Bold opening statement: Vermont showed resilience and grit on their home floor, turning back a stubborn Merrimack squad 66-59 in a performance that highlighted depth, defense, and clutch free-throw shooting.
Final score: Vermont 66, Merrimack 59
BURLINGTON, Vt. – Noah Barnett delivered a career-best 16 points along with two steals, guiding the Catamounts to a 7-5 record as Merrimack falls to 6-7. The win came during Vermont’s Youth Day at Patrick Gym, presented by Healthy Living.
Related links
- Box Score
- CatamounTV Highlights
Coach’s takeaway
“Today’s win came against a tough Merrimack team that’s always disruptive in that 2-3 zone. We did a solid job generating looks, and that’s a reminder that defense often sets the tone for offense. I’m really pleased with our last two games on that end. Sean Blake has made meaningful strides on both ends, and Noah Barnett’s performance today might be one of his best in a Catamount uniform.”
How it unfolded
- Barnett won the opening tip, and Gus Yalden converted a quick first-possession basket to put UVM up 2-0. The Cats carried the early momentum after an offensive rebound and a bank shot.
- Before the first media timeout at 15:40, Sean Blake sparked an 8-4 run to push Vermont to a 10-4 lead, aided by two tough layups. Barnett and Yalden added their own baskets.
- TJ Long hit a contested three with 11:34 left in the half to extend the lead to nine points (17-8).
- Ben Johnson then punctuated a Merrimack 5-0 burst with a three after an offensive board, marking his 1,000th career basket as Vermont led 20-13.
- Vermont closed the first half strong, capped by Barnett’s emphatic dunk and a second three from Johnson, sending the Cats into the break up 30-21.
- The second half started with Vermont widening the gap to 41-27 by 15:27, aided by Yalden’s two layups and Barnett’s free-throw-heavy stretch.
- Hurley opened the scoring in the second half with a deep triple at 10:37, keeping the double-digit cushion at 48-38.
- Merrimack crept closer, trimming the margin to single digits after a layup by Ernest Shelton at 10:08, still trailing 48-40.
- Barnett electrified the home crowd with a two-handed jam at 7:50, fed by Blake, making it 52-40.
- Down the stretch, Merrimack staged a 12-3 surge across five different players to pull within 55-52 with 3:54 left.
- Long answered with back-to-back turnaround jumpers, restoring a 60-54 lead with 1:25 to go. He finished the game scoring the Catamounts’ final six points, sealing a 66-59 victory.
Inside the box score
- Barnett logged a career-high 32 minutes and 16 points, shooting 4-for-6 from the floor and a personal-best 8-for-10 at the line. He grabbed five rebounds (four on the offensive end) and added two steals, tying a career high on multiple occasions.
- Yalden matched a season high with seven boards, collecting five on the offensive end. He also posted 10 points and a block.
- Blake shot 6-for-7, totaling 14 points, five assists (a team high) and four rebounds.
- Long contributed 13 points, four rebounds, and two steals.
- Johnson reached a milestone, scoring his 1,000th career point while adding six points on a pair of threes and pulling down five rebounds, a season high.
- Vermont dominated the glass 34-28, marking the fifth time this season they’ve pulled down at least 34 rebounds.
- The Catamounts had nine assists to Merrimack’s eight and committed nine turnovers to Merrimack’s seven, a slight turnover advantage for Vermont.
- The home team outscored the visitors in the paint 28-24.
- Community impact: Vermont Mutual Insurance Group will donate $100 to the Lund Family Center through the Cat’s Win, Community Wins initiative. Vermont Mutual has contributed more than $5 million through the program since its 2014 launch.
Up next
- After this victory, Vermont will have three days to prepare for the next home game against Siena on Wednesday, December 7, at Patrick Gym. Tip-off is set for 7:00 p.m. and the game will be streamed on ESPN+. The Varsity Network App will carry radio coverage with Brian McLaughlin on the call.
Sponsor note
- Vermont Federal Credit Union remains the presenting sponsor of the 2025-26 Vermont Men’s Basketball season.
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