TJ HURLEY

Vermont 77 UMass Lowell 68

TJ Hurley scored a career high 30 points and led the Cats to victory on the road over UMass Lowell. It was a strong bounce back effort from the Catamounts who answered every call and played well on both sides of the ball. The first half was nip and tuck to start before Vermont closed the half with a mini run and went up 11. They continued to keep the River Hawks at bay early in the second half. Then a Lowell run cut the lead to one with 13 minutes left. Vermont responded with a big time 12-0 run to take control. They were able to close out strong and pick up the win. The energy was good from the start and the Cats looked engaged for the full 40 minutes. Vermont dominated points in the paint 40-24 and forced 14 Lowell turnovers. The Cats were able to capitalize by scoring 19 points off turnovers. It as a great response to the tough loss on Monday and you could see a more focused group, making the right play and making the extra pass. Becker switched to the 1-3-1 zone and completely stalled the Lowell offense in the final stretch. 

Hurley was electric, scoring at every level and asserting himself on the offensive end. He knocked down 5 threes and was deadly from the mid-range. It was great to see him take charge and look to score a bit more, knowing he needed to be more aggressive with TJ Long out. Gus Yalden battled foul trouble and finished with 14 points and 8 rebounds. He was excellent in this game opening the floor up for his teammates with his passing and screening. A big part of the game deciding run was the best stretch of Lucas Mari's young Catamount career. Mari was all over the court, forcing steals and grabbing rebounds on defense, while being aggressive on offense and attacking the rim with authority. He finished with 9 points, 8 rebounds, and 3 steals while playing with incredible energy. It is not an exaggeration to say that he singlehandedly shifted the momentum. He also provided a calm presence running the offense. Monster second half, punctuated by two huge dunks. Ben Johnson scored 10 points and pulled down 5 rebounds. He scored on a couple beautiful turnaround jumpers in the lane and attacked closeouts well. Sean Blake chipped in 8 points and made some tough shots while Vermont was putting the game away. Noah Barnett returned and made an impact with his physicality and energy.

Great win and nice momentum heading into the match-up at Bryant on Saturday.

Vermont at Albany 1/19/26

Albany 75 Vermont 68

Albany used a big burst in the second half to beat Vermont for the first time in five years. It was the Cats first conference loss and in a similar fashion to their last two games, they got down big in the second half before clawing their way back. This time the didn't have quite enough to get over the hump. Albany played a great game and after a tough and challenging non conference schedule is playing great basketball since Abdoulaye Fall returned from injury at the start of conference play. The Great Danes forced the Cats into 13 turnovers and capitalized at the other end. It was a game of big runs and momentum swings as each team went on multiple double digit scoring runs. Vermont's defense struggled for much of the game but dug in late to get them back in the game. Unfortunately their defensive rebounding (normally their very best skill) let them down and gave Albany extra possessions during the Cats comeback. Vermont is still looking for that 40 minutes of locked in play as both sides of the ball have been coming and going for stretches over the past few weeks. Again they showed great poise and grit in getting back into the game but need a way to find that same level of intensity earlier in the contest. 

Gus Yalden led the Cats with 21 points and 8 rebounds in a nice bounce back effort. The coaching staff continues to look for ways to maximize his offensive impact and stop teams from taking advantage of him in pick and roll at the defensive end. TJ Hurley finished with 15 points and 5 rebounds but struggled with his efficiency, shooting 4-13 from the field. Albany's defense forced him into some lower percentage mid-range shots and did a good job limiting his opportunities at the rim. Ben Johnson finished with 12 points in his second start. Sean Blake finished with 11 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assists but missed some easy ones in big spots. Ben Michaels finished with 2 points and 6 rebounds. The bench did not play many minutes in this one and they did not have the same impact hey have had in the last few games. 

A tough start to a tough week as the Cats prepare for UMass Lowell on Thursday night. 

