a few more late game press break gaffes, the Cats came up with the big plays and pulled out the win they desperately needed. Vermont was strong on the boards and forced Maine into fadeaway jumpers on the move for at least half of their attempts from the field. Maine's zone was really good and the Cats stayed patient and limited their turnovers. Now Vermont has the week off to build on this win and start a streak of their own. 

TJ Hurley led the Cats with 15 points and has hit 4 threes in three consecutive games at a 57% (12-21) clip. Teams are really making him work and he fought for every point this afternoon. Shamir Bogues finished with 12 points and 6 rebounds while playing tremendous defense on the Maine guards. He also hit the big shot, a top of the key three to break a 49-49 deadlock with 30 seconds left. Bogues also played 39 minutes and earned some well deserved rest for sure. He was an absolute warrior this afternoon. Nick Fiorillo rounded out the double digit scorers with 11 points and 6 rebounds. Sean Blake had one of his most impactful games in a Catamount uniform, playing 25 minutes and stuffing the stat sheet with 5 points, 3 assists, and a team high 7 rebounds. He also stepped to the line at 47% from the charity stripe on the season and calmly knocked down two clutch free throws. Big time performance from the freshman and you can see the game starting to slow down for him. Sam Alamutu had a nice 4 point, 6 rebound, 3 assist lunchpail effort. He also drew several fouls by virtue of his physicality on the boards. Ileri Ayo-Faleye is in quite a shooting slump and was in the doghouse a bit in this game. He finished with 5 points and 6 rebounds but shot 2-10 from the field. Hopefully he can get his confidence back this week. 

A week off before a big Saturday night showdown on the road at Albany. 

Vermont at Binghamton 1/30/25

Binghamton 75 Vermont 72

Binghamton went on a late run to secure their first victory over the Catamounts in a decade. Just like on Saturday, Vermont got off to a hot 10-0 start before the opposition roared back (beware of the 10-0 start). The first half saw the Cats struggle from two point range once again, finishing 4-16 from inside the arc. They stayed in the game by starting hot from the perimeter, 6-11 from three in the first half. The second half was a complete reversal with the two point shots falling but the perimeter shots ending up in a 2-9 second half effort from three. The defense held Binghamton scoreless for quite a stretch to take the lead but the offensive struggles kept the game close before the Bearcats big run. It is so strange to see the pendulum swing back and forth for the Cats from minute to minute. There are these small moments in each game that really seem to change the momentum and Vermont is consistently coming out on the wrong side. This sets up an absolute must win in a home matchup with a red hot Maine team. 

Shamir Bogues shook off a tough first half with a strong second half, willing the Catamounts into the lead. Bogues finished with 21 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists. He has really come around over the last three weeks, scoring in double figures in 5 straight  games and hopefully gearing up for a strong finish. TJ Hurley finished with 19 points but was held without a basket inside the arc and held scoreless from the field in the second half. This is not the first time this season that Hurley has followed up a hot first half with a difficult second. He is too important to their offense to have such long stretches without a bucket. Ileri Ayo-Faleye scored 11 points but struggled from the perimeter for the second game in a row. Nick Fiorillo did most of his damage from the line and finished with 10 points and 6 rebounds. Sam Alamutu finished with 9 rebounds but continues to struggle to make an consistent impact on the offensive end. Sean Blake has looked much improved as of late and finished with 6 points. 

Vermont is in unfamiliar territory and now faces a short turnaround, which has not been kind to them this season. There is still time to make a run but it has to start with a big game at Patrick on Saturday. 

Vermont vs UMBC 1/25/25

UMBC 80 Vermont 63

Ouch. 

Vermont threw the first punch with a 10-0 run to start the game. UMBC counter-punched with a big run of their own and the Cats couldn't get up off the mat. When the final bell sounded, Vermont suffered their worst home loss during the Becker era. The Retrievers are the best shooting team in the America East by a wide margin and they showed why in the game today. They, like many teams this year, are coming in hyped and ready to exercise the demons from Vermont's stretch of dominating the conference.  Near perfect execution by UMBC this afternoon. Meanwhile, Vermont's body language had quite a bit of "here we go again" as the game was slipping away. Injuries continue to sap any momentum from the Cats season. For a team that has struggled to score and make shots consistently, to lose their most consistent shooter and scorer in TJ Hurley is one too many body blows to take. The Retrievers were able to sit back in a zone defense, unafraid of the perimeter threats. As a result, all of the shots at the rim were contested and the Cats are struggling to make contested twos this season. This is the pivot point for the Vermont season. This experience can either galvanize the Cats to make a final push or bury them under the weight of expectations. 

Ileri Ayo-Faleye led the Cats with 14 points but was inefficient offensively, shooting 4-15 from the field and 1-7 from three. Another blog jinx after praising his three point shooting on Thursday. Sam Alamutu had a nice stretch attacking the basket in the second half and finished with 12 points and 7 rebounds. Shamir Bogues stuffed the stat sheet with 11 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 steals but struggled to make an impact after a hot start. Nick Fiorillo also struggled through an inefficient afternoon, finishing with 11 points and 7 rebounds on 4-12 shooting. Jace Roquemore was the one bright spot from the perimeter, knocking down 3-6 from distance for 9 points. Sean Blake struggled to finish around the rim but continues to take better care of the ball and finished with 6 points and 5 rebounds. The injuries have really sapped Vermont's depth and neutralized their normally impactful bench. 

