MEN'S BASKETBALL NOTEBOOK
Reigning America East champion Vermont (10-5) will begin conference play against Stony Brook (10-6, 1-0 AE) on Wednesday night (Jan. 8). The opening tip is set for 7 p.m. Tickets are available for purchase at UVMathletics.com/Tickets or at the Patrick Gym Box Office on gameday.
 
TELEVISION AND RADIO COVERAGE
All of the action can be seen on ESPN+ with a paid subscription. Fans can also listen live on the Vermont Sports Network, from Learfield IMG College, on 101.3 The Game or online at Catamounts All-Access with Jake Marsh on the call.
 
RELATED LINKS
Stony Brook: Video | Live Stats | Audio | Tickets
Game Notes: Vermont | Stony Brook 
 
NON-CONFERENCE RECAP
During the non-conference slate, the Catamounts matched a school record with 10 wins. UVM completed season sweeps over the Atlantic 10 (St. Bonaventure/George Washington) for the second straight year and the Patriot League (Bucknell/Boston U). Vermont also beat St. John's for its first win over a high-major program since 2009.
 
BECKER IN JANUARY
January has been a successful month for Cioffi Men's Basketball Head Coach John Becker during his Vermont tenure. He is a combined 62-11 (.849) in the first month of the new year, including an 27-1 mark in the last four years.  
 
CATS IN THE AMERICA EAST OPENER
UVM has won its last seven America East openers and 17 of its last 19 dating back to the turn of the century. During the current seven-game streak, the Cats have won by an average of 15.7 points.
 
EMPIRE STATE OF MIND
Vermont is 28-1 against New York schools since the start of the 2016-17 season. The run includes non-conference victories over Marist, Hofstra, Siena, St. Bonaventure, and St. John's while topping league rivals UAlbany, Binghamton, and Stony Brook. The lone loss was to the Bonnies in 2017.
 
SCOUTING STONY BROOK
The Seawolves are tied with the Catamounts with a three-game winning streak, the longest by an America East team at the moment. SBU opened its conference schedule with a 73-52 win at Maine on Sunday. Stony Brook ranks in the top-15 nationally in total rebounds (640), three-pointers made (148), and blocks (85). Redshirt junior Makale Foreman is one of the top deep threats in country. He sits at No. 6 in total triples (54) and has the third-best three-point percentage (38.0%) in the league. Junior Elijah Olaniyi paces the offensive attack with 18.3 points per game. He owns the third-best scoring average and ninth-highest field goal percentage (44.8%) in the conference.
 
INSIDE THE SERIES
Vermont has won the last seven contests with Stony Brook and leads the all-time series 31-11. The two rivals will square off in the league opener for the fourth time ever and the first time since Becker's rookie season in 2011-12. Last year, the Green and Gold swept both regular season meetings with a 73-52 win on Long Island, then clinched their third consecutive America East regular season title with a 56-50 victory in Burlington.
 
National Life Group is the presenting sponsor of the 2019-20 Vermont men's basketball season