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Late unanswered run saves season for Vermont basketball in America East quarterfinals

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Late unanswered run saves season for Vermont basketball in America East quarterfinals


Vermont basketball at America East tournament: Quarterfinal interviews

Vermont basketball coach John Becker and players TJ Hurley and Nick Fiorillo discuss America East quarterfinal win on Saturday, March 8, 2025.

  • The Vermont Catamounts defeated the New Hampshire Wildcats 64-57 in the America East quarterfinals.
  • TJ Hurley led the Catamounts with 18 points, while Nick Fiorillo added 10 points.

Vermont basketball has been here before. Exactly one year ago, TJ Long’s 3-pointer in the final minute was the go-ahead basket as the Catamounts rallied to deny Albany’s upset bid in the 2024 America East quarterfinals.

While not nearly as dramatic as Long’s late-game triple, Vermont endured another major scare Saturday afternoon in the conference’s opening round of playoffs.

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And the Catamounts survived to advance once again.

Second-seeded and three-time reigning champion Vermont finished the game on a 10-0 run to knock off No. 7 New Hampshire for a 64-57 league quarterfinal triumph in front of 2,102 at Patrick Gym.

“Today felt like a vintage Vermont game,” Vermont coach John Becker said. “That was really, really good to see. Any time you can be in a tight game and win, it’s going to help you and give you confidence that … if it is close, we know how to win and certainly we’ve proven that over the last couple decades.”

UNH gained the upper hand on Davide Poser’s 3-pointer and freshman Khalil Badru’s foul shots for a 57-54 advantage with 3:01 left in regulation.

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TJ Hurley then drove baseline for a tough finish at the rim, beating the shot clock, and then knocked down a corner 3-pointer to put the Catamounts (21-11) in front at 59-57 with 2:03 to go. On UVM’s next trip, Hurley wrapped a baseline pass to Nick Fiorillo, who poured in a 3-pointer for a five-point edge with 1:06 on the clock.

While Vermont struggle at the foul line to close it out, UNH missed its final seven field-goal attempts.

Hurley finished with 18 points on 8 of 14 shooting, while Fiorillo added 10 points, six rebounds and four assists. Ileri Ayo-Faleye put up a double-double of 14 points and 10 rebounds along with three blocks for the Catamounts, who trailed 34-26 at the break.

“The message at halftime was, we’ve been here before and we know what it takes to win,” Hurley said.

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Another America East semifinal for Vermont basketball

Although they flirted with an early exit for a second straight year, Vermont basketball booked its trip to the semifinals for the 16th straight season. During that span, the Catamounts have gone on to the title game 10 times (2010, 2012, 2013, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2020, 2022, 2023, 2024).

Becker has been the coach for nine of conference title-game berths.

Vermont basketball overcomes sluggish first half vs. UNH

The Catamounts trailed by as many as nine points in the opening 20 minutes, but it could’ve been much worse. They committed too many turnovers (eight), allowed too many 3-pointers (seven) and made only 1 of 10 from beyond the arc to sum up a putrid first half for the hosts.

Vermont also let Badru drain half as many as 3s (4) than he has all season.

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However, Vermont’s defense toughened in the second half: UNH made only 1 of 11 of its 3-point attempts, while the Catamounts buried six triples and shot 58.3% overall in a second half they won 38-23.

Up next for Vermont basketball at America East tournament

The Catamounts will host a semifinal game vs No. 3 Maine on Tuesday, March 11 at Patrick Gym. Vermont seeks its fourth straight America East tournament championship.

Game time Tuesday will be 7 p.m. on ESPN+.

Contact Alex Abrami at aabrami@freepressmedia.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter: @aabrami5.

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Spring-like days ahead, but the risk for additional river ice jams and flooding will continue.

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Spring-like days ahead, but the risk for additional river ice jams and flooding will continue.


BURLINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) – It was a pleasant Sunday with spring-like temperatures, but it also resulted in a few ice jams in rivers, which happened earlier than expected. The Ausable, Mad, Missisquoi and Great Chazy rivers flooded today due to ice jams. These rivers will recede tonight as temperatures get close to, or below, freezing. However, new ice jams may form, and additional rivers may flood on Monday as highs get even warmer. Expect partly sunny skies with highs in the upper 50s to low 60s. The wind may gust as highs as 40 mph. This will continue to support rapid snowmelt, which will run off into rivers and other bodies of water. Remember to never cross any flooded roads, and avoid going near river banks.

