Vermont at UNCG 11/27/21

UNCG 54 Vermont 51

Kobe Langley scored 19 points off the bench as UNCG prevailed over Vermont. UNCG imposed their will from the opening tip and used a dominant rebounding effort and timely shooting to put the Cats away. The poor perimeter shooting finally caught up with Vermont as they finished 4-25 from three, missing several good looks down the stretch. They had used their defense to keep them in games during this cold stretch from the perimeter but losing the rebounding battle by such a wide margin was finally too much to overcome. With such a pronounced weakness for Vermont the other facets of the game have to be nearly perfect in order to make up the difference. Despite all of the shooting woes Vermont still had chances down the stretch and also missed crucial free throws in big spots. That game definitely had a "end of a long road trip" feel for sure. UNCG is a very strong team who is used to winning much like Vermont and they remained poised and executed down the stretch. The perimeter shooting is certainly painful to watch and is absolutely a glaring weakness but I think it is overshadowing some of the things this team does very well. They finished tonight with 17 assists and only 8 turnovers as they continue to take care of the ball at a high level. The defense has been elite as well and there are times when Vermont is a victim of their own success. Road wins are very hard to come by in college basketball and the Cats have won at an absurd pace over the past several seasons. This was a grueling stretch for Vermont and maybe they will continue to shoot this poorly all year but it feels like shots have to fall at some point, right?

Ryan Davis led the Cats with 17 points. He had some nice makes around the rim but missed two crucial free throws and shot 1-7 from three. I certainly expected some regression from distance after last season but the three has really deserted Davis so far. Ben Shungu had probably the worst game of his career after his heroism in the last game. Shungu finished 1-9 from the field and had 3 turnovers. The second half magic that had saved some of his other poor performances wasn't there and the consistency just wasn't there this past week. Finn Sullivan was the lone bright spot and he continues to be a difference maker. Sullivan finished with 12 points, 3 steals, and 2 blocks in another energetic performance. He also knocked down another 2 threes and has been the only Catamount who has shown any consistency from distance. His strong play continues to earn him more minutes and when he is on the court there is a noticeable difference in Vermont's energy. Justin Mazzulla is in a similar category as he is also impacting the game at both ends of the floor. 

A tough road loss against a tough team before Vermont finally gets to return home. They return with a game against neighbor Dartmouth on Wednesday night. Maybe those Patrick Gym rims will help the Cats right the ship on offense. 

Gulf Coast Showcase: Vermont vs Appalachian State 11/24/21

Vermont 65 Appalachian State 63

What. A. Shot.

Ben Shungu beat the buzzer with a step back jumper to lift Vermont over Appalachian State. The Cats leave Estero at 5-2 after taking 2 out of 3 in the Gulf Coast Showcase. The Cats fell behind 10-0 to start the game, were down 24-12 with eight minutes to go in the first half, and were down 7 with eight minutes to go in the second half. The grit and determination that Vermont showed battling back each time (in their third game in three days) says alot about the heart of this team. App St. was in control for most of this game and their star Adrian Delph couldn't miss in the second half. Slowly but surely the Cats tightened up the defense and Shungu scored 11 of his 17 points in the last ten minutes of action. Vermont certainly has some kinks to work out but this team has a heck of a lot of heart. This tourney provided them with great experiences in just about every type of game situation and it will only give them opportunities to grow and learn. 

Shungu made big play after big play down the stretch. Offensive rebounds, key buckets, tough defensive stands. He finished with 17 points to lead the Cats and left it all out on the floor. I am going to watch the highlight of that stepback about a million times. Buzzer beaters are the most exciting play in the sports world. Ryan Davis gutted through another off shooting night finishing with 14 points and 6 rebounds. The bench was hugh in this one scoring 22 points. Nick Fiorillo finally got a few threes to fall and jump started the Cats in the second half after Davis had to sit with three fouls. He finished with 7 points. Justin Mazzulla led the bench crew with 9 points, got two big putbacks on the offensive glass, and a huge steal on an App St. inbound.  Finn Sullivan once again impacted the game from every angle. He exudes energy on the court. Sullivan finished with 6 points and 5 rebounds. He also had a big time block and deflected many a pass and dribble. He is having a huge impact so far this season. 

