Twitter: @UVMmbb
2017-18 Preseason Coaches Predicted Finish
First Place
2017-18 KenPom Projected Conference Record
13-3, first place
2016-17 Record
16-0 (8-0 road, 8-0 home), first place
2016-17 Attendance
2,477 average, 42,116 total (17 games)
2016-17 PPG
75.2, 3rd in America East
2016-17 Opp PPG
61.1, 1st in America East
2016-17 3 Point FG %
39.7%, 3rd in America East
2016-17 FT %
67.3%, 7th in America East
2016-17 Rebound Margin
+4.6, 2nd in America East
2016-17 Assists
13.3, 3rd in America East
2016-17 T/O Margin
+1.31, 3rd in America East
Vermont ran through the America East last season with a combined regular season and tournament conference record of 19-0. The Catamounts return a lot of pieces including 65.03% of their scoring, 60.8% of their rebounding and 76% of their assists during conference play last year.
The two losses Vermont will have to work around are the graduations of Kurt Steidl and Dre Wills. Steidl led the Catamounts in minutes per game during conference play, while finishing third in rebounds, third in steals, third in blocks and tied for fourth in points per game. Wills won the America East Defensive POY award, while averaging 6.8 points, 4.0 rebounds and 0.9 steals per game.
Vermont will need to find a way to replace the defensive intensity both Steidl and Wills brought to their perimeter defense night in and night out. Steidl also led the Catamounts shooting 46.7% from deep on 3.8 attempts per game in conference.
While there's some question marks for Vermont, there's still plenty of good news heading into the 2017-18 season. Not only do they return America East POY award winner Trae Bell-Haynes, but Anthony Lamb enters his sophomore season as most writers preseason pick for America East POY.
While those two will get the most attention for the Catamounts, everyone should keep an eye on Payton Henson and Ernie Duncan. Henson really came on for Vermont down the stretch in 2016-17, while the sharpshooting Duncan may need to showcase more of an overall offensive game and attempt to pick up some of the perimeter defense that has graduated.
The Catamounts are every writers pick in the preseason to win the America East, and for good reason. Their top three scorers return, star Anthony Lamb is expected to take a leap in his sophomore season and freshman Skyler Nash is expected to contribute immediately, helping out Trae Bell-Haynes and Ernie Duncan on the perimeter.
The two losses Vermont will have to work around are the graduations of Kurt Steidl and Dre Wills. Steidl led the Catamounts in minutes per game during conference play, while finishing third in rebounds, third in steals, third in blocks and tied for fourth in points per game. Wills won the America East Defensive POY award, while averaging 6.8 points, 4.0 rebounds and 0.9 steals per game.
Vermont will need to find a way to replace the defensive intensity both Steidl and Wills brought to their perimeter defense night in and night out. Steidl also led the Catamounts shooting 46.7% from deep on 3.8 attempts per game in conference.
While there's some question marks for Vermont, there's still plenty of good news heading into the 2017-18 season. Not only do they return America East POY award winner Trae Bell-Haynes, but Anthony Lamb enters his sophomore season as most writers preseason pick for America East POY.
While those two will get the most attention for the Catamounts, everyone should keep an eye on Payton Henson and Ernie Duncan. Henson really came on for Vermont down the stretch in 2016-17, while the sharpshooting Duncan may need to showcase more of an overall offensive game and attempt to pick up some of the perimeter defense that has graduated.
The Catamounts are every writers pick in the preseason to win the America East, and for good reason. Their top three scorers return, star Anthony Lamb is expected to take a leap in his sophomore season and freshman Skyler Nash is expected to contribute immediately, helping out Trae Bell-Haynes and Ernie Duncan on the perimeter.
What Arrives
#0 Stef Smith (Fr) 6'1'' 170 pound guard. Valedictorian of his graduating class at Bill Crothers Secondary, an athletic based high school. Highlight Video 1
#1 Skyler Nash (Fr) 6'6'' 215 pound guard/forward. Averaged 20 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists during his prep year at Gould Academy in Maine last season. Attended Riverside Brookfield in Illinois for high school. Expected to immediately contribute as a Freshman for Vermont. Highlight Video 1
#12 Bailey Patella (Fr) 6'6'' 185 pound forward. 1,000 point scorer at Lenox High School before transferring to Vermont Academy for the 2015-16 season.
