MEN'S BASKETBALL NOTEBOOK
Vermont (3-3, 3-3 AE) will make its second road trip of the season with a visit to Binghamton (1-8, 1-5 AE) this weekend. The Catamounts and Bearcats will play on Saturday (Jan. 9) and Sunday (Jan. 10) with a 2 p.m. opening tip for each game.
TELEVISION AND RADIO COVERAGE
All of the action can be seen 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.
RELATED LINKS
Binghamton: Video (Sat.) | Video (Sun.) | Live Stats | Audio
Game Notes: Vermont
CatamounTV Weekly Media Day: John Becker | Ryan Davis
BECKER GOES FOR 125
Cioffi Men's Basketball Head Coach
John Becker is one conference win away from 125 for his career. With a 124-26 career record in America East, the bench boss can join some of the game's elite coaches as the fastest to reach the 125-conference win milestone. Becker can become the fastest America East coach to hit 125 and match the fifth-fastest rate in NCAA history – former Long Beach State and UNLV coach Jerry Tarkanian (134 games in the Big West), Gonzaga's Mark Few (138 games in the WCC), Kentucky coaching legend Adolph Rupp (143 games in the SEC), Kansas' Bill Self (148 games in the Big XII), and former Princeton coach Pete Carril (151 games).
WELCOME BACK PARTY
Since
Ryan Davis has returned to the lineup, the junior has averaged a team-best 22.3 points and 6.3 rebounds per game. He scored 20-plus in his first three games and almost had a fourth with a 19-point outing against UAlbany on Sunday. He logged his third-career double-double on Saturday with 21 points and 11 boards. Davis' offensive surge was also highlighted with a career-high 27 points versus NJIT on December 28.
ROAD WARRIORS
Since the start of the 2016-17 season, UVM has accrued the most road wins in the country - Vermont (47), Winthrop (40), Hofstra (38), and Nicholls State (37).
EMPIRE STATE OF MIND
Vermont has a 33-3 record against New York schools since the 2016-17 campaign. The run includes non-conference victories over Marist, Hofstra, Siena, St. Bonaventure and St. John's while topping conference rivals UAlbany, Binghamton, and Stony Brook. The losses were to the Bonnies in 2017, Stony Brook in last year's league opener, and Saturday's setback to UAlbany.
SCOUTING BINGHAMTON
The Bearcats have stumbled to begin the season but have played in some tight games. Binghamton started the 2020-21 campaign with a home-and-home series with Marist that resulted in a 68-65 overtime defeat on December 5 then a close 64-60 loss a day later. The Bearcats also forced Stony Brook into overtime on December 20 before falling 80-70. BU picked up its first win of the year after beating UMBC 75-69 on December 28. The Bearcats are coming off a heartbreaking 77-74 setback after Hartford's Austin Williams sank a triple at the buzzer. Brenton Mills boasts a team-best 15.8 scoring average. The sophomore from Allen, Texas has produced 16.8 points per game and has shot 50.0% (14-for-28) from long range in his last five outings. Tyler Bertram has added 9.8 points per game and has scored double figures in four straight contests.
INSIDE THE SERIES
UVM has a 35-8 edge over Binghamton in the all-time series. The Catamounts have won the last 11 meetings – the third-longest active winning streak against a conference opponent. In the 11 victories, the Green and Gold have won by an average of 18.5 points per game.
Stef Smith owns a 48.1% career three-point percentage against the Bearcats. When the two teams met in the 2019 America East Semifinal, Smith set the conference semifinal record with eight triples. Last year, the 6-2 sharpshooter had a 14.0 scoring average on the Bearcats as the Cats earned a regular season sweep.
Key Motors of South Burlington is the presenting sponsor of the 2020-21 Vermont men's basketball season
