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.