MEN'S BASKETBALL NOTEBOOK
Vermont (6-2) hosts Ivy League preseason favorite Yale (5-3) in a matchup of New England's premier mid-major teams on Saturday (Dec. 2) at Patrick Gym. The opening tip is set for 7 p.m. ET. Tickets are available for purchase at UVMathletics.com/Tickets or by visiting the Patrick Gym Box Office on gameday. Saturday's game is presented by TD Bank.
 
BROADCAST INFORMATION
The matchup between the Catamounts and Bulldogs will broadcast live on ESPN+ with Brian McLaughlin 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 Ryan Zimmerman on the call.

RELATED LINKS
Purchase Tickets
Watch: ESPN+ | AmericaEast.TV
Listen on Varsity Network App
Live Stats
Game Notes: Vermont 
 
PROMOTIONS
The first 500 fans in attendance will receive a water bottle, courtesy of TD Bank.
 
MID-MAJOR POWERS
Vermont and Yale are both ranked in the CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top 25, as well as other mid-major polls. The Cats are No. 19 in the poll, six spots behind Yale in No. 13. Mid-Major Madness has UVM ranked No. 24 in "The Other Top 25", while Yale is unranked. Vermont was picked No. 10 by the Field of 68's "Cinderella Top-25", two spots ahead of Yale in No. 12. Both teams are preseason favorites in their respective leagues.
 
SCOUTING THE BULLDOGS
Yale was selected No. 1 in the Ivy League Preseason Poll after finishing in a share of first place a season ago with Sweet 16 team, Princeton. The Bulldogs collected 14 of 16 possible first-place votes. Yale is an experienced group, ranking No. 25 in the country in minutes continuity (65.8%). The Bulldogs return two All-Ivy honorees, Matt Knowling and Bez Mbeng. Knowling was tenth in the country in field goal percentage (62.5%) a season ago. Mbeng was the Ivy League's Defensive Player of the Year in 2022-23. The Bulldogs are ranked No. 91 in KenPom – the third-highest among New England schools. Yale enters Saturday's matchup with wins in three of its last five games, including a 79-71 victory over Stony Brook on Wednesday.
 
INSIDE THE SERIES
Vermont and Yale meet for the 34th time in series history, with the Catamounts owning an 18-15 mark. UVM is 10-5 against the Bulldogs at home, and has won three straight games at Patrick Gym. Ryan Davis led the Cats to a 61-53 victory in the last home meeting with the Bulldogs on Nov. 19, 2021.
 
PRESEASON FAVORITES
Vermont will face a pair of conference preseason favorites in its next two home games. After Saturday's matchup with Yale, the Cats will host Colgate, the unanimous favorite in the Patriot League at Patrick Gym on Dec. 9, at 2 p.m. That matchup is Youth Day, presented by Healthy Living.
 
UVM vs. IVY LEAGUE
Vermont is 92-102 all-time against Ivy League opponents, but has posted an 8-2 mark in its last 10 games. UVM's two losses during that stretch have come against Yale on the road.
 
HOT START
UVM has started 6-2 for the fifth time since 2000. The Catamounts have captured America East Championships in three of the previous four seasons (2010-11, 2016-17, & 2019-20).
 
3PT HEAVY
Vermont has attempted a three pointer on 47.2% of its field goal attempts against Division I opponents, which is the 17th highest rate in the country. The Catamounts rank No. 14 in three-pointers per game (10.5).
 
VERETTO FROM DEEP
Matt Veretto has drilled 13 of his last 19 attempts (61.9%) from beyond the arc. The graduate student matched career-highs in three pointers (6) and points (23) against VTSU-Johnson and Bradley.
 
SHAMIR'S DEFENSIVE NUMBERS
UVM guard Shamir Bogues ranks No. 22 in the country in steals (18) and No. 55 in steals per game (2.25). Bogues registers a steal on 4.2% of UVM's defensive possessions, which ranks No. 98 nationally. He has 177 career steals, which is 19th among all active D-I players.

McGee Automotive Family is the presenting sponsor of Vermont men's basketball