Vermont gets a few days off to enjoy a good Thanksgiving feast before another tough road test at UNC Greensboro on Saturday. There is no better way to go into a mini break than after an exciting win like that. This is one to enjoy for sure. I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Gulf Coast Showcase: Vermont vs Evansville 11/23/21

Vermont 58 Evansville 49

Vermont used a smothering defensive effort and timely shot making in the second half to defeat Evansville. After struggling to make shots in the first half (0-8 from three) the Cats knocked down three consecutive three pointers over a three minute stretch in the second half to pull away. Lost in all of the offensive struggles is that the defense is performing at a high level. The players are really locked into their roles and they are getting after it on the boards. This team is playing like some of those teams from the early Becker years that had inconsistent offensive outputs but were extremely stingy on the defensive side of the ball. It is a good thing too because it will continue to give them a chance to win games while the offense sorts itself out. 

Isaiah Powell came off his one game suspension with a bang, leading the Cats with 17 points, 7 rebounds, and 2 steals in a team high 31 minutes. He continues to impress and has solidified himself as the Cats third scorer. Ben Shungu once again hit big shots when Vermont needed them most and finished with 12 points and 5 rebounds. Justin Mazzulla continued his strong play and Finn Sullivan continues to impact the game with his defense and rebounding. I jinxed Ryan Davis in my last post by saying that he had been Vermont's most consistent offensive player. Davis really struggled finishing 3-12 from the field, scoring 9 points and grabbing 6 rebounds. Kam Gibson broke the seal with the Cats first three pointer of the game and was able to be more impactful in this one, bouncing back from yesterday's rough outing. 

Winning two out of three in a tournament setting like this is a strong performance. Obviously the initial goal is to win the whole thing. The secondary goal is to bounce back from a loss with the quick turnaround and go out and get the next game. This type of format helps a team learn a lot about themselves win or lose and how Vermont responds tomorrow will be a big indicator of what kind of team this group is. I expect they will be ready for Appalachian State tomorrow at 1:30.

Gulf Coast Showcase: Vermont vs Oakland 11/22/21

Oakland 63 Vermont 61

Jalen Moore hit a three pointer with 10 seconds left to lift the Grizzlies over Vermont. The game began with the announcement that Aaron Deloney, Eric Beckett, Evan Guillory, and Isaiah Powell would each be serving a one game suspension for being late to a team function. That certainly set the tone for what would be a tough grind for the Cats. The game today was a perfect illustration of how the perimeter shooting affects Vermont's play. When Vermont was making threes they were able to make runs and each defensive stop during those runs was full of energy. When the shots aren't falling the defense gets tight as each possession takes on more and more value. Right now the offensive rhythm is completely dependent on the three. Vermont will continue to find themselves in tight games because they will struggle to pull away from teams. That keeps the games close and puts a lot of pressure on late game execution. The more close games played the more it becomes a law of averages situation. They executed well to beat Yale and made some key mistakes in this one. This one stings because they worked so hard to climb back in and made some great plays to take the lead, only to miss crucial free throws and land out of bounds on a crucial rebound. You do have to tip your cap to Jamal Cain and Jalen Moore. Cain was a beast on both sides of the ball and Moore made clutch plays. 

Vermont really needed Powell. His defense, rebounding, and playmaking in the midrange were sorely missed. Justin Mazzulla and Finn Sullivan played tough in his absence but were ultimately forced to play even further out of position without Powell. Sullivan is quite a rollercoaster ride as a player. He makes big plays and plays hard but it sometimes gets the best of him as his emotions boil over and he plays too fast. He finished with 13 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 assists while knocking down 4 threes. His steal that set up Ben Shungu's game tying three point play was incredible. Unfortunately he also had a bad turnover and landed out of bounds securing the rebound that would have given the Cats the ball up one with 20 seconds left. If he can harness that fire he will play a huge role on this team. Speaking of Shungu he struggled mightily for most of the game and hasn't looked the same since his career high in the Maryland game. He did however bring the Cats all the way back single handedly before he missed two shots at the end of the game. Even with the difficult start he finished with 10 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists, and zero turnovers. Teams are really keying on him and preventing him from getting to the rim. He is going to have to adjust to all the newfound defensive pressure. Ryan Davis led the way with 24 points and continues to be the Cats  most consistent offensive player. Kam Gibson really faceplanted in this one. After knocking down his first three of the game, he missed shot after shot and had a couple poorly timed turnovers. He is often playing too fast and is still feeling out his role. I still think he can provide a valuable offensive boost but wonder if he might be better suited as a sixth man coming in and providing scoring in short bursts. 

