FINAL SCORE: Vermont 80, Dartmouth 53 | Box Score | Photos | Video: Highlights | Postgame
BURLINGTON, Vt. – Behind a career-high 21 points from senior
Joey Accaoui, the Vermont men's basketball team defeated visiting Dartmouth on Wednesday night 80-53. The win was the fourth straight for the Catamounts, who improve to 5-1 for the first time since the 1996-97 season.
Senior
Evan Fjeld added 20 points, nine rebounds, four assists and four blocks, while freshman
Brian Voelkel recorded a new career-best with 13 rebounds. The Cats shot 52.5 percent from the floor for the game and led by double digits throughout the second half.
“I was worried about this game going in, they have a good coach who has them playing a lot better than last year,” said Vermont head coach
Mike Lonergan. “Even though we were up 11 at the half I didn't think we had the energy or intensity that we needed to have. But I thought it was a great second half and we did a great job sharing the ball. I am very happy with that win.”
The Catamounts shot well in the first half, making 11 of their first 19 attempts. Leading 13-11, Vermont used an 11-3 run to extend its advantage to 24-14 with 9:35 left in the frame. Accaoui netted 10 of UVM's first 24 points, as he was joined by Fjeld as the top scorers in the first half with 10 apiece.
Leading 24-19, Vermont scored six straight and 11 of 13 to go on top by as many as 14 in the first half at 35-21. The Big Green closed out the opening 20 minutes of play with five of the final seven, as the Catamounts carried a 37-26 advantage into the break.
In the second half a 7-0 run gave Vermont a 52-34 lead with 14:10 to go. With the Cats on top 55-40, they put the game out of reach with a 10-3 spurt that made it 65-43 after a jumper from
Simeon Marsalis with 8:44 remaining.
The 21 points surpassed Accaoui's previous high of 19, which he tallied in the season-opening win at Siena. He finished the night 8-for-13 from the floor and 5-for-10 from three, while Fjeld went 8-for-12 overall. The Catamounts held a 36-8 scoring edge in the paint and turned the ball over a season-low 10 times in the game, including only twice in the second half.
Brendan Bald chipped in with nine points and
Garrett Kissel added seven for Vermont.
Dartmouth (2-5) was led by 12 points from Tyler Melville, while R.J. Griffin added 11. The Cats held the Big Green to shoot only 33.9 percent from the floor and outrebounded the visitors 45-27.
The Cats wrap up their four-game homestand on Saturday when they host Yale starting at 1 p.m. At halftime of the game Vermont will be honored for winning the America East Academic Cup last season. Tickets still remain for the contest. The game will be televised on WCAXtra, be streamed online via CatamounTV on a pay-per-view basis of $4.99, and can be heard live on Champ 101.3 FM, The Zone 960 AM and on the internet at www.UVMathletics.com with the audio stream provided by SportsJuice.com.
NOTES: Vermont has now won 11 of the last 12 in the series with Dartmouth … Voelkel has 25 rebounds in the last two games, as he leads the America East by averaging 9.7 per contest … UVM has won its last two games by a combined 46 points … The 27-point margin of victory was the largest for the Cats since they knocked off NJIT 88-49 last season … UVM has now won 27 of its last 32 at home … Accaoui was named the America East Player of the Game … The men's basketball team will also host an alumni game on Saturday at 11 a.m. prior to facing Yale … Check out www.UVMAthletics.com later tonight for highlights and the postgame press conference.