Some hard truths and hard work for Vermont this week as they try to bounce back on the road at Binghamton on Thursday. 

Vermont vs NJIT 1/23/25

Vermont 68 NJIT 64

Vermont survived a second half charge from NJIT to pick up a victory at Patrick. Vermont started the game hot on both sides of the ball, knocking down shots from the perimeter and locking NJIT up at the other end. The game was very physical from the start and in the second half it really became a slog. I don't normally talk much about officiating but the second half of this game was called particularly poorly and as a result the action was extremely choppy and it really sucked the energy out of the building. It was another game where the Cats were shorthanded as leading scorer TJ Hurley joined the street clothes crew for tonight. With the offensive struggles Vermont has dealt with this season it was no surprise to see the offense stall in the second half without Hurley. The Cats did however, dish out 14 assists, only committed 6 turnovers, and were able to generate good shots. What really kept the game close was some poor free throw shooting in the second half (another area where they missed Hurley). Vermont finished 16-27 from the line (59%) which didn't do enough to punish NJIT's physical defense. It was great to pull out a win and give themselves a chance to sweep the homestand against UMBC on Saturday. 

Ileri Ayo-Faleye was tremendous in tonight's game, stepping into a more prominent offensive role with Hurley out. Ayo-Faleye poured in a career high 27 points to go along with 9 rebounds. He was 4-5 from three tonight and is shooting 12-26 (46%) from distance in conference play. The increased aggressiveness on offense has really been paying dividends over the past few weeks. Shamir Bogues continued his hot streak with his first career double double. Bogues finished with 14 points, 11 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals, and zero turnovers (he only has 2 turnovers in conference play), Once again it seemed like he was everywhere all at once. He is so exciting to watch when he is locked in. Sean Blake was good off the bench, finishing with 7 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, and zero turnovers.  He is playing with more control and got to the rim at will tonight. 

Can't wait for Saturday's game!

Vermont vs Binghamton 1/16/25

Vermont 72 Binghamton 64

Vermont never trailed in a wire to wire victory over Binghamton in their conference home opener. It was a strong all around performance and one that saw the Cats respond to every Bearcat challenge. The offense was strong, avoiding the cold streaks and scoring droughts that have plagued the Cats this season. After struggling with turnovers against Bryant, Vermont took care of the ball and only committed 6 turnovers. It was a weird game defensively where Binghamton shot a high percentage from the field but Vermont limited their opportunities at the line and forced 15 Bearcat turnovers. Early on the full court pressure that the Cats have been using lately really bothered Binghamton and set the tone for the game. Vermont finished with 11 steals as a team and did a great job jumping passing lanes, digging down on drives, and doubling in the post. A great way to kick off the homestand. 

TJ Hurley bounced back after the scoreless outing against Bryant in a big way, dropping a career high 26 points with a big second half. He really took over the game in the when the Cats needed big buckets. The continued expansion of his game at all three levels is making him more and more dangerous with the ball in his hands. Shamir Bogues is looking more and more like his healthy self and was an absolute all court wrecker in tonight's game. Bogues finished with 16 points, 5 rebounds and SEVEN steals. He was all over the court on defense and it felt like he deflected the ball on every possession. Great to see him playing well. Nick Fiorillo continues to play at a high level, finishing with 15 points and 6 rebounds. His early threes really opened up the Cats offense. Ileri Ayo-Faleye continues to be more aggressive on the offensive end and finished with 11 points and 4 rebounds. Another weird thing about this game is the four Cats mentioned above are the only four players who made a shot from the field in this one. 

Now the Cats have a week off to get ready for NJIT and continue to build on this early momentum in the conference schedule. 

Vermont at Bryant 1/11/25

Bryant 73 Vermont 53

Vermont took one on the chin at Bryant for their first conference loss. The Cats started out strong jumping out to an early ten point lead thanks to strong defense. Then the wheels came off as Bryant got red hot from three. The Cats came out flat in the second half and turned the ball over like crazy, allowing Bryant to run them out of the gym. It was a very strange game where you kind of have to tip your cap to Connor Withers, who went on a quite a heater to put Bryant on top. The turnovers came back in a big way and were the driving force in the loss. Felt like a bit of a letdown spot after the big win over UMass Lowell. Considering the short bench and tough road trip a 2-1 start is about where you would expect to be. Gives the Cats some motivation for the rematch at Patrick in February. 