The Cats certainly had chances to win and the run to get back into the game was impressive. Not the result they wanted but no time to sit and stew. They are right back at it tomorrow at 11:00 against Evansville, where they will continue to search for more consistent offensive execution. 

Vermont vs Yale 11/19/21

Vermont 61 Yale 53

What a gutsy effort. 

Ryan Davis dominated down the stretch and led the Cats to a hard fought victory over Yale. Yale played tough physical defense from start to finish and for much of the game imposed their will on Vermont. Vermont matched Yale's intensity on the defensive side of the ball in what was another classic Bulldogs/Catamounts slugfest. Both were equally anemic on offense and it was going to come down to which team's stars shined down the stretch. Davis worked for every bucket and finally broke through with some tough finishes underneath and trips to the free throw line. He then knocked down his first three of the season to give Vermont the offensive lift they had been looking for. Azar Swain kept responding for the Bulldogs in an exciting back and forth between the two leading scorers. Ben Shungu shook off a very tough first half and knocked down a big three of his own down the stretch. Justin Mazzulla was also huge down the stretch going 6-6 from the line and adding another clutch bucket underneath. This was a big time gut check game for the Cats. There were not at their best and Yale was smelling blood in the water early in the second half. Vermont dug deep and dominated the boards down the stretch, eliminating Yale's second chance opportunities. This evening's game was a perfect example of the impact of having such a veteran laiden team. Only 5 turnovers for the game and tremendous execution down the stretch. 

Davis was just incredible tonight. I think this was the finest all around performance of his career. He finished with 18 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, and 4 blocks (all team highs). He really did it all. Big buckets and tough rebounds in traffic. The blocks tonight were huge as he played the role of one man defensive stopper. He has improved his ability to move laterally and is so patient when waiting for the right time to get the block without fouling. He also had a beautiful pass to a cutting Mazzulla for a clutch bucket. That was a player of the year game. Shungu settled for too many jumpers in the first half and really struggled against Yale's physical perimeter defense. He came through when it mattered most and that has always been a hallmark of Shungu's game. Mazzulla played big minutes down the stretch as Becker went with his best defensive lineup to close the game out. This was definitely a "if you don't play D you don't play" game from the coaching staff as Fiorillo/Gibson/Sullivan all sat down the stretch due to defensive mistakes. Evan Guillory was awarded minutes for this very reason and did a great job matching Yale's physicality. The coaching staff has a tough task in balancing lineups with offense and defense. The new/inexperienced guys will get up to speed as time wears on but tonights message was clear. Either play defense or sit. Unfortunately this brings up the perimeter shooting again. I am going to bang this drum all year because it will be the difference between a Catamount title run and an early exit. This team has so many good pieces but the perimeter shooting is painful to watch so far. Today's final tally was 4-24 from three and that includes a bank shot. If they can't find some level of consistency they are going to make it very hard for themselves and it will put too much pressure on their defense. 

This was a great win over the preseason favorite to win the Ivy league. Winning these type of tough grinders in the non-conference is helpful to build and learn from for those tough league games later in the year. It was also great to have the energy of a tight game back in Patrick Gym. Now it is off to Florida for the Gulf Coast Showcase. The three games in three days tournaments are always a fun test and make for an exciting basketball atmosphere. First up for the Cats is Oakland University (which is in Michigan). Should be a tough game against the very dangerous duo of Jamal Cain and Jalen Moore. 

