Vermont vs Buffalo 11/19/24

Vermont 78 Buffalo 67

Vermont used a strong defensive effort in the second half to end their three game skid with a win over Buffalo in the home opener. It was awesome to be back at Patrick and it was a great atmosphere. The offense was clicking from the start which was a welcome sight for Catamount fans. The Cats were able to generate more opportunities at the rim and made the most of their perimeter looks. In the first half the action was back and forth as both teams attacked the rim. Buffalo made a charge at the end of the half and cut the deficit to three. Vermont opened the second half on a 9-0 run and really dug in defensively, getting crucial stops. The Cats had a response for every run from the Bulls and salted the game away at the line. The big improvement in tonight's game was taking care of the basketball. The opening road trip featured games against high pressure, physical defensive teams and it caused uncharacteristic mistakes from the Cats. Vermont finished with 12 assists and only 5 turnovers in a much cleaner effort. 

Ileri Ayo-Faleye led the Cats with 18 points on 3-6 shooting from three and 7-8 shooting from the line. All of his offseason work has him shooting with more confidence. He warms up with both the guards and the post players before games and the early returns are good. Adding a perimeter scoring threat to his tenacious defense is great. TJ Hurley knocked in three from downtown as well en route to 17 points. He was more aggressive on the offensive end, shooting with less space from three and driving to the rim. Taking on that scorers mentality will be key to unlocking the Vermont offense. Shamir Bogues stuffed the stat sheet with 10 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals. He created well driving to the basket. Sam Alamutu played a little more as the small ball big in the second half when Buffalo went to a smaller lineup. He had several physical drives to the rim and finished with 9 points and 4 rebounds. TJ Long finished with 9 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists on a night where Buffalo made it hard for him to get good looks. Sean Blake scored 8 points and continues to provide dynamic drives to the rim. He is really good in short bursts as he learns the speed of the college game. Nick Fiorillo played a tough, physical game finishing with 7 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 blocks. He finally got some nice backdoor passes in the flow of the offense. 

A great win at home to get the Cats back on the winning track. I am so excited to head down to Mohegan Sun this weekend!!! Going to be an awesome atmosphere and some great basketball.

Vermont at Iona 11/15/24

Iona 62 Vermont 59

Vermont blew a 15 point second half lead as Iona ratcheted up the pressure and handed the Cats their third consecutive loss. For the first 3/4ths of the game Vermont's defense was locked in and the offense was efficient. Then the dreaded scoring drought took hold and the Cats were reeling. Iona capitalized and imposed their will, pressuring the Cats and relentlessly attacking the basket. The coaching staff is struggling to find the right combinations and there were stretches where the lineups felt somewhat awkward. The inconsistent rotation is definitely affecting the offensive continuity. Once again the turnovers piled up and several came at crucial junctures in the second half. In the most shocking development, the Cats gave up 15 (!) offensive rebounds and were dominated on the boards 38-18. That is the most un-Vermont stat of the young season. The Vermont program has long been one of the best defensive rebounding teams in the country and it is absolutely shocking to see them in this predicament. This stretch is very reminiscent of the 22-23 season when the Cats started the season 1-6. Similarly, in that season Dylan Penn missed the preseason with a injury and struggled to get up to speed. They managed to right the ship that season and the home opener will be an opportunity to hit the reset button. 

The TJ's continue to be a bright spot for Vermont. TJ Long led the Cats with 18 points on 4-8 shooting from three. He also made some nice defensive plays, finishing with 3 steals. TJ Hurley finished with 16 points on 3-5 shooting from three. Shamir Bogues continues to struggle with finishing at the rim and was in foul trouble for much of the night. He finished with 7 points, 5 assists, and 4 rebounds. He still doesn't seem like he has his burst back. Ileri Ayo-Faleye and Sam Alamutu finished with 3 blocks each but struggled to make an impact on the offensive end. The rest of the rotation is begging for someone to step up and seize control. The minutes are there for the taking and right now no one is distinguishing themselves.  

It certainly has not been the start the Cats were looking for. The one positive from this game is the defense looks good and they are going have to lean heavily on that side of the ball while the kinks get worked out of the offense. Hopefully getting back into Patrick Gym will be the spark they need to get the season back on track. 

Vermont at Merrimack 11/9/24

Merrimack 65 Vermont 51

Outhustled, outworked, outplayed.

