‘Step in the right direction’: Vermont basketball halts 3-game losing streak

Good to be home: Vermont basketball survived to dust a three-game losing skid, pulling away from Buffalo for a 78-67 nonconference victory in front of 2,227 at Patrick Gym on Tuesday night.

Ileri Ayo-Faleye (18 points, five rebounds, two blocks) and TJ Hurley (17 points, four rebounds) combined for six 3-pointers while Shamir Bogues (10 points, four assists, two steals), TJ Long (nine points) and Sammy Alamutu (nine points) also contributed for the Catamounts (2-3) in their home opener.

For Buffalo (2-3), Ryan Sabol tallied 22 points, Noah Batchelor added 16 points and 10 rebounds and Bryson Wilson chipped in 11 points.

“(This win) was extremely needed. We all knew that, we all emphasized that coming in,” Hurley said. “We know we have to defend homecourt as well, that’s a big thing. It was a huge win for us and it was definitely needed.”

UVM coach John Becker: “It was our best offensive performance of the season, and that was good to see.”

Vermont basketball’s second-half spurt just enough to hold off Buffalo

Long drove for two on the first possession of the second half. Ayo-Faleye was aggressive getting to the rim to convert four consecutive foul shots. And Hurley buried a transition 3-pointer following a lock-down Vermont defensive possession.

The 9-0 spurt pushed the Catamounts’ lead from just three points at the half into double digits, 47-35. And while their advantage did not dip below six points the rest of the way, the Catamounts required shotmaking, paced by Hurley and Long’s jumpers, to stymie a Bulls’ comeback bid.

Hurley drained a 3-pointer off a screen and then poured in his patented step-back jumper for a 60-59 lead with 9:04 to play. Long then buried a deep wing trey to return the margin to nine, 63-54, with 6:30 to go. And for the dagger, Ayo-Faleye splashed a corner 3-pointer, via Shamir Bogues’ assist, for a 68-54 advantage with 4:08 left in regulation.

“That was super-promising. We struggled to shoot percentage-wise these first few games and I think guys really stepped up today and hit their shots,” Hurley said. “I think that’s going to continue going forward and that’s what’s needed going forward.”

Ayo-Faleye’s all-around play Tuesday drew praise from Becker. The senior forward’s 18-point, five-rebound, two-block night included a trio of 3s, 7-for-8 at the foul line and zero turnovers.

“I thought Ileri played one of his better games as a Catamount. I’m happy for him and proud of him,” Becker said. “He made some big shots. He’s one of the hardest-working kids I’ve coached. He wants to be great. He put it together on both sides of the court.”

Uneven first half for Vermont basketball vs Buffalo

Vermont handed out nine assists, committed just two turnovers and shot 50% from the field with five 3-pointers in the opening 20 minutes. But the Catamounts, who led by as many as nine points in the first half, took just that 38-35 lead into the break.

Why? Vermont struggled from the foul line (2 of 6) and were out-rebounded 21-13 by the visitors. Ryan Sabol’s drives and long 3-pointer helped the Bulls stay within striking distance.

The Catamounts excelled in their offensive sets: Fiorillo dished out three assists to set up teammates with wide-open looks and Ayo-Faleye canned a pair of 3s to reward good ball movement.

Becker: ‘Step in the right direction’ for Vermont basketball

A lack of intensity and focus on the glass in the first half forced Becker to call a timeout. Vermont’s struggles in the rebounding department have frustrated the longtime coach, who’s built the program’s success on defense and toughness.

The Catamounts came off underwhelming performances at Merrimack and Iona, the latter in which they were out-rebounded by more than a 2-to-1 margin (including an eye-popping 20-1 margin on the offensive glass). Tuesday, Vermont bounced back following Becker’s timeout and played better defensively and on the glass.

“We’ve been a top-10 in defensive rebounding (in the nation) almost every year I’ve been at head coach here,” said Becker, in his 14th season as bench boss. “This group is off to a start where we’ve given up a lot of offensive rebounds and it costs us a couple games. It’s not acceptable and it doesn’t make any sense because it’s basically the same team from last year.

“I’m trying to figure out what’s going on as far as that goes. But we need to have much more urgency on the defensive glass and the offensive glass.”

Vermont still lost the rebounding battle to Buffalo (40-33), but held the Bulls to 37.5% shooting in the second stanza and scored 17 points off their 12 turnovers. Vermont, meanwhile, committed just five turnovers and handed out 12 assists.

“We definitely took a step in the right direction. It’s much better than it’s been,” Becker said. “I’ll continue to be hard on these guys and push them to find some consistency and play well. Over time here, we’ll figure out a rotation.”

Up next for Vermont basketball: Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Tip-Off

The Catamounts head to Uncasville, Connecticut, for the 2024 Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Tip-Off. Vermont will play Delaware at noon Saturday and then take on Fairfield at 1 p.m. Sunday.

The tournament is being played at Mohegan Sun Arena. Games will be streamed on ESPN+.

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