Robin Duncan escape artist

Vermont 82 NJIT 80

Robin Duncan scored on an offensive rebound tip in with 7 seconds left and NJIT's attempt at the other end went long, as Vermont escaped New Jersey with their 9th straight win. There are a couple ways to look at this game. 

Take one: Winning on the road is tough and scratching out a win, no matter how it happens is all that matters. NJIT and Kevin Osawe in particular played absolutely out of their minds. They hit tough shot after tough shot and every bounce went their way right up until then end. For Vermont to gut out a victory against a team playing their best game of the season by executing a the the precise moment when they needed it is huge. 

Take Two: Teams are shooting a high percentage against the vaunted Vermont defense at a pretty regular clip lately, exposing some gaps in the armor. There have been stretches of games over the past month where teams seem to be able to score at will. Most of the time it has been after Vermont has built a huge lead so the impact has been minimal but for whatever reason teams are hitting lots of tough shots against the Cats. And the free throw shooting. Ouch. Missing free throws is a back breaker and Vermont is lucky that up until this point they have not ended up in close games because that is something that could cost them a win. 

So now that that analysis stuff is out of the way, what an incredibly exciting basketball game. Take away who is in what place in the standings and which team you are rooting for, and that was fun to watch. Teams trading punches and Vermont battling back after trailing for the entire game. My heart was in my throat as Vermont came all the way back from 11 down with 10 minutes to go. The turning point was Dylan Penn knocking down Vermont's first three pointer of the second half with 8 and a half minutes to go. Penn a career 26% three point shooter is a scorching 6/8 (75%) from three over the last 6 games. In the first half the three kept Vermont in the game as shots were falling on both ends. Vermont then opened the second half by missing their first 9 three point attempts and scoring a measly 5 points in the first 9 minutes. Then slowly but surely the Cats clawed their way back before Finn Sullivan hit a game tying three with 3 seconds left to send the game to overtime. TJ Hurley made a great "wise beyond his years" decision to get the ball to Sullivan for the big shot. Once again Vermont took care of the ball, committing only 6 turnovers. A big part of the comeback was Vermont forcing NJIT into several turnovers and capitalizing on the other end. 

Finn Sullivan led the Cats with 21 points. He was really good in this game and battled through a pretty gnarly ankle injury for some big buckets down the stretch before fouling out in OT. Sullivan also added 5 rebounds and 3 assists. He is really on an amazing run and I hope his ankle injury does not cause him to miss any time. He is so crucial to the Cats success. Dylan Penn seems to be matching Sullivan shot for shot on a run of his own collecting 19 points to go along with 3 assists and 3 steals. Penn is flying all over the court and gliding into difficult finishes around the rim. Similar to last season when Ben Shungu and Ryan Davis were making a simultaneous run at player of the year, Vermont again has teammates who are both putting together a run at the top honor. Aaron Deloney had a big old fashioned three point play in OT and finished with 9 points. Matt Veretto hit a trio of three pointers to chip in 9 as well. But the star was none other than Robin Duncan yet again. Who else? Duncan hit the game winner to cap off a monster 13 point, 12 rebound double double. The free throw shooting is frustrating (I am sure to Duncan more than anyone else) but man does this guy will Vermont to victory. He played a team high 42 minutes and left absolutely everything out there on the floor. 

With the victory Vermont clinches a share of the regular season title for the 7th consecutive season. Only Gonzaga has more in a row. An incredible run of success. Now they can have a chance to clinch the outright title at Patrick on Wednesday night against Binghamton.

Revenge Part II

Vermont 80 UNH 51

The Catamounts avenged their earlier loss to UNH in dominant fashion. Vermont put together one of their best games of the season on both sides of the ball to win their 8th consecutive game. The Cats held UNH to 34% shooting from the field and outrebounded them 36 to 27. The defense was crisp  and it was a struggle for the Wildcats to get to 50 points. On the offensive side of the ball Vermont attacked the rim relentlessly, getting layup after layup. The Cats finished shooting 50% from the field and dictated the pace of the game from start to finish. This group is playing at such a high level right now. With every passing game, the play seems to be getting a little tighter and you can see the confidence in each other continuing to grow. The regular season title is there for the taking and Vermont is playing like a team that is laser focused on checking every box on that journey. 

