Vermont basketball showcased its formidable prowess with an 85-61 victory over UMass Lowell, marking their sixth consecutive win and positioning themselves firmly within the America East standings. The game, played at the packed Patrick Gym, saw the Catamounts shine, putting five starters in double figures.
Redshirt junior guard Sam Alamutu seized the momentum early, stuffing UMass Lowell's Quinton Mincey and quickly transitioning to help find teammate TJ Hurley, who launched a 3-pointer, pushing the Catamount lead to 22 points early in the second half. Hurley led the scoring with 20 points, including five 3-pointers, contributing significantly to the team's offensive surge.
Shamir Bogues added 18 points, accompanied by Alamutu's double-double (14 points, 12 rebounds), along with 12 points from Nick Fiorillo and 11 points from Ileri Ayo-Faleye. This victory solidified Vermont's 17-11 record, allowing them to inch closer to first-place Bryant.
Reflecting on the team's performance, Hurley stated, "It seems like we always play our best basketball down the stretch, end of February, start of March.” This resilience was palpable as Vermont led comfortably, entering halftime with a 41-26 advantage.
Opening the second half, Vermont scored 10 consecutive points, highlighting their offensive strategy. The Catamounts shot impressively, finishing at 57.9% from the field, with 42 points originating from the paint and matching their season-high of 11 3-pointers.
Defensively, the Catamounts stifled the high-scoring River Hawks, who entered the matchup ranked eighth nationally for field-goal percentage. Lowell managed only 37% shooting, concluding the first half with just one assist, showcasing Vermont's relentless defense. Coach John Becker praised the team, stating, "Our defense has been stellar. (Bogues) was fighting over every screen and everybody has been guarding all year.”
Lowell's Mincey led the River Hawks with 20 points, supported by Martin Somerville with 11 points. Following this victory, Vermont gears up for their next challenges at NJIT and future matchups against UMBC and Albany.
On another front, the America East Championships for women's track and field unfolded at the Track and Tennis Center, where the University of New Hampshire (UNH) women's team found itself among the top contenders on day one.
The Wildcats are currently third with 41.5 points, with standout performances from athletes like freshman Sarah Moore, who broke her own school record with a long jump of 5.85m, previously set at 5.82m. Moore not only excelled but also qualified for the 60m dash finals with her seventh-place finish during the preliminaries.
Junior Makena Lee delivered another strong showing, finishing second with 3.70m in the pole vault, contributing eight pivotal points for UNH. Freshman Ruth White rounded up the trio of All-Conference honorees, finishing third place in the 5000m event with a time of 16:38.27.
The UNH team is set to continue their efforts on the second day of the championships, promising more competitive action. Their success mirrors Vermont’s basketball performance, both seeking to capitalize on momentum as the conference season progresses.
This year's America East tournaments are proving to be high-stakes, with Vermont cementing their playoff viability and UNH’s preparations aimed toward championship aspirations.