Vermont vs Maine 1/15/26

Vermont 67 Maine 62

Vermont went on a 15-0 run to battle back and take control in their revenge game against Maine. The first half was full of back and forth action with neither team able to pull away. Maine was hot from three to start and limited the Cats opportunities from distance. Maine came out swinging in the second half, pounding the ball inside and getting out in transition. They built a 12 point lead at 49-37 and things were looking bleak. The Cats clawed their way back thanks to dynamic play from Sean Blake, hot shooting from three, and tough defense. They held Maine without a basket for 11 minutes (13:06-2:06) in a monster team effort. Vermont closed the game out at the free throw line and secured the win. The injury bug continues to plague the Cats with TJ Long joining the injured list. Vermont's depth really showed as the players that were called upon to play bigger roles really stepped up. The Cats blocked 9 shots and held Maine to 36% shooting. They also out-rebounded Maine 37-29 in a gritty, physical effort. 

TJ Hurley led the way with 18 points. He was so good around the rim and kicked off the run with a three pointer. Sean Blake was spectacular, finishing with 17 points and 6 assists. After some early turnovers, he locked in and didn't turn the ball over in the second half. He was dynamic both finishing at the rim and executing the drive and kick. He also finished 7-7 from the line helping to ice the game. Ben Johnson got the start due to Long's injury and had his best game as a Catamount. Johnson finished with 14 points and 4 rebounds while playing scrappy, physical defense as Maine tried to take advantage of him on switches. He came up with big plays and none were bigger than finding David Simon in the corner for the go ahead three. Huge performance by Johnson. Gus Yalden has his first tough game at Vermont, finishing 3-11 from the field for 8 points. He did pull down a career high 11 rebounds and block 2 shots but was visibly frustrated on the bench in the second half. He is a passionate guy and I have to give him a lot of credit for powering through and hitting a huge three to give the Cats some breathing room with about a minute left. Ben Michaels played incredible defense on Maine's leading scorer TJ Biel, blocking 2 shots, and had a massive put back dunk during the game deciding run. Simon finished with 3 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 blocks and was a big part of the momentum shift in the second half. Lucas Mari played 22 minutes off the bench and finished with 3 points and 7 rebounds. He had a beautiful assist to Momo Nkugwa for a three point play that really got Patrick rocking. Nkugwa also has a massive, almost skywalking rebound in a big spot during the decisive run. 

This was a big win before a very tough week next week. The schedule makers did the Cats no favors with a compressed three game road week. Monday at Albany, Thursday at UMass Lowell, and Saturday at Bryant. That is about as tough as it gets. Nice to get some momentum before being tested. 

Vermont vs Binghamton 1/8/26

Vermont 60 Binghamton 59

Did you miss it? 

Defensive grind is back!!

In a slow and sluggish game Vermont was able to survive and win their conference home opener over Binghamton. Jeremiah Quigley was spectacular for Binghamton with a near triple double, but was unable to carry them all the way. The Bearcats were in command fro much of the night, controlling the tempo and slowing the game to a snails crawl. Neither offense could gain any traction as the defenses set the tone. The Bearcats held Vermont to only 15 attempts from three, by far their fewest of the season. Vermont countered by dominating points in the paint (28-12) and winning the rebounding battle. With four minutes to go, Binghamton went up by six and things were looking grim. The Catamount defense came to the rescue and Vermont finished the game on a 9-2 run to eek out the win. Old school Vermont victory. The free throw shooting was *cough* abysmal at 13-24 (54%) and the game ended with a strange missed free throws/halfcourt heave anticlimax. Conference play is quite the rollercoaster. Both teams are dealing with significant injuries and Vermont spent almost the entire second half without Gus Yalden as he continues to battle some calf(?) injuries. The Cats that were called upon stepped up in big spots and showcased the Vermont "next man up" mentality. 

