MEN'S BASKETBALL NOTEBOOK
Vermont tips off the 2023-24 regular season on Monday (Nov. 6) when it hosts reigning Northeast Conference champion Merrimack at Patrick Gym. The season opener begins at 7:30 p.m. ET. Monday's game is part two of a Vermont Basketball doubleheader as the UVM women open up against Miami (OH) at 5 p.m. ET. Tickets are available for purchase at
UVMathletics.com/Tickets or by visiting the Patrick Gym Box Office on gameday. Monday's game is presented by Draper & Kramer.
BROADCAST INFORMATION
The matchup between the Catamounts and Warriors will broadcast live on
ESPN+ with Rob Ryan and Bernie Cieplicki on the call. An international stream will also be available on
AmericaEast.TV. Fans can listen to the game 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.
RELATED LINKS
Purchase Tickets
Watch: ESPN+ | AmericaEast.TV (Int'l)
Live Stats
Game Notes: Vermont
HOME OPENERS
Vermont is 84-31 all-time in home openers, and 11-1 under
John Becker. UVM defeated Brown 80-65 in its opener a season ago, behind a career-high 32 points from
Aaron Deloney. The Cats have won each of their last nine home openers.
SCOUTING THE WARRIORS
Merrimack begins the campaign picked fourth in the NEC preseason poll, after capturing a conference championship a season ago. The Warriors were ineligible for the NCAA Tournament in 2022-23 despite winning the NEC title, which led to Fairleigh Dickinson's tournament berth. The Warriors will look to replace their top three scorers: Jordan Minor (17.4 ppg), Ziggy Reid (14.2 ppg), and Javon Bennett (9.6 ppg). Jordan Derkack (7.4 ppg) and Devon Davage (6.5 ppg) return as leaders for the 2023-24 Merrimack squad. The Warriors play a stingy 2-3 zone that had the nation's highest steal percentage (16.6%) a season ago.
INSIDE THE SERIES
Vermont and Merrimack meet for the second time in series history on Monday. The Catamounts took a 66-43 victory over the Warriors in North Andover, Mass. when they first met last season.
Finn Sullivan posted a team-high 17 points in the win. Then-rookie
TJ Hurley matched a career-high 15 points, shooting 4-for-6 from beyond the arc.
HOME SWEET HOME
The Cats were 13-1 (8-0 AE) at home last season. They were 11-0 against conference opponents with America East Playoff results included. UVM outscored opponents by 16.1 points per game on Tom Brennan Court last season. The Catamounts have gone 29-1 at Patrick Gym over the last two seasons and are 224-51 (.815 pct.) in Burlington since the start of the 2002-03 season.
CHASING A THREE-PEAT
The Vermont men's basketball program is in search of its first America East Championship three-peat since 2005. UVM's lone trip out of the NCAA Tournament Round of 64 came off of that three-peat, with the Catamounts upsetting Syracuse 60-57 in overtime.
PRESEASON FAVORITES ONCE AGAIN
The Catamounts were selected No. 1 in the America East Preseason Poll for the seventh time in the last eight seasons, and ninth time in 13 seasons under
John Becker. Vermont received six of the nine first-place votes, and a score of 62 points. UMass Lowell was picked second in the poll, receiving the three remaining first-place votes and a score of 55 points.
DELONEY PICKS UP PRESEASON HONOR
Aaron Deloney was named to the Preseason All-Conference team after earning America East Sixth Man of the Year in each of the last two seasons. The Portland, Ore. native ranked third on the Catamounts in scoring during league play last season, averaging 11.3 points per game off the bench.
ANOTHER RELOAD
John Becker and staff had to replace four members of the starting five for the second consecutive season after the Catamounts lost Player of the Year
Finn Sullivan, All-Conference guards
Robin Duncan and
Dylan Penn, along with
Kam Gibson. Vermont will look to replace 58.0% of its minutes and 56.7% of its scoring from 2022-23.
WHO'S BACK
The Catamounts bring back two of their top-five scorers in
Aaron Deloney (11.6 ppg) and
Matt Veretto (8.9 ppg). All-Rookie guard
TJ Hurley (5.1 ppg) returns for his sophomore campaign along with veteran forward
Nick Fiorillo (4.1 ppg) who is out indefinitely with a lower body injury.
Ileri Ayo-Faleye is poised for a big season after matching a team-high 0.8 blocks per game in league play.
Sam Alamutu,
Michel Ndayishimiye and
Jackson Skipper round out the returners.
THE NEW GUYS
UVM added eight newcomers to its roster for the 2023-24 campaign. Four transfers and four first-years make up the new group. The transfers are led by two-time All-WAC defender
Shamir Bogues from (Tarleton State), and MAAC Sixth Man of the Year
TJ Long (Fairfield).
Brenton Mills (Binghamton/Bowling Green State) returns to America East after two seasons in the MAC.
Jace Roquemore (UC San Diego) rounds out the transfers. Vermont's rookies are headlines by All-NEPSAC First Teamer
Seth Joba and forward
Noah Barnett.
Charlie Moore and
Michael Mora join the Catamounts as walk-ons.
McGee Automotive Family is the presenting sponsor of Vermont men's basketball