Dylan Penn was electric in the first half, slicing through the Wildcat defense. It seemed like every UNH player took a shot at stopping Penn and they all came up empty. He finished with 19 points on 8-11 shooting and grabbed 6 rebounds. He has settled in and looks so calm and comfortable initiating the offense for Vermont. Finn Sullivan scratched and clawed his way to 14 points on a night where he struggled from the perimeter. The highlight of the night was an absolute poster dunk by Sullivan followed by a massive block by Ileri Ayo-Faleye. Brought the house down for sure. Ileri would not be outdone as he also threw down a big dunk later in the contest. Aaron Deloney was great off the bench, scoring 15 points and finishing through contact with reckless abandon. Robin Duncan went "Full Voelkel" and set a new career high with 13 rebounds including a stretch in the second half where I think he grabbed about 5 consecutive rebounds. An absolute monster on the boards. He also chipped in 6 points and 7 assists to round out another amazing performance and now is just 3 assists shy of 400 for his career. Kam Gibson hit 3 threes to begin the second half and now sits just 16 points away from 1,000 for his career. 

On to NJIT for a Saturday night road game before coming back home against Binghamton next Wednesday night. The Cats are locked in and playing with the confidence and focus of a team that knows they control their own destiny. 

Finn Sullivan stays hot and Vermont takes control

Vermont 93 UMass Lowell 81

Vermont shot a blistering 63% from the field, including a 14-23 (61%) effort from three, dominating UMass Lowell and taking control of the race for the regular season title. The final score is closer the game felt. Everette Hammond did everything he could to bring Lowell back with a 29 point second half, but the result was never really in doubt. Similarly to the Maine game the Cats were up big before trading buckets for most of the rest of the game. In the first half Vermont made 10 three pointers, slicing up the Lowell defense. In the second half, the Cats attacked the rim relentlessly and were able to get whatever they wanted on offense.  It was a total team effort with everyone who played getting into the scoring column and 5 players in double figures. This win puts the Cats back in the crosshairs as the title favorite. Quite a turn around and both the coaching staff and the players should be incredibly proud with how their blood, sweat, and tears have paid off so far this season. 

Finn Sullivan continued his charge with his fourth 20 point game of the conference season. Sullivan hit 5 threes in first half, before finishing with 25 points and 5 rebounds. He demonstrated how important he is to this team helping avenge the loss to UMass Lowell, a game he missed earlier in the conference season. He is playing with confidence and has really found a way to channel all the emotion and energy that he has always played with. Dylan Penn also reached the 20 point barrier with another 8-8 effort from the line. Penn has is actually on a streak of 23 consecutive made free throws (sorry about the inevitable jinx). He also chipped in 5 assists with some really beautiful passes in tonight's game. Matt Veretto had a near perfect shooting night finishing with 14 points on 4-4 (3-3 from three) shooting from the field and a 3-4 effort from the line. Robin Duncan continued his stat stuffing domination with 15 points, 7 assists, and 5 rebounds. Aaron Deloney chipped in 10 points to round out the double figure scorers. 

Now it is time to avenge the other conference loss when New Hampshire comes to town. The crowd was great tonight and I hope for another good one on Wednesday. 

Vermont at Maine 2/8/23

Vermont 74 Maine 65

This is the game that never ends.........

In another wacky instalment of road trips to Maine, Vermont methodically dismantled the Black Bears en route to their 6th consecutive victory. The game started about an hour and a half late due to the floor at the Cross Insurance Center not being pieced together correctly. Once things got straightened out, The Cats dominated the boards grabbing 10 offensive rebounds and turned the ball over only 3 times while dishing out 19 assists. The low turnover numbers are especially significant as Maine typically forces turnovers at a high rate and Kellen Tynes leads the NCAA in both total steals and steal per game. Vermont has actually been top ten in the nation in turnover rate since the calendar flipped to 2023. The second half was a slog and it wasn't a particularly pretty effort but a road win is a road win. It was good to get some late game situational practice and after struggling mightily from the free throw line in the early part of the game, the Cats were perfect from the line down the stretch. This was a big win against a team that has been playing well in what is always one of the toughest road games of the season. Throw in the extra adversity of the delayed start and the Cats really showed strong mental focus. 

