When sophomore forward Anthony Lamb went down injured at the end of December, it looked like it was going to be a long season ahead for Vermont basketball.

Having been used mostly off the bench for his first three years at UVM, senior forward Drew Urquhart rose to the challenge and became a key member of a team in need.

Urquhart, a native of Vancouver, Canada, came to Vermont from the Canadian Junior Men’s National Basketball team in 2014. There, he competed in the FIBA Americas U18 Championship, where Canada won the silver medal, according to UVM athletics.

Despite this important early international stage promoting a younger Urquhart’s career, Urquhart said that he didn’t view the Canadian national team as special.

“It was an honor to play for my country, but I looked at it as the same level of success as everyone else going into college, everybody on this team has played at a high level,” he said.

He is one of only two players in his class from Canada, the other being senior guard Trae Bell-Haynes.

“Drew has done better each year he has gotten older, now doing an absolutely great job this season,” head coach John Becker said.

Bell-Haynes said his teammate gets the job done.

“He embodies the Vermont mindset whether playing or not,” he said. “Doing your job when your number is called no matter what’s going on.”

Urquhart was not a starter in his first three seasons in Vermont, but still made appearances in over 30 games per year, according to UVM Athletics.

Urquhart is a picture of calmness on the court, Becker said..

“We clearly win with him, he’s gotten better the longer we’ve been together,” he said

Urquhart has started each of the last six games since the injury of sophomore forward Anthony Lamb, winning all six.

Junior Samuel Dingba’s recent injury also contributed to UVM’s status as an injury plagued team, making healthy and productive players off the bench vital.

“I would say the highlight of my college career was March Madness last year,” Urquhart said. “That’s why most players come to a school this size, is to be in the championship.”

But it was not all victorious times through Urquhart’s tenure as a Catamount.

In his most successful final season, Drew is looking ahead for more Catamount playoff success, particularly as UVM leads the America East Division once again with a 17-5 overall record, in addition to being a perfect 7-0 in conference play.

After the season, Urquhart looks ahead to life with a Business Administration degree.

“I am likely planning to go back to Vancouver, where it all started,” Urquhart said.