Merrimack dominated Vermont with their matchup zone and handed the Cats a shocking loss. This was the poorest performance by a Cats team in recent memory. They were sluggish and played with little to no energy or excitement. For the second straight game the turnovers were plentiful as Vermont has been uncharacteristically loose with the ball. The offensive adjustments and plans have not clicked so far and the Cats look tentative and unsure. The coaching staff is struggling to find the right combinations and the shifting lineups seem to be making the roles undefined and murky. Becker is trying to light a fire under the veterans and find the right groups but the young players are not quite ready for the larger roles. Over the first few games the biggest shock has been how much the Cats have struggle to get and finish shots at the rim. After tonight they are shooting 34% (!!!!) from two point range. That is an almost unfathomable number for a Vermont squad. Quite a bit of soul searching after a busy week full of ups and downs. Interestingly enough as far as the record goes, 1-2 at this point was what was expected but Vermont got there in quite the backwards fashion. 

TJ Long led the Cats with 22 points, including the 1,000th of his career. He kept the Cats afloat but no one else got going offensively. TJ Hurley finished with 11 points as the other double figure scorer. The elephant in the room is how poorly Shamir Bogues has played after his early explosion at against UAB. He does not look 100% and the missed time is clearly affecting him. Vermont does have strong depth but Bogues is such an important player that it is a uphill battle with him playing so ineffectively. Nick Fiorillo and Sam Alamutu have also struggled mightily to start the season after looking very good during the offseason/preseason. Ileri Ayo-Faleye, Seth Joba, and Shy Odom struggled to make an impact. Sean Blake was thrust into an even more prominent role and fell victim to the ups and downs of freshman inexperience. He grabbed 6 rebounds and dished out 5 assists but struggled defensively and committed 4 turnovers. He is not quite ready for the full reins of the offense. Noah Barnett continues to show flashes with his hustle, finishing with 5 points and 5 rebounds, but he too showed some inexperience in the post. 

What a difference from the beginning of the week. It is going to be a long week for Vermont as they try to right the ship before heading to Iona on Friday. 

Vermont at Auburn 11/6/24

Auburn 94 Vermont 43

A good old fashion beatdown

Auburn overwhelmed Vermont with their pressure defense and handed the Cats their first loss of the season. The Tigers are a top 10 team with national championship aspirations and played like it from the start. Vermont's offense never got off the ground as Auburn's full court press and perimeter ball pressure completely disrupted everything that the Cats tried to do. The Tigers forced 16 Catamount turnovers and smothered everything at the rim. After holding UAB scoreless from three, the law of averages swung back in a big way as Auburn couldn't miss from deep. It is never fun to lose a game that badly, but going 1-1 on the road trip can be viewed as a success and this game will give Vermont plenty to look at and use as motivation to get better. 

Noah Barnett and Seth Joba's development was a big time bright spot during the road trip. They both showed flashes and are going to give the Cats the frontcourt depth they have been desperate for the last few seasons. Barnett's rebounding and hustle are going to be a huge asset and Joba looks comfortable offensively. His ability to stretch the floor and knock down threes is going to be really valuable. Sean Blake was active on the boards and gives the Cats another scorer off the dribble. He will have to clean up the turnovers but those freshman mistakes will likely become fewer as the season goes on. Outside of the first few minutes against UAB, Shamir Bogues really struggled to get to the rim and finish. Feels like the missed time during the preseason created some rust and he is still getting back into the swing. Same for TJ Long. Ileri Ayo-Faleye's offseason work to improve his shooting looks good so far. He also had some great blocks, continuing to establish himself as an elite defender. Becker used this as an opportunity to send a message to the struggling starters and get the deeper parts of the rotation more minutes and a chance to show what they can do. Shy Odom made his Catamount debut and continues to try and get back to his old form and adjust to the Vermont system. He hit a nice three early and tried to establish himself down low in the second half. He is still getting comfortable with when to push within the offense and was a little loose with the ball. 

Now the Cats head back up north and get ready for a game at Merrimack on Saturday. It will be really interesting to start to see the rotation forming and how the coaching staff uses what they learned on this opening road trip. 