Ileri Ayo-Faleye continued his strong play with 15 points, including 4-7 from three. His improved offensive aggressiveness and three point shooting is trending in a nice direction. Shamir Bogues finally got some shots to fall, finishing with 17 points and 6 rebounds. If he can return to form down the stretch it will completely change the Vermont offense. The Cats really missed Jace Roquemore in this game as Sam Alamutu and Sean Blake combined for 10 of the Cats 17 turnovers. Alamutu pulled down 11 rebounds but struggled with the added play-making responsibility. Nick Fiorillo struggled to get anything going against the big, physical Bryant defense. The shocker of the game was TJ Hurley being held scoreless on only three shots. He struggled with the size of the Bryant defenders and the added defensive attention. Shocking after looking so good against Lowell. 

Now the Cats get a three game homestand to bounce back and hopefully get healthier with a week off coming up after Binghamton on Thursday. Can't wait to be back at Patrick!!

STATEMENT MADE

Vermont 67 UMass Lowell 63

Vermont went on the road and made a big statement, ending the River Hawks 7 game win streak. Beating Lowell in their home gym is something only the Cats have done over the last few years. A monster win that announces to the league that despite the inconsistent performance thus far, the Cats are still the team to beat. As the Cats have all season they were faced with a shortened bench (Jace Roquemore, Shy Odom, TJ Long all in street clothes) and then battled foul trouble throughout. The trademark Catamount defense showed up in a big way, holding the River Hawks 21 points (!) below their season average. The most surprising turn of events was the Cats complete dominance on the boards. Vermont grabbed 17 offensive rebounds and finished with a 44-30 advantage on the boards. The Cats were all over the 50/50 balls and played with an incredible sense of urgency. It felt like they relished being the underdogs for once and played with a chip on their shoulder. The three point shooting was a struggle but each one that the Cats made was at a crucial juncture. Throughout the game, the Cats used their physicality and toughness on both ends of the floor. Gutsy performance. 

TJ Hurley led the Cats with 23 points and made two huge threes down the stretch. He was tough as nails, using his physicality to create space driving to the rim. The big shots down the stretch felt like Hurley fully realizing his role as the Cats offensive leader. Ileri Ayo-Faleye was everywhere finishing with 17 points and 11 rebounds while helping to shut down the River Hawks in the post. He had some wild misses from three but his offensive aggressiveness is something that is crucial for Vermont. Nick Fiorillo struggled shooting but finished with 10 points and 7 rebounds. He played tough, physical defense down low and really walled off the paint. With the injury to Roquemore, Sam Alamutu has been thrust into the secondary point guard role and due to foul trouble, he was the primary point guard in this evenings game. He played a strong game, finishing with 8 points and 6 rebounds. He had two crucial buckets in the second half and his ability to guard multiple positions was crucial in slowing down the high flying Lowell offense. Shamir Bogues was hampered by foul trouble but finished with 8 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 blocks. Due to the foul trouble and the short bench, Noah Barnett, Sean Blake, and Seth Joba were forced into bigger roles and each contributed in their minutes. Barnett finished with 2 points and 5 rebounds, Blake made good decisions with the ball, and Joba hit a nice three. 

The signature Vermont defense is firing on all cylinders over the last few games. What a huge momentum boost for the Cats as they head into another tough road test against Bryant on Saturday. Conference play is the best. 

Vermont wins their America East opener

Vermont 60 New Hampshire 40

Vermont used a dominant second half to open conference play in the win column. It is hard to believe but it was actually Vermont's first road win since their opener at UAB exactly two months ago. It all starts with the Catamounts trademark, best in the conference defense, which was incredible this afternoon. The coaching staff made several adjustments going to a kind of diamond 1-3-1 zone and bringing intermittent full court pressure. It was very effective with the Cats forcing 17 turnovers and finishing with 10 steals. That gave the Cats a 21-7 advantage in points of turnovers. Vermont is looking for ways to get easier shots at the rim and getting more live ball turnovers is one great way to do so. The first half was a slog that saw Vermont continue to struggle mightily from two point range, finishing the half 3-17 from inside the arc. In the second half the offense opened up and clicked on all cylinders. The were able to generate shots at the rim, hitting 12-20 from two point range in the second half. The Cats took good care of the ball, finishing with only 8 turnovers. A really big second half performance in a really big spot. Road wins are hard to come by, especially in conference play, and with the big road swing to start the conference schedule it was important to kick it off right. 

TJ Hurley led the Cats with 17 points and also chipped in 4 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 steals. He has really settled in as the Cats best offensive weapon and continues to score at all three levels. Nick Fiorillo is in the best stretch of his Catamount career and is sparking Vermont with energy and perimeter shooting. He finished with 14 points, 5 rebounds, and great defensive energy. Ileri Ayo-Faleye was aggressive going to the rim and finished with 12 points and 4 assists. He had some nice finishes and made some great passes as well. Sam Alamutu got the start with Jace Roquemore injured and finished with 4 points and 5 rebounds. Shamir Bogues continues to struggle with finishing around the rim (3-11 from the field) but was a spark defensively, finishing with 9 points and 4 steals. There was not a lot of production off the bench as Becker really shortened up the rotation in the second half. 

A nice statement by the Cats to take care of business in the opener before the big showdowns next week with UMass Lowell and Bryant. Great measuring stick matchups to open the season and should make for exciting game action.