I will begin with the end. Momo Nkugwa saved Vermont with a spectacular final four minutes which featured tough battles on the boards, 6 of his 8 points, and the game winning free throws. He was incredible and showed poise beyond his years. Clutch. Jackson Skipper also has some big moments, hitting clutch free throws and coming up with a huge block on the defensive end. Skipper finished with 5 points and 5 rebounds in 20 minutes. Ben Michaels stepped in for the injured Yalden and finished with 8 points and 3 rebounds in 24 minutes. Big day for the bench crew. Yalden was the only Catamount in double figures, finishing with 15 points and 5 rebounds. He kept the Cats in the game in the first half with two big threes. Sean Blake finished with 9 points and Lucas Mari chipped in 7 points. TJ Hurley had the game saving block and dished out 6 assists to offset only scoring 3 points. TJ Long struggled to knock down shots but pulled down 9 rebounds to go along with 3 points. Better days are ahead for the TJs but they showed how to impact the game even when not at their best. 

Now the Cats get a week off to hopefully get fully healthy before welcoming Maine to Patrick. Vermont is ready for a little payback after the Black Bears ended their season last year. 

Vermont at New Hampshire 1/3/26

Vermont 80 New Hampshire 61

Happy New Year!!

Vermont opened conference play with a dominant victory over New Hampshire. In the first half, the teams were kind of feeling each other out and New Hampshire used a hot start form three to keep the game close. The Cats were clicking on offense and went into the half with an 8 point lead. The second half was all Vermont on both sides of the ball. A great way to open conference play. The league as a whole is down this year and Vermont has an opportunity to take advantage. Becker actually went zone down the stretch and it completely shut down the New Hampshire offense. Vermont dominated the paint, outscoring the Wildcats 42-22 and took excellent care of the ball, committing only 8 turnovers. With an established post game, Vermont's offense can generate open looks off of paint touches and that was on full display today. Great ball movement and extra passes, getting good looks for teammates. 

The scoring was a three headed monster with TJ Hurley, Gus Yalden, and Sean Blake accounting for 55 of the Cats 80 points. Hurley led the way with 20 points on a super efficient 8-12 from the field. He has great body control around the rim and he uses it to power through defenders. Yalden pumped in 18 points (also on 8-12 shooting) and added 5 rebounds and 3 assists. He is so good at generating offense for himself or his teammates from the post. Blake was spectacular, scoring 17 points while adding 5 rebounds, 6 assists, and 3 steals. He is playing with such poise and making winning plays. He knocked down 3/5 from three which must have felt good becasue they were his first makes from distance since November 18th(!). Ben Michaels stepped in for an injured Noah Barnett and finished with 8 points and 3 rebounds. He is good on the offensive glass and it was awesome to see him play well. Hopefully Barnett's injury isn't serious. TJ Long scored 6 points, grabbed 6 rebounds, and had some beautiful assists out of the pick and roll in the second half. Ben Johnson continues to work hard to improve his defense and made some nice hustle plays, finishing with 3 points and 3 rebounds. 

Nice kickoff to the conference season and now its time for the conference home opener against Binghamton on Thursday. 

Vermont at Princeton 12/30/25

Princeton 75 Vermont 69 OT

In another exciting and close game Vermont came up short in overtime, falling to Princeton to close out 2025. It was a fitting way to end the non-conference schedule as Vermont was one or two plays away from winning or losing at the end of just about every game so far this season. The game had conference schedule vibes with it being the second match-up of the season between the two teams. Princeton came out red hot to start and through the first 3/4ths on the game, remained in control. The Cats defense then kicked into gear and they fought their way back to send the game into overtime. The Vermont offense stalled out in OT and Princeton emerged victorious. The non-conference was largely successful, with Vermont getting tested regularly and playing in just about every game situation. After a long layoff and being down double digits in the second half, it would have been easy to mail it in and get ready for conference play. Vermont really dug deep and made big plays to force the game into overtime. This team still has areas for improvement, but I would say is about as prepared for conference play as they could hope for. 