The threat for ice jams will continue into Thursday. A backdoor cold front may touch off a few showers on Tuesday, otherwise it will be partly sunny with highs ranging from the 40s north to the 50s and low 60s south. Computer models continue to bring a low pressure system in our area on Wednesday. It’s continuing to look a little warmer, though the heavier rain is now inching farther into Canada. That said, some rain is likely, and high temperatures will be at least in the low 40s, and may reach the 50s in southern parts of the region. Morning rain on Thursday will change to afternoon snow. A few inches accumulation is possible. Early highs in the 30s will fall through the 20s by afternoon, and overnight lows will be in the teens and low 20s, so everything will freeze up.

Friday will start off with some sunshine, then another, weaker system could bring a light rain/snow mix late in the day and overnight. A few inches of snow can’t be ruled out. A return to more seasonable temperatures will happen over the weekend with highs mainly in the mid-30s and lows in the teens and 20s. There’s the chance for snow showers both days, but significant weather isn’t expected.

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20th Annual Vermont Composting Summit kicks off on March 25

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20th Annual Vermont Composting Summit kicks off on March 25


MONTPELIER — The 20th annual Vermont Organics Recycling Summit (VORS) will be held on Wednesday, March 25, at the Montpelier Performing Arts Hub. It is organized by the Composting Association of Vermont (CAV) and the Agency of Natural Resources.

VORS brings together composters, farmers, businesses, educators, policymakers, and community leaders to advance solutions to keep clean organic materials out of landfills and return nutrients to Vermont soils. Additional workshops, tours, and hands-on learning opportunities will be held across the state on March 26..

“The 20th annual Vermont Organics Recycling Summit is guided by the theme, Compost! Feed the Soil that Feeds Us,” said Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Misty Sinsigalli. “This is a cornerstone gathering for Vermont’s growing organics recycling ecosystem. Whether you’re a backyard composter, a farmer, a municipal leader, or a sustainability advocate, VORS provides a critical forum for cross-sector collaboration.”

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A highlight of this milestone year will be the keynote presentation from Jayne Merner. Merner is a lifelong compost practitioner and co-owner / operator of Earth Care Farm in Rhode Island. She grew up working in compost production and now leads one of the region’s best-known large-scale compost operations. Merner also hosts The Composter podcast and has taught composting and soil stewardship around the world.

Each year, VORS fosters connections, sparks innovation, and helps translate policy and research into real-world action. The summit welcomes all who are passionate about creating healthier communities through composting.

CAV is partnering with ORCA Media to record sessions for post-event viewing.

To learn more and register for VORS, visit compostingvermont.org/vors-2026.

The Department of Environmental Conservation is responsible for protecting Vermont’s natural resources and safeguarding human health for the benefit of this and future generations. Visit dec.vermont.gov and follow the Department of Environmental Conservation on Facebook and Instagram.

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Vermont National Guard holds change of command ceremony

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Vermont National Guard holds change of command ceremony


SOUTH BURLINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) – The Vermont National Guard held a change of command ceremony Saturday, with a new adjutant general taking the helm.

The passing of the state’s colors marked the transfer of authority. The flag used was the Green Mountain Boys flag, which has flown around the world.

Maj. Gen. Gregory Knight stepped down after seven years leading the Vermont National Guard. Incoming Adjutant General Harder, who previously served as deputy adjutant general, has 36 years of service across multiple roles within the organization.

At the ceremony, Knight reflected on the periods when the National Guard was deployed, including the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2023 floods and current overseas deployments with soldiers in Iran.

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“Our duty is to hand both the uniform and the mission forward in better condition than when we received it,” Knight said. “The mantle of leadership doesn’t belong to us. We borrow it for a time and our responsibility is to leave it stronger for the next person who wears it.”

Harder said the role carries significant personal meaning.

“Leading this organization is the honor of a lifetime,” Harder said.

Gov. Scott, a Republican, spoke to Harder’s qualifications during the ceremony.

“General Hank Harder’s service to our nation has proven him to be a distinguished leader with the right character and curiosity to continue the work of guiding the guard into the future,” Scott said.

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Harder acknowledged Knight’s tenure during the ceremony.

“Your leadership has left the Vermont National Guard stronger, more capable and ready for the future,” Harder said.

160 Vermont soldiers are currently in Germany on a training mission with Ukraine. Several hundred more are deployed in the Middle East.

Harder addressed the deployed service members during the ceremony.

“We are so proud of what they do each and every day and we’re supporting them from afar and we know what it’s like and we look forward to them completing their mission and coming home,” Harder said.

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Harder said the guard has no control over what happens once troops are overseas but is actively providing support to service members’ families in Vermont.

The ceremony was attended by Gov. Phil Scott, members of the military and family members.



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