Vermont vs WPI 11/16/21

Vermont 81 WPI 48

Vermont took care of business in their home opener against WPI. The down division game is always a little wonky to write about. The result is never in doubt and the play is inconsistent. It is good to get a look at some of the deeper parts of the rotation and get some run for the bench guys. Tonight Ryan Davis rightfully dominated against an overmatched WPI frontcourt. It was good to see Kam Gibson and Finn Sullivan knock down some threes as they are going to have be Vermont's threats form the perimeter. The overall shooting from distance remains a major concern. They are really missing that three point specialist as a steadying force. They have 2/3rds of the trifecta of a dominant team. They don't turn the ball over and play tough defense. Finding that consistent perimeter shooting is the missing piece. Just a short write up for this one. Although big shoutout to Georges Lefebvre for the highlight of the night with a monster dunk. It was great to be back at Patrick for some regular season basketball and I am beyond hyped for the big showdown with Yale on Friday. Yale is always a tough, physical game. There is not doubt there will be some good fan energy for that one. 

Vermont at Maryland 11/13/21

Maryland 68 Vermont 57

Ben Shungu pumped in a career high 27 points but Vermont faded down the stretch in their first loss of the season. Vermont came out agressive for the second straight game and dictated the pace of place from the tip. Much like the opener, offensively the Cats pushed the pace and used swarming double teams to keep the Terps off balance on defense. Shungu was phenomenal in the first half, scoring 20 points and dominating on both ends of the floor. In the second half Maryland turned up their defense and physicality, dominating Vermont on the boards, and forcing the Cats into tough contested shots. For 75% of the game Vermont was just as poised and in control as in the opener. The perimeter shooting really failed them down the stretch as they couldn't get the timely shots to fall as they did in the opener. However it was another impressive showing. To go at a ranked team on the road and continue to play with poise and dictate play was impressive. The Cats only turned the ball over seven times as the guard depth continues to initiate the offense effectively. They are still searching for that consistency from the rotation players to become threats from the permeter which is not surprising so early in the season. On the defensive end they are using their speed and length for aggressive double teams and jumping passing lanes. They have been able to neutralize the big men in two straight games with the small ball lineups. Watching a game against a tough ranked opponent on the road and starting to feel disappointed when they are not winning is a testament to how strong they looked as the Terps pulled away down the stretch. 

Shungu was just tremendous in this one. So much has already been said about his hard work and the transformation he has gone through. But somehow it still doesn't seem like enough. I have never seen a player systematically improve their game piece by piece from where Shungu started to where he is now. He scored from everywhere, slicing to the rim, knocking down big time threes, and even a gorgeous step back from the baseline. Everytime he has been challenge by the coaching staff to take on a new role for the Cats, he has exceeded expectations. This season they have asked him to be the guy for Vermont on the perimeter and if the first two games are any indication, he will continue to set the bar higher and higher. Isaiah Powell isn't far behind in his own transformation. There were times during his first couple seasons where it was nerve-wracking watching him dribble or shoot. All over the place and unsettled were some mild terms used to describe him early on. Now he is equally taking control and proving himself to be a threat from anywhere on the court. Powell finished with 14 points, 11 rebounds, and led the team with 3 assists. He is shooting from deep with confidence, driving hard to the rim, and finishing through contact. Today he had some beautiful looks to teammates for buckets and was really physical on the boards. He is going to have a big season. Ryan Davis looked a little worse for the wear coming off being sick and struggled to get anything going. Better days ahead for him. 

Now a couple of home games in the coming week with Worcester Polytechnic Institute on Tuesday and a tough Yale squad on Friday. I am really looking forward to the Yale matchup as it will be another great test for the Cats. It was a great road trip and I can't wait for the return of regular season basketball (with fans) to Patrick.

Vermont at Northern Iowa 11/11/21

Vermont 71 Northern Iowa 57

Just like they drew it up.

