Vermont 86 Lipscomb 63
Vermont's offense exploded as they dominated Lipscomb to get back into the win column before going on holiday break. This was a great "get right" game for the Cats as they got contributions from everyone in a true team win. Stef Smith bounced back to lead Vermont with 20 points. Lamb fought through foul trouble and finished with 16 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 blocks. The real story of the game was Robin Duncan and Bailey Patella. Robin Duncan did his best Brian Voelkel impression finishing with 2 points, 11 rebounds, 7 assists, and a strong defensive effort. Robin's incredible passing was on display all game as he was in complete control of the offense. The Voelkel comparison is an apt one as he is able to make a huge impact without giving anything on the offensive end. Patella also played the best game of his career, flying all over the court with his usual hustle and elite athleticism. He finished with 7 points and 9 rebounds and was a disruptive force on the defensive end. It is his speed that really stands out as he consistently beats everyone to lose balls. Both Robin and Patella are potentially going to be looked to for more minutes as the only negative from last night is that Ben Shungu re-injured his hamstring. You got to feel for Shungu as he looked very discouraged on the sidelines after the injury. He was playing another great game before the injury and at this point is the most crucial player on Vermont besides Lamb. The toughness and leadership he brings is just incredible and if he is out for another extended period of time the other guys are really going to have to step up. With the offense finally clicking again it is worth mentioning that some of the offensive difficulty is that Vermont has played a very tough schedule. The teams they have played have been mostly strong defensive teams. I love the Kenpom rankings as the offensive and defensive efficiency numbers are very telling when it comes to assessing opponents. For what it is worth the Cats opponents thus far would combine to be the 50th most efficient defense in the country. Their offense hasn't had a lot of room to work and as a result the struggles at that end have been magnified. This stretch of games is against a slightly lower tier of opponent than the Cats have play thus far. It will be a good barometer to see how the offense performs against a different type of opponent. Happy Holidays everyone!!!
P.S. Anthony Lamb is now 25 points away from passing former teammate Trae Bell-Haynes for 8th on the all time scoring list.