TJ Long finally had his breakout game after struggling for the last month. Long finished with 30 points, 9 rebounds, and 3 steals in a strong all around performance. He knocked down 6/12 from three and was very tough on the defensive end. Gus Yalden finished with 14 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists before leaving with an injury. Hopefully it is nothing serious (cramps or calf injury) because he is a crucial piece to the offense. It is not a coincidence that the offense struggled without him in OT. TJ Hurley struggled to get going in this one, finishing with 10 points and 5 rebounds. It feels like the offense is due to fire on all cylinders at some point soon. Sean Blake struggle to find driving lanes and finished with 7 points and 4 rebounds. Lucas Mari had his best game since returning from injury, finishing with 6 points and 6 rebounds in 35 minutes. He made a couple crucial errors down the stretch but was much more engaged on both ends of the floor. 

Now the real season begins. The Cats open at New Hampshire on Saturday which Cats fans know is always a tough road game no matter what. How Vermont shows in up in that game will go a long way in setting the tone for the conference season. See you all in 2026!!

Vermont vs Iona 12/20/25

Iona 83 Vermont 78

In another exciting game, Iona used a monster second half from Toby Harris to race past Vermont and pick up the victory. Harris was awesome in the second half, reading and reacting to the defense and scoring at all levels. In the first half, it was nip and tuck early before Iona pulled ahead midway through. Then Vermont went on a huge run and went into half up four. Vermont was able to extend the lead before Iona made good adjustments on both sides of the ball. The Gaels went to a zone defense which slowed down the Cats offense and on offense they found success running Harris off screens and creating mismatches. Vermont had several possessions with good looks to keep the pressure on Iona but went cold at the wrong time. The Gaels made plays and executed to pull out the win. It is too bad the end result looks like another not so great defensive effort from the Cats becasue there were lots of moments of really tough, physical defensive stands throughout the game. They just couldn't quite sustain it for the full forty minutes. The perimeter shooting has taken a bit of a hit as the Cats have struggled to knock down their open looks consistently over the last few games. Some of this is likely the increased defensive effort as the energy expended has ratcheted up. The biggest issue on defense for the Cats is with no rim protector, there is a lot of pressure on the perimeter defenders to keep their man in front of them. I don't usually mention the referees as bad calls and good calls are part of the game, but the crew yesterday got caught up in the energy and emotion from the benches and the players and influenced the game more than they should have. 

Gus Yalden led the Cats again with 24 points and 7 rebounds while providing energy and excitement. He can shift the momentum so quickly and opens up the whole Catamount offense when he is hot. He forced a few possession in the second half but that is more evidence of how despite his success so far, he has room to get even better. Yalden is still a young player learning when to go and when to defer. I can't wait to see him in America East play. TJ Hurley finished with 16 points and 9 rebounds and made tough shots throughout. It wasn't his most efficient game but as I said he is bearing a much more significant defensive load than he has in previous seasons. Sean Blake had another strong game that included some incredible finishes at the rim. He stuffed the stat sheet once again with 12 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists. He has grown into the floor general of this team over the last month. TJ Long remained in his shooting slump and missed several shots down the stretch he normally makes. He finished with 6 points and 4 rebounds on 2-11 shooting and doesn't have the same confidence and swagger that he has shown during his Catamount career. His defense was incredible throughout and again the demands on that end are having an effect. He is due for a hot streak. Ben Johnson chipped in 5 points and although his defense still has a ways to go, his effort and physicality have steadily improved. Teams really try to attack him when he is on the court. Trey Woodyard made his Catamount debut and scored his first points. With David Simon's injury sounding like weeks not days, Woodyard has a chance to make an impact if healthy. He has positional versatility and gives the Cats more veteran experience in the rotation as a 5th year player. Ben Michaels too has a chance to step up with Simon out. Lucas Mari has struggled to get back into the flow of the game after his multi game absence.

One more game to go in the non-conference with the rematch with Princeton on the 30th. A nice well deserved holiday break for the Cats after grinding out a tough first half of the season. The non-conference can be viewed as a success as they steadily improved, found defined roles on the team, and are forming a cohesive identity. As is said every year, you want to be playing your best basketball come March and this team has felt right on track for that goal. They were able to grind out wins and gain experience in every different type of game while still learning about themselves as a team. Can't wait to see how this group continues to progress. Happy Holidays to all!!