Finn Sullivan was tremendous again finishing with 21 points and I believe 10 rebounds (on the last play of the game I believe the live stats misassigned the rebound to Dylan Penn) which would be his first career double double. He also threw in 3 steals in another dominating effort on both ends. Sullivan again attacked the rim and is blossoming in his new role as more of a slashing scorer. Matt Veretto also had another big game with 16 points and 5 rebounds. Another 4 threes from deep as Veretto is quickly becoming the Cats most deadly perimeter shooter. Aaron Deloney chipped in 11 and Dylan Penn scored 14 points by virtue of salting the game away with an 8-8 effort from the line. Robin Duncan once again, unconventional and dominant all at the same time with a 9 rebound, 9 assist night as the heartbeat of the Catamounts. During this incredible stretch Robin has moved into 10th place all time at Vermont in career assists and sits only 17 assists away from 400 for his career. Another amazing milestone. 

Now comes the game that has been circled for weeks. The big showdown with UMass Lowell at home. Vermont will be looking to avenge the early season loss on the road and Lowell will be looking to shake off their struggles on the road. Should be an incredible atmosphere on Saturday night at Patrick. 

Vermont at Albany 2/4/23

Vermont 87 Albany 68

Vermont dominated from start to finish en route to their 5th straight win. The offense was humming all afternoon with the Cats shooting 60.7% from the field and knocking down 13 threes. Albany put up little defensive resistance and the Great Danes early season drubbing of UMass Lowell is a distant memory. The defense was locked in for the first half before trading buckets in a second half where the Cats were up by 30 for much of it. So far road games in the America East have produced some wild results making every game even more important. Vermont has solidified their identity and has been coming out with purpose and intention during this win streak. Players have grown into their roles and the coaching staff is finding the right combinations. On the offensive and defensive ends the movements are fluid and the trust and togetherness that was a work in progress earlier in the season, is finally on solid ground. All of the games the rest of the way are crucial but this week is particularly important. The road game at Maine is always tough and the Black Bears are proving to be a dangerous team, fresh off dominating UMBC. Can't fall into the trap with the big home showdown with UMass Lowell looming one week from today. The Cats have put themselves in a great position with the first half of the conference season behind them. Now it is a matter of continuing to build the momentum. 

Dylan Penn was great in the game today. He scored 17 points on 7-8 shooting and had 5 assists for the second consecutive game. Throw in 3 steals and he has fully integrated himself into the Vermont system. Penn is finding the holes in the defense and is making the extra pass when the defense collapses. He is such a unique weapon and is finding ways to make an impact without scoring. Finn Sullivan poured it on in the second half, finishing with 19 points, 5 assists, and 5 rebounds. He is making himself more of a threat on offense and he is the key in making the Vermont offense explosive. Matt Veretto continues to surprise and exceed expectations with another strong performance. He finished with 16 points on 4-6 shooting from three. After three years away from college basketball, Veretto has gotten up to speed much faster than anticipated. He opens things up for the Cats offense with his shooting ability. Kam Gibson had another strong effort with 13 points. He is providing a nice blend of perimeter shooting and creating his own shot off the dribble. Aaron Deloney had 14 points off the bench, attacking the basket and bringing energy. Robin Duncan once again made it all happen with 4 points, 8 assists, and 5 rebounds in a team high 31 minutes. Albany forced him to be more of a distributor and he responded with a season high 8 assists. 

The grind of the second half of conference play is upon the Cats and playing teams the second time through is always a different challenge. Taking it one game at a time and staying mentally tough down the stretch are the keys for the rest of the season. 

P.S. I wanted to take a minute to thank everyone who was involved in putting together the National Girls & Women in sports day at Patrick Gym this afternoon. My daughter had a blast and the whole event was really great to see. The crowd was incredible and the Cats got a big win to top it all off! 

