Heading into a March 4 senior night showdown against the University of Albany, men’s basketball was on a roll, winning their last eight America East conference games.
The streak marks a stark difference from the start of the season.
“The first 10 games of the year, they were a lot worse,” said fan Jay Corbett.
In that stretch, Vermont was 5-5 and lost their second game of the season by 51 points to Auburn University.
Before the team’s last game of the regular season, fans at Patrick Gym honored five graduating players who have been key to turning the 2024-2025 season around. Corbett specifically commended senior guard Shamir Bogues.
“He’s been a big part of the defense,” Corbett said.
Bogues has averaged 1.6 steals this season, tied for the third most in the conference.
Just three minutes into play, graduate guard Jace Roquemore drove baseline and found redshirt junior guard Sam Alamutu cutting for a two-hand tomahawk slam.
Neither team could hold onto the lead in the first half, fighting to get on top. The Great Danes had a chance to break the game open on the fastbreak, but first-year guard Sean Blake wouldn’t have it, spiking their layup attempt off the glass.
The Cats kept the game close with their interior defense, but the Great Danes managed to score 18 of their 29 first half points from beyond the arc. Mistakes in possession didn’t help Vermont’s cause, giving Albany 10 points off of seven turnovers by the Cats.
Graduate forward Nick Fiorillo kept Vermont in the running with a three in the half’s last seconds to give the team a 30-29 lead.
The Cats found energy in the second half when Alamutu brought down an offensive rebound, elevated for a basket and drew a foul to put Vermont up by three.
Down the stretch, it was junior guard TJ Hurley who took over with a fadeaway midrange shot and a three for an eight-point lead with just over six minutes left.
Neither team could execute on offense for a few minutes, but it was Hurley once again curling off a screen at the top of the key and drilling a three to put the game away.
Vermont pulled through with a 79-71 win and now ride a nine-game win streak going into the America East quarterfinal against the University of New Hampshire at 3 p.m. today.