Opening night statement

Vermont 67 UAB 62

Vermont used an explosive first half followed by a signature gutsy second, to take home the win on opening night. What a way to start the season for the Catamounts. Not only was it a great game but it showcased all of the things that make Vermont such a tough team. Tough D? Check. Timely shooting? Check. Low Turnovers? Check. Unexpected contributors? Check. Just an absolutely awesome team win to open the season with contributions from everyone. In the first half Vermont found success against the UAB zone both finding lanes to the rim and knocking down threes. They really muscled up on the boards in the first half as well, making life difficult for Blazers star Yaxel Lendeborg. The second half was a different story. Lendeborg played like a man possessed and absolutely dominated Vermont. UAB switched to a physical man to man defense and took away Vermont's driving lanes. They had no answer. The Cats never panicked, never backed down or hung their heads, and kept fighting. The defense clamped down on everyone else and kept UAB from making a single three (0-10). Vermont iced the game at the line and came away with a huge win. The defense looked phenomenal and the Cats were even able to play some lineups with *gasp* three big men on the floor at one time. A tremendously gutsy effort with big plays up and down the lineup. 

TJ Hurley led the Cats with 20 points and hit the big shot to put the Cats ahead for good in the closing minutes. With the departure of Aaron Deloney, Hurley was the most natural fit to take on that perimeter scoring role and boy did he excel. Always poised and under control, Hurley picked his spots and make great decisions throughout the game. He hit 4 threes (including one from the parking lot) and played really tough defense, making life difficult for the UAB guards. Shamir Bogues got Vermont out to a hot start, absolutely exploding in the first 5 minutes of the game. After that he struggled to make shots as UAB focused their defense on stopping Bogues going to rim. Bogues finished with 13 points and was a huge part of the stellar perimeter defense. Noah Barnett waited a whole year to make his Catamount debut and he did not disappoint. He completely changed the game in the first half with his hustle and high motor play. Barnett finished with 8 points, 6 rebounds, and 1 huge block in 22 minutes. He has a nose for the ball and it was great to see his hard work have an impact on the game. TJ Long struggled in his first game action but as always hit a huge three to break a 55 all tie. Long finished with 10 points to round out the double digit scorers for the Cats. The bank was open late for Ileri Ayo-Faleye as he banked in not one, but two threes in a crucial second half stretch. The Cats offense had stalled and Ayo-Faleye reignited the Cats with a tremendous four point play. He played his typical tough defense, finishing with 6 rebounds and 2 blocks. Seth Joba played a physical and tough 17 minutes and hit a nice corner three. Sam Alamutu didn't score but played tough defense. Sean Blake struggled with a few turnovers and Nick Fiorillo had a tough game, getting out muscled in the post. Fiorillo did come up with the crucial rebound to begin the free throw shooting at the end of the game. Just an incredible all around performance by the Cats. 

What a great way to open the season and Vermont can go into the Auburn game loose and ready to shock the world. 

Also what a great win for the Vermont women's team in their opener against Missouri. Fun times in Catamount country!!

Vermont 24-25 season preview

Basketball is officially back and after all of the waiting, obsessing, projecting, and researching, it is time to write about the upcoming season. With this being the last of the extra COVID year eligibility across college basketball, it feels like a peak year for the sport. There is so much veteran experience across the country and after this season teams are going to get much younger. These post COVID years have felt like an era all its own with all of the changes around eligibility, conference realignment, and player compensation. That makes this year so exciting and one to appreciate.

With so many returning pieces, there is a real excitement about what this Vermont team can accomplish this season. Players in the Vermont program very often make significant year to year improvements and now that the coaching staff has a large group of returners, there is an opportunity to to take another step forward. Integrating a large number of new players year to year over the last few seasons has meant there have been less opportunities to look ahead and add new wrinkles as most of the work has been just getting players integrated into the system. This year the Cats have a group who have already put in that work. This team has an opportunity to be very special. 

The one caveat to all this excitement is health. Every year teams are always battling the unpredictable nature of player health and this season the Cats have had a run of tough luck to start the season. Becker mentioned in his media day appearance that Shamir Bogues has not practiced very much due a surgery to remove bone spurs and TJ Long has only been available for about 25% of practices thus far dealing with a nagging foot injury. Considering those are the Vermont's two preseason all conference players, that is a cause for concern. It was nice to see Bogues back for the final exhibition but you never know how that missed time will affect teams. I think about When Dylan Penn was injured for the entire preseason during his Catamount season and it look him and the team a while to get going after all that missed time. Last season Nick Fiorillo also had a bit of an adjustment period coming out of his preseason injury. I am approaching this preview with bountiful optimism and as such am going to assume full health. Here. We. Go.

