I was at that game in Worcester. Brought along my SU alum brother who left the Centrum not very happy. He hadn't left a game feeling that way since his senior year back in college at the last game in the history of Manley Field House when the Orange saw their long 57 game home win streak come to end in 1980 against Thompson's Georgetown Hoyas.
Vermont's Lone Round of 64 Win
Not much recruiting news to discuss, so here: A reminder that big March upsets often require the favorite playing uncharacteristically poorly as much as the underdog playing exceptionally well. At least offensively, Vermont has played far better in most of its NCAA tournament games since it beat Syracuse in 2005 (the 2010 Syracuse rematch is certainly one exception). And we've certainly had far more depth, balance, and versatility.
If you haven't re-watched that 2005 game or looked at the box score in awhile, you may forget that pretty much everyone on the floor not named Germain Mopa Njila had an absolutely terrible game (Taylor had a decent but certainly below average game). Vermont defended, I give them that, but some of the numbers are wild:
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If you haven't re-watched that 2005 game or looked at the box score in awhile, you may forget that pretty much everyone on the floor not named Germain Mopa Njila had an absolutely terrible game (Taylor had a decent but certainly below average game). Vermont defended, I give them that, but some of the numbers are wild:
- UVM had 19 -- 19! -- first half points
- Sorrentine and Klimes were 5-20 & 2-10 from the field, respectively
- UVM played zero front court players off the bench, and total bench minutes in an OT game were 9.
- UVM's bench scored 0 but Syracuse's bench only scored 6.
- in 40 minutes, David Hehn went 0-1 from the field (he did only avg 4.4 points all season, but still)
- Warrick scored 21 but committed 10(!) turnovers
- McNamara more or less mirrored Sorrentine, shooting 4-18 FG & 1-7 3FG.
