BALTIMORE - The Vermont men's basketball travels to UMBC for the first America East meeting between the two teams this season on Saturday. Tipoff at the RAC is scheduled for 1 p.m. A.J. Kanell will have the call on ESPN 101.3 FM (online: 1013ESPN.com). The game can also be seen online for free via AmericaEast.tv.
UVM improved to 8-8 overall with a 55-52 win over Dartmouth on Wednesday in the final non-conference game of the season for the Catamounts. Vermont is 3-0 in league
play after a 71-57 victory over Stony Brook on January 10. UMBC stands at 2-14 on the year and is 0-3 in league play.
RELATED LINKS
Game Coverage - Live Stats | Live Auido | Live Video
Game Notes (.pdf)
OneBidWonders.com Profile - Dre Wills
CatamounTV Highlights - Dartmouth
LAST TIME OUT - Vermont 55, Dartmouth 52
Dre Wills scored 11 points and added nine rebounds and four assists as Vermont pulled out a 55-52 win over Dartmouth. Hector Harold added a game-high 12 points, while Ethan O'Day and Trae Bell-Haynes chipped in eight points each. The Catamounts led 51-45 with 5:24 left in the. Dartmouth sliced the lead to three, but Vermont used a strong defensive effort down the stretch to pull out the win. The Catamounts held the Big Green without a field goal over the final five minutes.
ABOUT UMBC
UMBC is 2-14 overall and 0-3 in the league ... The Retrievers have lost five straight, including a 64-54 decision at Stony Brook on Wednesday ... Graduate student Wayne Sparrow leads the team in scoring at 13.4 points per game, but increases his scoring average to 17.3 points per game in league play ... Sparrow is shooting 31 percent from the arc and averaging 4.7 rebounds per game ... Cody Joyce ranks second on the team in scoring and is averaging 15.5 points and 8.7 rebounds per game in America East action ... The Retreivers are playing without 2014 America East Rookie of the Year Rodney Elliott who has been sidelined for the season with a shoulder injury ... As a team, UMBC is averaging 55.4 points per game while giving up 66.1 to opponents ... The Retrievers are shooting 40.7 percent from the floor, 29.9 percent from the arc and 59.9 percent from the foul line ... UMBC is being out rebounded 35.5 to 31.9 on the boards.
THE SERIES
Saturday is the 28th meeting between the two teams ... Vermont owns 23-4 record over UMBC in series ... John Becker is 7-0 vs. UMBC ... The Catamounts have won 14 straight against UMBC ... Vermont is 9-2 vs. UMBC at the RAC ... UVM swept the Retrievers last season.
DO IT ALL DRE
Dre Wills has filled the role that former Catamount Brian Voelkel '14 played throughout his career ... Wills, the team's top defender, ranks fifth on the team in scoring (8.2 ppg), ranks second in rebounding (5.1 rpg) and assists (2.8 apg) and steals (26) ... In league play, Wills is averaging 12.3 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 4.0 rpg, 4.6 spg, and is shooting 70.8 FG%.
Wills in League Play
vs. Hartford 11 pts, 7 reb, 7 ast, 6 stl, 2 blk
at Maine 14 pts, 6 reb, 5 ast, 3 stl, 1 blk
vs. Stony Brook 12 pts, 5 reb, 2 blk, 5 stl
LEAGUE NUMBERS
The Catamounts lead America East in field goal percentage, shooting 45.3 percent from the floor and also lead the league in field goal percentage defense at 39.8 percent ... Ethan O'Day leads the conference in field goal percentage (60.2%) and Ryan Pierson is the top free throw shooter in the America East at 90.0 percent ... Vermont owns a +13.3 scoring margin through three games ... Other impressive numbers by the Catamounts in America East action include:
Dre Wills - 70.8 FG%; 12.3 ppg, 6.0 rpg; 4.0 apg; 4.6 stlpg
Trae Bell-Haynes - 75.0 FG%; 5.0 apg; 7.7 ppg
Ethan O'Day - 12.7 ppg; 5.0 rpg
Cam Ward - 12.0 ppg; 68.6 FG%; 80.0 3FG% (4-for-5)
THE STREAK
UVM has won three straight by an average of 10.3 points per game ... The Catamounts are shooting 51.8 percent from the field ... Ethan O'Day is averaging 13.0 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 2.0 blocks during the last three games ... Dre Wills is averaging 12.3 points, 6.7 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 3.3 steals and shooting 70.8 percent from the floor.
WHO'S NEXT
Vermont has a quick turnaround between games as the Catamounts host Binghamton on Monday (Jan. 19) ... Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Patrick Gymnasium ... Tickets are available online at UVMathletics.com and in person one hour before game time in the Patrick Gymnaisum Lobby ... Monday's game can be heard on ESPN 101.3 FM (online: 1013ESPN.com) with A.J. Kanell calling the action ... The game will also be streamed for free in HD via CatamounTV.com.