Projected Record: 25-6 (14-2) 1st in America East, NCAA tourney berth

This team has a ridiculous amount of potential. First off, they could be the best defensive team Vermont has ever had. In my preview last season I mentioned how exciting it would be to see Shamir Bogues in the Vermont defensive system and it did not disappoint. The Duke game left a sour taste with the offensive struggles and TJ Long's injury but underneath it all, Vermont's defense was fully validated as a force to be reckoned with. Bogues and Ileri Ayo-Faleye are elite defenders no matter the level of competition. The Cats are going to be able to wear their opponents down in a big way. The first two games against UAB and Auburn will be fun to watch and are a great measuring stick. They are not just two great teams, they also have great individual players. Yaxel Lendeborg for UAB is a the preseason conference player of the year and Johni Broome from Auburn is rated as the best player in the country on evanmiya.com. Two dominant frontcourt players to kick off the season. With the preseason injuries, these games are going to be even more difficult. After that big road trip, the Cats have a chance to go on a pretty big winning streak. The rematch with Yale in early December will be absolute must watch, can't miss college basketball after last season's miracle. That game last season solidified Yale/Vermont as the best rivalry in Northeast mid-major basketball. The conference schedule starts with a bang as Vermont begins with three tough road games and that will set the tone for the rest of the conference season after those early Bryant/Lowell tests. 

Depth 

During this incredible run of success the most significant advantage that Vermont has had over their opponents is their incredible depth. The Cats have a group of players on the bench that if they were broken off as their own team, they would be a competitive squad. That is a luxury that very few teams have. This was really put on full display last year with the time missed by Bogues, Matt Veretto, and TJ Hurley. The "next man up" mentality in the Vermont program is really incredible. I think back to the 21-22 season opener on the road at Northern Iowa when Vermont was facing opening the season without its star Ryan Davis. Even the most optimistic fan was understandably feeling down about their chances.  The Cats went out and blew the doors off Northern Iowa anyway, kicking off an incredible season. Overcoming injuries is always a challenge but Vermont is a program that has a pattern of players stepping up when called upon. This year, the Cats have already seen the results of this with Sean Blake seizing his opportunity while other players have been out. 

Leadership 

Last year Aaron Deloney returned to be the program ambassador to a group of newcomers. This year the Cats have quite a wealth of experience and leadership. Nick Fiorillo is in his 6th season with Vermont, Jace Roquemore is in his 6th season of college basketball, Shamir Bogues and Ileri Ayo-Faleye are in their 5th. Sam Alamutu, TJ Long, and Gavin Perryman are in their 4th. For a program with the goals and aspirations that Vermont has, there couldn't be a better setup. With so much knowledge, this group is prepared for the inevitable ups and downs of the college basketball season. 

Breakouts incoming?

Even with so many returning pieces, the Cats are still looking to replace important production. Losing Aaron Deloney and Matt Veretto leaves a big gap in scoring and perimeter shooting. This puts TJ Hurley square in center of replacing production. He is the most natural candidate to replace this perimeter scoring. Three point shooting was a real slog for the Cats last season and they will need a better season from beyond the arc to reach their full potential. Hurley has the ability to step into that role. Nick Fiorillo is finally fully healthy and looks ready to capitalize. He plays such an important role in the offense with his passing ability. Other players like Bogues and Ayo-Faleye have been working in the offseason to improve their perimeter shooting ability. One could say that Sam Alamutu already broke out last season. If the preseason is any indication, he was only scratching the surface. He has looked transformed moving into a guard role and is poised for another step up this year. At the media day Becker talked about how Seth Joba and Noah Barnett have shown steady improvement and have an opportunity to carve out a role. Both showed flashes in the exhibitions. This opportunity for improvement is the biggest benefit of the programmatic continuity. 

Newcomer impact

Even with so many returning minutes there is opportunity to the few newcomers to make an impact. Shy Odom has already established himself as a very good college basketball player and is looking to recapture that magic with Vermont. A 100% healthy Odom is a major impact player. His progress toward reclaiming his pre-injury form will be a huge storyline for Vermont as he is a player who can impact the game in many different ways. Without injury concerns, the rest of the new faces were looking at a tough road to minutes. The door has been opened for Gavin Perryman and Sean Blake to make an impact this season. Sean Blake has been an absolute revelation so far with his dynamic ability to get to the rim. He has forced his way into a role this season. Blake will certainly have some growing pains but he will likely have some explosive performances this season. 

