MEN'S BASKETBALL NOTEBOOK
Vermont (8-5, 0-0) closes out the non-conference section of the docket with Siena (4-8, 1-1) and Harvard (5-4, 1-1). The Catamounts make the trip to Siena on Thursday (Dec. 29) at 7 p.m. and then welcome Harvard on Monday (Jan. 2) at 7 p.m. to open the 2017 calendar year. All UVM men's basketball games can be heard on ESPN 101.3 FM and online at 1013ESPN.com with Sam Hyman on the call. 
 
SIENA TELEVISION COVERAGE
Thursday night's game at Siena will be televised live throughout New York on Time Warner Cable Sports Channel. Fans can watch the game on channel 323 statewide in HD and channel 50 locally in the Albany region. The television broadcast will also be simulcast outside New York on ESPN3 via the watchESPN app. Due to broadcasting rights, the ESPN3 feed will be blacked out in New York. Residents of the Empire State without a Time Warner Cable subscription can watch the game on Siena All-Access, but will have to pay a small fee for the stream.
 
RELATED LINKS
Siena: Video | Live Stats | Audio 
Harvard: Video | Live Stats | Audio 
Game Notes: Vermont (.pdf) | Harvard (.pdf)
 
SETTING THE SCENE
The Catamounts enter the 2016 calendar finale with eight wins which is the most before the end of the calendar year since the 2010-11 season. A key for Vermont throughout the season has been defense as the green and gold are holding opponents to 65.5 points per game which ranks second in America East. UVM has also recorded the second-most steals (85) and has the second-best turnover margin (+1.08) in the league. Trae Bell-Haynes has been a major factor for the Cats in converting defense into offense. The junior guard is tied for second in the conference with 17 steals, sits second with 52 assists, and his 53.7% shooting percentage is the fourth-best among America East upperclassmen. Anthony Lamb has been a force on both ends of the floor for Cats. The freshman is tied for the league lead with 14 blocks, tied for third with 31 offensive rebounds, and 10th with a 47.7% field goal percentage.

PLAYING WITH A HUGE URU-HART
Since stepping into the starting lineup for the Catamounts, Drew Urquhart has seen his season averages take a boost for the better. The 6-8 forward has shot 12-for-18 (.667) from the floor and tallied a total of 15 rebounds off the glass in the pair of starts. The Vancouver, British Columbia native's points per game average increased from 4.9 to 6.3 after charting a pair of 14-point outings and his rebounding average bumped up from 3.8 to 4.4.

GO DOUBLE-FIGURE!
The Catamounts have posted a total of six double-digit outings against the Saints in the last two seasons. In last year's meeting, UVM had four players reach double figures as Bell-Haynes led the way with 19 points, Kurt Steidl added 15 points, Urquhart notched 11 points, and Ernie Duncan rounded out the scoring attack with 10 points. Bell-Haynes (16 points) and Steidl (12 points) also recorded double-digit outings in the second game of the 2014-15 season at Siena. 
 
COLLEGEINSIDER.COM POWER RANKINGS
In this week's College Insider.com Mid-Major Power Rankings, the Catamounts are receiving votes at the No. 31 spot among the nation's top mid-major programs. Vermont only trails Belmont, Iona, Sam Houston State, Northeastern, Florida Gulf Coast, and Northern Kentucky in order to climb into the top 25.

LAST TIME OUT | Butler Highlights
The 13th-ranked Butler Bulldogs held off a late second-half surge by the Catamounts to avoid an upset as Vermont fell 81-69 last Wednesday at historic Hinkle Fieldhouse. Urquhart recorded his second career double-double as four Cats posted double figures. The junior forward matched a career-high with 14 points and grabbed 10 rebounds off the glass to post his first double-double of the season. Bell-Haynes matched Urquhart with 14 points and shot 6-of-8 from the floor with three rebounds and three assists.
 
SCOUTING SIENA
Despite owning a 4-8 record, the Saints have enjoyed some home cooking as all four victories came on their home floor. With 6-10 giant Javion Ogunyemi securing the paint, Siena sits second in the MAAC with 49 blocks as Ogunyemi owns 23 of them. The Saints have five players averaging double figures as Marquis Wright is one of the MAAC's top scorers and facilitators. Wright is dropping 15.6 points per game (10th) and dishing out 4.8 assists per game (3rd). Brett Bisping, a Preseason First Team All-MAAC, has been of the top big men in the conference this season. He ranks third in the league with 9.3 rebounds per game, 2.58 offensive rebounds per game, and three double-doubles. 
 
SCOUTING HARVARD
After closing out November with a four-game skid, the Crimson have responded with a perfect 5-0 record in the month of December including wins over Northeastern, Boston College, and Houston. Harvard has one of the top defenses in the Ivy League as the Crimson have grabbed the most defensive rebounds per game (27.0), recorded the most blocked shots per game (4.9), and possess the best field-goal percentage defense (39.2%). Siyani Chambers is one of the top players in the country with 7.1 assists per game (7th) and holds a 3.21 assist-to-turnover ratio (22nd). Corey Johnson is lethal from long range by sinking 43.9% of his attempts – good enough for 32nd in the nation.

SERIES HISTORY
Vermont has won six in a row and seven of the last eight meetings against Siena including the last four on the road, but still trail 11-18 in the all-time series. The Saints have fought hard in the Catamounts' victories as five out of the last six games have been decided by single digits. The most successful stretch for either team came from 1983-89 when Siena constructed a 12-game winning streak.
 
Despite trailing 12-18 to Harvard, the two programs have battled to the final buzzer as 14 of the last 15 matchups were determined by nine points or less. In fact, only seven of the overall 30 meetings have seen a winning margin of at least 10 points. The Crimson opened the series with eight wins in the first nine games but the Catamounts responded with four-straight victories and five of the next six overall.

WHO'S NEXT
Vermont tips-off America East play on Thursday, Jan. 5 at Maine. Action gets underway at 7 p.m. at the Cross Insurance Center in Bangor, Maine. All UVM men's basketball games can be heard on ESPN 101.3 FM and online at 1013ESPN.com with Sam Hyman on the call. The game will be streamed on ESPN3 via the watchESPN app by logging in with your cable provider.

Canon Solutions America is the presenting sponsor of the 2016-17 men's basketball season.