FINAL SCORE: Vermont 67, UAB 62
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Catamounts scored the opening basket in their season opener and never looked back, keeping an advantage the entire game while holding the Blazers to zero three-pointers on the way to a 67-62 victory over UAB on Monday night from Bartow Arena in Birmingham, AL. With the win, Vermont opens the season 1-0 while the Blazers drop to 0-1 to begin the campaign.
 
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HOW IT HAPPENED

• Shamir Bogues got the scoring started 21 seconds into the game, driving hard to the rim, finishing the layup opportunity with his left hand for his first two points of the season, earning Vermont the lead, 2-0.
• Following a response bucket from UAB, Bogues dialed up a 7-1 scoring run by himself, scoring all seven points to raise the Catamount lead, 9-3, with 16:47 left in the opening half.
• Sean Blake recorded his first collegiate point at the free-throw line, swishing a free throw with 13:01 on the clock, maintaining Vermont's lead, 12-10.
• On the next Vermont offensive possession, Blake struck again, cashing in on a strong drive at the rim, finishing his layup with the right hand giving the Catamounts a 14-10 advantage.
• After a bucket on the other end by UAB, TJ Hurley responded before the second media timeout, scoring his second bucket of the game, a three pointer from the elbow, elevating the Vermont lead to 17-12 with 11:27 to go in the first half.
• Prior to the third media timeout of the half, Noah Barnett earned his first buckets in a Vermont uniform, leading the charge on a 6-4 scoring run in favor of the Catamounts, scoring two layups in the paint, earning Vermont a 23-16 advantage with 8:18 left on the clock in the first half.
• Coming out of the media timeout, the Catamounts orchestrated a highlight reel 9-2 scoring run, seeing a Bogues layup for his fifth basket of the game, along with a cashed three-pointer by Hurley right after. Barnett followed up, making back-to-back buckets including an electric block on the defensive side, getting rewarded on the offensive side when Blake found him in rotation for the two-handed jam. UVM led 32-18 with 5:08 left in the opening half.
•  TJ Long concluded scoring in the first half, draining his first three of the game from the corner, corralling a kick out pass from Sam Alamutu to put Vermont ahead 38-24 entering halftime. Hurley led the Cats with 13 points shooting four of six from the field, landing three from beyond the arc.
• The Blazers were buzzing to start the second half coming back to within two points, 40-38, but Hurley silenced the crowd with 12:29 on the clock, cashing a logo three pointer to give Vermont a 43-38 advantage.
• Ileri Ayo-Faleye found Seth Joba on the following possession, drilling his first three of the game for the Catamounts. The score read 46-38 in favor of Vermont.
• Just as UAB tied the ball game 46-46, Ayo-Faleye dialed up a 7-0 scoring run by himself, banging two bank-shot three-pointers from each elbow, including an and-one, swishing the extra free-throw to give Vermont a 53-46 lead entering a media timeout.
• Long halted another Blazer offensive push after knotting the score at 58, cashing his second corner three pointer with 3:34 of gametime remaining, maintaining the Vermont lead, 58-55, prior to a media timeout.
• With 59 seconds remaining, Hurley was able to create just enough space from a clampy Blazer defensive presence, banking a mid-range shot for his sixth bucket of the game, giving the Catamounts a late 62-60 lead.
• Late free-throws from Nick Fiorillo, Ayo-Faleye, and Hurley sealed the deal, as Vermont came out victorious 67-62 vs UAB in the first leg of their southern road trip.

 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• Hurley led the charge with a career-high 20 points shooting 6-12 from the field and 4-8 from distance, setting a new career-high in points to go along with two rebounds and two assists.
• Bogues (13 points, two rebounds, one assist) and Long (10 points, three rebounds and one assist) were the other two Catamounts in double figure scoring. Bogues also tied a team-high six shots made.
• Ayo-Faleye and Barnett each earned six rebounds and a combined 17 points.
• Vermont held UAB to 0-10 shooting from three-point distance, earning their fourth straight season opener win.
• UVM shot a better percentage from the free throw line, shooting 13-16 (81%) to UAB's 10-15 (67%).
• The Catamounts won the turnover battle, committing five to the Blazers seven.
• With the win, Vermont Mutual Insurance Group will donate $100 to Vermont Children's Trust Foundation as part of the Cats Win, Community Wins initiative.

 
UP NEXT
Vermont's two-game southern road trip continues on Wednesday (Nov. 6) when it faces a ranked opponent for the 35th time in program history, traveling to 11th ranked Auburn in Auburn, AL. The opening tip is slated for 8 p.m. ET at Neville Arena and will be broadcast live on ESPN+ and SEC+.
 
McGee Automotive Family is the presenting sponsor of Vermont men's basketball