#15 Ra Kpedi (Fr) 6'9'' 220 pound forward. Averaged a double-double last season at Lawrence North.
What Returns
#24 Ben Shungu (R-Fr) 6'2'' 200 pound guard. Redshirted the 2016-17 season. Burlington native who averaged 21.9 points, 5.9 rebounds and 4.1 assists as a senior at Rice Memorial.
#32 Josh Speidel (R-Fr) 6'7'' 210 pound forward. Amazing young man who is working his way back from a 2015 car crash that left him with a brain injury. This is just one of many articles on his story. His UVM profile page has a must read piece from ncaa.org. Best of luck in your continued rehab Josh.
#2 Trae Bell-Haynes (Sr) 6'2'' 180 pound guard. Reigning America East Conference POY who averaged 12.3 points (tied for team lead), 4.1 assists (team high) and 1.1 steals (team high) per conference game in 27.6 minutes of action.
#3 Anthony Lamb (So) 6'6'' 227 pound guard. Averaged 12.3 points (tied for team lead), 4.9 rebounds (team high) and 1.2 blocks (team high) in 20.4 minutes in conference play during a big time freshman campaign. Made the All-Conference Second Team last season and won both America East Rookie of the Year and the America East Tournament Most Outstanding Player. Is many people's preseason choice for 2017-18 America East POY.
#4 David Urso (Sr) 6'2'' 200 pound guard. Appeared in 4 conference games, averaging 1.8 minutes in 2016-17.
#5 Samuel Dingba (R-Jr) 6'5'' 205 pound forward. A transfer from Quinnipiac who sat out last season due to NCAA transfer rules.
#14 Cam Ward (Sr) 6'2'' 170 pound guard. Averaged 4.6 points, 1.8 assists and 1.3 steals in 15 minutes per game during conference play last season. Shot 35.3% from deep in 2.1 attempts per game, and 53.8% on 1.6 attempts from two point range. I'm going to assume that conference FT% is a typo...
#14 Cam Ward (Sr) 6'2'' 170 pound guard. Averaged 4.6 points, 1.8 assists and 1.3 steals in 15 minutes per game during conference play last season. Shot 35.3% from deep in 2.1 attempts per game, and 53.8% on 1.6 attempts from two point range. I'm going to assume that conference FT% is a typo...
#20 Ernie Duncan (R-Jr) 6'3'' 190 pound guard. Averaged 8.1 points, 2.2 assists and 2.3 rebounds in 27.9 minutes per game. Shot 41.8% from deep in conference play on 5.3 attempts per game... only attempted 1.1 two point field goals per game.
#21 Everett Duncan (R-So) 6'6'' 190 pound guard. Appeared in 1 game during the 2016-17 season. The younger, but taller and stronger of the Duncan brothers.
#25 Drew Urquhart (Sr) 6'8'' 219 pound forward. Averaged 3.5 points and 2.7 rebounds in 11.9 minutes per conference game.
#35 Payton Henson (R-Sr) 6'8'' 215 pound forward. Averaged 10.2 points and 4.8 rebounds in 25.7 minutes in conference action. Was Vermont's star player in their America East Conference Finals win over Albany, scoring a team high 17 points.
#44 Nate Rohrer (R-Sr) 6'7'' 215 pound forward. Appeared in 6 conference games, averaging 8 minutes per contest during 2016-17 America East play.
Coaching Staff
John Becker - Head Coach Twitter: @coachbeckeruvm
Kyle Cieplicki - Associate Head Coach
Ryan Schneider - Assistant Coach
Hamlet Tibbs - Assistant Coach
Greg Snyder - Director of Basketball Operations
Derryk O'Grady - Graduate Assistant Coach
Fun Fact
Last year Vermont completed the first 19-0 season in America East history, a streak that was part of a 21 game winning streak which involved them not losing a game between December 22nd and March 15th.
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