MEN’S BASKETBALL NOTEBOOK
Vermont men’s basketball hosts Catholic in an exhibition contest on Saturday (Oct. 28) at Patrick Gym. The tip-off is set for 1 p.m. ET. Tickets for the preseason matchup are available for purchase at UVMathletics.com/Tickets or by visiting the Patrick Gym Box Office on gameday.
BROADCAST INFORMATION
Vermont’s two exhibitions will not have video broadcasts available. 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 Brian McLaughlin on the call.
RELATED LINKS
Purchase Tickets
Listen Live on Varsity Network App
Live Stats
Vermont Basketball Media Day: Coach Becker | Deloney | Bogues
SCOUTING CATHOLIC
The Cardinals enter the 2023-24 campaign ranked No. 17 in the D3Hoops.com Preseason Top 25. Catholic returns 11 of the top 12 scorers from a year ago including D3Hoops.com All-Region 5 First Team selection Jesse Hafemeister who has averaged 17.8 points per game in 56 career contests for the Cardinals. Joining the senior is three-time All-Landmark Second Team selection Tommy Kelly, a guard who has averaged 12.7 points and 2.2 assists in 54 games. Catholic is led by Aaron Kelly, who has amassed a 51-32 (.614) record in four seasons as bench boss.
COACHING TIES
Cioffi Men’s Basketball Head Coach John Becker is a 1990 graduate of Catholic University. Becker returned to his alma mater to serve as an assistant coach from 2004 to 2006, coaching current Cardinals’ bench boss Aaron Kelly before coming to Vermont.
JERSEY REVEAL
The Catamounts will be sporting new white uniforms this season. UVM Athletics revealed the new men’s basketball look on Friday afternoon.
CHASING A THREE-PEAT
The Vermont men’s basketball program is in search of its first America East Championship three-peat since 2005. UVM’s lone trip out of the NCAA Tournament Round of 64 came off of that three-peat.
PRESEASON FAVORITES ONCE AGAIN
The Catamounts were selected No. 1 in the America East Preseason Poll for the seventh time in the last eight seasons, and ninth time in 13 seasons under John Becker. Vermont received six of the nine first-place votes, and a score of 62 points. UMass Lowell was picked second in the poll, receiving the three remaining first-place votes and a score of 55 points.
DELONEY PICKS UP PRESEASON HONOR
Aaron Deloney was named to the Preseason All-Conference team after earning America East Sixth Man of the Year in each of the last two seasons. The Portland, Ore. native ranked third on the Catamounts in scoring during league play last season, averaging 11.3 points per game off the bench.
ANOTHER RELOAD
John Becker and staff had to replace four members of the starting five for the second consecutive season after the Catamounts lost Player of the Year Finn Sullivan, All-Conference guards Robin Duncan and Dylan Penn, along with Kam Gibson. Vermont will look to replace 58.0% of its minutes and 56.7% of its scoring from 2022-23.
WHO’S BACK
The Catamounts bring back two of its top-five scorers in Aaron Deloney (11.6 ppg) and Matt Veretto (8.9 ppg). All-Rookie guard TJ Hurley (5.1 ppg) returns for his sophomore campaign along with veteran forward Nick Fiorillo (4.1 ppg) who is out indefinitely with a lower body injury. Ileri Ayo-Faleye is poised for a big season after matching a team-high 0.8 blocks per game in league play. Sam Alamutu and Michel Ndayishmiye round out the returners.
THE NEW GUYS
UVM added eight newcomers to its roster for the 2023-24 campaign. Four transfers and four first-years make up the new group. The transfers are led by two-time All-WAC defender Shamir Bogues from (Tarleton State), and MAAC Sixth Man of the Year TJ Long (Fairfield). Brenton Mills (Binghamton/Bowling Green State) returns to America East after two seasons in the MAC. Jace Roquemore (UC San Diego) rounds out the transfers. Vermont’s rookies are headlines by All-NEPSAC First Teamer Seth Joba and forward Noah Barnett. Charlie Moore and Michael Mora join the Catamounts as walk-ons. Coach Becker spoke about the incoming class earlier this week.
McGee Automotive Family is the presenting sponsor of Vermont men’s basketball