The Vermont Catamounts secured a 73-65 win over the Binghamton Bearcats, led by Gus Yalden's impressive 18 points, 9 rebounds, and 5 assists. Vermont's 38 points in the second half helped them maintain their lead, which they built with a 35-32 halftime score. Binghamton's Jackson Benigni scored 15 points, but it wasn't enough to overcome the Catamounts' strong performance. With this win, Vermont improves to 16-10, while Binghamton falls to 5-21, with a 362 NET ranking.
Gus Yalden's Near Triple-Double Leads Vermont to Victory
The game was closely contested, with Vermont taking a 3-point lead into halftime, 35-32. In the second half, the Catamounts outscored Binghamton 38-33, led by Yalden's 10 second-half points. Binghamton's Jeremiah Quigley had 14 points and 7 assists, but the Bearcats couldn't overcome Vermont's balanced attack. The Catamounts shot 45.8% from the field, including 7 three-pointers, while Binghamton made 40.4% of their shots, with 6 three-pointers. At one point, Vermont led by as many as 10 points, but Binghamton cut the deficit to 5 with 2:30 remaining, before the Catamounts pulled away for the 8-point win. Vermont's 73 points marked their 12th game this season with 70 or more points.
Gus Yalden was the standout performer for Vermont, with 18 points, 9 rebounds, and 5 assists. TJ Hurley added 13 points and 5 rebounds, while Sean Blake scored 11 points. For Binghamton, Jackson Benigni led the way with 15 points, followed by Jeremiah Quigley's 14 points and 7 assists, and Bryson Wilson's 12 points. Quigley's 7 assists marked his 10th game this season with 5 or more assists. Yalden's near triple-double was his second of the season, and his 9 rebounds were a season high.
CHD Scout Report Card
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Final
Vermont outrebounded Binghamton 37-29, including 12 offensive rebounds, which led to 12 second-chance points. The Catamounts also had 15 assists, compared to Binghamton's 12. Vermont shot 45.8% from the field, including 43.8% from three-point range, while Binghamton made 40.4% of their shots, with 35.3% from three-point range. The Catamounts' 7 three-pointers marked their 15th game this season with 5 or more three-pointers. Binghamton committed 12 turnovers, which led to 15 Vermont points.
The CHD Scout predicted a Vermont win by 13.5 points, which was correct, although the actual margin was 8 points. The predicted score was 65-78, but the actual score was 65-73. The model correctly identified Vermont as the stronger team, but underestimated Binghamton's ability to keep the game close. The Bearcats' 65 points marked their 10th game this season with 60 or more points. With this win, Vermont improves to 16-10, and their NET ranking remains at 220.
This game was a Quad 4 matchup for both teams, with Binghamton's NET ranking at 362 and Vermont's at 220. The win improves Vermont's resume, although it doesn't significantly impact their tournament chances. Binghamton's loss drops them to 5-21, and their NET ranking is likely to remain near the bottom of the country. Vermont's 16-10 record includes a 10-5 mark in their last 15 games, with an average margin of 7.5 points per game. The Catamounts' Quad 4 record is now 4-6, while Binghamton's is 2-14.
Vermont's next game is against the UMBC Retrievers on February 15, while Binghamton faces the New Hampshire Wildcats on February 17. The Catamounts want to build on their momentum, while the Bearcats will try to bounce back from their loss. Vermont has won 7 of their last 10 games, with an average score of 72-65. Binghamton has lost 12 of their last 15 games, with an average score of 58-70.