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Vermont Men's Hoops Rolls Against Saint Michael's 64-31

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Created on Sunday, 30 October 2011 04:21

Written by George Commo

Cats go on a a 21-0 run to end the first half

Courtesy of Vermont Sports Information

BURLINGTON – Stingy defense and a 21-0 run to end the first half lifted the University of Vermont men's basketball team to a 64-31 victory over neighboring Saint Michael's in preseason action on Saturday afternoon at Patrick Gym. Junior Brendan Bald paced the Catamounts with 11 points and seven rebounds, as UVM limited the Purple Knights to shoot only 19.6 percent from the floor for the contest.

“I thought our guys gave a great effort today and it was good at this point in the season to play against another opponent and get a gauge of where we were,” said first year Vermont head coach John Becker. “We hang our hat on defense and rebounding, so that was really our point of emphasis coming into the game. I thought a lot of our guys gave a great effort out there on the defensive end of the court.”

The Catamounts opened the game by scoring the first 10 points of the contest, as Saint Michael's missed its first six attempts. Vermont would lead 14-9 after a 3-pointer from the Purple Knights' Mike Thompson with 10:58 to go in the frame, but that would be the last points of the half for the visitors.

Vermont pulled away by scoring the final 21 points of the opening stanza, as Saint Michael's finished 3-for-21 from the floor. Seven Cats scored in the push, led by five apiece from senior Matt Glass and sophomore Brian Voelkel as Vermont took a 35-9 lead into intermission.

Saint Michael's did not make a two-point field goal in the first half and went only 3-for-13 from behind the arc, finishing by shooting only 14.3 percent from the floor overall. Nine Catamounts scored in the opening 20 minutes of play, led by six from sophomore Luke Apfeld and five each from Glass, Voelkel, Bald and Sandro Carissimo. 

Vermont would lead by as many as 38 points in the second half of a game that it never trailed. Saint Michael's recorded its first two-point field goal of the game when Corey Crawford hit a jumper with 17:10 to go.

Freshman Four McGlynn was the only other Catamount in double figures, as he netted 10 in his debut, while junior Ben Crenca added nine points and a game-high 10 rebounds. Vermont outrebounded the Purple Knights 51-23 on the afternoon and had a 34-4 scoring edge in the paint. Thompson led Saint Michael's with seven points.

The Catamounts return to action next Saturday when they wrap up preseason play by hosting Concordia from Montreal, Quebec starting at 1 p.m. The game will be the first of a doubleheader with the UVM women's team, who hosts Franklin Pierce at 4:30 p.m. Fans can receive admission into both women's and men's basketball game on this date by showing their men's ticket. Tickets still remain for the men's game and it can be heard live on ESPN 101.3 FM and The Zone 960 AM. Live video will be available for free on CatamounTV.


NOTES: Bald netted 19 against Saint Michael's in preseason play last season … SMC finished the game 5-for-24 from three and 4-for-22 from inside the arc … The Cats shot 54.5 percent in the second half … All 13 Catamounts played in the game … Vermont opens regular season play at South Florida on November 12