Aaron Deloney does it again

Vermont 80 Brown 65

Aaron Deloney poured in a career high 32 points, leading Vermont to victory in the season opener. The Cats took control right from the opening tip and maintained a lead for the entire game. Early on Vermont set the tone with their defense in what was a very physical game throughout.  Then both teams found their footing on the offensive end and began to make shots. This was the perfect opponent for the Cats to open against because Brown similarly has a smaller team without a true back to the basket presence. That allowed Vermont to play mostly four guard lineups and still play tough defense and win the rebounding battle. The only real eyesore from the game was the 17 turnovers committed by the Cats. Early season jitters and guys being a little out of sync contributed for sure but often Vermont was a little careless with the ball. Overall a very strong start to the season and a great way to go into a very tough stretch of games on the road, beginning with the California trip.

Back to Deloney. What an incredible performance. Watching him throughout the offseason you could see a player who was ready to seize his opportunity and become more involved in the offense. With Dylan Penn missing time with his injury, Deloney was thrust into an even bigger role and he has seized it. He has been and was tonight the focal point of the Vermont offense. His teammates are looking for him and he has delivered. When he catches the ball he is immediately looking to make a play and is finishing in every way possible. Tonight he shot 11/14 from the field, 4/5 from three, and 6/6 from the line while also leading the team with 5 assists. Unreal start to his season. Finn Sullivan once again impacted the game in many ways. He chipped in 12 points and grabbed 7 rebounds. The area where he was just incredible was on the defensive end. He finished with 4 steals but must have tipped or deflected another 5-6 passes. His reaction time and hand eye coordination continue to impress. Robin Duncan once again demonstrated how to dominate a game without scoring by running the offense and playing tough defense while grabbing a team high 8 rebounds. One of the most exciting stretches of the game belonged to TJ Hurley. I have gushed about Hurley regularly this offseason and he did not disappoint in his Catamount debut. In the second half he threw down a dunk on a fastbreak for the loudest moment of the night and then followed it up with a big three. Big time buckets. Hurley finished with 11 points and continues to impress with his poise and knowledge of the game. Nick Fiorillo, Matt Veretto, and Perry Smith Jr all had nice moments made plays when they were called upon. Dylan Penn made his return after his hand injury and predictably was a little out of sorts after missing time. He drew Becker's ire throughout the night for missed assignments on defense and struggles to execute on offense. Chalk that one up to missed time and getting back up to game speed. Better days are ahead. 

What a great way to kick off the season. Now off to the west coast for some late nights. I am going do my best to watch every game but that 11pm start for the USC game next week brings tears to my eyes. Next up is a very good St. Mary's squad on Thursday night. That will be a very physical game with a whole lot of defense. So happy that college basketball is back.