Robin Duncan makes the leap

I am back in town and just wanted to say a few words about the game over the weekend and Robin Duncan.

Another strong performance from the Cats against UMBC. What was particularly encouraging was the way that Vermont responded to the second half charge from UMBC. Several players made clutch plays on both the offensive and defensive end. That is the type of execution that wins games in March. The big sequence for me was the multiple missed free throw offensive rebounds at the end of the game. Obviously making the free throws would have been nice but the fact that the Cats were able to get those extra possessions demonstrates the mentality, drive, and confidence that this team is playing with. The other contending teams are continuing to falter on the road and that is presenting Vermont with a golden opportunity from this point on. They have a week off to get ready and then Albany and Maine on the road. Those two road games become a crucial part of the season as they have a home heavy schedule after that. 

What more can you say about Robin Duncan? I have always loved the way Robin plays and have appreciated the way he has been able to affect the game “outside the box score” throughout his career. Did I ever think he would be able to dominate a game on the offensive end to the point where the opposing defense had to start bringing a double team? Not in my wildest and most optimistic dreams. That is a testament to not only how far he has elevated his game, but how much he has mentally locked in. Through that process this year he has been able to inspire the same mentality across the entire team and that leadership is what has helped shape and mold this team into a contender. Brian Voelkel was always one of my favorite players to watch for the same reason. I love those guys that are playing chess while everyone else is playing checkers and make themselves a central part of a team in a non traditional way. Robin has worked his way into the player of the year conversation through the sheer power of will. He has made himself into a player that you have to scheme to stop and as a result his teammates have more space and opportunities to impact the game in their own way. That is the mark of a true team leader. Watching this team feed off his tenacity for the rest of the season will be incredible.

Vermont at Binghamton 1/25/23

Vermont 80 Binghamton 55

And just like that, the Cats are back in first. 

Vermont picked up a big road win, dominating the Bearcats on both ends of the floor and moving into the pole position in the America East conference standings.  The offensive explosion continued in the first half with Vermont getting open looks at will. The movement, passing, and flow of the offense has really kicked up a notch over the last few games. The chemistry is coming together and it is a good lesson in how much time it takes to acclimate to new teammates and new roles. In the second half the defense took over and Vermont never looked back. This team is showing shades of last years team as the offensive tweaks pay dividends during conference play. Another efficient performance with 17 assists to only 5 turnovers and 12-26 (46%) from three. Winning on the road in conference is hard no matter the opponent as evidenced by UMBC and Lowell dropping games to teams in the bottom half of the league tonight. It is going to be crucial to secure home court this season as several teams have some pretty stark home/road splits. The last few games have showcased the heart of this team and the value of playing a difficult schedule. They are ready for the ups and downs of the season and have really demonstrated that with their play over the last few games. 

Finn Sullivan continued his hot streak, leading the Cats with 20 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assists. Throw in 2 steals and a block and you have another fantastic performance from Sullivan. He is finally asserting himself throughout the game and blending his team first mentality with confidence to take his turn. Dylan Penn has found his groove for the Cats as well. After struggling on defense for much of the season he has been very impactful on that end over the last two games. Engaged and using his quickness to disrupt passing lanes, while getting physical on the ball. He has also showcased the hooks and flips that make him so tough to stop on offense, finishing tonight's game with 18 points. A good reminder that all that time he missed due to injury set him back a bit. Matt Veretto finished with 14 points and was a big beneficiary of the slick passing from the Cats. He does a great job of catching in traffic and getting the ball up to the rim quickly. TJ Hurley and Aaron Deloney provided perimeter shooting off the bench combining to go 5-6 from three. As always and rock steady as ever, Robin Duncan finished with 8 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists, and zero turnovers. Ileri Ayo-Faleye continues to give Vermont tremendous minutes and is fast becoming a menace on the defensive end.

Now that Vermont has climbed back to the top, they are once again going to be the hunted. Getting to play these last few games as the hunter has been great and something the Vermont team doesn't get to do very often. Another big showdown with UMBC looms on Saturday. I will be out of town this weekend so I will not be able to watch the game live and won't be able to give a recap. Enjoy the game!