FINAL SCORE: New Hampshire 67, Vermont 60
DURHAM, N.H. – A double-digit first-half run fueled New Hampshire (7-8, 2-1 AE) as the Wildcats defeated Vermont (8-9, 2-1 AE) 67-60 on Sunday afternoon at Lundholm Gym.
 
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COACH'S QUOTE
"Tough loss today on the road," Cioffi Men's Basketball Head Coach John Becker said. "I thought we lost the game in the first half. I thought the guys were ready to go before the game, but we came out flat for whatever reason. Credit to UNH for playing well and taking the game to us."
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• Matt Veretto scored the first basket of the afternoon for the third consecutive game, sinking a triple from the wing. UNH countered with a 7-0 run to take a four-point lead 2:22 into the contest.
• Vermont temporarily tied the game at 9-9 on back-to-back makes from Dylan Penn, but New Hampshire answered with a 14-0 run to open up a 23-9 lead with 9:26 remaining in the frame. Nick Johnson led the New Hampshire run with six points as UNH hit 6-of-8 attempts from the floor.
• The Wildcats lead grew to as large as 17 points in the half when Matthew Herasme drilled a three-pointer for a 32-15 lead with 4:50 left on the clock.
• Robin Duncan and Aaron Deloney led a push to cut the UVM deficit in the final minutes of the half. The Catamount duo combined for 11 points, outscoring the Wildcats by six points in the final 4:02 to trail 37-26 heading into the locker room.  
• Vermont brought the New Hampshire lead down to single digits in the second half when Duncan finished a layup while drawing a foul, and converted his free throw to trail 47-38 with 14:10 left in the game.
• A 14-4 run later on in the half pulled the Catamounts to within a point of the Wildcats, down 57-56 with 4:57 remaining. UVM made 4-of-6 field goals during that stretch, including a pair of three-pointers from Finn Sullivan that initially brought Vermont to within a possession.
• Johnson and Jaxson Baker would sink treys on back-to-back possessions and Johnson would add a free throw as New Hampshire's lead stretched back to eight points, up 64-56 with 3:12 left on the clock.
• Layups from Sullivan and Deloney pulled the Catamounts to within four points with 1:22 remaining, but Vermont was unable to tie the game.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• Duncan led Vermont with 15 points on 5-of-9 shooting. The fifth-year senior made 5-of-7 attempts from the free throw line, and pulled in a team-high eight rebounds. Duncan also recorded three assists.
• Sullivan tallied 14 points on a 4-for-8 performance from the field. The UVM guard was a perfect 4-for-4 from the line.
• Deloney was also in double figures with 13 points in 27 minutes off the bench.

UP NEXT
The Catamounts return to action on Wednesday (Jan. 11) to face conference foe UMass Lowell. Tip-off is slated for 6 p.m. ET at Costello Athletic Center and will broadcast live on ESPN+. Fans can listen to the action for free on the Vermont Sports Network, from Learfield on The Game, which will air on 97.1 FM in Burlington, 105.9 FM in Plattsburgh, and 960 AM around the rest of the region. The radio broadcast is also available via the Varsity Network App with Brian McLaughlin on the call.
 
McGee Automotive Group is the presenting sponsor of Vermont men's basketball