Men’s basketball’s 79-74 loss to Saint Michael’s College on Oct. 25 was a first for Vermont in over 10 years of exhibition games against the Division II opponent.
The defeat is cause for confidence and concern as the Cats prepare for the start of the regular season on Monday night. Graduate guard TJ Long put 29 points on the board, 24 of them from eight three-pointers, despite the final outcome.
After three consecutive trips to NCAA March Madness from 2021 to 2024, Vermont was knocked out of the running in last season’s America East championship by the University of Maine.
The transfer portal has since rearranged head coach John Becker’s roster, and the rookie rollout could set Vermont on track for a more characteristic regular season showing.
“[It’s] the thing that a lot of coaches are worried about, especially at the mid-major level,” Becker said of the transfer period.
Traffic this off-season included three players leaving Vermont and seven transfers to take their places: sophomore forward Ben Michaels, redshirt sophomore forwards David Simon and Gus Yalden, redshirt junior forward Jackson Skipper, graduate forwards Trey Woodyard and graduate guards Chris Kuzemka, and Ben Johnson.
“That’s the challenge in this new world… is just getting people acclimated to your system,” Becker said after the loss to St. Mike’s.
Implementing transfers into his lineup of four returners means propping up Vermont’s veterans with fresh faces, he said.
“I’m trying to build my roster with four-year guys… so I can have the culture year to year if possible, and then compliment those players with guys out of the portal,” he said.
However, the results might not come into immediate effect. Preseason injuries require flexibility, and Becker knows the team’s results might not be up to par from the get-go.
“I’m gonna have to be patient,” he said. “It’s just going to take some time.”
Although Long wouldn’t let St. Mike’s off easy, Vermont went without senior guard T.J. Hurley — last season’s leading scorer with 15.8 points per game on average.
“It’s going to be exciting when we get both [back],” Becker said of the two players.
Hurley returned to the court for the Cats’ second exhibition match and 80-78 win against Saint Anselm College on Oct. 29, accounting for nearly half of Vermont’s baskets with 34 points.
Hurley’s appearance after a foot injury last season settles some uncertainty for Vermont, as Becker engineers the team around Hurley and Long, whose injury also limited him to eight of Vermont’s 33 games last season.
Vermont now regroups for the start of the regular season at home against Western New England University at 7 p.m. on Monday.