With Ryan Davis back at the hotel battling a non-COVID illness, Vermont exploded out of the gates taking control of the game from the opening tip and leading wire to wire in a impressive season opening win. The Cats put on a clinic in this one spreading out the Panthers defense with small ball lineups on the offensive end, and bringing a hard double team in the post and jumping passing lanes on defense. A perfectly executed gameplan to make up for the loss of Davis. Early on UNI's big man Austin Phyfe was feasting down low with Davis out. At the half Vermont committed to the small ball lineup and Phyfe played very little in the second half as a result. That relegated the UNI offensive attack to exclusively jump shots which they did not hit with any regularity. The Cats really pushed the tempo and longtime fans probably barely recognized Vermont zooming up and down the court attacking the basket early in the shot clock. Definitely a new wrinkle that really put the Panthers on their heels early. Vermont only committed 10 turnovers as the guard depth was on full display with crisp passing and a command of the ball in the open court. The perimeter shooting was inconsistent but timely. After the hot start the Cats really struggled to make perimeter shots, shooting only 4-16 from deep in the second half. However, each of those four shots was at a crucial moment when UNI was trying to make a run. Vermont imposed their will early and never took their foot of the gas. It was beautiful to watch. 

Ben Shungu led way with 19 points and 6 rebounds. He made big shots down the stretch and built off his super efficient preseason with another big game. Isaiah Powell got the Cats off to their hot start and was looking for his shot all night, finishing with 17 points and 5 rebounds. He is absolutely going to be the third scorer that Vermont is looking for. His offensive versatility has grown each year and he continues to impress at the defensive end. Robin Duncan was the biggest surprise in the game tonight. He got the start tonight and did not disappoint. He played a flawless game, orchestrating on offense and defense. Robin finished with 7 points, 11 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, and no turnovers in 28 minutes. The rebounding was a clinic in great box outs and sneaky crashing from the perimeter. Big time performance. Finn Sullivan also impressed, doing his best Bailey Patella impression bringing big energy and changing momentum. Sullivan finished with 8 points, 3 steals, and a big time block. He did get a technical foul after a big dunk but the energy was infectious. The "big block and then a three at the other end" sequence was a crucial piece of the second half dominance. Justin Mazzulla played a big time 26 minutes as the small ball big man and finished with 9 points. He played tough on both ends and his versatility is going to be huge for the Cats this season. Kam Gibson looked good in his debut as well. He has a very shifty offensive game and will have some big games for the Cats this season. 

Vermont played loose and with energy tonight. This is one of those groups that is the sum of their parts. Very unselfish and everyone is ready when it is their time. Now they can carry that loose energy into a showdown with Maryland on Saturday afternoon. What a great was to kick off the season. 

Vermont season preview 2021-2022

Exhibition season is over and Vermont kicks off their 2021-2022 campaign on Thursday night against Northern Iowa. For the first time in a while the Cats were not picked to win the league in the preseason and are out to prove themselves contenders. So lets dig in and go through a few of the things I will be watching out for this season. 

Projected record: 21-10 (14-4) second place in the America East. I think they will finish just behind Stony Brook for the regular season title. The early conference slate is tough and while I expect the Cats to make a big run at the end of the season. I think ultimately they will drop a couple tough games early on in the conference schedule. From there anything can happen in the playoffs and I feel like they will be ready to make a run in the conference tournament. 

Keys to the season

Perimeter scoring

Last year Vermont struggled mightily to find consistent shooting from their guards. Then Stef Smith moved on to St. John's and left the Cats with very few proven perimeter shooters. The coaching staff addressed this through the transfer portal adding Kam Gibson and Finn Sullivan. Gibson has been a reliable threat from outside during his career and Sullivan has shown the ability to be a capable outside threat. With Aaron Deloney looking good in the preseason, it looks like by committee, Vermont should be a more capable outside shooting team. The Cats are going to need to be a consistent threat from deep because Ryan Davis is going to face more pressure and teams are going to scheme to stop him. In order to keep defenses honest, the guards will have to knock down their open shots on Davis kick outs. 

Frontcourt depth

With the departure of Tomas Murphy, Vermont has no proven post players after Isaiah Powell and Ryan Davis. Nick Fiorillo and Georges Lefebvre are young and inexperienced and Duncan Demuth can't seem to get healthy. The coaching staff is going to have to get creative with lineups and use their big guards to play the four at times this season. Much of the early non-conference schedule is going to be dedicated to finding the right combinations and experimenting with different looks. I don't think it will be to much of a detriment on the offensive end but the defensive end is where I think the effects will be seen. The inexperience shows up most often when trying to execute the defensive system that Vermont employs. The system demands a lot of the post defenders and that is often why Vermont's young post players take a few years of seasoning before they are able to have a big impact. 