Offensive improvement

The Vermont defense can always be counted on and helped the Cats thrive last season despite a very inconsistent offense. Looking at the analytics on www.barttorvik.com, last season was one of the worst offensive seasons by adjusted offensive efficiency in the Becker era. The defense saved the day as it was the one of best seasons by adjusted defensive efficiency in the Becker era (so when Becker says this year might be his best group on the defensive end, he is on to something). Every coach, every preseason talks about offensive tweaks and playing faster. This year is no different for the Cats. For Vermont it has always been hard to increase the number of possessions and play faster because their defensive system dictates a slower paced, lower possession game. I do think after last season's difficulties, the coaching staff will work to install some new wrinkles to unlock the full potential of this group. It will be interesting to see if that translates to a faster pace of play. The Cats have nowhere to go but up as they finished 350th (out of 362) last year in tempo. At the very least the offense will have to be far more efficient on a per possession basis this season. 

Exciting Basketball

The last thought for today is how exciting this team will be to watch. Last season was full of insane moments with big shots from Long, huge dunks from Ayo-Faleye, and jaw dropping sequences from Bogues. Toss in what Blake and Alamutu have shown in the preseason and this group has explosive energy and a killer mentality. The level of skill, IQ, and athleticism on this team is going to make for must watch basketball this season. There will likely be wow moments in every game this season. Bogues in particular (hopefully shaking off his nagging injury with his procedure) is poised to explode this season for Vermont.

There is no better sport than college basketball and I cannot wait for the season to officially begin. As always thanks for coming along on the ride with me, reading the blog, sharing thoughts, and enjoying Catamount basketball.  

Exhibition: Vermont vs St. Michael's

Vermont 80 St. Michael's 55

Vermont swarmed the shorthanded Purple Knights from the opening tip and kept their foot on the gas, cruising to a win in the exhibition finale. The Cats clearly were not going to let the game turn out like the last one and played with more purpose and energy throughout. The players and coaches do an excellent job of using losses or inefficient games as fuel. Early on the defense was intense as Vermont held St. Mike's to only two made field goals in the first 10 minutes. The offense was firing on all cylinders with quick cuts and the perimeter shooters finding success. In the second half, the Cats played more in the halfcourt and were trying different looks and finding different combinations. Vermont really dominated the boards throughout the game and played with a fire and intensity in the paint. Night and day from the first exhibition and a great way to go into the prep for Monday's opener against UAB. 

What was the big difference? Well for starters Shamir Bogues was back. It was great to see him out on the court and he made an immediate impact as he always does. His energy is infections and just like last season the on/off court splits for Bogues are incredible. His teammates seem to feed off of his intensity and there is an electricity to his minutes (unfortunately the box score has disappeared so there will not be exact stats for this write up). Bogues looked really good and it is awesome to see him ramping back up into game shape. Sam Alamutu continues to impress and looks reborn so far this season. Finally getting a chance to play his natural guard position, he is flourishing. He was a rebound shy of a double double and impacted every aspect of the game (ignore the free throws). His defense was absolutely smothering to start the game and his energy off the charts. Flying all over the court including some nice dunks. Seeing how he carves out a role this year is going to be so fun. Sean Blake was electric once again. The improvement over the course of this last calendar year from his final high school season to now has been astronomical. He truly has gone from a possible redshirt to a player who could carve out a nice scoring role off the bench. That is a testament to his hard work. His ability to burst through the gaps and rise to the rim are special (again, ignore the free throws).  The post player crew bounced back in a big way. Nick Fiorillo led the Cats with 12 points and jumpstarted the offense with a couple threes early. He is a tone setter for this group and handling a larger shooting role from the perimeter is crucial to the Cats success this season. Seth Joba showed flashes of his potential throughout the game. He too knocked down a couple threes and had a beautiful pull up jumper off the dribble. He battled for rebounds underneath and played with more aggression. Shy Odom flashed his potential in this one too with some nice offensive rebounds and played with more purpose. Everyone that played in the game scored in a really well rounded team effort.

Now on to the real thing. I am super excited for the game against UAB on Monday. I hopped on a UAB podcast to talk about the matchup and you can join the Patreon($) if you would like to listen. Click here for the link. My Vermont season preview will be posted in the next few days so be on the lookout. Regular season here we come!