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.
