Vermont
 

Game Time: Tuesday December 3rd.. On CBSSN.

Pretty big game considering the stretch of games we have coming up. I think this is a must win against a very good Vermont team. Tournament team last year and potentially a tournament team again this year.

Vermont is 6-3 with a close loss to Virginia. Thy are coming off a recent loss to Yale... They are led by Senior Forward Anthony Lamb who is averaging 16.9 ppg, 38.4%, 7.9 rpg.

As a team Vermont averages 67.4 points a game while only giving up 58.7.
They are shooting 41.6 FG% while shooting 25.8% from 3.
They are averaging 11.2 turnovers a game.

As I said I think this is a game we must and will win. UC has much to cleanup but I truly do believe these close tough games in November and December will help us during the end of the season. Cats by 5

This will be a tough game for sure but lucky for us, they're:

1) dealing with some injury issues. They're starting PG, Shungu, has missed the last 7 games.
Their starting C, Giddens, went out after 5 minutes against Yale with a thigh injury, and another starting guard, Smith, played 30 minutes against Yale but was held scoreless and apparently is suffering from back stiffness.

2) playing on short rest. This will be their 8th game away from home this season so they are certainly battle tested, but after back-to-back D1 losses to Rider and Yale, it's looking like we're catching them at a good time.

and

3) not getting their best play out of Lamb, who has only made 5 of his last 26 3-point attempts.

They are a stellar defensive team though, holding D1 opponents to 37% shooting from the field and 27% from 3.

worth noting on the 3 point %, they have a career 38% guy shooting 23%, and a career 34% guy (who shot 36% last year and 41% as a freshman but 30% in an injured sophomore year) shooting 23%.



that 25.8% from 3 is very misleading i think. they're much better shooters than that.

Yea, when I see lamb is shooting 5-26 in last few games, to me it just means he lights us up at Fifth Third.



We've not been good at shutting down a teams 1st or 2nd best player outside of the OSU game. And i think its because we play Man and I don't think this team has a great defender on it.


I'll be interested to see the kinda strategy Brannen uses to stop lamb. Hopefully a decent crowd shows up because were gonna need it.


Jarron needs to come alive and just take over. If Shabaz napier can lead his team to a championship, then so can Jarron Cumberland.

Lamb could go off from 3 sure...but at the same time so could both Cumberlands and maybe even McNeal could make 1 or 2. We need to start getting hot out there too. Jaevin is probably the biggest one we need to get back going again...he can open things up for Jarron a little more. If MAW can keep it going he would be a nice low volume option.

Jaevin needs to get healthy... I really hope this knee thing doesn't linger all season

Hopefully we finally put 40 minutes together. "Hopefully" The Cronin holdovers seem like they need a few more games, to clear their offensive mindsets. Trevor Moore is the worst example of Cronin Fever lol. He's just a body at this point. Tre Scott is realizing he has lots of open opportunities, and he has a nose bleed so I think his fever may be broken lol. Diarra needs a PG to throw him some alley's to unlock his potential some more. Keith is dealing with, " I missed a shot or I might be coming out syndrome. "Body Language Player of the Year" Then Jarron needs to continue to get in shape and open his eyes to the opportunity before him. He has the keys, but he's not in shape enough to sustain engagement in a full game.

I don't know if I'm the only one seeing this, but when our guys cut through the lane, I mean run the set, and they're offensive vision is off. Score the rock please, it's okay guys. We're coming along, these guys just gotta have fun running a player/talent friendly offense.

It's funny because the first two games were the best games we have played. That is when we had a limited offense of only like 30% installed. Perhaps there is just a lot of information to remember. But the injuries aren't helping us to be able to play at the pace CJB would like.

Scott and Vogt both played like 38 minutes in the last game and Diara like only 6. I think getting Sorolla back will help a lot with getting the minutes for Scott and Sorolla back down to closer to 30 minutes or so. Hopefully Jaevin is healthy so we have a quality sub on the wing. We have 2 PG's who can split minutes up so nobody gets too tired there.

We probably need a 9 man rotation to play faster pace or trap on press etc. Diara, Davenport, Harvey, or Moore can get minutes depending on the situation or who is playing well.

I've watched a couple of Vermont games this year. Lamb may be a matchup problem, he looks like a bigger Jarron. He has a similar game to Jarron as well, though Lamb posts guys up more often.

Williams is probably our best defender, but will Lamb be able to use his size and post Williams up? Scott could prevent Lamb from posting up, but would have trouble with him off the dribble.

The rest Vermont has shot poorly and they are likely hoping someone else steps up. They like to drive to the hoop and either get layups or kick for an open 3. But when no one can hit threes, teams can just pack it in the paint. We have been beaten by teams that can drive at times though.

Their starting senior center also left the game against Yale with an injury and didn't return. If he doesn't play against us it opens things up for our bigs.

Vogt 25-30 mpg then Sorolla 10-15
Scott 30...then either Davenport or Diara or a combo for 10
Williams/Jaevin for 35 total...then either Harvey or Moore for 5
Cumberland/Jaevin for 35 total...then either Harvey or Moore for 5
MAW 25 mpg then McNeal for 15 or vice versa