Playing as the underdog

It has been a while since Vermont has been the hunter and not the hunted. Even though the coaching staff preaches approaching every game the same, the mentality is totally different when you are playing to exceed expectations versus meet them. Ultimately this team has a lot to prove after last season's semifinal loss. This group is going to be hungry to put last seasons struggles behind them and reclaim their place at the top of the league. The talent entering the league this season is a direct response to the success that Vermont has had. The Cats have raised the bar for the top half of the league and the league has responded. There are more teams with something to prove this season than in years past and it is going to create some fierce battles at the top.

Who makes the big jump?

Every year there is a player on Vermont who elevates their game with hard work in the offseason. Vermont knows what to expect out of players like Ben Shungu, Ryan Davis, and Isaiah Powell. They all made the jump last season and are building off of that success.  In order for the team to exceed expectations there will be a player who elevates their game beyond what was predicted. Someone from the Deloney/Sullivan/Gibson/Fiorillo/Guillory group will play a very key role in giving Vermont that wildcard they need to make a championship run. 

Vermont will be fun to watch this season with a great blend of returners and new faces. The most exciting part of college basketball is seeing which unheralded player is going to explode onto the scene and make a big impact. The Cats have some very intriguing pieces and seeing how the rotation shifts and changes throughout the season will be fun to follow. 

Exhibition: St. Anselm at Vermont 11/6/21

Vermont 94 St. Anselm 72

Ben Shungu and Ryan Davs led the Cats in their final tune-up before the season opener on Thursday. It was a good exhibition against a well coached St. Anselm team. The entire Shungu experience was on full display in this one. Shungu went 8-8 from the field , 3-3 from three, and finished with 19 points and 6 assists. He scored at every level and played his signature physical defense. His evolution into a threat from distance is incredible and he is poised to have a big super senior year. The other player that stood out in today’s game was Aaron Deloney. He has looked so good during this exhibition season as his shooting is finally coming around after two tough seasons. He plays with endless energy and plays tough. Today he looked in control of the team and brought a verteren presence while running the second unit. If he can translate this into the regular season he could give the Cats an important offensive minded presence off the bench. Nick Fiorillo returned and immediately knocked down a couple perimeter jumpers. After that his minutes were uneven, looking a step slow after the time missed. The backup post minutes are his for the taking and the coaching staff clearly see him as the post player off the bench on this team. It was also a cool moment for Coach Becker to get to coach against his nephew. Now Northern Iowa is up next on Thursday in what will be a tough early test. Northern Iowa is projected as a NCAA tournament team this season and boasts former Missouri Valley player of the year AJ Green. He missed all of last season with an injury but is back to lead UNI to compete for the MVC title. This will be a great early test for Vermont to see how they stack up against one of the best mid-major programs in the country. I will post my Vermont team preview sometime tomorrow and can’t believe the season is finally upon us!

Tomas Murphy leaves the team

For the second year in a row Vermont has lost a player right before the start of the season. Last season it was Bernie Andre and this year it is Tomas Murphy. This is a big blow to Vermont's already thin frontcourt as the hope was a healthy Murphy would give the Cats a potent one to punch in the post. The announcement was a lower leg injury and that would make three straight seasons (including his last at Northeastern) where Murphy was unable to overcome the injuries and get on the court. This puts some added pressure on Duncan Demuth and Nick Fiorillo to get healthy and provide some depth. I have written at length over the past few seasons about how much potential I see in Fiorillo and he is certainly going to have an opportunity to contribute. He has the unique distinction of being a third year freshman (redshirt year, COVID year) which has given him time to acclimate to the system. It also means that the Cats are going to experiment with some four guard lineups utilizing the size of their big guards, like Justin Mazzulla, to play the 4. Ultimately Vermont has the players to fill the role that Murphy was going to play and in some ways it helps define some players roles even further in a year where the roster is larger than usual. Can't wait for some more live basketball tomorrow at Patrick!