The defending America East Champion University of Vermont Catamounts (19-8, 15-3) head to Boston for the 2004 Choice Hotels International America East Men's Basketball Championship as the second seed. The Catamounts are hoping lightning will strike again as last season was the only other time they were seeded second and they went on to win the school's only title.
In Saturday's 6:00pm quarterfinal at Walter Brown Arena, Vermont will play the winner of Friday's first-round game between #7 New Hampshire and #10 Albany (Radio: WJOY 1230 AM; Internet: www.sportsjuice.com).
Plenty of tickets are available for Vermont's quarterfinal session by calling the Boston University Ticket Office at 1-617-353-GoBU.
Prior to the Saturday's game, their will be a Catamount Rally in Boston close to Walter Brown Arena. UVM fans are welcome to attend a pre-game reception at the Fresh Foods Co. Dining Hall located in Claflin Hall on Babcock Street next to Walter Brown Arena (Look for UVM signs) from 4:00pm to 5:30pm. Free appetizers and UVM giveaways (shakers, t-shirts) will be available. The UVM Dance Team and Rally, the UVM mascot also will be on hand.
Junior point guard T.J. Sorrentine, the 2002 America East Player of the Year, has bounced back from missing all of last season with a solid season and is the Cats top active scorer. He was third in the America East in scoring in conference games (16.4 ppg) and in all games, he is third in the loop in assists, fourth in free throw shooting, sixth in scoring, and sixth in 3-pt FG's. He is eighth all-time in scoring at UVM with 1,370 points, fourth in 3-pt FGs with 224, sixth in assists and seventh in steals (129). Last Sunday versus Maine he recorded his 400th career assist. In Sorrentine's last two seasons as Vermont's starting point guard, the Catamounts have gone 28-6 in conference games.
Junior Taylor Coppenrath, the nation's fifth leading scorer, broke a bone in his left wrist and is lost for the season having last played on February 15th. He leads the conference in scoring and field goal percentage, is fourth in rebounds and fifth in free throw shooting. Fourth all-time at UVM with 1,610 career points, his scoring average (23.8 ppg) is the third best in a single-season at Vermont and his 524 points rank ninth. For the second straight season he was named to the NABC All-District I, First Team, the lone non-Big East player on the first team.
Senior center Scotty Jones has recorded double-doubles in the three straight games while shooting 20-for-28 (71%) from the floor. He is UVM's all-time leader in games played (Saturday will be #120) and with 581 career rebounds, he is now 10th all-time at Vermont. He is ninth in the conference in rebounds and fourth in blocked shots.
The Catamounts this season set several new team records highlighted by a program-high 15 conference wins. Other new records include 10 road wins and a 13-game winning streak. Vermont's 19 wins this season tie for the third most in school history behind 21 victories in each of the last two years. UVM also won 19 games in 1946-47.
Strong rebounding and solid defense have been keys to UVM's success this season. The Catamounts, who lead the America East with a +3.2 rebound margin, are now 16-2 when they out-rebound their opponent and they are 11-1 when they allow 60 or fewer points.
Tourney Tidbits: A charter member of the conference, the Catamounts won their lone title last season winning the quarterfinal and semifinal games at Walter Brown Arena and then topped #1 seed Boston U. upstairs at Case Gym in the title game ... This is the second time Vermont has been the second seed and they were #2 last year in earning their championship ... Vermont is the only school that has been in the quarterfinals in each of the last 15 seasons. They are also looking to advance to the semis for the third straight season for the first time in school history.