FINAL SCORE: UAlbany 63, Vermont 62
BURLINGTON, Vt. – Ryan Davis recorded his first double-double of the season with 21 points and 11 rebounds but Vermont was handed a 63-62 setback by UAlbany on Saturday night. The Catamounts slip to 2-3 while the Great Danes sit at 1-3.
 
RELATED LINKS
Box Score: Web | PDF
CatamounTV: Game Highlights | Postgame
 
COACH'S QUOTE
"We played well in the first half but UAlbany did a good job fighting its way back in the second half," said Cioffi Men's Basketball Head Coach John Becker. "It's a disappointing loss but hopefully we can regroup and be ready to go tomorrow."
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Catamounts were hot from behind the arc to start the game. The Green and Gold buried five of their first six outside shots, including four in a row, and jumped out to an early 21-7 lead by the 12-minute media timeout.
• UAlbany scored seven straight points four minutes later to draw within 21-14 but UVM immediately countered with a 10-2 run of its own and went up 31-16 by the final media timeout of the first half.
• The rivals traded buckets to end the half as the Cats went into the recess leading 38-22.
• UAlbany chipped away at the margin and cut it to single digits, 49-40, at the 12:29 mark. After Isaiah Powell drained a triple from the left wing to push the margin back to a dozen, the Great Danes used an 13-0 run to take a 54-52 lead with 6:23 left on the clock after CJ Kelly made a pair at the line.
• The Great Danes forced the Cats to come back from a four-point deficit three times in the final six minutes. With under three minutes to play, UVM tied the game after Davis banked in a layup then Ben Shungu canned two free throws and knotted the score up at 61-61.
• UAlbany regained the lead 63-61 on its next possession when Jarvis Doles hit a mid-range jumper near the low block.
• The scoreboard still read 63-61 as the outcome came down to the final seconds. UVM had a chance to tie the game with nine ticks left on the clock. Ben Shungu went to the line for two free throws where he missed the first attempt but made the second one.
• Vermont was forced to foul UAlbany's Jamel Horton, who missed both free throws, and Davis came down with the rebound. After using its last timeout, UVM threw the in-bounds pass from the visitor baseline to midcourt but it was intercepted by Antonio Rizzuto. Powell managed to poke the ball free, sprinted up-court, and tried to ice the game with a floater off the window but the shot did not fall. 

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• Davis recorded his third-straight 20-point game and shot 9-of-16 from the field. He also handed out two assists and swatted away one shot. Saturday was Davis' third-career double-double.
• Powell dropped 13 points and collected six boards on his hometown team. The junior shot 5-of-7 from the floor and drained a pair from long range.
• Shungu also flirted with a double-double. The South Burlington native had 10 points and seven rebounds.
• This season People's United Bank, N.A. will again be generously donating $25 to Sara Holbrook Community Center for every three-point shot that the Catamounts make during the regular season home games. With today's 10 3s, the total being donated is now up to $775.

WHO'S NEXT
Vermont and UAlbany will play the second the leg of the two-game set on Sunday at 4 p.m. All of the action will be streamed on ESPN+ and the ESPN app 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 Brian McLaughlin on the call.
 
Key Motors of South Burlington is the presenting sponsor of the 2020-21 Vermont men's basketball season